Newt understood that in a steady-state congress, any scandal favors the minority.
I suggest the Demos launch a Gingrich like A CALL TO REASON ... a plan that attacks mediocrity and mendacity in government.
The Call would have eight elements:
1. A call for Science. Stem cell research, evolution, genetics should be critical criteria for public service. Creationist politicians, e.g. Thune, need to be outed.
Action: The Party should regularly expose some of the bizarre people the Republicos have put up for office or given high visibility jobs.
Action: The congressional delegation should call for hearings on global warming.
2. A call for Honesty. The Plame case should be explained to the public. The same goes for Abu Ghareb and the information failures that lies to Colin Powell's UN deception.
Action: The minority in Congress should persistently demand hearings in all these issues.
3. A call for Opportunity. The US is to all of us the land of opportunity, BUT that is no longer true if Americans can not get an education.
Action: the party should submit a series of bills under the title Equal Opportunity, aimed at equal education for the middle classes.
4. A call for Excellence. 70% of the kids in American physics classes are foreign or foreign born.
Action: We should attack "No Child Left Behind"
and demand "Let Kids Achieve." In other words, hoist Bush on the petard of egalitarianism by supporting Charter Schools, scholarship or academic excellence, etc.
5. A call for Service. All American youths should have an equal opportunity to serve their country.
Action: Propose a public-private partnership to enlist 18-20 year olds in pubic service and work experiences. Some would do this by volunteering for pubic service. Others would take jobs as teacher aids, farm workers, etc. The only escape form the two years of service would be evidence of high achievement in the academic world or in some essential job.
6. A call for Health:
Action: The Kerry Health Care plan makes sense.
7. A call for Equality before the Law. Legal reform should go beyond relief for large corporation from unjust suits. It should include assuring the rights of all Americans to legal recourse.
Action: A public-private effort to create new ways for attorneys to service the public at low costs. This could range from legalizing the computerized will to encouraging group legal services.
8. A call for Equality in the Media.
Action: The Party should initiate legislation to deal with Murdock and other info-totalitarian enterprises. This might include new laws about public service on the media ... to include cable and satellite networks.