Changing the Democratic Party

President Clinton’s selection of Governor Roy Romer as general chairman of the national Democratic party represents a historic opportunity. As vice chair of the national Democratic Leadership Council and Colorado CO-chair, Romer brings a new and different kind of Democratic philosophy to the position. The pick reflects a recognition that the party must continue its transformation for its own and the country's sake.

Disenchantment with both major parties, combined with the failure of the Reform Party to offer a viable alternative, is resulting in an unprecedented number of voters who are politically homeless. They are tired of interest-group traditional liberalism, and conservatism's outdated formula of "trickle down" economics and intolerant social views. Too often, the electorate's limited options are between “every man for himself” and "don't worry about it if you don't make it, the government will do it for you."

In the 1996 elections, voters avoided this false choice at every opportunity. Clinton was reelected because his message clearly transcended the old, worn-out debates of left and right. Democrats failed to retake Congress because too many of them were not ready to abandon the old bureaucratic systems of government. The falloff in support for Congressional Republicans was due to their failure to articulate a positive role for the public sector.

Voters also resent the arrogance of both parties thinking that they can govern alone. In 1993 and 1994, when Democrats tried to do it on their own, the voters threw us out. In 1995 and early 1996, when Republicans called Democrats irrelevant, voters threatened to oust the GOP. Republicans held onto Congress only after they demonstrated a willingness to work with the president on solving - rather than merely exploiting - issues.

Neither party can tackle entitlements, improve education or finish welfare reform on its own. Only bipartisanship can provide the necessary broad base of support.

Romer's ideas-based governing philosophy and political experience will help change the Democratic Party, while moving the debate in a productive direction. As a Western governor, he has focused on innovative and practical solutions, rooted in mainstream values. His bipartisan experience in working effectively with Republican majorities in the state legislature over the last ten years will serve the president and nation well.

Much of his emphasis should also be on the ethic of mutual responsibility - government as society's agent has an obligation to organize public resources to create opportunities for ordinary citizens. At the same time, citizens have responsibilities - to take advantage of those opportunities, take care of their families, and give something back to their country and community.

While rejecting conservatives who wish to abdicate public responsibilities, Romer will advocate that we cannot continue to have a big, old bureaucratic government that tries to do everything for everyone. We need an enabling politics that equips citizens to solve their own problems and make the most of their lives.

As a proponent of activist, non-bureaucratic government, Romer knows that the public sector must play a different kind of role. Consider the very real problem of thousands of infants growing up in poverty and without stable, two-parent families. Without the right nurturing, children can grow up to be troubled adults, often dangerous to society.

The traditional response to is to create another big state government bureaucracy that provides services to clients. Romer's answer was “Bright Beginnings,” a statewide initiative that offers a nurturing, extended family for every newborn Coloradan child. This effort - with no state funding, only a handful of paid staff and many volunteers - is already making our state a much more child-centered place.

The other telling lesson of Bright Beginnings’ success is its nonpartisan nature. To launch the effort, Romer took politics off the table and reached across the aisle to two Republicans, state Senate President Tom Norton and Brad Butler, retired chairman of Proctor & Gamble.

As leader of a national party, Romer will be challenged to strengthen our democracy. His squeaky-clean image will give him significant credibility to advocate for a more open and competitive political system where the advantages of incumbency and the cost of campaigning are reduced.

Finally, there are growing signals that Democrats, Republicans and independents may be ready for an honest dialogue on America's growing racial divisions. As leader of the Democratic party, Romer has an opportunity to advocate unifying common ideas, while confronting issues such as white racism, deepening social chaos in urban communities and a new ideology that fosters group differences and a cult of victimization.

At the turn of the last century, Americans reinvented US democracy to meet the demands of rapid industrialism and urbanization. Twenty-first century progressives, led by President Clinton and Governor Romer, face a similar challenge to initiate a new politics based on ideas, not the clash of organized interests.

Both leaders have a chance to seize the opportunities of the future rather than clinging to the fading past. Like our progressive predecessors, our aim should be to build new common ground, not new partisan divisions; not just to transform one political party, but to renew the American dream.

Jim Gibson is President of the Colorado Democratic Leadership Council, a think tank of elected officials and activists interested in forging a new agenda for the Democratic Party.