Is There Hope for the Democratic Party After the November Disaster?

(Talk to Sarasota Democratic Club on March 12, 2005 by Paul Duke)

I'M ALWAYS FLATTERED TO SPEAK TO SUCH A SMART, TUNED-IN GROUP -- REMEMBERING MARK TWAIN'S CLASSIC COMMENT ABOUT JOURNALISTS AND THEIR DEFICIENCIES -- THAT HE BECAME ONE ONLY BECAUSE HE COULDN'T FIND HONEST WORK.  MY NEIGHBORHOOD FOR ALMOST HALF A CENTURY HAS BEEN THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SCENE -- A CONSISTENTLY ENTERTAINING AND OCCASIONALLY ENLIGHTENING JOB.  IT'S ALSO ENABLED ME TO EARN AN HONEST LIVING WHILE HAVING A FRONT ROW SEAT TO THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH -- THE POLITICAL FOLLIES OF WASHINGTON.

FURTHERMORE, AS YOGI BERRA ONCE SAID YOU CAN OBSERVE A LOT BY WATCHING -- AND REPORTERS DO OBSERVE A LOT.  ONE OF MY MOST VIVID RECOLLECTIONS IS COVERING A BIF FIGHT OVER A SUPREME COURT NOMINEE FROM FLORIDA NAMED HARROLD CARSWELL.

COVERING POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS WAS ALWAYS AN ADVENTURE (TELL SOME PERSONAL STORIES FROM CAMPAIGN TRAIL).

WHEN I WAS DOING MY TV SHOW, MUCH MAIL ALWAYS FLOWED IN DURING ELECTION YEARS.  MY FAVORITE LETTER WAS ONE FROM A MAN IN ROCHESTER, N.Y., WHO COMPLAINED ABOUT BIAS IN OUR COVERAGE IN 1992.

OF COURSE, EXAGGERATION AND EMBELLISHMENT ARE ART FORMS IN WASHINGTON.  FOLLOWING OUR ELECTED REPS. REMINDED ME OF A LINE FROM THE WITTY WRITER DOROTHY PARKER -- THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE DELUSIONS OF ADEQUACY. THE PRESS CORPS HAS TO PUT UP WITH A GREAT DEAL -- MAINLY BECAUSE MANY POLITICIANS LIE - MOSTLY OF THE LITTLE WHITE VARIETY, BUT SOMETIMES REAL WHOPPERS. 

REMEMBER WHEN RONALD REAGAN PROMISED TO BALANCE THE BUDGET IN 4 YRS.  WE ALL READ GEORGE BUSH THE ELDER'S LIPS ABOUT TAXES AND WE ALL READ GEORGE BUSH THE YOUNGER’S LIPS WHEN HE DESCRIBED ALL THOSE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.

IT’S KIND OF PAR FOR THE POLITICAL COURSE. IN 1925, C. COOLIDGE SAID - WHEN PEOPLE ARE OUT OF WORK, UNEMPLOYMENT RESULTS. IN 1976 GERRY FORD SAID - IF LINCOLN WERE ALIVE HE'D ROLL OVER IN HIS GRAVE.   THEN THERE WAS THE MAYOR OF WASHINGTON, MARION BARRY-- OUTSIDE OF THE KILLINGS, WASHINGTON HAS THE LOWEST CRIME RATE IN THE COUNTRY.

WE HEAR A LOT THESE DAYS ABOUT HOW DIVIDED WE ARE - ALL THOSE REFERENCES TO RED STATES & BLUE STATES.

BUT WHEN WE LOOK BACK OVER THE COURSE OF HISTORY, WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN DIVIDED.  WE HAD A CIVIL WAR OVER ENDING SLAVERY AND JUST A FEW YRS. AGO A FIERCE STRUGGLE OVER ENDING SEGREGATION AND INSURING CIVIL RIGHTS FOR EVERYONE.  WOMEN DIDN’T EVEN GET THE RIGHT TO VOTE UNTIL 1920 AND ONLY THEN AFTER OVERCOMING STRONG MALE OPPOSITION.

WE'VE JUST GONE THRU A PRETTY VENOMOUS PREXY CAMPAIGN - BUT IT WAS OFTEN WORSE IN 19TH CENTURY. JEFFERSON’S OPPONENTS IN 1801 RAN ON THE SLOGAN -- A VOTE FOR JEFFERSON IS A VOTE AGAINST GOD.

