>From: Karen Dolan[SMTP:kdolan at igc.apc.org]
>Sent: Friday, November 13, 1998 12:16 PM
>
>THE UNTOLD ELECTION STORY: HOUSE DEMOCRATS SHIFT TO THE LEFT
>
>
>In the millions of words of the post-election coverage, not one word has
>been uttered about the most significant result of all: 14 new
progressive
>Democrats were elected to the 106th Congress' House of Representatives,
>tilting the composition of the House in a much more progressive
direction.
>These results, compiled by the Washington D.C.-based think tank, the
>Institute for Policy Studies, and the fact that all of the 5 new seats
>picked up by Democrats in the House have gone to progressive candidates,
is
>a story of major importance both for the 106th Congress as well as for
the
>year 2000 and beyond. It signifies an important shift within the
Democratic
>Party, and it signifies growing public support for progressive values and
>policy positions.
>
>The more conservative "New Democrats," who back President Clinton would
have
>you believe otherwise. They have spun the election as a major victory for
>"moderates." The truth of the matter is that House Democrats are
comprised
>of 55 self-declared "progressives" (current members of the Congressional
>Progressive Caucus) and at least 25 more with equally progressive voting
>records. Now, with the gain of 14 new progressive Democrats, the number
of
>progressives comes to about 90 out of 216 House Democrats. Of the
remaining
>116, many fall somewhere between progressive and the Democratic
Leadership
>Council's celebrated "New Democrat" centrist. It would be wrong to
conclude
>that the centrist New Democrats have any mandate or claim on the party.
>
>The agendas that typify these Congressional progressives, both new and
>returning, include: support for public education, worker rights and
>environmentalism both domestically and with regard to global trade
>agreements, universal health care, health care reform, preserving social
>security, immigrant rights, support for the rights of women, including
the
>right to choose an abortion, rectification of discrimination based upon
>race, sex and sexual orientation, support for inner cities and
sustainable
>communities, a fairer budget which refigures our national priorities
toward
>an adequately funded social system, and campaign finance reform.
>
>Tammy Baldwin typifies the new progressives in Congress. From Wisconsin's
>2nd district and the first openly gay candidate to win a Congressional
seat,
>Baldwin ran in an open Republican seat. She ran a strong campaign,
relying
>heavily upon widespread grassroots mobilization and support rather than
on
>special interest and corporate support. She had lead the fight on
>progressive issues throughout her career in the Wisconsin State
Legislature,
>proposing bills on a range of issues from living wage and workers rights,
to
>support for public education and strong environmental protection. She
has
>advocated a progressive tax system, universal health care and women's
rights.
>
>Another strong activist progressive leader looks to be Jan Shakowsky from
>Illinois' 9th district. Member-elect Shakowsky has long been an advocate
for
>consumers, senior citizen's and women's rights. She has spoken out for
>human rights and demilitarization as well as campaign finance reform.
Her
>progressive politics as well as her activist approach promise to make her
a
>liberal figure to watch in the upcoming Congress.
>
>Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Member-elect from Ohio's 11th district, is another
>strong political personality. Sh emphasizes the importance of quality
>public education, healthcare for all, environmental protection,
affirmative
>action. As a county prosecutor and judge, Tubbs Jones has been a
>groundbreaker in working for innovative progressive law enforcement and
>crime prevention programs.
>
>Democrat David Wu, Member-elect from Oregon, has been widely reported as
a
>"New Democrat." If one looks at his agenda, however, the distinction
from
>the centrist Democrats becomes apparent. Wu is a staunch supporter of
worker
>rights, and strongly opposes "fast track" for the Clinton/centrists
global
>trade agenda. He is strong on progressive environmental positions, the
>preservation of social security, and increased funding for social
programs.
>
>Furthermore, the six new seats (with a net gain of five, given that the
>Democrats lost one moderate seat to a Republican) that the Democrats
picked
>up from Republicans were won by progressive, not centrist Democrats.
Running
>tough races, especially as liberals in conservative districts, these
>progressive winners include: Joe Hoeffel (D-PA 13),Tom Udall (D-NM 3),
Rush
>Holt (D-NJ 12), Jay Inslee (D-WA 1), Brian Baird (D-WA 3), as well as
Tammy
>Baldwin (D-WI 2).
>
>With the addition of these newly- elected progressive House Members the
>Congressional Progressive Caucus [Co-chaired by Bernie Sanders (I-VT),
>Cynthia McKinney (D-GA),Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Major Owens (D-NY) and
Maurice
>Hinchey (D-NY) ] and the other liberal House members will have both more
>support and more power for passing progressive policies and for forming
>alliances and influential blocs in important issue areas.
>
>The "New Democrats" ignore this election story only to their own
detriment.
>The mandate they claim has not the facts to substantiate it. They would
do
>well to begin to reckon with their liberal colleagues who are in the
process
>of pulling the Party to both its more traditional, socially liberal
roots,
>as well as bringing it forward into the 21st century with rational
answers
>to living justly in a more complex cultural, economic and political
>environment.
>
>
>*Karen Dolan is the National Director of the Progressive Challenge, based
at
>the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington DC.
>Karen Dolan, "Progressive Challenge" Coordinator, Institute for Policy
>Studies
>733 15th St NW, Suite 1020
>Washington, D.C. 20005
>kdolan at igc.org
>www.netprogress.org
>ph:(202) 234-9382
>f: (202) 387-7915
>
>