The Democratic Party must prepare for war. Not a war with bombs and missiles, but a political war against its arch nemesis, the GOP. The elections of 2000 and 2002 have set the Democrats back, and the only way the Democratic Party is going to have a chance of taking the White House or Congress in 2004 is to combat the Republicans by developing a new strategy around strong, socially liberal leadership and stubborn opposition.
The Democratic Party is struggling during a unique time of American political history. After President Bush sneaked into the White House after a divisive judicial process, the Democrats, in order to appear as a cooperative team in Washington, chose not to challenge the president's cabinet appointees. The clearest example is the appointment of John Ashcroft to Attorney General. Ashcroft represents some of the most conservative interests in America, and he never was immensely popular. Nevertheless, the Democrats in the Senate refused to enact a filibuster to oppose his appointment. They should learn from the Republicans, who do not let their political power go to waste. When the GOP surged into Congressional power in 1994, Newt Gingrich and his infamous "Contract with America" forced the Republican agenda into Washington.
In the post-Sept. 11 world, the Democrats back down from the challenge the Republicans pose because they want to appeal to America's born-again patriotism. This strategy failed in the midterm election, and it will continue to fail. The Democrats must take action immediately or they will lose their identity. The Democratic constituency is broad -- it's composed of environmentalists, labor unions, social liberals and the elderly. With so many voters to please in the last midterm election, the Democrats gave up on many issues critical to their base, and instead focused on issues critical to swing voters: education, healthcare and social security. Many of these positions of the Democratic Party coincide directly with the Republicans -- and the Republicans will always win this battle.
Although pundits keep claiming that swing voters decide elections, the Democrats have taken their advice to the extreme. As an example, registered Maryland Democrats, who outnumber Republicans 2 to 1, voted Republican to put Governor-elect Robert Ehrlich into office. The Democratic voters of Maryland expressed that they felt the party abandoned them.
The Republicans were much more likely to vote party line in this last election. The Democrats do not have a specific plan to revive the economy or combat terrorism and left their constituents in the dark about what to vote for. Campaigning for the general ideals without a specific plan will not benefit the Democratic Party.
The Democrats need to develop a strategy that opposes the Republicans on the issues the Republicans hold dear. If the Republicans are pro-business, the Democrats must become pro-consumer.If the Republicans favor war, the Democrats must unite to favor peace. If the Republicans provide a tax-cut, the Democrats must create a tax cut of their own. The Democrats, even after Sept. 11, cannot be afraid to attack the Republicans head-on.
The Democrats must prove themselves to be as a worthy adversary to the mighty GOP. The task the Democrats face as the minority party will not be easy. But it is not impossible -- the National Journal reports that only 46 percent of Americans claim the country is on the right track under Republcian rule. Demagoguery and diverted interests within the party will not win elections. The Democrats must unite under new leadership that will challenge the Republican agenda.
Uniting the party requires a shift from the centrist politics the Democrats have used for the last decade. On Thursday, the Democrats elected Rep. Nancy Pelosi from San Francisco as the new Minority Leader in the House. Her liberal attitudes will influence the Democratic Party for the better. The centrist strategy has failed the Democratic Party in the last two elections, and the Democrats are wise for inviting change.
But a change in leadership must also result in a change of strategy. The Democratic Party must become a stubborn, political enemy to the majority party. The Democrats must reject any radically conservative judicial appointee; they must fight against drilling in the Alaskan Wildlife Preserve; and they must develop a firm, united plan for the war on terrorism. Fighting for the socially liberal cause, the Democratic Party will lose few voters. Moderation is acceptable for fiscal policy, but the Democrats lose many votes to Republicans who claim to be socially moderate. The new leadership must put an end to this. Fiscal moderation will bring many swing voters, but the Democrats must remain socially liberal to retain its base.
However, fiscal moderation is not to be confused with submission to Bush's budget. The Democrats must fight for the key interests of its liberal base, such as the Environmental Protection Agency and Medicare. They must bring it to the forefront of the media that Bush's tax cut is similar to the failed Reaganomics of the 1980s. Reminding the citizens of the Bush plan's similarity to Reagan's plans is a powerful charge, and the voters will listen. Socially and fiscally, the Democrats must challenge the Republicans so new ideas will arise from Congress.
The Democratic Party must awaken from its slumber, and it must learn from its mistakes from the last two elections. Otherwise, the Republicans will continue to control the country's policies.
(Patrick Harvey's column appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at pharvey@cavalierdaily.com.)
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