SO THE AMERICAN BRAND OF POLITICS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ROUGH & TUMBLE BRAND.  BUT THERE’S GOOD SIDE, TOO - BECAUSE WE’VE ALWAYS HAD PEACEFUL TRANSFERS OF POWER - AND BEEN BLESSED WITH REVOLVING 2 - PARTY SYSTEM, NEVER BELIEVING ONE PARTY POSSESSED A MONOPOLY ON VIRTUE.  

WE SEE-SAW BACK & FORTH - AND TODAY WE’RE BASICALLY IN CONSV. PERIOD -- WITH THE G-O-P IN TOTAL CONTROL OF THE MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE HERBERT HOOVER.

I'M SURE MANY OF YOU, IN WORDS OF SHAKESPEARE, VIEW THIS AS SIGNIFYING SOMETHING ROTTEN IN THE STATE OF DENMARK -- IN THIS CASE, OUR BODY POLITIC.   HOW IS THAT G-O-P HAS BECOME THE DOMINANT PARTY?  AND WHAT MUST THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY DO TO REGAIN DOMINANCE -- OR AT LEAST SOME PARITY?  AS AN OLD FOOT SOLDIER ALONG THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, LET ME TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO OFFER A FEW OBSERVATIONS.

UNDERSTANDABLY -- THE DEMS ARE DOWNCAST AND DEMORALIZED -- REPUBS  COCKY & CONFIDENT. WE’VE SEEN THE PRESIDENT TURN A COLOSSAL FOREIGN POLICY FAILURE INTO A DOMESTIC VICTORY - RUNNING ON HOMELAND SECURITY, USING TERROR TO TERRORIZE THE VOTERS.  JOHN KERRY WAS RIGHT - 9-11 DID HIM IN.  THE OUTCOME WAS A TRIUMPH FOR FLAG, FAITH AND FAMILY - OR AS SOMEBODY PUT IT, GOD, GUNS AND A BIG SLICE OF AMERICAN APPLE PIE.  THE WALMART CROWD OUTVOTED THE STARBUCKS CROWD - AND THE POWER OF ORGANIZED LABOR WAS SUPPLANTED BY THE POWER OF ORGANIZED SUBURBIA. TO PARAPHRASE LINCOLN, YOU CAN’T FOOL ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, BUT WHEN YOU CAN, YOU’RE GOOD FOR 4 MORE YEARS. 

ABROAD --THE OUTCOME DISMAYED THE FREE WORLD - AS DID THE EVANGELICAL ZEAL OF THE PRESIDENT’S INAUGURAL SPEECH IN WHICH HE SEEMED TO BE DECLARING WAR ON THE WORLD.  THE GRANDIOSITY OF THAT SPEECH NOT ONLY EVOKED CRITICISM FROM SOME MEMBERS OF MR. BUSH’S OWN PARTY, BUT ALSO WENT DIRECTLY COUNTER TO THE WISE WORDS OF JOHN QUINCY ADAMS WHEN HE SAID - “AMERICA DOES NOT GO ABROAD IN SEARCH OF MONSTERS.”

IRAQ HAS PROVED THE POINT - THAT WE SHOULD GO TO WAR WHEN WE HAVE TO, NOT WHEN WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO. THE MISSION IS FAR FROM ACCOMPLISHED -- AND THE QUESTION REMAINS - CAN YOU IMPOSE DEMOCRACY AT POINT OF GUN?

REGARDLESS OF HOW IT ALL TURNS OUT, THE CONSEQUENCES OF ADMINISTRATION’S RECKLESS NEW DOCTRINE OF PREVENTIVE WARFARE HAVE BEEN SEVERE - ESPECIALLY  SINCE WE WENT TO WAR UNDER FALSE PREMISES -- APPALLING PROOF THAT MORAL ENDS DO NOT JUSTIFY IMMORAL MEANS.  

 TO THE REST OF THE WORLD - OR MOST OF IT - OUR FOREIGN POLICY IS DEAF, DUMB AND DANGEROUS.  IT MAY ALSO BE SELF-DEFEATING BECAUSE IT HAS LEFT US MORE ISOLATED - AND MORE VULNERABLE.

