Abstract

looking Back, looking Forward

The article introduces essays that focus on the Democratic Party in the United States, following its defeat in the 2004 elections. The defeat of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, combined with the Republican advances in the House and Senate, has unleashed waves of dismay and perplexity within liberal and progressive circles. Why did so many voters embrace a President whose Iraq policy was paved with lies and deceptions, who has shown contempt for science, the rule of law and many of the principles of the Enlightenment, and whose economic policies favor the rich at the expense of the vast majority of Americans? What lessons do we draw from Kerry's failure to win over the electorate in spite of the President George W. Bush Administration's conspicuous failures? Finally, what should the priorities of the progressive movement be in this era of Republican dominance, and what is the best formula for future electoral success?