[Homer_J_Simpson]

• Why couldn't our party push for a national lottery with the proceeds going to help pay the cost of college for deserving students in America?

• Why couldn't our party push to restructure the sacrosanct Head Start program into a universal prekindergarten program, with more emphasis on learning instead of just day care?

• Why couldn't we Democrats push to spread the massive government bureaucracy now concentrated in Washington out around the whole nation, saving money and bringing jobs to America at the same time?

Do Republicans really want someone who think these are good ideas in their party?

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

The better question Mr. Miller is Why are you still a Democrat?

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Well, I can't say that any of the ideas are terrible.

[Cicero]

Yes, the first part of the article is on target, but the suggested "message" is pretty bad. Zell is still a Democrat, in the line of FDR, HST, and JFK. They were better than the current crop of Democrats, but I still wouldn't vote for any of them.

[Tacis]

Gee, I don't know if these are good ideas or not. I'm going to have to check with Barbra Streisand, Harry Belafonte, Sarandan, Tim what's his name, Alvin Baldwin and the othet great thinkers of the party to see what they think.

[Real Cynic No More]

It's hard to run on your record when you don't have a record. And it's hard to run on your vision when you don't have a vision.

Tom Daschle!; Tom Daschle!; Tom Daschle!

All we got in the end was the blame.

Tom Daschle!; Tom Daschle!; Tom Daschle!

The Democratic Party--party of Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, the party that gave us Social Security, the G.I. Bill and Medicare--has become a party that stands for nothing and does nothing.

Tom Daschle!; Tom Daschle!; Tom Daschle!

This speaks for itself!

[nutmeg]

bump to read later

[pabianice]

Why couldn't we Democrats push to spread the massive government bureaucracy now concentrated in Washington out around the whole nation...

AIIEEE! The horror! This guy is as clueless as Gore.

[Dog Gone]

My guess is that Miller will find the party lurching even more to the left. He's a DINO, but apparently is too stuck in his ways to realize it.

[GOPJ]

Democrats want issues, not solutions.

A problem solved is an issue lost.

Talk to Democrats' most loyal voters ... black Americans. Democrats trot out the same grievances every year, and play blacks for fools. But this year, black Americans starting to catch on. Democrats use their dreams to gin up the vote. Nothing more. The writer is innocent and has no idea who the democrats really are:

We lost the Senate, big. Why? To start with, we didn't get anything done. After all the noise in the 2000 presidential election, we still don't have a prescription-drug plan. More than a year after the terror of Sept. 11, we still don't have a Department of Homeland Security. Nearly two years into an economic downturn, we still don't have a clear economic agenda, and even when we're not opposing tax cuts outright, our party still doesn't have a clear position on tax relief.

[GOPJ]

Democrats want issues, not solutions.

A problem solved is an issue lost.

Talk to Democrats' most loyal voters ... black Americans. Democrats trot out the same grievances every year, and play blacks for fools. But this year, black Americans started to catch on. Democrats use their dreams to gin up the vote. Nothing more. The writer is innocent and has no idea who the democrats really are:

We lost the Senate, big. Why? To start with, we didn't get anything done. After all the noise in the 2000 presidential election, we still don't have a prescription-drug plan. More than a year after the terror of Sept. 11, we still don't have a Department of Homeland Security. Nearly two years into an economic downturn, we still don't have a clear economic agenda, and even when we're not opposing tax cuts outright, our party still doesn't have a clear position on tax relief.

[TheBattman]

Actually, Zel Miller sounds more like a "moderate" Republican than a DemocRAT. Certainly some of his ideas are liberal, but he is far more centris/right than liberal in general.

I think this guy should be the new head of the Democrat Party. Would probably be bad for the Republican side of the fence (other than helping on some of "our" issues), but could bring the Democrat party back closer to mainstream America than the ultra-freak liberals have taken it.

Overall, I'm impressed that the man knows where to place the blame - he didn't blame or accuse the Republicans of anything - he admitted that the RATS don't have anything to stand on anymore.

[saminfl]

The Democratic Party--party of Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, the party that gave us Social Security, the G.I. Bill and Medicare--has become a party that stands for nothing and does nothing. Our party is stagnant, and if we don't do something new--in a better and bolder way--the Democratic Party could follow that other inflexible party of groups, the Whigs, into the dustbin of history.

During the 1960's, the party was captured by the communists and socialists.

[Magoo]

As for the lottery, our government would just find more ways to waste a "voluntary tax"

As for finding ways to improve headstart through accountability, higher expectations and giving our youth a better education, I'm all for it.

As for moving "massive government bureacracy", I fail to see how it would save tax payer dollars and create jobs. Privitizing the bureacracy and reducing the bloated government payroll we already have sounds better.

[sourcery]

This article makes it quite clear why Zell is neither a good Democrat, nor a good Republican.

[The Great RJ]

Zell-- The reason your party failed in the election is that it is out of tune with what the majority of voters believe. The average American does not want a socialist nanny state. They want good jobs, security at home and low taxes. Your party gave them old platitudes, scare tactics and no substance. What did you expect?

Now with a lurch to the left giving Pelosi and Hillary leadership positions, your party will be even further from mainstream America.

[SwinneySwitch]

JFK was also a Life Member of the NRA!

Wake up and smell the coffee, Sen. Miller!

[jackbill]

Do Republicans really want someone who think these are good ideas in their party?

As a 50 year Republican and a long time resident of the Washington, DC area, I agree wholeheartedly with Miller.

Lottery? The producers have been supporting the underclass for decades. The underclass is the primary buyer of lotteries. It's simply payback.

As currently configured, Head Start is basically a baby-sitting program, and an expensive one at that. Of course it should be changed. If we are going to have a Head Start program to make up for parents who won't "teach" their youngsters, why should we pay bureaucrats to just continue the process?

As for moving some of the bureaucrats out of Washington, have you ever tried to drive around D.C.? Should we keep pumping tax dollars to pave over a lot of Maryland and Virginia? Or should we spread it out across the country? Don't forget, for every government employee in D.C., there are a number of others employed - lobbyists, suppliers, etc.. Spread it out!

Zell Miller is right. And I wish some of our Republican brothers would listen to him.

[Frohickey]

* Why couldn't our party push for a national lottery with the proceeds going to help pay the cost of college for deserving students in America?

* Why couldn't our party push to restructure the sacrosanct Head Start program into a universal prekindergarten program, with more emphasis on learning instead of just day care?

* Why couldn't we Democrats push to spread the massive government bureaucracy now concentrated in Washington out around the whole nation, saving money and bringing jobs to America at the same time?

* Sure, turn it from a government tax into a voluntary 'charitable' contribution.

* Republicans have been saying this all along.

* Why is Zell Miller stil a Democrat?

[Arioch7]

Aye! The Head Start turned to "Universal Kindergarten" freaked me out.

He is a lot better then many RINOs. They appear to fester near the North East. The reason that we want Zell Miller is that he is better then any of the Rinos in New England.

[caltrop]

Plenty of Republicans already think some of these ideas are terrific. Here in Florida, for example, our "conservative" Governor Jeb Bush advocated a proposed Constitutional Amendment to the Florida Constitution this year to provide voluntary universal Pre-K programs (it passed) and he's floated the idea of reversing his opposition to gambling to close Florida's looming budget gap.

My own view is that, with the Bush influence on the Republican Party what it is, you can forget about government being defined by the Republican Party as the problem and not the solution.