But labor's shrewd tactics have forced business to respond in new ways. This class war will not go away. This campaign is also seeing a decisive change in the nature of the issues put to the electorate. Yes, there are old standbys. Medicare is to the 1996 Democrats as Social Security was to the 1982 Democrats.
Republicans still run on promises to cut taxes.
But partly because of what the 1994-95 Republican Congress did, and partly because Democrats regrouped after 1994, old issues are being discussed in new ways and new concerns are working their way into the reliable campaign repertoire. Republicans were usually rated better on crime than the Democrats. This year it's different. More importantly, Democrats, in their efforts to be more competitive, have redefined the issue. The Democrats finally figured out that the NRA would always make a big deal about gun restrictions for the minority of voters who oppose them passionately.