They hark back to the conflicts of an industrial society that is being eclipsed by the new economy. It is not that traditional politics and ideology do not matter at all. It may only have been divided government that has kept Republicans from using the surplus to slash taxes in a way that would starve the government of revenues and power in the long run, and the Democrats from pushing through expensive social programs. This year's presidential race is in many ways about whether one party should have a mandate to use the bounty of the long expansion. But the partisan lines are blurring.
Politicians are in the game of being able to give away rather than take away.
It is the same on the other side of the aisle. Class warfare, many Democrats seemed to be saying, does not make as much sense when most voters are solidly middle class or above. In such a fluid situation, the rules of the political game are uncertain. Mr. Gore began a push last week to wrap himself in the strong economy, assuming that voters, as they always have, will tend to favor the incumbent party when times are good. But polls do not show much evidence that Mr. Gore is seen as prosperity's steward.