The New Democrats and the Return to Power

About this book

After Barack Obamas solid win in the 2012 election its easy to forget that there was a time not long ago when the Democrats were shut out of power for over a decade. But Al From remembers. In 1984 he led a small band of governors US senators and members of Congress to organize the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC). Their mission: to rescue the party from the political wilderness redefine its message and most importantly win presidential elections. In April 1989 From traveled to Little Rock Arkansas to recruit the states young governor Bill Clinton to be chairman of the DLC. Here Al From explores the founding philosophy of the New Democrats which not only achieved stunning validation during Clintons two terms but also became the model for resurgent center-left parties in Europe and throughout the democratic world. Here he outlines for the first time the principles at the heart of the movement including economic centrism national security and entitlement reform and why they are vital to the success of the Democratic Party in the years ahead.