The Party's Not over

Description

Politics is about storytelling, writes Jeff Faux, one of America's leading economic and political thinkers. In The Party's Not Over, Faux describes how the Democratic and Republican parties have traditionally competed with different stories about the American path to prosperity. The hero of the Democrats' story was the ordinary worker and consumer; the hero of the Republicans' story was the investor. Over the last twenty years, Faux argues, the Democrats have abandoned their economic story, confusing voters about what it means to be a Democrat. Liberals have splintered along social issues, while "New Democrats" have championed the causes of deregulated global markets and conservative social values. Faux argues that the New Democrat strategy is a trap. The reality is that the new, brutally competitive economy - marked by downsizing, falling living standards, and rising anxiety - has undercut the credibility of the Republican story. It has become increasingly evident that the combination of weak government and unconstrained markets provides neither opportunity nor security for the majority of Americans who work for a living. In a powerful narrative of his own, Faux shows that the Democrats have a historic opportunity to return as America's majority party. To seize this opportunity, they must make the working family the center of their story, while updating their message to fit today's global realities. Faux outlines a program for creating more jobs, empowering employees, and investing in the nation's people, infrastructure, and environment. He also proposes a national grassroots campaign to reduce the influence of money in political campaigns. Taken together, Faux's recommendations form the basis for a new social contract, making The Party's Not Over a blueprint for Democratic leaders today and for generations to come.

Subjects