A DIME'S WORTH OF PARTY DIFFERENCES

The old George Wallace observation that there ain't a dime's worth of
difference between the Republicans and Democrats isn't really true, given
both parties' significant differences on taxes, social issues and the size
and scope of government.

But after reading the Democratic platform, which strikes some
self-consciously "conservative" positions, it's easy to conclude that the
parties may be closer than many partisans would like to admit. Sure,
Republicans still push for broad tax cuts, whereas Democrats want limited,
targeted ones. The Republican platform opposes abortion, whereas the
Democratic one is strenuously pro-choice. And Republicans push for vouchers
and other privatization reforms, whereas Democrats are committed to public
schools and other tax-funded programs.

Still, after the GOP's national convention in Philadelphia downplayed the
party's traditionally conservative themes, the Democratic Party's embrace
of an arguably "moderate" platform gives fodder to street protesters who
echo Mr. Wallace's critique.

For instance, Democratic liberals have often railed against uncontrolled
economic growth, arguing that the party should focus on assuring the most
equal distribution of the economic pie and asserting that untrammeled
growth signifies greed, avarice and waste. Yet this year's platform
promises that Democrats know "how to keep prosperity alive - and how to
deepen it - in a fast-moving, fast-changing economy."

Democrats promise "fiscal discipline that means paying down the debt and
offering the right kind of tax cuts." Although the party emphasizes its
commitment to public education, it calls for helping "states and
communities set high academic standards for students and an end to social
promotion."

The days of calling for unilateral disarmament and imploring America to
"come home" are long gone as well. The platform says, "Al Gore and the
Democratic Party know that we must be able to meet any military challenge
from a position of dominance."

Likewise, the Democratic platform will not let Republicans outflank them to
the right on issues of crime and punishment. Here's some typical language:
"When an overburdened justice system lets thugs off easy, good parents have
a harder time teaching their children right from wrong." It talks about
victims' rights, "ending the revolving door" and other tough-on-crime views.

As we've said, the parties have real differences that go beyond the
sound-alike rhetoric of the platform.

Much of the Democratic anti-crime premise, for instance, is based on the
bizarre idea that limiting the Second Amendment is the best way to reduce
violent crime. Republicans generally think that America already has plenty
of gun laws to enforce.

Some of those differences have been on display this week as Democratic
leaders fired up the party's base with hard-hitting attacks on
"mean-spirited" Republicans.

Still, if the platform is any indication, the Democratic ticket this fall
will trumpet its born-again moderation, just as the Republican ticket will
chatter about its embrace of diversity and "compassion."

Which leaves many Americans - ourselves included - longing for a
contentious debate about the size of government, the velocity of the drug
war, the overseas commitments the U.S. military embraces and so forth, and
not just happy-face packaging designed to woo a focus-group-tested segment
of the electorate.