Letter to the Committee for a Democratic Majority

by Robert Forrest

The Democrats have been accused of not having a clear agenda. If one realizes how complex our world is; how difficult it is to formulate effective solutions, this is understandable. But it gives the Republicans an advantage. R.M.Hutchins once lamented that the political thinking of too many Americans consisted of stereotyped ( presumably emotional ) responses to about a dozen clichés. Everyone prefers simple solutions.

The Republicans have mastered the art of promoting simplistic solutions. The difference is not always apparent. Everyone would like to have competent experts managing the government and to be able to manage one's personal affairs with a minimum of regulations; to return to the independence and self reliance of the Frontier. The Republicans promote "local control", and "states' rights". They claim that complex economic problems would be solved by the self-regulation of "market economics" and "globalization". The problems of unemployment, poverty, injustice, would be solved by a return to a "work ethic" and to "family values". And we have few clichés we haven't used yet.

It seems unlikely that thinking in clichés will solve the complex problems of modern societies.There are still many Americans whose affluence gives them some independence from the world's problems. But from a realistic point of view, since most people are not going to be able to acquire great wealth nor true self-sufficiency, they should be encouraged to cooperate for the common good (and become Democrats). The Democratic Party should give them reasons for doing this.

This requires a cogent analysis of the country's and the world's problems. Why the world's problems? Because with the globalization of commerce, of disease, of environmental problems to name only a few, "no man is an island". Recognition of the complex nature of the country's and the world's problems would make solutions more difficult but hopefully more effective. It would help counter arguments that domestic problems should be ignored if the country is threatened by war. It would encourage us to find solutions that benefit all of mankind, which might gain us friends and help spread our ideals and social institutions.

This will be no easy task but there are universal problems facing civilization. Their recognition, and attempts at solution could provide a unifying goal for all people. The Democrats have been more realistic in considering complex problems than the Republicans. But it might help if the Democrats published a small booklet, somewhat more complete than the one Ross Perot published in 1992, with a sensible analysis of our, and the world's problems, and perhaps some suggestions for solutions.

Back to Your Opinions