ast night's less-than-electrifying debate underscored the extent to which a rather mushy centrism dominates American politics. Both candidates appropriated the other party's popular themes. Gore talked about tax cuts and supporting family values. Bush made it clear that he favors government programs to help the disadvantaged; he strongly signaled that he will take no steps to outlaw abortion and that he wants common ground with prochoice people who want the number of abortions reduced.
Nevertheless, some basic differences emerged. Bush stressed that he believes the budget surplus belongs to the American people who deserve to get some of their money back to spend as they choose. He emphasized more options for all, from senior citizens seeking prescription drug coverage to young workers saving for retirement.
Gore fell back on class-warfare rhetoric with his refrain of tax cuts for the wealthy; he also left little doubt that in his view, taxpayer money really belongs to the government and government is to be trusted more than markets. (To him, it's a ''bad'' thing that under Bush's plan, taxpayers would pick up the prescription drug tab only for poor seniors but not for the affluent.) It seems the only area where Gore trusts Americans to make the right decisions without the government is abortion.
Gore's biggest asset is the prosperity he inherited. Bush's strongest point is that Gore's plan will mean more bureaucracy and federal micromanagement. Bush's appeal to the belief that citizens are capable of managing their own lives can resonate with most Americans - if Bush can convince them that he really does have passion for this vision.
Cathy Young is a contributing editor at Reason magazine. Her column appears regularly in the Globe.
