Republicans Have No Message
Stay the course is not a message, and it certainly isn't a solution. With President Bush's approval ratings dropping like a Aaron Sele curveball, GOPers up for election in 2006 are distancing themselves from an increasingly unpopular president and fighting over the party's lack of a message. The Washington Post reports:
Republican efforts to craft a policy and political agenda to carry the party into the midterm elections have stumbled repeatedly as GOP leaders face widespread disaffection and disagreement within the ranks.Anxiety over President Bush's Iraq policy, internal clashes over such divisive issues as immigration, and rising complaints that the party has abandoned conservative principles on spending restraint have all hobbled the effort to devise an election-year message, said several lawmakers involved in the effort.
While it is a Republican refrain that Democrats criticize Bush but have no positive vision, for now the governing party also has no national platform around which lawmakers are prepared to rally.
Of course, the Democratic Party has a message:
1. American jobs that will stay in America, using energy independence to generate those jobs.
2. A strong national defense based on telling the truth to our citizens, our soldiers and our allies.
3. Honesty and integrity to be restored to government.
4. A health care system that works for everybody just like they have in 36 other countries.
5. A strong public education system so we can have optimism and opportunity back in America.
Republicans are left with little besides "stay the course" and accusing those who question the president as siding with Al-Qaeda. Their constant refrains of focus group tested boilerplate slogans designed to divide Americans are growing old and tired. It's time to change the course.
Comments (64) «
Here's the problem, though: the Republicans may not have a message, but they can repeat the same sweet stupid empty phrases thousands of times through their talking heads and fake it.
We have a real message, and the only place I'm seeing it is on this blog, and from occasional media apparances from Howard Dean.
Isn't it about time that we started broadcasting this message from every corner? Shouldn't we at least be hearing this from our candidates, and from the big blogs (DU, Dkos and the like)?
We've got a 16-point advantage in Congressional polling. We need to strike while the iron is hot. The perception that we generate by not stating where we stand is that we're not proud of our principles and that we're trying to "win by default."
Sorry the top of my post above got lost. Here it is in its entirity:
The Republican message to the middle class and working poor is, "Go to Hell." Their massive tax cuts for the rich have not only destroyed the lifestyle of traditional families but also the cities they once lived in.
Where Did All the Children Go?
In San Francisco and Other Big Cities, Costs Drive Out Middle-Class Families
By John Pomfret
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 19, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO -- Monica Burton did not want to leave San Francisco. Born and raised in the city and a train driver for the Muni transit system for the past 16 years, she loves her home town, volunteers in its women's jail and prays weekly at her church in the Hunter's Point section along the San Francisco Bay.
But as the main breadwinner for her family, which includes a 22-year-old daughter and two granddaughters, she faced some hard choices. Stay in San Francisco and abandon the dream of owning her own home because of skyrocketing housing prices, or leave. In 2004, Burton left with her grandchildren, buying a three-bedroom house in what she calls a "Leave It to Beaver" neighborhood in Sacramento, a 158-mile round-trip commute from her job in the city of her birth.
People like Burton have been leaving U.S. cities because of high-priced housing for some time. But according to researchers and urban leaders, the trend has accelerated in recent years and is threatening to reshape many of the nation's major cities. Between 2000 and 2004, all eight metropolitan regions from Seattle to San Diego lost middle-class families....
A 158-mile commute to work everyday with gasoline prices rising? This is the American Dream we want for our children?
The Republicans have created a brave new world where the rich sit tight in their penthouse developments and watch the poor scurry around below like rats in a maze. The message is loud and clear.
Take a gander at the White House.org site:
They think they can continue to blast and blame the Democrats for daring to say anything about Bush spying on Americans !!
This is THEIR plan. Go negative. Try and make the public believe that this President has the RIGHT to spy on our cell phones and internets.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/01/20060122.html
I have been singing that song for months. That is why the Republicans are saying Democrats don't have a plan? If they can get us planning their strategy for them, they will know what we know and what they know also.
The only plan they have is to allow our children to raise taxes and pay off the debt. They pull that crap everytime they get in the Whitehouse.
That gives them something to blame the Democrats for, REMEMBER: TAX AND SPEND? They have multiplied the wealthy Corporations and wealthy 10%. Now they are ready to allow the Democrats to be responsible? That will give them something against Democrats. The Republicans are so very cleaver and sorry!
These five points are nice, but they are too general.
What are the policies we are backing to support these ideals?
