As we approach Election Day 1998, both major parties are proposing bills that have little chance of becoming law, say observers. On September 26, the Republicans brought their tax cut bill to a vote in the House. It passed, but will likely die in the Senate. A few days earlier, on September 22, Democrats brought a minimum wage bill to a vote in the Senate. By a vote of 55 to 44 the Senate turned it down on virtually a straight party-line vote. Whether or not such legislation passes, the parties hope to energize activists with these issues.

In many cases the proposed bills are just the opening round of a multi-pronged strategy. There are often ballot initiatives at the state and local level designed to implement programs that cannot pass in Washington.

For instance, years ago supporters of a higher minimum wage turned to local initiatives requiring a "living wage" in government employment and contracting. Typically, a city or county will insist that companies they do business with pay their employees some arbitrarily-defined "living wage," set well above the minimum. Baltimore, Boston and Los Angeles are among the cities that have "living wage" ordinances.

In November, voters in Montgomery County, Maryland, will vote on a requirement that county contractors pay their workers at least 130 percent of the poverty level income for a family of four. That would be $21,382 this year or $10.28 per hour.

Such initiatives help keep issues alive and keep the ball moving forward until political conditions at the national level improve. And in some cases, a local initiative can even spark a national debate, as so many California state initiatives on taxes, immigration and race have done.