THERE IS, AFTER ALL, NO RULE OF HISTORY THAT SAYS ONCE A GREAT COUNTRY, ONCE A GREAT SUPERPOWER, ALWAYS A GREAT COUNTRY AND GREAT SUPERPOWER.  REMEMBER ALL THOSE OTHER PROUD EMPIRES THAT CRUMBLED -- THE GREEKS, THE ROMANS, THE BRITS.

TODAY WE FACE A GATHERING STORM OF NEW COMPETITION - FROM A NEW, MORE UNITED EUROPE -- AND IN ASIA FROM A NEW & UPWARD BOUND CHINA.

BUT WHILE THE WORLD LANDSCAPE IS CHANGING, AMERICAN POLICY IS UNLIKELY TO CHANGE  - WHICH MEANS MORE OF THE SAME - AND THAT MEANS MORE OF SAME HERE AT HOME AS WELL. 

MORE SHIFTING OF THE TAX BURDEN DOWNWARD -- MORE SOARING DEFICITS -MORE APPOINTMENT OF ACTIVIST CONSERVATIVE JUDGES - MORE SCALING BACK OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES - MORE CUTBACKS IN SOCIAL PROGRAMS.  THE PRESIDENT LIKES TO TALK ABOUT HOW JESUS CHANGED HIS LIFE BUT JESUS PLAINLY HAS NOT CHANGED HIS POLITICS.

HE ALSO LIKES TO TALK ABOUT A NEW MORE PROSPEROUS AND EQUAL SOCIETY - BUT TO ME IT SMACKS OF SOMETHING THE WRITER ANATOLE FRANCE ONCE SAID ABOUT  JUSTICE -- THAT THE LAW, IN ITS MAJESTIC EQUALITY, FORBIDS THE RICH AS WELL AS THE POOR FROM SLEEPING UNDER THE BRIDGES OF PARIS.

BUT WITH THE ELECTION OVER, THIS ADM. HAS A GRANDER DESIGN FOR THE COUNTRY -- TO CHANGE THE VERY FACE OF GOV’T -- OR TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, TO GIVE US LESS GOV’T TO FACE. THE REAL GOAL WAS BEST ENUNCIATED BY THE RIGHT WING REVOLUTIONARY GROVER NORQUIST WHEN HE SAID -- “I DON’T WANT TO ABOLISH GOVERNMENT. I SIMPLY WANT TO REDUCE IT TO A SIZE WHERE I CAN DRAG IT INTO THE BATHROOM AND DROWN IT IN THE BATHTUB.”

THE FIRST ATTEMPT AT DROWNING IS ALREADY UNDERWAY WITH THE DRIVE TO PRIVATIZE SOCIAL SECURITY -- IN REALITY THE FIRST STEP TOWARD PHASING IT OUT -- TO LET PEOPLE SINK OR SWIM DEPENDING ON THE WINDS OF WALL ST. THIS HAS LONG BEEN A CONSERVATIVE GOAL -- SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER BARRY GOLDWATER TALKED ABOUT MAKING SOCIAL SECURITY VOLUNTARY. MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS IS THE KICKOFF IN A SERIOUS CAMPAIGN AIMED AT REVERSING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE OF THE NEW DEAL SOCIAL WELFARE LEGACY. 

SO -- IN LIGHT OF ALL THIS, IS THERE LIFE FOR THE DEMOCRATS AFTER THE NOVEMBER DEFEAT?

EVERY ELECTION GIVES US MICROSCOPIC VIEW OF THE COUNTRY AND ITS MOOD - BUT WHAT WAS SO STRIKING THIS TIME WAS THE NUMBER OF IRONIES THAT ILLUSTRATED THE SCHIZOPHRENIC NATURE OF AMER. POLITICS.  FOR EXAMPLE, DESPITE HIS VICTORY, THE POLLS CONTINUE TO SHOW A MAJORITY OF VOTERS SKEPTICAL OF THE PRESIDENT'S POLICIES -- AND BELIEVE THE COUNTRY IS MOVING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

IN FACT, ON AN ARRAY OF DOMESTIC ISSUES, THE PUBLIC SIDES WITH THE DEMS.  AND YET - A LOT OF LOW INCOME PEOPLE -- THOSE WHO WORK WITH THEIR HANDS, AS ANDY ROONEY PUT IT, VOTED REPUBLICAN.  THE TOP 5 STATES IN PER CAPITA PERSONAL INCOME ALL VOTED FOR JOHN KERRY - the 5 WITH THE LOWEST INCOME ALL WENT FOR GEORGE BUSH.