COME UP WITH SOME DAMN POLICIES TO DOMINATE THE DEBATE!!!!! PLEASE
1. How do we get energy independence? Are you advocating restrictrions on imported oil and tax breaks etc.. to promote things like solar and wind? How about new standards are vehicle emissions?
2. Are you advocating new oversight or restrictions on presidential actions involving the military?
3. How can we do this, not just say it. Isn't this what Newt Gingrich said a little over a decade ago--yeah that realy worked.
4. Are we finally pushing universal health care or something like it?
5. How do we get a strong public educations system? Maybe we could develop federal standards for teachers, and higher pay and respect for them. Why not develop a professional graduate program for all teachers--something akin to law and medicine. Then, perhaps higher pay incentives will elevate the profession of teacher.
We are desperately in need of some concrete policies to support our idealistic notions of change. Please oh please oh please DNC have a summit or something and put some policies on paper that all Democrats can advocate as an alternative to the status quo. Imagine our candidates meeting all the negativity with new actual concrete plans to better our country. That would be something.
COME ON GROW SOME GUTS AND DO IT!!!!!!!!
Let us rally around a platform of policies not just vague ideals. Let the people know exactly how we are going to fix this mess we are in.
The average annual income in America is $40,000. The average annual income in India is under $750. In the last 3 years, we lost 500,000 jobs to India, a number expected to triple in the next two years.
Our border with mexico is open for those jobs that can't be exported. Like road construction and our domestic oil and gas jobs. When you hear the refrain of immigrants taking jobs Americans don't want, always finish the sentence for them--for what you want to pay. Further, businesses don't have to worry about workers comp claims either with illegal immigrants, they'll just limp a little.
A growing trend is to hire a batch of illegals and provide room and board, but don't pay them anything for about three months. About the time they are ready to revolt is when immigration is notified and they shop for new victims.
Jobs are being outsourced from without and within. This trend must stop. Corporations merely view America as consumers. If a corporation reduces cost by displacing American workers with illegal immigrants, or shipping jobs overseas, those savings must be offset with fines or tariffs to protect American jobs. This may sound xenophobic, but our elected officials are not elected to the UN.
"Try and make the public believe that this President has the RIGHT to spy on our cell phones and internets."
-Posted by PamB at 03:56 PM
Middle America calling PamB...
Step out of your bubble and look around. I do not place any calls to Afghanistan. I do not receive any calls from Afghanistan. Nor do I converse with anyone in Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, or even our new best friend, Dubai. I have ZERO concern about my calls being monitored.
What you call spying, I'll call intelligence gathering. The 9/11 commision said we need to do a better job of that.
When you refer to it as domestic spying, I'll try to keep from giggling while I know good and well how to define an international call.
If you think I'm the only person in America that feels like I do, that bubble you live in may be clouding your view.
Rob_in_PA,
When I was serving in Afghanistan, I would call my wife, and she would call me.
Should the government be allowed to listen in to our conversation?
I think we should have some kind of monitoring system, but I am wary of giving the government no oversight on this.
What is wrong with obtaining a warrant? They should have a reason to listen in to the calls that they do. If they have good reason, then no problem.
What is your aversion to obtaining a warrant?
What we need are some BALLS and some DISCIPLINE. We have the ideas and the principles on our side, but there's such a whiny "but i want THIS" diva mentality in the way each senator and rep tries to stake out their own unique position. Sorry guys, but the Republicans are playing a team sport, and as distasteful as it may be, sometimes you have to subordinate the small differences you have with your fellow dems so that you can take on the big differences we have with the Republicans.
Five vaguely worded (and wordy) focus-grouped phrases aren't going to cut it.
1. Balance the budget.
2. Get out of Iraq.
3. Universal Healthcare.
4. Affordable education.
5. Stop bush's agenda.
Sure, I bet a bunch of the damn Al From/DLC types would whine about a few of those for sounding too "strong", but what are they going to do? Go over to the republicans? Lead us to yet another dismal electoral failure? Screw them. Let's give the people a real choice.
"Of course, the Democratic Party has a message:"
1. American jobs that will stay in America, using energy independence to generate those jobs.
Good issue. Keep those jobs here. Except, President Bush has already made the call for energy independence. It's something of a "me too" issue now.
2. A strong national defense based on telling the truth to our citizens, our soldiers and our allies.
So, what is the truth that will make our defense stronger? We are losing the war? We should get out right now? We started the war for oil? We have no idea what we're doing in Iraq? These are the truths I've heard most frequently from the Democrats.
