Proposal for the DNC bumpersticker: Opportunity For Everyone (draft, feedback requested)

[yesthattom]

[ Note: A "bumpersticker" slogan refers to an organization's extremely brief description of what they stand for. It should be just a few words long, and structured so that if anyone is against it they look bad. For example, the Republicans have gotten a lot of mileage out of the bumpersticker “Less taxes / keep more of your paycheck”. Howard Dean, the new chair of the DNC, has stated that Democrats need to have one. ]

Proposal for the DNC bumpersticker: Opportunity For Everyone

To me, this expresses everything that’s good about being a Democrat. We believe there is nothing more important than helping people get a better lot in life. We know that fundamentally people will work to improve their lives and the only thing that holds them back is the roadblocks that are put in their way.

We don’t believe in a handout, but a hand-up. We’re in favor of anti-discrimination laws because they remove roadblocks to opportunity. We hate to see people go hungry, homeless, or without medical attention because that takes them out of the opportunity path. We want poison-free neighborhoods because without health, they have no opportunity. And of course, we want all Americans to get a quality education, because it is the single most important key to assuring opportunity.

To quote Billy Joel, I believe in a country where every child has a pretty good shot to get at least as far as their old man got.

I’m waiting for a Democratic candidate to stand up and make the following point in one of their speeches:

“Would you like to predict how I’m going to vote on an issue once I’m elected? It’s pretty simple. I believe in Opportunity for Everyone. It’s that simple. If the bill creates opportunity for people, then I’m for it. If it clears the roadblocks that prevent people from moving up their lot in life, I’m for it. But if it restricts people’s ability to do so, you can count on a “no” vote from me.”

There are second-tier issues that come to mind when talking about “opportunity for everyone”. For example, why does the government build highways? Because commerce depends on it and without commerce there is little opportunity.

Etc.

Etc.

I need to work on this more, but I think this is the right direction for finding our bumpersticker. In fact, I think we can even tie this into why having an ethical government is important.

Thoughts? Opinions?

Comments

[king-tirian.livejournal.com]

I'm not arguing about the rightness of these issues. I'm suggesting that if Senator Newwave stands up and says "I'm for things that promote opportunity and against things that suppress opportunity," then the follow-up question will be "Do you believe in giving workers the opportunity to invest their payroll taxes for themselves, or are you a stinking flip-flopper?" Our position is correct and moral, but it's because we believe in freedom FROM want and not freedom OF economic risk. That doesn't fit on a bumper sticker.

Nor does it need to. Remember that Newt Gingrich won his day with ten ideals, and the Preamble of the Constitution lists six. It doesn't seem defeatist to allow ourselves more latitude. Add "undeniable human dignity", "equality under the law", and "having a government that doesn't have to hide its actions from you" to "expand opportunity" and you've got a great foundation for a populist agenda that has more platform than gaps and that on the surface no one can disagree without sounding kookish.

I think that Tom is on the right track with the notion that our platform should be able to be printed on a card that can fit in your wallet and be generally predictive of how we would stand on a general issue that will come up in the future. But I'm not sure that anyone has won election in the US with a comprehensive policy that would fit on a bumper sticker, and I don't think I'd like to be led by the sorts of people who have historically won on such simplistic agendas.