Controlling the agenda

Democrats have some reason to cheer this morning.

The Post-ABC poll released today finds voters trusting Democrats over Republicans in all ten key policy areas. This in conjunction with the President's low approval ratings must give Democratic challengers a boost of spirits as they look towards November.

Two points of caution are in order, however.

First, there are still six months until the election; plenty of time for the GOP to bounce back. We shouldn't forget that incumbents get overwhelmingly re-elected. Better the devil you know, etc.

Second, since we can assume that this is largely a consequence of dissatisfaction with the Republican Party rather than a connection with the values of the Democrats, the poll numbers may not translate into votes.

So how can the Democratic Party lock in this lead until November?

I don't get the feeling that the Democrats are offering much of an alternative, both in terms of policy and values. More and more they seem like thay are simply running after the GOP and pointing to the things that have been messed things up. I am certainly not the only person to have noticed this; it is exactly what the Republicans themselves are saying, and it is a powerful argument.

It seems to me that the great success of the right over the last 30 years has been in promoting conservative values and linking their policies to these values. If the left is ever to push back it has to remind voters that the current problems in America are the logical and obvious consequences of the policies that the conservative movement has advocated and enacted. Increasing poverty, the war in Iraq, healthcare, etc.

They link policies to values, so we must link effects to causes.