3. Honesty and integrity to be restored to government.
Great issue. Every political race from dog catcher to king includes this promise. Don't be left out.
4. A health care system that works for everybody just like they have in 36 other countries.
This will be a great deal for everyone who doesn't currently have adequate health care insurance. It's a bad deal for those that do. How many people are in each boat and how many of those vote?
5. A strong public education system so we can have optimism and opportunity back in America.
Does this mean you'll repeal that idiotic No Child Left Behind act? Will you spend more money on education? Where will it come from? The wealthy? Ahh... Good answer.
if it wasn't so said it would be laughable....king george said in his campaign speaches that he wanted to bring honor and integrity back to the white house....what is honor and integrity? if this is what it is, give me a president that has sex in the white house any day.....the president was happy, and we were much better off......
seriously, what bill did was wrong. but also what monica did was wrong too....tell me she didn't chase him down.....as they say, it takes two to tango.....it wasn't all bill.
but, as president, he should have known better. he let the american people down, then lied about it. he should have told congress, it's none of your damned business who i have relations with.
i would have respected that more than how he handled it......
in my mind, bush's crimes far outweigh what bill did.
impeach the bastard......
daveny,
I fully agree with you, that's why I think we should have some kind of summit or retreat to establish the policies we are going to come together on--just like the repubs did.
I am glad other people are tired of our vague notions that have a thousand different interpretations.
"What is your aversion to obtaining a warrant?"
-Posted by ranger995 at 04:31 PM
If the NSA is data mining for info by sweeping thousands of calls based on location of origin or destination, there isn't a specific call or person to base the warrant on.
if it wasn't so said it would be laughable....king george said in his campaign speaches that he wanted to bring honor and integrity back to the white house....what is honor and integrity? if this is what it is, give me a president that has sex in the white house any day.....the president was happy, and we were much better off......
seriously, what bill did was wrong. but also what monica did was wrong too....tell me she didn't chase him down.....as they say, it takes two to tango.....it wasn't all bill.
but, as president, he should have known better. he let the american people down, then lied about it. he should have told congress, it's none of your business who i have relations with.
i would have respected that more than how he handled it......
in my mind, bush's crimes far outweigh what bill did.
impeach king george......
The problem isn't necessarily with data mining, it is with specifically listening in to an individual's or organization's phone calls through wire tapping. Data mining is just the first step, and then they focus on specific people/organizations. What the president advocates is step 2 happening without a warrant. I don't understand this, unless they are using data mining to find organizations that are not enemies, but political opponents. There are some clear cases of this, such as the NSA specifically wire tapping an organization in Pittsburgh simply because they were labeled "pacifists" before the war. In fact, the group made no phone calls to Syria, Afghanistan, or anywhere else suspect. They merely held an anti-war demonstration during the build up to Iraq. They probably would not have been issued a warrant.
Rob, you poor disillusioned litte boy, using the Republican talking points of International spying, instead of Domestic! Funny, those with more intelligence than you, know EXACTLY what it is!
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/29/terror/main1170209.shtml
You have ABSOLUTELY no idea how they are picking up what to tap. They are not doing it by Country! WTF makes you think that??? There is NOTHING that says they are checking it by country called or calls coming in from! My daughter called me from Europe on her cell phone and we discussed how much Bush was hated, etc. I have a good idea that just the mention of BUSH on that call, had it picked up.
And there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting a warrant AFTER they do the spying! They just do not want the American people to know who and what they are doing!
Get your facts straight, before you make any more of a fool of yourself !
You cause a few giggles yourself.
Another good one for you, Redneck Rob!
The American Bar Association is preparing to weigh in against President Bush's eavesdropping on telephone calls going into and out of America.
Contrary to polls showing Americans divided on the issue, "our poll shows that average Americans and legal scholars alike agree that the awesome power of the government to penetrate citizens' most private communications must not be held in one set of hands," ABA President Michael Greco said Friday at group's annual midyear meeting in Chicago. "To prevent the very human temptation to abuse the power, there must be checks and balances in the form of oversight by the courts and Congress."
The ABA will debate and vote Monday on a resolution calling on Bush to follow the law that requires him to go before a judge in a closed courtroom to get permission to eavesdrop.
"When the voice of the legal profession in the United States, the American Bar Association, with our 407,000 members has spoken on issues in the past, people have listened, and I'm gratified the administration has listened," Greco said.
PamB, it's always such a pleasure to get under your skin. Your response as usual is the predictable name calling and belittling, however this time I missed out on the diminutive sexual references. Maybe my timing's a little off. I didn't hit it quite on the nose. It's the difference between a deep fly to right and a home run.
