It is my honor to have been invited to represent the Tufts Democrats in this inaugural "point-counterpoint" series of Viewpoint-offs for the Tufts Daily. The given topic is "midterm election strategy," but in a strict interpretation of the term, I doubt whether the subject is one on which the two parties much differ.
Under the fine leadership of Chairman Howard Dean, the Democratic National Committee has initiated an unprecedented (on our side) focus on the nuts and bolts of running credible campaigns in as many races as possible throughout the fifty states. Democratic and Republican campaign officials employ more or less the same strategy: use polls and grassroots volunteers to bombard friendly voters with fine-tuned media and repeated one-on-one human contact in order to turn out maximum support. To my mind, the only key differences are that Republicans are more willing to pander, distort, slander competitors and break laws along the way.
True, the corporate infotainment outlets have spent much of the past few weeks belaboring the horse-race aspects of these midterm elections along the lines of "Democrats will/have tried to nationalize races' issues while their opponents will/have shied away from the White House," et cetera, et cetera. I myself have little interest in squandering valuable print on such mundane generalizations, however, for to indulge in broad trend-spotting is to belittle the diversity of issues and candidates across this huge nation. In the poll booth, what matters most is which candidate voters feel will best represent them. Determining what Wolf Blitzer will drone about the next day is not a pressing consideration.
This does not mean, however, that there is little to no difference between what Democratic and Republican candidates stand for in these myriad races -- far from it. During a Parents' Weekend reception of the Tufts Democrats, students and parents had the good fortune to take part in a conversation with former Democratic National Committee Chairman Steve Grossman. Over the course of an hour and a half, the assembled students and parents filled a blackboard with issues today's Democrats care passionately about (and which Republican incumbents have bungled, sabotaged or abandoned). These concerns included:
Competence This should not be a substantive issue in any national campaign. Most big elections concern reasonable differences concerning social values and sensible policy, but the past six years have been exceptional; the Republican Congress of yes-officials to the Bush administration has ratcheted up a string of historic failures. To name but one example, the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, which was created in spite of outrageous objections from Republican bigwigs, suggested ways to bolster our national security, and Congressional Republicans have responded with speed and determination -- to rewrite laws in order to keep a brain-dead comatose woman breathing. In 2005, the Commission gave Bush's Congress five F's, 12 D's and two 'incompletes'. The Republican incumbents are simply not capable of serving our country; Democratic candidates therefore deserve the chance to prove that they are.
Conservatism The right-wingers in Congress are no conservatives. In instance after appalling instance, they have discarded the time-honored values of due process, Constitutionally-mandated humane treatment of prisoners, fiscal responsibility, legitimate judicial oversight and a legion of other treasured American principles in order to veil their incompetence and win elections. They have eroded our moral high ground against violent extremists, and in their enthusiasm for unnecessary war and feckless corporal punishment have begun to mirror the nature of our enemies. Democrats are America's conservatives now, and have been for some years.
Opportunity for all "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free": these words are bolted to Statue of Liberty. Democrats still believe in this awe-inspiring message, and have therefore called for a living wage for all Americans. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 27 states share the federal government's unacceptable minimum wage of $5.15. Congressional Republicans have defeated every Democratic-sponsored increase since 1997, while increasing their own pay eight times. Only Democrats remain committed to keeping America a land of real opportunity.
Looking to the future When President Clinton left the White House, America enjoyed its first budgetary surplus in decades, but the Congressional Budget Office anticipates a $1.76 trillion deficit over the next ten years. Unless decisive action is taken by a responsible Congress, Communist China will lay claim to funds our generation may desperately need - particularly if our own Frank Ackerman, Director of Research and Policy for the University's Global Development and Environment Institute, is correct in warning that costs ensuing from global warming could amount to twenty trillion dollars by this century's end.
These and other challenges (such as rogue nuclear warheads, yet another urgent matter which upon which Congress has failed to act ) may well try our character and resources in the years ahead, but Democrats know that we are not descended from fearful forebears. This administration's Lear-like ravings aside, al Qaeda and its terrorist bethren can and will be eliminated - if our leaders have the sense and resolve to do so. Smart and cooperative police work will accomplish this; no-bid contracts to the Vice President's former megacorporation will not. A Democratic Congress will not hide from the tests of tomorrow.
This is but a sampling of the concerns listed at last Saturday's reception. Students and parents also cited education, civil rights, the environment and social welfare as strong and positive Democratic values. All worthy subjects, they will have to wait for future Viewpoints.
Politicians and commentators of all sorts agree that these are times of great consequence. Former President Bush Sr. recently complained that undeserved returns on Nov.r 7 would be "a ghastly thing for our country"; this is perhaps truer than he knows.
