When it comes to Domestic Policy, the core value of the Democratic Party is simple to state, simple to understand, and has predictible policy implications. In a nutshell, the Democratic Party core value is: The Federal Government Is Responsible for the Well-Being of American Citizens.

Some corollaries: the Federal Government is responsible for maintaining a good economy so that citizens have jobs and income; for those citizens who are not prospering economically it is the Federal government's responsibility to provide for their needs; since a college education is seen as a ticket to greater well-being, the Federal Government will provide financing to institutions and to students (student loans); good health is essential to well-being so the Federal Government will ensure that everyone has insurance, or, provide affordable health-care, and to prevent citizens from damaging their own health, will take steps to discourage smoking and obesity; et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

The Democrats have had this core value for Domestic Policy since FDR's New Deal, policies to implement this value are in place (e.g. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, funding for the Interstate Highway System), and while taxpayers may complain the same taxpayers will not give up the fruits of this core value such as Federal money for large lakes, highway bridges, guaranteed student loans, or Social Security.

What of the Republican core value? (more below)

The Republican Core Value on Domestic Policy is less simple to state, harder to understand, and does not necessarily lead to policy decisions in a straightforward manner. In a larger nutshell, here is the Republican Core Value: There Should Be Greater Stress on the Responsibilities of the Individual, the Family, the Community, and the Private Sector for the Well-Being of American Citizens; However, Governments at the Local, State, and Federal level Also Have Responsibilities for the Well-Being of American Citizens.

The Republican Party is not united in parsing their Core Value. Some Republicans stress the individual in a kind of Rugged Individualism, some stress the families and communities of America (Thousand Points of Light, Faith-Based Initiatives). No Republican rejects the New Deal Democratic Core Value entirely. No Republican is campaigning from a platform of abolishing student loans, Social Security, Federal Highway Money. No Republican is suggesting abolishing all Food-and-Drug Safety regulations or privatizing the Interstate Highway System. No matter who the next Republican president is, or who the next Republican Speaker of the House, the Federal Reserve Board will not be abolished in favor of purely market-driven interest rates. Moderate Republicans differ from Conservative Republicans only in the relative scope and size of government responsiblity for the well-being of Americans. American voters want, to some uncertain extent, the Federal Government to take responsibility for their well-being.

Michael Moore, on his short-lived TV show, boated on a large lake in Newt Gingrich's district asking voters in other boats if they wanted lower taxes. Everyone answered "Yes." So he asked if they would give up the government funding for this lake, and pay market-rate fees for access. He did something similar for roads. The answers always were no. We Americans may want more services than we are willing to pay for, but we do want the services.

No matter how it is parsed, the Republican Party Core Value on Domestic Policy does not lead in a simple fashion to a predetermined policy agenda. Therefore Republicans will have trouble getting behind a single plan, and will have difficulty articulating a Domestic Policy Agenda for the electorate, except that it will involve less government than the Democratic Agenda and stress the individual, family, community, and private sector more than the Democrats will. Although Democrats currently are defining themselves as the "We are not George W. Bush" party, on Domestic Policy the Republicans usually define themselves as the "We are not Democrats" party.

In 2008, if Domestic Policy is front and center, the Republicans will have troubles. Their only hope is that Foreign Policy and/or Cultural Issues are uppermost in voters' minds.