The future for Democrats

Since Election Day, there has been a lot of predictable moaning and groaning about the future of the Democratic Party. Particularly predictable are the suggestions that we need to be more like Republicans. Democrats need to learn by our previous mistakes. We have tried being Republican-lite, and it does not work. It is a mistake to run away from the things we believe. I think we can win in the so-called Republican states by being real Democrats.

I believe the country is still more in sync with Democratic values than Republican values. Our task is to remind ourselves and the American people of the hallmark issues that distinguish Democrats from Republicans.

For example, Democrats historically tackle economic issues with bold, commonsense policies. Our last Democratic president created 22 million new jobs. In the last four years, George W. Bush oversaw the loss of over 1.5 million. Democrats balance budgets. Republicans do not. Democrats consistently try to pass legislation that would provide some kind of affordable health care. Republicans do not. Democrats believe we ought to raise the minimum wage to help the average worker keep up with the cost of living. Republicans do not. Democrats believe corporations have too much power over our daily lives. Republicans do not.

On each of these issues, the majority of the American people are with Democrats. Democrats have the right beliefs to win. We just execute a poor public relations plan. And, despite the enormous improvement in our ground game, the Republicans executed a more effective strategy. Republicans are far more successful because they work in a more unified, disciplined way with local supporters, especially with their base. They also avoid the Democrats chronic pitfall of listening to pundits from inside the Beltway.

We must not be afraid to compete in every race, in every district and in every state. We can start rebuilding the Democratic Party from the bottom up. Through my organization, Democracy for America, www.democracyforamerica.com, we have already started that process. This past election cycle, we endorsed over 100 candidates, at all levels of government -- from school board to U.S. Senate and we contributed to almost 750 candidates around the country.

These candidates helped return Democrats to the majority in the Vermont, North Carolina, Oregon and Colorado State Houses as well as the Senate in Oregon, Washington and Colorado. These candidates included more women than men, 25 percent were African American and there were members of nearly every other minority group, including American Indians. Nearly 10 percent of the victors were from the gay and lesbian community, which included wins in places like Idaho and Missouri.

We need to get back to basics and start listening to people from outside Washington. Only then can we save the greatest nation on the face of the earth from the twin Republican perils of enormous deficits and constant misadventures abroad.

Howard Dean is a syndicated columnist.