Yesterday, the British people went to the polls and returned Tony Blair's "New Labor" to power for a third consecutive term in office. The victory was historic but somewhat diminished, as "New Labor"'s Parliamentary margin was cut by more than half. Still, this is a historic result for "New Labor." In sum, it can be interpreted as follows: 1) overall, continued support for the ideas of "New Labor," 2) disappointment with the RESULTS to date of the "New Labor" agenda for fixing Britain's crumbling social services and infrastructure; 3) anger at Tony Blair personally for his support of President Bush on Iraq and for his other failings; 4) a continued rejection of harsth,Thatcherist Conservatism, which went so far as to toy with anti-immigrant racism in this campaign (its slogan, for a time, was the obvious, unsubtle, racist-pandering "Are You Thinking What We're Thinking?"). What, if anything, does this have to do with American politics, let alone the Virginia governor's race this year? A great deal, actually. For starters, as a reaffirmation of the "Third Way," yesterday's British election results illustrate the enduring appeal of the "New Democratic" vision: "Progressive Governance for the 21st Century." According to the New Democrats Online, Third Way philosophy:
seeks to adapt enduring progressive values to the new challenges of the Information Age. It rests on three cornerstones: the idea that government should promote equal opportunity for all while granting special privilege for none; an ethic of mutual responsibility that equally rejects the politics of entitlement and the politics of social abandonment; and a new approach to governing that empowers citizens to act for themselves.The Third Way approach to economic opportunity and security stresses technological innovation, competitive enterprise, and education rather than top- down redistribution or laissez faire. On questions of values, it embraces "tolerant traditionalism," honoring traditional moral and family values while resisting attempts to impose them on others. It favors an enabling rather than a bureaucratic government, expanding choices for citizens, using market means to achieve public ends and encouraging civic and community institutions to play a larger role in public life. The Third Way works to build inclusive, multiethnic societies based on common allegiance to democratic values.
This was, essentially, President Clinton's extremely popular governing philosophy (separating out Clinton's personal foibles). It also sounds an awful lot like Mark Warner's and Tim Kaine's governing philosophy as well. As the two victorious elections of Bill Clinton here in America during the 1990s showed, and as Britain's "New Labor" three-peat in Britain illustrates as well, these ideas are extremely popular. In part, that's because the majority of Americans and Britons are moderates, pragrmatists, and realists at heart -- not rigid idoeologues or extremists.
Unfortunately, at times the debate here in America -- as highlighed in recent months -- has been dominated by extremists. But that doesn't change the underlying fact that most people simply want RESULTS from their government -- good schools, economic opportunity, safe communities, national security, quality and affordable health care, a clean environnment, and a helping hand for those who need it -- at a reasonable cost. Most Americans also would agree with the "Third Way" philosophy regarding opportunity for all, responsibilty from everyone, reform and innovation, civic duty, progressive ideals, and mainstream values.
Here in the United States, the lead organization which has pushed the "Third Way" agenda has been the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC). Significantly, two leading members of the DLC hail from Virginia -- Governor Mark Warner and Lt. Governor Tim Kaine. Interestingly, the DLC is often attacked by the Left Wing of the Democratic Party as too conservative. Which makes it all the more ironic that Jerry Kilgore has been desperately attempting to paint Tim Kaine, DLC member, as a doctrinaire "liberal." This is, quite simply, a lie. Let's state it as clearly as possible: Tim Kaine is a member of the "Third Way, " centrist DLC. In that respect, he is NOT a leftist or a "liberal" -- not that there's anything wrong with that, as Jerry Seinfeld might say. Still, Tim Kaine is a centrist through and through, no matter how desperately Jerry Kilgore might try to claim otherwise (sadly, that lie appears to be Jerry Kilgore's only argument against Tim Kaine).
The fact that Tim Kaine is a "Third Way" Democrat and not a "liberal," as Jerry Kilgore keeps shouting, is evidenced both by Kaine's membership in the DLC as well as by his statements and policies over the years. For starters, Kaine talks not about ideology but about "find[ing] common sense solutions to Virginia?s most important priorities." Tim Kaine -- and Mark Warner -- believes in fiscal responsbility, pubilc safety, "efficient government," lifetime education and training, and providing people with the tools they need to prosper in the "Information Age."
Broadly speaking, the thrust of the Warner/Kaine approach is not traditional liberalism, but instead the "Third Way" of Tony Blair and Bill Clinton. And this is EXACTLY the philosophy that both Tim Kaine and Mark Warner embraced as they balanced Virginia's budget, successfully promoted the state a business-friendly location, worked to strengthen educational opportunities, stayed tough on crime, and promoted bi-partisan solutions to problems facing us all.
Meanwhile, as "New Democrats" like Tim Kaine and Mark Warner look to the future, Conservatives in Britain and right-wing Republicans in America continue to cling desperately to the past for answers to modern problems. Jerry Kilgore even wants to bring California's disastrous Proposition system to Virginia, as if he's learned nothing from from history (note to Jerry: you might want ot have a chat with Arnold Schwarznegger about this and see what he thinks).
As "New Democrats" like Tim Kaine and Mark Warner work to bring people together across old left-right divisions, Republicans like Jerry Kilgore and Tom DeLay attempt to divide people, to prey on their worst instincts, and even to flirt with hateful rhetoric against federal judges, abortion doctors, liberals, Democrats, gays, immigrants, and minorities.
This brings us back to the Conservative slogan in Britain, "Are You Thinking What We're Thinking," (wink wink, nudge nudge), which, according to The Mirror", "tries to win power by using racist innuendo." The equivalent in America today is people like Jerry Kilgore ally Pat Robertson, who speaks hatefully of Muslims, Jews, atheists, "abortionists," non-fundamentalist Christians, homosexuals and many others. As the Mirror argues, with views like this by Conservatives "you can well imagine [their] other policies: hand the country back to big business, keep workers' rights to a minimum, bolster public schools and their right to take places at our top universities, privatise our National Health Service.
Does any of this sound familiar? Like, for instance, the current Republican Party's opposition to raising the minimum wage (currently, $5.15 per hour, or approximately $10,700 per year; poverty wages by any standard), labor rights and unions, immigrant rights and dignity, the importance of an independent judiciary as established by our Constitution, checks and balances on power, etc? And then there's the current Republican Party's huge tax givewaways to rich corporations and indivdiduals, while shafting the middle class by attempting to gut Social Security benefits.
The point is, we have a very similar choice here in Virginia this year as voters had in Britain yesterday: continue moving forward with "Third Way," "New Democratic" policies, or go backwards to the failed, divisive, right-wing policies of Jerry Kilgore and his buddies. Needless to say, this choice is not difficult. Go Kaine!