An Agenda for the Democratic Party
Energy Indepedence
Any idiot can see the problems that having no energy policy has gotten us into. No other issue has such deep implications for our economy, our environment, and our foreign policy. We do not need drastic measures, but we *do* need a steady reduction in the use of carbon-based fuels, an increase in alternatives like renewables and nuclear power, and new investments in transit across the country. And of course higher fuel standards for vehicles across the board.
Universal Health Care
I don't think it's a stretch to say the majority of Americans probably support universal health care. It just makes sense, and it's the right thing to do. More individuals, and businesses, are feeling the pinch of health care costs that are rising faster than incomes. The US spends a higher percentage of its GNP on health care than possibly any other nation, yet millions are left out of the system entirely. Hospitals are overloaded and non-profit hospitals are going bust or are deeply in the debt. The current system isn't working on many levels, foremost on providing access to health care for all Americans.
Fiscal Responsibility
I can't think of any legitimate economic or policy reason for our endless fiscal deficits. They're a byproduct of a broken ideology that says we can get all of the services we want from government without paying for them. These deficits are unfair - we're placing a tax on future generations (or ourselves as older people) for benefits we are getting now. It's like paying for a what you want by placing it on your children's credit card. And it hasn't worked out that great economically either. Since Bush has been president and instituted his tax cut policies, the stock market has barely budged, and the average American hasn't seen growth in their real wages.
The Democrats can win on these issues, because they're serious issues that are of concern to the vast majority of Americans, and they're issues where the Republicans have been absent or even counter-productive. The only missing part to this formula is that the Democrats need a clear global strategy on terrorism, something the Democrats have lacked or at least have not clearly articulated. This is a more complicated matter, so I'm going to leave it for another posting.
Any idiot can see the problems that having no energy policy has gotten us into. No other issue has such deep implications for our economy, our environment, and our foreign policy. We do not need drastic measures, but we *do* need a steady reduction in the use of carbon-based fuels, an increase in alternatives like renewables and nuclear power, and new investments in transit across the country. And of course higher fuel standards for vehicles across the board.
Universal Health Care
I don't think it's a stretch to say the majority of Americans probably support universal health care. It just makes sense, and it's the right thing to do. More individuals, and businesses, are feeling the pinch of health care costs that are rising faster than incomes. The US spends a higher percentage of its GNP on health care than possibly any other nation, yet millions are left out of the system entirely. Hospitals are overloaded and non-profit hospitals are going bust or are deeply in the debt. The current system isn't working on many levels, foremost on providing access to health care for all Americans.
Fiscal Responsibility
I can't think of any legitimate economic or policy reason for our endless fiscal deficits. They're a byproduct of a broken ideology that says we can get all of the services we want from government without paying for them. These deficits are unfair - we're placing a tax on future generations (or ourselves as older people) for benefits we are getting now. It's like paying for a what you want by placing it on your children's credit card. And it hasn't worked out that great economically either. Since Bush has been president and instituted his tax cut policies, the stock market has barely budged, and the average American hasn't seen growth in their real wages.
The Democrats can win on these issues, because they're serious issues that are of concern to the vast majority of Americans, and they're issues where the Republicans have been absent or even counter-productive. The only missing part to this formula is that the Democrats need a clear global strategy on terrorism, something the Democrats have lacked or at least have not clearly articulated. This is a more complicated matter, so I'm going to leave it for another posting.
Comments
Kerry should never have let the Swift Boat Liars go unchallenged.
The American public loves to say that they hate personal attacks in their politics, but they don't mean it. Because they fall for it every time. The psychology/sociology/linguistics of it is too important to ignore. We are supposed to be the ones who appreciate science -- but it's the other side who is using scientific knowledge to get ahead.
So although I agree with you that the Democrats need a message more than they need issues, I still think these issues are winners.
To read the article, go here:
http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=express&s=hayes111704