Articulating an Alternative

We've written on this blog often about the need have a genuine, viable opposition party in this country. With the Republicans in control of every branch of government at the federal level, and the governorships and legislatures of a majority of states, that opposition ought to come from the Democratic Party. But the Democrats have failed time and again over the last dozen years or so to rally themselves into anything that can present itself as a real alternative.

The consequences have been tragic. The 2004 presidential election was winnable...but not by a Democratic candidate who did not resonate on a personal level with voters and who did not articulate a clear set of reasons why he was the better choice.

Unfortunately, I don't see much positive movement among Democrats in preparation for the critical 2006 mid-term Congressional elections either. I get e-mails regularly from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, but most of their communications simply rail against the corruption and ineptitude of the administration without presenting an alternative. Slowly, though, a few lone voices--outside of the party leadership, of course--are starting to make an effort. Some of the statements that have appeared lately include the following:

• David O'Brien, writing for Commonweal, argues that the Democrats should turn the Republicans' message directly on its head and fight for stronger government, higher taxes for the wealthy, common security, and family values that emphasize public compassion and solidarity.
• Robert Borosage outlines a detailed platform, which he calls a Real Contract With America, focusing a list of positions on a wide variety of issues from cracking down on corporate corruption to protecting Social Security.
• Jim Wallis, editor of the leftist Christian magazine Sojourners, gets very specific with a call to oppose the president's proposed $85 billion in cuts to social programs, arguing that budgets are moral documents which can very much reflect family values.

The Democratic leadership has seemed to think that this kind of progressive agenda would cost them elections...but which elections, exactly, have they been winning by taking a different approach...?

-G