You go right on assuming that I'm the only person in America who thinks the way I do about the intelligence gathering. You can even believe I'm wrong if it will help you sleep better.
From reading the above posts, it seems the general consensus is that the proposed Dem "5 point message" is lame and uninspiring. Not to mention, it fails to convey a conherent vision of what this country is about and where it should be headed. Said blunty, it comes off as a 7th grader's civics brainstorm. Before anything else (and before one more dime is spent) we need to get together, really think about the issues, and put together a sellable plan that people can rally around. And God knows I'm not talking about a cheerleader-camp party convention with platform committees. I'm talking about honest-to-goodness leadership putting heads together to develop the right issues, the right theme, the right packaging, and the right selling strategy.
There is a way to succinctly and eloquently state the egregious blunders of this administration in contrast to the core competencies of the Democratic Party . . . yet it just hasn't been said to date. There has been an unconscionable lack of due diligence on the part of this party's leadership.
I know I'm banging "important" people over the head, but I'll keep doing it until I'm impressed, inspired or otherwise moved . . . this party has forgotten that people are emotional beings. They think with their heads, but they move with their hearts . . . it's not too late, but the clock is ticking.
Good group of people here. You've said it all here: discipline, policies y especialmente ganas! That's what this party needs . . . anyone listening?
(Great idea on the summit. More so if I get an invite.)
Of course the Republicans have no message.That's why they continue harassing the Democrats and accusing them of having no plan.Then,when the Democrats show they do have a plan,Republicans take it and run with it acting like it's there own ideas.Ha Ha Ha.The only sad part;the Democrats continue to allow it.
> 1. American jobs that will stay in America, using energy independence
> to generate those jobs.
And why is this not possible? It took a Democratic persident to get us into space (and two Republicans to oversee disasters in the program). The reason we lagged behind Sputnik may be that Russia was further to the left—at least economically.
Senator Feingold wants the Senate to censure President Bush for wiretapping international phone calls between people in the USA and callers who might or might not be foreign terroristrs. It's easy to find many Democrats who think Bush should be impeached for that.
Yet, the people Bush wiretapped were not political opponents, as with Nixon. Nor can we Democrats emphasize this issue too much, since our leading Presidential candidate illegally possessed hundreds of FBI files on political opponents when she in the White House as First Lady. Where was our outrage then?
Posted by JackOlson on March 21, 2006 at 08:57 AM
You're barking up the wrong tree with your Republican rhetoric, because
except for *Sally*, who is not one of us, we don't pay attention to Rush, Hannity, the Coulter bimbo, or O'Lielly;
even if it were true, few of us consider to be Democrats (more like DINO's), and some of us even have a problem with Dean for his support of NAFTA ant FTAA;
there is plenty more reason to impeach Bush than "mere" wiretapping.
Go piddle your propaganda elsewhere.
> there is plenty more reason to impeach Bush than "mere" wiretapping
Try treason for starters.
> to censure President Bush
Oops! Dead giveaway! The only time I acknowledged a "President Nixon" was when my 4-year-old daughter aksed who that man was crying on the TV the day Tricky Dick resigned and Tricky Jer took over.
Funny name for a "Democrat" to be calling the Tricky Chimp who stole his way into office—both times.
Yet, the people Bush wiretapped were not political opponents, as with Nixon.
Jack,
Here's a good one for you.......
Bush Is Spying on His Political Opponents
6 Examples,
Bush must prove that these six examples are not part of a larger pattern, but are isolated. He must prove it, since he circumvented the FISA courts and Gonzales lied to the Senate, and these are the ordinary checks on the system. Anything less than him proving that he is not using his powers to spy on political opposition and journalists is evidence that his aims are tyrannical and that this controversy has nothing to do with terrorism.
http://mydd.com/story/2006/2/6/1628/90153
and Rob, hahahahaha
don't flatter yourself, little friend.
You are too insignificant to get under my skin. ignorance, on the other hand, does frustrate me.
you have seen I back up almost every single post with back up links. I have yet to see anything other than your blow-hard point of view.
Speaking of bubbles, Did you see that great TIME article about Bush's????
I'm especially drawn to comment on point 5, public education. Before the Bush administration so willfully decided to ruin our educational system with 'No Child Left Behind.... or Ahead' we should have taken a look at what was working in public education. Such as strong teachers, strong financial resources, and a government that encourages learning. Unfortunately our teachers our now teaching towards a model of pure disaster, easily compared to a student cramming for an exam. This ideology will not serve our children justice. After all, why should we base our education on a C student's ideas??