WE’VE ALL FOLLOWED THE POST-ELECTION HULLABALOO OVER MORAL VALUES -- SOME PEOPLE SUGGESTING THEY WERE A BIGGER ISSUE THAN THE WAR ON TERRORISM.  NOT SO -- BECAUSE THE POLLING DATA NOW SHOWS THEY FIGURED LESS IN THIS ELECTION THAN IN 2000.  HERE IN FLORIDA ONLY 20 % SAID THEY WERE INFLUENCED BY MORAL MATTERS.

WE HEARD ALL THE TALK ABOUT THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE -- CERTAINLY GAY MARRIAGE DID FIGURE STRONGLY IN THE BIBLE BELT STATES -- EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THE HIGHEST DIVORCE RATE IN THE COUNTRY.  MASS., WHICH RECOGNIZES GAY MARRIAGE, HAS THE LOWEST DIVORCE RATE.

WE SAW MANY RURAL AMERICANS -- PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN AREAS THAT WOULD NEVER BE THREATENED VOTE FOR REPUBLICAN BECAUSE OF TERRORISM -- WHILE NEW YORKERS & OTHER BIG CITY DWELLERS -- THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE REAL DANGER ZONE --  WENT  OVERWHELMINGLY FOR JOHN KERRY.

AS I SEE IT, LOOKING BACK ON IT ALL, THE DEMS FACE 4  MAJOR  PROBLEMS:

1.  THE ALIENATION AND DIMINISHING SUPPORT FROM THOSE WHO BROUGHT THE PARTY TO POWER and KEPT IT IN POWER FOR SO MANY YEARS  - ALL THOSE AVERAGE AMERICANS - ALL THOSE BLUE COLLAR DEMS. WHO FEEL THE DEMS ARE OUT OF TOUCH WITH THEIR BELIEFS & CONCERNS. WHETHER IT BE GUN CONTROL OR GAYS, THE REPUBS HAVE SUCCEEDED IN PORTRAYING THE DEMS. AS OUT OF TOUCH & OUT OF THE CULTURAL MAINSTREAM -- AS BEING IN A DIFFERENT ORBIT FROM THE  ORDINARY CITIZEN -- AS BEING MORE THE PARTY OF SOME PAMPERED, HIGH-MINDED ELITE. CLEARLY -- THERE’S A NEED TO REESTABLISH A CONNECTION HERE.

2.  LEARNING TO DEAL WITH THE MORE SOPHISTICATED, MODERNIZED REPUB. PARTY, WHICH IS INTO A NEW AGE STYLE OF POLITICS - A POLITICS POWERED BY A PERMANENT CAMPAIGN ORG. & A WELL DISCIPLINED ATTACK MACHINE. THEY’RE MILES AHEAD IN MASTERING ALL THE NEW STREAMLINED ARCHITECTURE OF CAMPAIGN MACHINERY -- TO THE POINT WHERE THEY’RE NOW MOBILIZING THEIR LEGIONS OF 2004 VOLUNTEERS INTO A STANDING POLITICAL ARMY.  AND IF YOU’RE WONDERING WHEN THEY STARTED PLANNING FOR THE NEXT ELECTION, THEY STARTED THE DAY AFTER THE LAST ELECTION.

3.  THIS LEADS TO MY THIRD POINT - THAT BEYOND ORGANIZATION, REPUBS. ALSO ARE OUTGUNNING THE DEMS AT STRATEGIC THINKING. NEWT GINGRICH ONCE SAID POLITICS IS WAR, AND WHEN IT COMES TO CAMPAIGNING, THEY’RE POLITICAL KILLERS. THEY PLAY HARDBALL -- THE DEMS. SOFTBALL. THEY’RE MASTERS OF THE MEDIA -- MASTERS AT FRAMING THEIR MESSAGE IN WINNING WAYS - MASTERS AT PROPAGANDIZING - AND MASTERS AT PRACTICING THE POLITICS OF DISINFORMATION AND DISTORTION - AS WITNESS IRAQ -- AND NOW -- AGAIN --THE SAME BIG LIE TECHNIQUE IN THE SOCIAL SECURITY FIGHT -- THE PREXY CONSISTENTLY EXAGGERATING THE PROBLEM, USING WORDS LIKE CRISIS AND BANKRUPTCY - WHEN THERE IS NO CRISIS AND NO PROSPECT OF ONE.  

