DR has been beating the drums for quite some time on the issue of Democratic unity. The concept is simple: especially after the party’s move to the center during the Clinton years, far more unites Democrats than divides them. And we must be as united as possible to have a good shot at beating Bush in 2004 and moving toward a Democratic majority over the course of the decade. So it’s time to stow most of the faction fights between DLC Democrats and liberal Democrats–they’re yesterday’s battles–and concentrate on the areas where Democrats agree and can move forward.

Easy to say. Harder to do. But DR has been encouraged by moves afoot in Washington to work out such areas of agreement between centrists and liberals. Here are some areas where people seem ready to agree. (DR’s spies tell him that, if these discussions go well, unity-oriented materials may start appearing in the pages of The American Prospect, so keep an eye out for such contributions).

Opportunity for all:

· A decent society is a compact for mutual advantage, not one where the rich and powerful use their power to skew results in their favor. We’re for everyone to get a fair shot at making it.

· We should expand the middle class, and give people tools to succeed.

· While we need to expand the rights of workers to engage in collective bargaining, we recognize that welfare of workers also depends on collective action by government, particularly in the areas of health care, worker rights, and retirement security.

· Its more than just about creating jobs, its about enabling all Americans to develop meaningful and rewarding careers.

Tax and Budget:

· We believe in progressive income taxes and oppose the Bush administration efforts to shift the burden of taxation to work and away from investors and owners of capital.

· We should simplify the tax code for the average American.

· We should provide middle class tax relief.

· We should reign in unproductive corporate subsidies.

· We should close corporate tax loopholes and increase enforcement against tax cheats.

Fostering Economic Growth and Opportunity in the 21st Century:

· Human capital, including the skills, inventiveness and entrepreneurial efforts skills of Americans is the key driver of economic growth. Republicans believe that financial capital and its owners are the drivers of economic growth.

· While the new economy is leading to progress it also causes disruption and it’s incumbent upon progressives to help those facing disruption.

· Life-long access to post-secondary education should be available to all Americans.

· If government is to be a force for economic and social progress we need to ensure that it works effectively.

Not too shabby. Here’s hoping this noble work moves forward and contributes to fostering that spirt of unity we Democrats so desperately need.

Not Your Father’s New Democrats

A lot of liberals are still quite suspicious of New Democrats, of course, and see the DLC’s attacks earlier in the year on Dean and the dread forces of Mondale-McGovernism as indicating at New Democrats are incapable of adapting to new realities. But not all New Democrats think alike on Dean and the evolution of the Democratic party.

Exhibit A: Simon Rosenberg’s New Democrat Network. As Ryan Lizza recently pointed out in The New Republic in his excellent article on current divisions in the Democratic party:

No organization has been more hostile to Dean than the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC). In May, Al From and Bruce Reed, the chairman and the president of the DLC--the group that served as a policy springboard for Clinton's rise--wrote their now-infamous manifesto warning that nominating Dean, whom they view as hopelessly left-wing, would bring certain defeat for Democrats in 2004. But, for months, another prominent New Democrat has been making a different case. Simon Rosenberg, who cut his teeth on Clinton's 1992 campaign and now heads the New Democrat Network (NDN), sees Dean as the most innovative and potentially transformative Democrat since Clinton himself. Like Stern, Rosenberg is a bit of a rebel within his own movement. He once worked for From, but his organization is now challenging the DLC and is becoming an increasingly influential player in Democratic politics. Unlike the more top-down DLC, NDN is building a grassroots network of donors and has become a key player in the new world of 527s. "NDN has not endorsed Dean or embraced him, but we have given our opinion that this is a serious campaign that is going to change the party," says Rosenberg.

So, you see, not all New Democrats are alike.

Not That Your Father’s New Democrats Are So Bad

And by no means, in DR’s view, should folks give up on the DLC itself. The latest Al From-Bruce Reed memo in the new issue of the DLC’s Blueprint magazine is actually quite temperate, mostly avoids gratuitous factionalizing and has some pretty good strategic advice in it. In fact, the whole issue of the magazine, headlined “The Collapse of Bushism” is chock-full of good stuff that Democrats of all persuasions should find useful. More evidence, in DR’s view, for the feasibility of Democratic unity.

Let’s try to make it happen.