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-4- We must recognize that if we are to form this consensus we must be willing to establish a criteria of choice and abide by it--to first, ask what needs to be done and then ask can we afford to do it. During the last sixteen years we asked only the first question--what needs to be done--now having learned that there are limitations to what we can do we must be prepared to ask the second--can we afford to do it? But in doing so, we cannot allow ourselves to succumb to the tendancy to reverse the order in which we ask these questions. Our National purpose cannot be reduced to a matter of dollars and cents. And, if by establishing this criteria of choice we are forced to question past policies and discard long-held beliefs--so be it. We have at this Convention the opportunity to question those programs that are weakly put together, whether supported by liberals or con- servatives, before they become part of the permanent foundation of future Democratic thinking. The challenge of this Convention then, is to find a balance between striving to achieve the impossible and being too timid to achieve the necessary. It is not an easy task that we set for ourselves--but it is a necess- ary one. Let us, therefore, begin our debate with a firm understanding that we are part of a common venture--and with the belief that the task can be accomplished if we are willing to set about it without illusions and false hopes. The one rhetorical strain uniquely suited for this moment is: "Let us Begin".