Message to the ascendant GOP: ASSERT AN URBAN AGENDA

Looking over the electoral map (by county) one cannot help but make at least one huge conclusion: the Democrats are still the majority party most of the big old cities - most majorities are HUGE. WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR THIS?

First, the cities have long been voting slaves to local Democrat machines. Second, the Democrats have long been the majority party for immigrants. Third, cities have long been magnets for ethnic diversity and the Democrats have traditonally been more diverse. Fourth, the urban poor have long been bought off by the largesse of the liberal welfare state.

All this is changing, but not enough. Clinton moved more toward the center and toward the GOP when he pledged "to end welfare as we know it." This helped Clinton at the polls.

The GOP must make bigger and better overt overtures to the urban electorate, and it can do this merely by asserting its inclusive, color-blind, pro-business, anti-crime, personal empowerment (anti-welfare/anti-state dependency), school choice/teacher accountability, and low tax URBAN agenda.

This effort should be led by former mayors Giuliani and Riordan, and Senators Coleman and Lugar - both former mayors, and Mayor Bloomberg.

This newly assertive GOP Urban Agenda would help the cities, and just as importantly - it would be the death knell for the Left.