The Republicans and the President has a message,"
You are a Big Time Loser if you don't,"Eat,Drink,And Be Merry, for tomorrow you die?"
This is what the people were doing before the Flood. Is that what Bush wants us to do until the end of time?
PamB: "Anything less than him proving that he is not using his powers to spy on political opposition and journalists is evidence that his aims are tyrannical and that this controversy has nothing to do with terrorism."
Pam, the burden of proving a claim rests with the party who makes it. This is especially true in accusations of crime. If you would put the burden of proof on the accused instead of the accuser, then you have illustrated how quickly a liberal person will abandon principles of logic and justice when those principles become inconvenient.
Doesn't anyone notice? The reporters are not aggresive toward Bush. Why are the people of this country allowing George Bush to go against the will of the people and the constitution? The country is guided "by the people, for the people" NOT "by George Bush, for George Bush"
The majority of the people do not want him to have free running of our lives (that is a dictatorship). He will abide by the will of the people or face impeachment. No one gets it. He did not go to war with Iraq because of WMD nor Iraqi terrorist. He is the little boy who wanted to show his dad that he could do something he couldn't do (put Saddam out of Power) at the cost of 2,400 American lives.
Devastation of our economy, and most likely a deep depression will occur.
Many facts since Bushey has been in power.
1. unemployment rate up
2. more Americans in poverty
3. More jobs being outsourced to other countries
4. US National debt is at a all time high
5. Americans are in more debt than ever
6. Health care costs have risen higher ever
since Bush has been in office.
7. 12 million Mexican illegals have come over
the US border in the last five years. Our
borders are not being protected.
8. Trade Deficit at its all time high
Issues that are facing this country:
1. Affordable health care
2. Good paying skilled jobs
3. Education and affordability
4. Environmental issues
5. Border control
6. Affordable prescription drugs
7. A Congress who is bought out by Lobbyists
8. Katrina was handled poorly.
This is what Bush has done: Americans are no longer able to buy affordable medication from other countries through the mail. He is going around the world making deals with other countries to trade with US,No longer can the American who has credit card debt claim bankruptcy. You can only sue a doctor for damages up to $100,000.00.
This President is the worse President in my 51 years on this earth and I hope in the future no one takes his place. He will go down in History as the worse President that the US has ever had. I wish I was around to help write the History Books!!
Americans speak up!!! Just like you did when Bush wanted our seaports secured by a country who supported terrorists.
Lets IMPEACH THIS PHONY KNUCKLEHEAD!! BTW: I am always ashamed of the way he speaks..he needs to go to Toastmasters with all of his umms & ands.
Unfortunately our teachers our now teaching towards a model of pure disaster, easily compared to a student cramming for an exam. This ideology will not serve our children justice. After all, why should we base our education on a C student's ideas??
Posted by JSloo on March 21, 2006 at 12:55 PM
J,
I have asked MANY school teachers their view of NCLB, and every single one of them said what a farce it is! Teaching nothing but how to take Tests! AND, the tests are given in MAY of each year, thus giving 4-5 weeks left at end of year where it is too late to try and start with any real teaching.
When the entire NEA is against this, you know there are problems!
Pam, the burden of proving a claim rests with the party who makes it. This is especially true in accusations of crime. If you would put the burden of proof on the accused instead of the accuser, then you have illustrated how quickly a liberal person will abandon principles of logic and justice when those principles become inconvenient.
Posted by JackOlson on March 21, 2006 at 01:50 PM
and Jack,
I'm not sure what your question is, man.
Those examples in that link, are Proven, true examples of what Bush has been spying on.
He even ADMITS what he is doing is illegal !
His supposed only defense is, the war on Terror (ha) gives him the right to break the law!
So Democrats don't have to prove anything! Let the facts speak for themselves.
You see, my ancestors came to this country on the Mayflower. They fought and died to make this country independent, free, and for all you guys to have rights. They fled from countries, where they were spied upon and had no privacy, no religious rights, nothing. they did not bleed and die, so that some little a**hole could come along, and BREAK the laws and spit on the Constitution, calling it nothing but a goddamn piece of paper! To say any checks and balances that my ancestors fought for were nothing.
Now if you like living like that, let me recommend a nice 3rd world country you can move to.
