TY - BOOK AU - McGovern,George S. AU - Kulman,Linda TI - What it means to be a Democrat SN - 0399158227 (hardcover) PY - 2011/// CY - New York PB - Blue Rider Press KW - Democratic Party (U.S.) KW - Political parties KW - United States KW - Politics and government N1 - Compassion -- Fear and Defense Spending -- The Purpose of Government -- Food and Hunger -- Immigration -- Education -- Putting America Back to Work -- Energy and the Environment -- The Middle East -- Universal Health Care -- Alcohol and Drug Addiction -- Conclusion: Honing the Democratic Message N2 - A call to arms by the former presidential candidate that combines personal anecdotes and cultural critiques to remind liberals of their ideological compass and restore confidence. The author has been a leading figure of the Democratic Party for more than fifty years. From this true liberal comes a thoughtful examination of what being a Democrat really means. He admonishes current Democratic politicians for losing sight of their ideals as they subscribe to an increasingly centrist policy agenda. Applying his wide ranging knowledge and expertise on issues ranging from military spending to same sex marriage to educational reform, he stresses the importance of creating policies we can be proud of. Finally, with 2012 looming, this book offers a vision of the party's future in which ideological coherence and courage rule ER -