"As Republicans stumble, Democrats bumble," is the hed on SF Chron D.C. Bureau Chief Marc Sandalow's Sunday analysis piece.

Republicans swept away half a century of Democratic domination of Congress in 1994 in large part by playing up their opponents' failings. But they also presented a "Contract with America," which provided sound-bite-sized themes -- from lowering taxes to diminishing the role of government -- to rally their supporters, and turn 435 House and 33 Senate elections into a national referendum on the status quo. Democrats are searching for their own unifying themes, with strategists voicing concern that roughly one year before the election, many people have little idea what the party stands for.

...."Democrats have found it difficult to articulate a compelling message or an alternative agenda," wrote former Clinton White House aides Elaine Kamarck, now on the faculty at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, and William Galston, now a University of Maryland professor, in a recently released 68-page report titled The Politics of Polarization. "Whatever voters may think of the Republican mantra -- strong defense, lower taxes, traditional values -- at least they know where Republicans stand. They have no such conviction about the Democrats," concludes the report.

Or, put more bluntly by comedian Jay Leno as he marked the 33rd anniversary of the break-in at the Democratic Party's headquarters at the Watergate office complex: "You see, back in those days the Democrats actually had ideas worth stealing."

Not too many of these agenda issues proffered by Illinois Democratic Congressman Rahm Emmanuel in a recent "Meet The Press appearance" are worth stealing: except for a nod to deficit reduction, it's more mandated entitlements and Big Government. Host Tim Russert had asked what are the D's big ideas now. Here's part of the exchange:

EMMANUEL: I'll give you five quick ideas. One, we make college education as universal for the 21st century that a high school education was in the 20th.

RUSSERT: And who pays for that?

EMANUEL: The American people, because it offers -- let me get to it. Second, we get a summit on the budget to deal with the $3 trillion of debt that's been added up in five years and structural deficits of $400 billion a year. Third, an energy policy that says in 10 years, we cut our dependence on foreign oil in half and make this a hybrid economy. Four, we create an institute on science and technology that builds for America like the National Institutes has done for health care; we maintain our edge. And five, we have a universal health-care system over the next 10 years where if you work, you have health care.

Somewhat better than this envisioned '08 Democratic agenda, but not by a whole lot. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Mike Pence (R-Indiana) is leading renegade conservative House Republicans on the Republican Study Committee, in their attempt to fully detail $50 billion in fiscal '06 budget cuts.

Al From, founder and CEO of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council - where Bill Clinton honed his policy proposals before winning the presidency in 1992 - has some thoughts on the necessary Democratic agenda, as noted by Boston Post columnist Scot Lehigh. And From's cerrtainly got a better handle on things than former Clinton aide Emmanuel.

''There is no natural Democratic majority. You have to earn it." That, at least, should be a self-evident proposition for Democrats. But earn it how? At the thematic level, From says, that means persuading voters that Democrats are credible on national security, will provide economic opportunity, care about values of responsibility and family, and are committed to reform. Here, however, is a key question: Are Democrats still in the mood for moderation?

Howard Dean says yes, but his fingers are crossed behind his back.

TECHNORATI TAGS: DEMOCRATS, DEMOCRATIC AGENDA

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Posted by Matt Rosenberg at October 17, 2005 05:45 PM