PamB, when Congress created the FISA Court, it also created the FISA Court of Review to handle disputes with the FISA Court. The Court of Review ruled in 2002 that Bush has the inherent authority under the Constitution to conduct the wiretaps he did. Look it up. If you wish to accuse him of wiretapping the DNC Chairman, which is what Nixon did, or of reading hundreds of FBI files of officials who served his predecessor, as Clinton did, provide your evidence that Bush did before you require him to prove he didn't.
For political purposes the court that really counts isn't the FISA Court or the FISA Court of Review, it's the court of public opinion. By far, most Americans approve of Bush's wiretaps regardless of what the FISA Court or the FISA Court of Review said.
The Democratic Party lost the 2004 election on the security issue. Not the environment or energy supply, not health care or unemployment, not taxation or abortion, but protection from terror. So it follows that to campaign against wiretaps instead of campaigning against terrorism is a good way to lose again in 2006.
Can anyone here suggest a good way to convince the voters and not just each other that the Democratic Party can protect the country from terrorists more effectively than the Republicans? That's the way to win and to deserve to win in 2006 and 2008.
Can anyone here suggest a good way to convince the voters and not just each other that the Democratic Party can protect the country from terrorists more effectively than the Republicans
Jack, I could go on and on , on the illegitamcy of this spying, but I won't.
Let me say this. Any American who by this time, does not realize that this administration has made up LESS SAFE than protected, deserves whatever comes down the road from all the new terrorists this administration has created. They are truly the fearful, the ignorant, the weak, the blind.
Just one ad, run by the Dems, showing ole Bin Laden sitting there nice and clean and safe and laughing his head at us, 4 years after he financed 9/11! Showing some REAL photos of Afghanistan, where the Taliban is growing and the poppy crop is high. Maybe some shots from all around the world, citizens showing their hatred for Bush. Some photos from Iraq, showing American soldiers having to hide in their barracks. How about one of our Ports and all those unchecked boxes, and the fact that Bush wanted our enemy to be in charge of them?
Oh, the list could go on and on. ANYTHING will be better than what Bush has done!
Here is a link to the DECLARATION OF THE JURY OF CONSCIENCE Press Release provided by the WORLD TRIBUNAL ON IRAQ - ISTANBUL, TURKEY - June 23rd through June 27, 2005.
http://www.worldtribunal.org/main/?b=91
http://www.worldtribunal.org/main/?
This tells what the WORLD thinks of this EXTREME RIGHT BUSH ADMINISTRATION, but it must be noted that the EXTREME RIGHT has had the full cooperation of the DLC-Democrats.
We the people must keep the DLC-Democrats separate from the Grassroots Democrats by keeping visiting the DemocracyForAmerica.com website where all Grassroots Democrats will be posted.
Posted by JackOlson on March 21, 2006 at 01:50 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> PamB: "Anything less than him proving that he is not using his
> powers to spy on political opposition and journalists is
> evidence ...
> ...
> Pam, the burden of proving a claim rests with the party who
> makes it. This is especially true in accusations of
> crime.
Given your twisted Republican logic, no one can be accused of a crime until he is tried and convicted. Evidence can't be submitted to a courtroom until the unaccused is tried and convicted. Is English your first language?
Posted by JackOlson on March 21, 2006 at 06:07 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> The Democratic Party lost the 2004 election on the ...
... Republican-manufactured Diebold and ES&S vote-forging systems.
We don't have a message, we have platitudes. Is it possible to say "this is what we believe" AND "this is how we are going to do it"? Telling voters we want "American jobs that will stay in America, using energy independence to generate those jobs" says virtually nothing.
How about, "We believe America needs a strong manufacturing base to keep our economy strong. We are going to restrict outsourcing and tax companies on revenue earned by exploiting workers in third-world countries. We also do not want to be a country of exploiters so we are going to require that all American companies follow certain guidelines in the employment of workers beyond our borders and we are going to encourage American companies to pay their fair share of taxes to countries where their outsourced jobs are located. We believe this policy will help form a truly international community where oportunity exists for all."
Posted by FrustratedDem on March 22, 2006 at 08:57 AM
"We don't believe in the Reaganomics scam" would sum it up nicely, if it were true of enough of today's Democrats. FDR would have had no qualms about dealing harshly with profiteers, especially during wartime. As VP, Truman called them traitors, which rings even more true today.
"Just one ad, run by the Dems, showing ole Bin Laden sitting there nice and clean and safe and laughing his head at us, 4 years after he financed 9/11!"