4.  AND FINALLY, FOR GOOD OR ILL, THE REPUBS. DO HAVE A SET OF GOALS -- A PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION.   WHETHER IT’S THE WAR ON TERRORISM -- OR SOCIAL SECURITY -- YOU KNOW WHERE THEY STAND. THEY HAD DRAMATIC INNOVATIONS IN DIRECT MAIL AND COMPUTER MODELS TO FLAG POTENTIAL VOTERS WITH PINPOINT PRECISION -- AGAIN, OUTFOXING AND OUTHUSTLING THE DEMS.

I HEARD TIM RUSSERT SAY THE TWO PARTIES MUST FIND COMMON GROUND TO BRING UNITY TO AMERICA.  BUT HOW DO YOU COMPROMISE WITH A WHITE HOUSE THAT DOESN'T BELIEVE IN COMPROMISE -- THAT WANTS TO GRIND THE OPPOSITION INTO THE GROUND.

COMMENTATORS KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE PRESIDENT PLAYING TO HIS CONSERVATIVE BASE, BUT HE'S THE CAPTAIN OF THAT BASE -- HE'S NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN MEETING THE DEMS. HALFWAY -- JUST CONSIDER HIS JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS.  THEY TALK BIPARTISANSHIP BUT DON'T PRACTICE BIPARTISANSHIP.  INSTEAD, THEY'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR THE DEMS. TO RUN UP THE WHITE FLAG.

SO IT'S ESSENTIAL THE DEMS. GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER -- NOT JUST FOR THE PARTY'S SAKE, BUT THE COUNTRY'S.  SO MUCH SOUL SEARCHING IS GOING ON -- SHOULD THE PARTY GO LEFT, RIGHT OR CENTER? DOES IT NEED A PERSONALITY TRANSPLANT OR A SPINAL TRANSPLANT? OR BOTH?

WHATEVER - IT SEEMS OBVIOUS A HEALTHY DOSE OF SHAPING UP & SHAKING OUT MEDICINE IS CALLED FOR.       

TO BEGIN WITH, THE DEMS. NEED TO REGAIN THEIR FIGHTING SPIRIT -- TO GO AFTER REPUBS. THE WAY THE REPUBS. GO AFTER THE DEMS.  IF YOU’RE A MINORITY PARTY -- AND YOU ACT LIKE A MINORITY PARTY -- YOU’LL REMAIN A MINORITY PARTY. (TELL DISRAELI STORY).

THE DEMS SHOULD ADHERE TO THEIR CORE VALUES -- AND NOT TRY TO BE REPUB. CLONES.  IT MEANS STANDING UP FOR LONG-STANDING PRINCIPLES -- THE PRINCIPLES OF FAIRNESS & EQUAL RIGHTS & HELPING THE LESS FORTUNATE & ASSURING HEALTH CARE FOR EVERYONE. A DEFINING ISSUE OBVIOUSLY IS SOCIAL SECURITY -- MAKING SURE WE DON'T SWAP AN INSURANCE POLICY FOR A LOTTERY TICKET. AS TED KENNEDY SAID, THE LAST THING THE COUNTRY NEEDS IS 2 REPUB. PARTIES.  

WHEN IT COMES TO MORAL VALUES, THE DEMS. SHOULD COUNTER THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT BY EMPHASIZING THE REAL MORAL VALUES -- FIGHTING POVERTY, PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT & MAKING THE TAX SYSTEM MORE EQUITABLE.

