“The war on terror.”

            “It’s the economy stupid.”

            “Read my lips – no new taxes.” 

            Each election, it seems, can be boiled down to a handful of words that sum up the issues and ideas that drive a campaign.  The election of 2008 will be no different.

            But for Republicans, of course, next year’s campaign is different. The party is coming off its worse loss since 1974.  Then, the issues were Vietnam and Watergate. Today, the issues of war and government accountability have similar relevancy.

            It took six years for Republicans to return to power after that defeat. While many attribute Ronald Reagan’s victory to the force of his personality, he would have been the first to say that it had more to do with the power of the ideas that drove his candidacy.

            With this and the next few issues of the Forum, we focus on the importance of ideas in the public policy debate, and begin looking at some of the issues and ideas that could drive the campaign next year. As always, we are open to good ideas from anywhere on the political spectrum. We are also open to good ideas from you.

            In this regard, let me encourage you to share your views on the ideas you believe will shape the coming debate. Simply send us an e-mail at editor@riponsociety.org.

            We would like to know your thoughts!                                                                     

                          Bill Frenzel

                          Chairman Emeritus

                          Ripon Society