PamB, Osama bin Laden actually provided an ad like that during the 2004 election. He produced a videotape in which he said that states which voted for Kerry could expect less danger from Al Quaeda terror than states which voted for Bush. Whatever electoral help Kerry got from that, it wasn't enough. If that videotape attracted voters to Bush, you might be right that they are ignorant or blind but you can't accurately call them weak or fearful since they defied a mass murderer.
I like Frustrated Dem's idea better because it talks about what the Democrats intend to do right rather than what Bush has done wrong. Look at the content of this website. Most of the space is devoted to criticizing Bush's actions instead of offering practical alternatives to them. Think of Clinton's successful 1992 campaign. He didn't just attack Bush I, he also offered a positive message of prosperity through a middle class tax cut. Today's Democrats need to offer a positive message of security by showing how they can stamp out terrorism more effectively than the Republicans. To use your example, it is not sufficient to show that the Republicans failed to kill or capture bin Laden it is also necessary to show that they can succeed at it.
Republicans do have a message and it's simply more of the same. They believe in what they have been giving us but without the terrorist threat to scare people, they are having a hard time getting people to accept it. Their message is " we know you are getting screwed but it is best we do it to you for America's sake". That pile of crap has run it's course but Republicans can't offer anything else otherwise they wouldn't be Republicans.
So the Republicans do not have a message. As I read the papers, listen to talk radio and watch television news it seems to me that the Republicans have a very well orchestrated message. War is good-disagree with the President you are a traitor. Gays are destroying your community. Christians are under attack from liberal media and liberal courts. Democrats are weak on defense. The lack of message is from the Democrats. Nowhere is a message being articulated. Incumbents are quiet for fear that someone will review their voting record and challengers are afraid to speak out for fear of alienating some of the voters. Sen Feinstein proposes censure of the President for obvious criminal actions and is met with a deafening silence. Rep. Conyers drafts a bill proposing investigation of high crimes and can garner support from less than 15 per cent of the Democrats in the House. In the local paper in Olympia Wa. A district represented by Democrats, absolutely nothing ever appears in print from the stalwart defenders of democracy.
The Democratic Party apparently is under the impression that voters will choose them because Republicans are bad people. Grow some backbone and start trying to defend our constitution and not your seat in government. We the voters do not need or want your I am for the same policies as Bush But, I will do it better .Stand up or go to hell.
The Republicans are bacisally using Hitler's "big lie" propaganda tactic, to scare the voters and politicians into doing what the Republicans and the large multi-national corporations want.
The Democrat leadership needs to bring this out into the open and refute the lies, while bringing their own solutions to the current propblems into the discussion.
The opposition parties running scared was what lost Germany to democracy in the 1930s, and cost millions of lives of many nations.
Running scared will aid and abet the destruction of our economy, our Constitution, and our status as a first world nation, it will cost the lives of many of the poor and disadvantaged in not only this country, but in the third world countries where the so-called "free" trade agreements are destroying their economies as well as ours.
It has already cost us economically, and morally. We should not have to pay for the Republican greed, corruption and thirst for power any longer.
We need to support candidates who will provide backbone and leadership for the Democrat party and for our country.
We also need to fire the Republi-lites in the Democrat party who have helped to sell out the American people to this agenda of greed and corruption.
We need to support not only a censure for Bush but impeachment so that the whole rotten mess will come to light, and can be dealt with.
I have a large number of professional coworkers that were born in Iran. They came to the USA as children when the Shah fell. Their parents became US citizens, so the children were offered citizenship as well. They have been US citizens for over 20 years.
Because they have family still in Iran, they make phone calls and send emails to Iran. How do they know if they have been spied on by the NSA program? As to the idea that "if they have nothing to hide they have nothing to worry about", things get taken out of context. Are they being labeled as "terrorists" because they discuss how idiotic the leaders of both countries are? How could spying on 80 year old women (the grandmothers) protect America?
KimE
The 5 pnt plan is a little lackluster. The most prevalent issue on peoples minds is and will be Iraq. We need to have some serious dialogue about what to do in Iraq. Ret. Gen Wesley Clark is the only Democrat I've heard make any sense of it. We need intelligent military leadership that has some traction.
Wes Clark is the only Democrat that is doing anything right now.He is raising money for candidates, traveling with the message, campaigning for congressional candidates and speaking out without fear. He has logical solutions and just makes good sense. Try WesPac securing America and you will see what I mean.
There are so many issues that Democrats can stand up on.