ON A PRACTICAL PLAIN, THE DEMS. MUST REVITALIZE THEIR BASE TO DO MORE -- TO TAP INTO THE ENERGY AT THE GRASS ROOTS LEVEL, PRECINCT BY PRECINCT. TO PARAPHRASE J-F-K, ASK NOT WHAT YOUR PARTY CAN DO FOR YOU, BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR PARTY.  HERE IN SARASOTA, THAT MEANS ROLLING UP YOUR SLEEVES AND BEING MORE ACTIVE -- SPEAKING OUT MORE ON CRUCIAL ISSUES -- ADOPTING RESOLUTIONS AND MOST OF ALL, MONITORING EVERYTHING REP. KATHERINE HARRIS DOES. -- & I DO MEAN EVERYTHING.

ONE LAST POINT - THE DEMS MUST  BECOME MORE MEDIA SAVVY -- AND SHOW MUCH MORE CREATIVITY IN CAMPAIGNS TO REACH VOTERS.  THINK OF F-D-R'S GREAT 1932 SLOGAN PROMISING A NEW DEAL.  THE DEMS HAD NO SLOGAN 2004.  THEY MUST STOP BEING TIMID & DEFENSIVE -- STOP BEING WIMPY & NAMBY PAMBY ABOUT LIBERALISM -- TO THE CONTRARY, PROUDLY EMBRACING THE LIBERAL TRADITION AS WHAT’S MADE THIS COUNTRY GREAT.  LIBERALISM ENDED SLAVERY - IT ENDED SEGREGATION -- IT GAVE US SOCIAL SECURITY -- IT GAVE US THE MIN. WAGE AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING -- AND MEDICARE.

NOW -- SOME OF YOU MAY CONSIDER ME ONE OF THOSE NATTERING NABOBS OF NEGATIVISM IN CITING SOME OF THESE THINGS -- BUT LET ME HASTEN TO SAY I DON’T THINK YOU SHOULD DESPAIR.

THIS WAS NO LANDSLIDE ELECTION. THE BUSH VICTORY WAS THE SMALLEST FOR ANY SITTING PREXY SINCE WOODROW WILSON.  AND KERRY DID GET 48 PER CENT OF VOTE.

THERE WAS NO SWING TO THE RIGHT AND NO G-O-P MANDATE. IN ONE KEY VOTING BLOC -- THE FAST-GROWING YOUNGER VOTE -- KERRY TOPPED BUSH BY 10 POINTS.  HE ALSO DID PRETTY WELL AMONG INDEPENDENTS. THE DEMS ARE IN THEIR BEST FINANCIAL SHAPE IN YEARS, THANKS TO LAST YEAR’S EXTRAORDINARY FUND RAISING. LIKEWISE - THERE’S TODAY’S EXCEPTIONAL PARTY UNITY, AS WITNESS THE COMING TOGETHER BEHIND HOWARD DEAN.

REMEMBER, TOO -- FIFTY PER CENT OF THE COUNTRY STILL DOESN’T LIKE G. BUSH AND QUESTIONS HIS POLICIES TILTED TOWARD THE RICH AND POWERFUL. FURTHERMORE, THE G-O-P IS MORE IDEOLOGICALLY DRIVEN AND MORE BEHOLDEN TO THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT THAN EVER -- WHICH MAKES IT MORE VULNERABLE.

AND FINALLY, PARTIES DO COME BACK.  IN FACT, IT’S MY OPINION WE’RE LONG OVERDUE FOR A NEW PROGRESSIVE PERIOD IN AMERICA.  IN MANY WAYS THE DEMS CAN TAKE A PAGE FROM THE CONSERVATIVE PLAYBOOK.  WAY BACK IN 1964 AFTER BARRY GOLDWATER WAS SHELLACKED BY L-B-J, THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT SEEMED DEAD -- BUT THE CONSERVATIVES DIDN’T GIVE UP.  INSTEAD, THEY REGROUPED, WORKED HARDER, ADOPTED NEW TACTICS AND EVENTUALLY BROUGHT ABOUT THE CONSERVATIVE REVOLUTION. THE CHALLENGE FOR THE DEMS IS TO DO THE SAME -- TO LIVE UP TO THEIR ILLUSTRIOUS PAST AND WORK LIKE HELL TO PUT THE COUNTRY BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK -- KEEPING IN MIND SOMETHING ANDREW JACKSON ONCE SAID -- THAT ONE MAN WITH COURAGE  MAKES A MAJORITY. 

                                                                                 -PWD-