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It's the economy.

The opposition stands for a redistribution of wealth - - from the mainstream economy and the middle class* - - to people who receive the very largest corporate bonuses.

It's persons who receive the largest corporate bonuses who donate the Republican campaign money and recruit candidates to oppose Democrats.

The tools - - used to expand their 'bottom line' and personal bonuses?

Outsourcing.

Layoffs.

A lie called the "trickle down theory."

Special tax benefits for individuals who receive the largest corporate bonuses.

By increasing unemployment, there is even less incentive to increase wages for the employees who continue. It may eventually become convenient for these executives to hire some new employees - - at reduced wages - - where they arrange to pocket the gain in the form of increased personal bonuses.

Name calling. Republican officials have a name for those who find themselves without good opportunities, and who complain about the dysfunctional economy. They are "Economic Girley-men."

Increased taxes and government fees where the tax or fee is "regressive" - - those with lower incomes pay more, as a per-centage of their income, than persons who are highly compensated.

Pressure from the Federal Government for additional tax and fee increases by State and Local Governments.**

Government contracts without the inconvenience of competitive bidding.

Promotion of foreign sources of goods and services that interfere with economic opportunities for people who live in the United States.

Huge deficit budgets, and a balance of trade deficit.

Inflation. Higher prices for gasoline and other forms of energy, higher prices for health insurance and health care, and a corresponding reduction in disposable income for consumers.

Wrong priorities: The opposition has taken its emotional right to life campaign to such an extreme - - they would rather represent a 'stem cell' than a living person.

Redistricting schemes for Congress and the Legislature that reduce opportunities for voters to decide competitive races between the two parties in November General Elections.

An even greater disparity between those who receive the highest compensation, and those who receive the lowest compensation.

Democrats stand for Economic Populism.

With Democrats in office, there will still be opportunities for persons to earn large corporate bonuses. The difference is - - they will have to earn them, by serving consumers of goods and services in a competitive environment. An economy with full employment results in increased consumption of goods and services that drives wages up. With this kind of opportunity, corporations that produce goods and services find they can not hire enough good employees, and this, in turn, causes wages to increase. Hiring and retaining good employees is sometimes an inconvenience and a challenge for highly compensated executives - - but this is a part of their responsibility in the economy. With a Democratic economy, state and local governments find surpluses, rather than deficits, and there is a motivation to reduce State and Local taxes and government fees rather than increase them. It's all a part of the 'trickle up' theory, that motivates an economic engine that best serves the current and future needs of American taxpayers. With these arrangements, the people are empowered in the economy. Government officials proceed to represent the public interest, rather than special interests.

The people of the City of Dallas, Texas know the opposition best. It is no surprise that in 2000, the people of Dallas voted for Al Gore and Joe Lieberman, with a margin of 31,427 votes. The 167,777 votes received by Gore and Lieberman in Dallas are more than the opposition received in the entire states of Wyoming and Alaska.

- Tom Blackwell

* Those who are less fortunate than the 'middle class' have an even larger personal impact.

** A scheme that involves moving from a progressive tax base to a regressive tax base.