European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 24, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Thursday november 24, 1994 commentary the stars and stripes Page 17 democrats have to relearn the political basics the most telling Vignette of what happened to the democrats in the midterm election comes from a washing ton lobbyist who finding himself in St. Louis on the sunday before the tuesday voting decided to drop by the Campaign Headquarters of House majority Leader Dick Gephardt. He walked into the almost deserted office that sunday evening 36 hours before the polls would open and there was Hardt punching in phone number from a list of undecideds and personally asking people for their votes on election Day. V. V Gephardt did Fine. His 58 percent majority looked like a landslide on a Day when dozens of his colleagues were going Down to defeat. But the starkness of that scene a Power broker who knew he could not count on any outside support system making the pitch himself to save his Polit ical career carries a powerful message. Whatever else they do after this rout the democrats have to relearn the Politi Cal basics organization and attention to their constituencies. Gephardt himself has been spreading that message telling colleagues that we were so Busy governing these last two years we forgot to take care of our that is a message for All democrats but especially for the Man who will head the ticket in 1996, president Clinton. Judging from their Public com ments during their Pacific trip the presi Dent and first lady Hillary Rodham Clin ton Are still Shell shocked and in deep denial about the meaning of the midterm voting. That is understandable because they Nave to Swallow bitter a remarkable absence of British Reserve the London weekly the economist told its readers exactly what his constituents were saying to the president voters loathed him finding him Unwor thy either of their Confidence or their re Spect. They loathed his party intrinsically entangled with notions of big spending and big Clinton s chances in 1996 have not vanished but he faces a Tough Uphill climb Tore election. The electoral map is heavily tilted against him. He can count on winning Al most nothing in the South except Arkan Sas. The Middle West has returned to its Republican origins with gop governors in their second or third terms having built powerful political organizations in All the key states. Pennsylvania new Jersey new York and Massachusetts the Linch pins of the Northeast All have Republican governors too. And in California the top prize re elected Republican Wilson brandishing the weapon of the illegal immigration Issue is going to make life As difficult As possible for the president. Add to this the fact that 65 percent of those who said they supported Ros Perot in 1992 voted for Republican con Gressional candidates this month and the size of Clinton s Challenge becomes Clear. But As All those old coaches keep re minding us in their analyses of the foot Ball season offence wins games de sense wins Willy Nilly Clinton now plays defense against an aggressive and ambitious Republican con Gress. A v /. A president who had a hard time Defi Ning himself when his own party was i Power May have better Luck defining him self in contradistinction to a conservative Agenda some of whose elements clearly have the capacity to antagonize and activate Strong democratic constituencies. Cans if Clinton can play off the republics initiatives As skilfully As they played off his for the past two years he can re cover a lot of lost ground. But while he plays the issues game he cannot neglect politics and the Basic work of party building. Clinton was an assiduous fund Raiser for democrats but during these past two years the demo cratic National committee diverted much of its focus to support efforts mainly misguided to campaigns masterminded by White House consultants for the embattled Clinton legislative fundamentals of precinct level organizing were Given Short shrift. Democrats lost a disproportionate share of the very close elections this month often because the turnout in their bases was lower than what they needed to survive. The republicans playing opposition politics found very useful allies in the Christian coalition the National Rifle association the National federation of Independent business and other groups which have built their own grassroots political organizations. The democrats in opposition need to mobilize a comparable support group from organizations and constituencies that will take umbrage at some of the gop initiatives. They have starting Points in Cit Halls Union Halls Black churches and suburban feminist organizations. But someone has to make it a priority and see that the needed work is done Clinton needs to find himself another Ron Brown Paul Tull team to fill the vacated top jobs at the democratic nation Al committee. Tully died in the fall of 1992 and Brown has gone on to be a successful Secretary of Commerce. But As the operating Heads of the dec Between 1989 and1992, they helped put the democratic party Back on its feet. Clinton needs someone like them and soon. C Wash Noton Post Ging Bill Clinton remains president of the unite states for foreign affairs but we Center of Power in Domestic affairs both in voting strength and intellectual Energy has shifted from the White to the putative speaker of the House Newt first elected half term president has Only him self his wife and their political advisers to blame for this unprecedented Power division. When Gingrich sought to nationalize local elections by submitting a platform of Clear conservative promises Clinton foolishly agreed to escalate the midterm elections into a Stark Choice be tween Reagan ism and Cunto , publicized Gingrich s contract with America warred happily against it on the Campaign Trail nuked it by mislead ing the elderly into fearing for their social Security and Laid his leadership on the a result As the chinese say he lost the mandate of of i the voters mandate is now Gingrich. Since the election the future shocking history teacher from Georgia has been forthright at times eloquent in articulating his policy goals to a much wider audience. Counter productively he added a few ungracious and dated shots at the counterculture and Media elite which gave losers not still Shell shocked their Chance to demo me him. A but consider Why some of us think of him As Newt the beaut. Not so Long ago our 435 House member were served by a staff of 3,000 today aides and hang ers on have ballooned to 20,000, and Are of the government intrusion problem the con Gress makes regulations for Idle hands he has pledged to Cut staff by one third and As speaker he will have the Power to deliver that exam ple should induce the Senate to do the same. William Safire hell also deliver in the House on term limits and a balanced budget amendment too along with the line item veto that will give the president greater Power to break up costly legislative package deals Well see How Many democrats join sen. Robert Byrd Prince of pork to thwart the will of the people. That element of Newt s first 100 Days will be aimed at restraining and disciplining the Way Washington does political about the Way the Federal government then helps the average family Cope with modern social and economic life the trick according to Newton comics is to let people keep More of what they earn to spend the Way they want. " " " but that s selfish say liberals what about compas Sion for the poor that takes us past the easy stuff like health insurance Reform and tax fixes to encourage marriage an parents support of children to the hard part welfare Reform and want a new Long word Dis entitlement arianism. The Clinton notion of welfare Reform a make work requirement after a couple of years is a far cry from what Gingrich and sen. Phil gear non have in can show How welfare to the Able bodied has bred dependency and believe the Only Way to discourage unemployed single mothers from having More Chil Dren is to make it this mean we re going to let Little kids starve to provide a disincentive that s where Newt starts muttering about orphanages As if the nation is going to allow Oliver twisting in the draconian threats May be needed to break the old patterns but cooperation can find a Way none dare Call it Compromise to quickly transform welfare to conservatives like me recoil at the intrusiveness in Newt s Call for a voluntary school prayer s being inconsistent on his Bedrock principle of Newt Nightmare individual responsibility if parents want to imbue their children with spiritual values As More should the parents should take the kids by the hand to sunday school and not Fob off that family duty on educators employed by local government. But we Don t have to agree with Newt Down the line to Admire the boldness of his futurism the Energy with which he mobilizes his forces and the Joy he takes in upsetting the Apple cart of Power in the nation s Cap ital. The Transfer is Only temporary of course. One of these Days a president will offer a competing vision of Public support for personal Freedom. Could even be Clinton but for now the Congress proposes and the Congress disposes. C new York times
