Running on the record

I have been interested to see that at least some Democratic candidates-- like Rep. Scott Murphy (D-N.Y.), & Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.)-- have begun to campaign on their records as promoters of health care reform. This is smart politics, as a solid majority of people recognize that health care reform was at least a step in the right direction. Even some who disagree are open to learning more about it, beyond the media spin, and may at least be convinced that the Republican alternative is worse for most Americans. The Democrats should now be aggressively pointing to any votes they have taken in the public (as opposed to corporate) interest while in Washington. Some "Blue Dogs" will have less of these votes than their more progressive colleagues. They also should be explaining to voters how their Republican opponents' promises, to cut taxes on the wealthy and "shrink big government," would work out in practice. Do we really want to lay off more police, food inspectors, etc.? Will we be better off if the social security program we've been paying into for so long is "privatized?" Most of all, voters are looking for leadership that will challenge the power of the plutocrats. Our system is so flooded with money that candidates are understandably nervous about offending potential fat-cat donors. This is not a normal election cycle, however. While most Americans are usually uncomfortable in bringing up class differences, the economic insecurity for most of us today has made issues of economic and social injustice carry special weight. People are angry, and will not forgive politicians who fail to consistently address their very real concerns. Democrats need to understand the anger and impatience, while calmly explaining to voters in clear fashion how they intend to make things better.