James Florio: New Jersey's Robin Hood

"The issue isn't more or less government," New Jersey Governor James Florio says tersely. "It's dumb vs. smart government." Barely into his sixth month in office, Democrat Florio has been giving lessons to politicians across the country -- and in Washington -- not only about smart government but also about leadership. Using populist rhetoric and unconventional straight talk and tireless stumping for his programs, Florio, 52, has launched the largest barrage of government initiatives in the Garden State since Woodrow Wilson sat in Trenton from 1911 to 1913. More important, he has set out to demonstrate that voters' "common sense" can...