Don’t squander Democratic gains

Re “Liberal groups insist on results,” Nov. 12

Any reputable polling agency will tell you that a majority of Americans across the political spectrum favor universal healthcare, a living wage for full-time work, employees’ right to a voice in the workplace, orderly withdrawal from Iraq, the licensing of handguns and a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body.

They are also deeply troubled by ominous provisions of the Patriot Act, domestic surveillance and data-mining programs, reports of treasonous war profiteering and the waste of tax dollars by corporations connected with government figures, the rising costs of prescription drugs, record profits at oil companies charging record prices and the erosion of governmental checks and balances.

It is misleading to characterize positions held by a majority of Americans as “liberal” and to suggest that newly elected leaders should hew to more conservative positions if they hope to survive politically. The Times is not the only media resource making this fundamentally dangerous error, but one does expect a paper of this quality to know better.

LEZLEY MCDOUALL

Durham, N.C.

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In recent years, when the Republicans had a 55-person majority in the Senate, it was accepted wisdom that it would take 60 votes to get virtually all legislation and presidential nominees approved. The obstructionism represented by this actual or implicit threat of filibuster obviously did not hurt the Democrats in the recent election. In all of the current media coverage of the legislation that will embody the liberal agenda, I have yet to find a reference to the 60-vote reality. If it blocked the agenda of 55 senators, it can be expected to block to an even greater degree the agenda of 51 senators.

GEORGE A. VANDEMAN

Pacific Palisades

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Let’s hope the Democrats learned something from their years wandering in the wilderness. Their first responsibility on regaining power is to retain it. The vain pursuit of doctrinaire liberal issues would be the best way to lose their new advantage.

The biggest loser would clearly be gun control: Given the number of guns -- legal and illegal -- in circulation, legislation would have little or no practical effect but would anger enough voters to be the difference in close future elections. Going after gun control would be as big a mistake as President Clinton’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military at the beginning of his first term.

My suggestion for the new Democratic leadership is to use the investigative power of Congress to demonstrate to middle-class Americans just how badly the Republicans have abused them. Then let people demand change.

ROGER A. WEBB

Little Rock, Ark.