New Democrats must be consistent
July 18, 2001
Our position:Leaders of the Democratic Leadership Council sent a mixed message, appealing to, then inflaming the very voters they claim to want.
We desperately want your votes, but don't expect our respect in return. That's the unintentional message the Democratic Leadership Council sent to cultural conservatives this week.
The DLC, which wrapped up its national convention Tuesday in Indianapolis, portrays itself as a haven for moderates. And some of the rhetoric emanating from the Westin Hotel fit safely within that image.
For instance, Sen. Evan Bayh, the DLC's chairman, lamented the fact that Democrats are losing badly among married couples (60 percent of whom don't vote Democratic), those who attend church regularly (70 percent) and military personnel (80 percent). He said the party must begin addressing those folks' values.
For his part, former vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman insisted that Democrats speak out on moral issues, including the cultural garbage peddled by the entertainment industry. He said Democrats must no longer shun people with strong religious convictions.
All of those are welcome overtures to social conservatives, who could benefit from a strong presence in both major parties. But the "new' Democrats also resorted to stale rhetoric that excluded many of the voters they profess to desire.
Lieberman, for example, claimed President Bush is "catering to the right wing instead of doing the right thing.' Tell us, Joe, is the right always wrong? Is the left always right? Are you willing to listen to voters who agree with Bush's social values but question his economic and environmental policies? Are you ready to set aside the cliches that place Americans in fixed camps with assigned leaders?
Bayh says the party must reflect mainstream values. Does that mean that Indiana's junior senator will stand up for the Boy Scouts (he recently voted against a bill that would have protected their right to meet in public schools)? Does it mean that Democrats will support compromises on abortion (a ban on the horrible partial-birth procedure, for instance)?
A loss of trust costs Democrats the votes of most Americans who are committed to their spouses, to their churches and to serving their country in the military. It will take far more than the conflicting overtures offered this week to win back that trust.
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