The first round of small-group discussions was ostensibly about foreign policy. But, at least in Group 21, which met in a classroom in the University of Texas music building, delegates repeatedly framed their comments about America's role in the world in terms of jobs, trade, taxes, and other pocketbook issues. In trying to generate discussion about Bosnia, Haiti and Chinese Human Rights, the affable moderator sometimes had about as much success as a schoolteacher leading reticent 10th-graders in a discussion of Dante.
During a break, 73-year-old delegate Ed Rolfson, a retired construction worker from Merrifield, Minnesota, said he's most concerned about the behavior of U.S. employers.
"They're taking some of the high-priced jobs out of this country and hurting the little man. And so many companies are going from steady employment to part-time. And that is bad."
With tears in his eyes, Rolfson said he worries about what kind of jobs await his 15 grandchildren.
When discussion turned to the economy the debate was often passionate: for example, when the subject turned to billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates.
Woman: The basics are that we still are America. The United States of America is still open to entrepreneurial people. This is very evident with people like Gates. If we didn't have that, then I would say 'The big businesses are controlling,' and all that. But no, you and I still have this opportunity, every single one of us in this room have this opportunity in this United States.
Woman #2: But I don't think we do really. The Bill Gates' and the Michael Dells are people who already were in the top percentage by virtue of their education, by virtue of the contacts they had, the fact that they were able to raise the capital and have investors to get a small business started. I think there's a tremendous sense of despair out there for all the people who don't have a clue how to work a computer, who don't have any idea--
Older woman: Would you deny that, then, to them? You would deny that opportunity to Bill Gates?
Woman #2: No, absolutely not.
Older woman: You'd go down the street and find someone else and say, 'Come on, you can have this instead of Bill Gates?'
Woman #2: Oh God, no, absolutely not. But I think there's got to be something in there to bring everybody else up to a higher level so that more people have an opportunity like that.
Young man: As far as the opportunity in this country, I come from a big family, family of eight. We never had a lot of money. Now I've got two of my sisters who got through college on nothing but grants. There is opportunity out here for every individual from every economic background. You don't have to have money to get a college education, start a business, or anything. There are a number of government programs, there are a number of private funds that are available to every single person in this country. You have to go out there and go for it.
Woman #4: If the rich don't pay these extra taxes, where are these government programs going to come from? Somebody is paying for these guys, so why not get the rich to cough up a little bit more to help the poor get the opportunity to join the rich?
Young man: It's a disincentive to people becoming rich.
Woman #4: It's not gonna be a disincentive to somebody who's got more money than they can ever spend in their natural life anyway!
Young man: It's a disincentive to you and me. I don't have a whole lot of money myself right now--
Woman #4: Not to me it isn't. I'm one of the poor. I'd be happy to have a little bit of Gates's money to help me up the ladder a little bit.
Moderator: Beverly, what do you think?
Beverly: I was fixing to say about children going to college, you know, you can get a grant and go to college, but being you come out of college and then you got to go with a degree and you gotta go short-order cook, wait tables, because there's no jobs.
Small-group moderators asked the delegates to weigh three general approaches to the problem of stagnating incomes: unleashing the free market, redistributing wealth, and improving opportunities through education and training. It remains to be seen how the delegates will come down on the question in their post-convention poll. But presidential contenders might take note, as they consider which issues voters want to hear about. Here at the National Issues Convention, it seems the slogan used internally by the Clinton campaign in 1992 still holds: It's the economy, stupid.
For Democracy Place, I'm John Biewen in Austin, Texas.
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