"George,

Can you explain why we should be upset that a governor is fighting to follow through on the specific campaign promise that won him his electorate majority?

It is not the Democratic party's position that following through on important campaign promises is wrong. In my 35 years of activism I've seen and on occasion helped our own elected officials try to and often succeed at following through.

So is seeing an opponent fail more important than helping the majority of the voters get what they want? Is being against reducing the car tax on schedule part of our party's strategy of how to convince the majority our party is a better choice?

If so it's a terrible decision. We should be fighting - not the governor - but the Republicans standing in his way so Democrats can get some credit for voters getting the car tax break they voted for. Or has wanting to be viewed as in touch with the majority ceased to interest us?

I'm amazed to feel obliged to point out that siding with the majority on a reasonable pocketbook issue they rallied around wins more elections than opposing it. No less amazing is the need to point out that the minorities we represent also benefit from a lower car tax.

So help me out here. What do the Democrats gain by opposing the governor that is more important than my observations?"

Rey Berry (electronic email, March 1, 2001)