While Jackson and his successors framed economic policy as a matter of limited-government principle, Howe argues that the practical difference was that the Whigs sought to create a coherent national transportation system, while Jackson preferred to dole out projects on an ad-hoc basis to individual states.

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Mr Winsor replied that the system was coherent and rational - but government was failing to play its part.

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Universities Minister David Willetts also backed the need for a more coherent approach to the clearing system.

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No one believes that the articulation of a coherent design philosophy is best handled by a sprawling, leaderless organizational system.

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