Such a modest, practical reform may lack Mr. Obama's preferred political grandeur, but the other reason he didn't propose it is that the government has already been doing it for a half-century.

WSJ: Review & Outlook: Head Start for All

Conservative Royston Smith said the approach should be "sharing services, outsourcing where practical and modest pay cuts to protect jobs".

BBC: Southampton City Council to cut 'close to 300' jobs

We suggest a modest proposal to let these practical voices be heard.

FORBES: Move up http://i.forbesimg.com t Move down

Since its founding, ASEAN has grown from a modest forum for regional cooperation to an institutionalized organization responsible for a broad range of practical cooperation, and the driver for broader regional economic, political, and security integration.

WHITEHOUSE: The White House

For practical, economic and political reasons, these two projects have morphed largely into programs of modest near-term upgrades in existing commuter-rail services in metropolitan areas along the proposed lines, confirming our premise that when money is tight, we should improve on what we already have before building something new.

WSJ: Which Gets Priority: High-Speed Rail or Intercity Passenger Service?