Don't any of these presidential candidates have something positive to say?

Enough of the swift boats. Retire that issue from Continuous Non News. And take the Scott Peterson trial with you.

It's not even Labor Day, and the political carping is at Level Orange. It's time for some fresh air. President Bush could do himself and the country a favor by elevating the tone of the campaign.

Early hints about this week's Grand Old Party in New York are that the president will talk about the "ownership society" ideas, which would empower citizens to benefit more from their own money. That might include partial investment of Social Security accounts ... promotion of home ownership ... and perhaps further tax cuts.

That's all to the good. But President Bush also ought to go after outdated laws that are hurting working families, particularly working women. It's as easy as one, two, three. One: The president is neck and neck with John Kerry in many polls. Two: The GOP continues to have a gender gap with women. Three: Women account for 53 percent of the vote. So going after women swing voters makes sense.

The party that jumps on economic issues benefiting women could win the election. Those might include:

*More portable health insurance and pensions, since women come and go in the workplace while caring for their children.

*Flexible work schedules that allow employees to take comp time instead of overtime pay.

*Income tax reform so lower-wage women won't have to pay at their husband's higher rate.

*Social Security reform so the second career spouse doesn't get short shrift.

Most of those changes would benefit both men and women, but women might be more enthusiastic because they are more painfully aware of the problem.

Our public policies are based on a work model that went out with June Cleaver. In 1950, fewer than 12 percent of mothers with children under age 6 were in the labor force. Today, more than 60 percent of mothers are working. Women have to be married for 10 years to someone to share Social Security benefits - and yet the average marriage ends in divorce after seven years.

Today's worker is June Cleaver's granddaughter. She will have a series of jobs, and so will her husband. The 30-year gold watch is in the museum next to the rotary phone.

New research by the National Center for Policy Analysis in Dallas shows female "swing" voters will turn to the party that seizes such issues. The NCPA - which did pioneering research on privatizing Social Security and medical savings accounts - has been way ahead of other think tanks in researching the female factor in economic issues. (Check the "Women in the Economy" section of the ncpa.org Web site.)

It recently did national polling about its proposals to promote portability and flexibility for workers. When it asked voters whether a candidate supporting such ideas would be Democratic or Republican, guess what? Most of those surveyed assumed the candidate was Democratic.

"These are issues that Republicans should be comfortable with because they rely on markets, they empower employees by giving them more choices," said John Goodman, the NCPA president. "It's ironic that most voters assumed they were Democratic proposals, because the Democrats would have a harder time enacting them because of their union base. Unions don't like to empower their members."

One of the simplest suggestions involves health insurance. If a working spouse is covered by the other spouse's health insurance, that worker ought to be able to choose higher wages instead of a health benefit.

"Our whole matrix of federal laws that affect families is out of step," says Dr. Goodman. "It's something we need to start talking about."

Good idea. One of the highlights of the GOP convention will be a "W stands for Women" event, spotlighting the many women in high positions in the administration. It would be a good time to speak up for June Cleaver, who is in her 80s with no pension, as well as her granddaughter.

Rena Pederson is editor at large at The Dallas Morning News. Her e-mail address is rpederson@dallasnews.com.