I disagree with the widely held opinion within the Democratic Party that Democrats, coming off last week’s defeats, must now “reinvent” themselves in order to compete in 2008. This is not the strategy the party should take.

The most important thing for the party to do now is to learn how it can reach out to moderates, swing voters and Republicans and rework the presentation of the party’s ideals. What Democrats should not be doing is morphing their beliefs into something new and “less liberal.” Talk about flip-flopping!

I believe this would have the inverse effect intended: it would isolate the party from its own base and the voters it needs to gain. Americans clearly want a party and a leader with strong convictions. If the Democratic Party changes its political philosophy, it would be seen as a desperate attempt to regain the votes it lost this year.

One of John Kerry’s biggest faults in his bid for the White House was his lack of a clear, straightforward plan on important campaign issues, specifically the war in Iraq and the economy. Even swing voters agreed that the country is headed in the wrong direction and there was great doubt about the war in Iraq. But they had a hard time voting out the incumbent president to replace him with a man who could not clearly articulate his own plan for what he would do differently.

While the Democrats can take a page from the Republicans’ clear, concise and aggressive campaign, they must remain true to their convictions and principles: multilateral efforts in international conflicts, affordable health care, repealing tax breaks for the economic elite, upholding a woman’s right to choose, equal rights for gays, and the advancement of science and technology — specifically in furthering stem-cell research.

The real challenge for the Democratic Party in ‘08 will be to connect with middle America living in the “red” states on a level that clearly demonstrates that Democrats are fighting for their cause and that they in fact do have strong moral values. The existing platform — largely based on fighting for the poor and working class — are values that America was built on. Republicans do not have a monopoly on morals and faith and cannot be allowed to use wedge issues like abortion and gay rights to de-value the Democrats’ message.

But whatever Democrats do, they must not appear to be wavering. American machismo will not embrace what they interpret as a weakness. Do not change your Democratic ideals. If you do, the Democrats will truly end up looking like an ass.

Gustavo Quiroga

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