Is there a Democratic cure? Author Peter Beinart pushes the excellent idea that “liberal hawks” should populate the Democratic party. But except for Senator Joe Lieberman, it is hard to find any. Sure, Tennessee House member Harold Ford voted in favor of extending the successful growth-producing investor tax cuts of 2003, but he is a lonely soul in the tax-the-rich party. Sen. Hillary Clinton wants to support our troops, but she is booed at a Democratic convention.

The problem with the Democrats is that they will not reach back and adopt the tough-arm national-security line from Harry Truman or the pro-growth tax-cutting policies of John Kennedy. The icons are out there, but today’s Democrats aren’t interested.

Of course, the GOP hasn’t won anything yet. To set themselves up for November, they must resolve the immigration debate with some sort of compromise. They also must continue their leaner budgeting ways, and must remember that the Laffer-curve mix of lower tax rates, strong growth, low unemployment, and cascading budget revenues is what is shrinking the deficit. Stick to that formula, and they will take away yet another Democratic issue.

Here’s another policy thought: The idea of a minimum-wage hike is gathering political steam, and most economists agree that wages can be set higher at the expense of businesses. But this also will mean unskilled workers will have to reach farther to grab hold of the lowest rungs of the economic ladder. However, there is a compromise. A modest minimum-wage increase could be coupled with tax cuts for both large and small companies. This would satisfy low-end workers who have been hurt by rising gas prices, and would also make business more competitive.

President Bush has been frustrated with Republicans who have gotten away from the first principles of tax cuts and free-market economics and have moved toward international isolation and pessimism. But with a rejuvenated White House staff and a great break on Zarqawi, Bush has been spreading his gospel of a strong economy and powerful national defense. He is single-handedly saving the GOP from itself.

Whether he succeeds remains to be seen. But politics hates a vacuum. The Democrats had an opening and they couldn’t exploit it. Bush is filling that void and slowly but surely the political tide is turning back in his favor.

Of course it’s a cliché, but I wouldn’t misunderestimate him again.