Houston Democrats

Of course, conservatives have marshaled their formidable resources to produce a fine-tuned right-wing message machine. Dr. Murray views with concern the unprecedented unity of these ideological forces and their seizure of all the levers of political power. Yet, ironically, the electorate has not driven the Bush revolution, Murray maintains: Bush received only 51% of the vote in 2004. This 51% was itself divided among: 1) the religious or social conservatives 2) the traditional economic conservatives or tax-cutters 3) voters concerned about national security.

So how did this revolution happen without overwhelming electoral support? Dr. Murray attributes it to:

• the Republican Party's super-disciplined election machine
• organizations like the Club for Growth, who geared up their members to vote as a block
• the tactical success of George W. Bush, Karl Rove, and Dick Cheney (Although many "misunderestimate" him, Bush is quite astute on matters of election strategy, and he is the most conservative president since Calvin Coolidge.)
• a compliant press since 9/11
• a fractured and undisciplined Democratic Party
• the dogged persistence of the Republican Party, who took the 1964 Goldwater defeat and the 1973 Watergate cataclysm and turned them into opportunities to rebuild their party, synchronizing their think tanks and training 30,000 activists on the ground
• out-organizing and out-maneuvering progressives on every front, especially in framing messages that lead ordinary Americans to identify with policies that are not consistent with their self-interest (Example: the inheritance tax as "the death tax")

In a perverse way, all of this has helped George W. Bush keep a campaign promise, the one about being a uniter, not a divider. Opposition to his policies has united progressives as never before, and their fledgling infrastructure is expanding with groups like the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C. Now here in Houston the Texas Research Foundation has incorporated its name and has initiated the process to become a 501c3 entity. It will not endorse candidates, nor will it lobby for specific legislation; but it will:

• perform research on changing demographics that affect the political landscape (Example: areas that could possibly replicate Hubert Vo's upset victory in District 149)
• gather timely and accurate public opinion data
• create a message component to arm progressives for the media
• call conservatives on their misinformation and suppression of information
• utilize formats such as blogging to energize progressives and encourage feedback

At first, the new think tank will be a "virtual" one, operating mainly online, says Keir Murray, another founding member. Progressives will be able to help it expand with financial contributions, volunteer work, and word-of-mouth publicity. To learn more, visit: www.texasresearchfoundation.org