I keep hearing about how the Democrats are weak in rural areas. They could grab a lot of support from farmers and ranchers just by standing up on the Mad Cow issue. There is a packing plant in Kansas who is suing the Agriculture Department over Mad Cow testing. The packer wants more testing, the Agriculture Department is refusing. There are a lot of farmers and ranchers who are frustrated by this because there are overseas markets that are closed to the because of Mad Cow, Japan being one. It is a vital issue in Montana because of our proximity to the West Coast shipping. The lack of testing seems to be driven by the large agribusiness corporations at the expense of family farmers and ranchers.
The Republicans can prate about "family values" all they want, but actions speak louder than words. Sticking up for family farmers and ranchers on issues like these would turn a lot of red states blue.
The DNC needs to present to the public something along the lines of the Contract with America. A detail plan that they will try to implement if they gain control of the Senate and House with cost and benefit analysis of their programs.
I think the main reason we are being critized for not having "fresh" ideas, is that for the past four years the Republicans have had control everything in Washington. We still have the same ideas, another word would be principles, because we haven't been given the chance to try them. Republicans can claim to have all the ideas, but how many of them haven't been a complete disaster? Tax breaks for the uber rich = massive debt. Preemtive "defense" = an Iraq without hope and young Americans without lives. The list goes on and on, but the theme doesn't change. Ideas are one thing, but success is something completely different.
Once again the Bush administration is out of touch!Finally,it`s the republican party who is paying the price.Now they know how the vast majority of America feels
The Republicans may know how the majority of Americans feel, but they have the hubris, and lack of integrity to think they can manipulate the issues to get the working people to vote against their own best interests again, with single-issue-voter issues just like they've been doing since 2000.
The Democrats need to come forward, take back those issues which are important, downplay the issues which aren't relevant to the current crisis, and nail the Republicans on the hypocrisy of their stance on things like "pro-life" and "pro-family".
The Democrats need spine, integrity, and moral courage to come forward and defeat the Republicans, by showing that there are differences between the Republicans and the Democrats, and that the Republi-lites are the wave of the past.
The Republican message little by little has left out the promise of capturing Bin Laden, the man who started all this terrorist crap.The man who was behind the 9-11 attacks that Bush hides behind every day and uses to scare our citizens. Any normal person in Bush's capacity would make capturing Bin Laden the the priority of each day, but Republicans do not mention that anymore. Let him die of old age must be the strategy when you aren't good enough to get the job done. They have milked all they can from it so I guess they are tired of milking. That capture is just another failure of George Bush who knows nothing but failure.
So Bush has decided to leave the responsibility of Iraq to his successor. Nobody will be sorry they he will no longer be around so he will get away with it- but why is he quitting now? Easy- It’s “hard work” actually trying to do something worthwhile and now that he and his buddies have their pockets stuffed with US citizen’s and Iraqi’s oil money, they are too weighted down to even try to do any more. They have what they want now- permanent bases in Iraq- at least for the moment, and so many billions…so many that every American born today owes $30,000. Those guys can just retire to their yachts, their mountain retreats, their islands in the sun, and let the rest of the world struggle on. Let’s face it, we have been raped, sodomized and left for dead.
So Bush has decided to leave the responsibility of Iraq to his successor. Nobody will be sorry they he will no longer be around so he will get away with it- but why is he quitting now? Easy- It’s “hard work” actually trying to do something worthwhile and now that he and his buddies have their pockets stuffed with US citizen’s and Iraqi’s oil money, they are too weighted down to even try to do any more. They have what they want now- permanent bases in Iraq- at least for the moment, and so many billions…so many that every American born today owes $30,000. Those guys can just retire to their yachts, their mountain retreats, their islands in the sun, and let the rest of the world struggle on. Let’s face it, we have been raped, sodomized and left for dead.
So Bush has decided to leave the responsibility of Iraq to his successor. Nobody will be sorry they he will no longer be around so he will get away with it- but why is he quitting now? Easy- It’s “hard work” actually trying to do something worthwhile and now that he and his buddies have their pockets stuffed with US citizen’s and Iraqi’s oil money, they are too weighted down to even try to do any more. They have what they want now- permanent bases in Iraq- at least for the moment, and so many billions…so many that every American born today owes $30,000. Those guys can just retire to their yachts, their mountain retreats, their islands in the sun, and let the rest of the world struggle on. Let’s face it, we have been raped, sodomized and left for dead.
We need to start a "Let's ask the Republicans embarrasing questions" campaign.
Bin Laden should be right at the top of the list.
Since the Bush has long time business ties with the Bin Laden family, I couldn't think of a better question to start with.
Katrina, whoa boy, that could generate it's own list all by itself.
Then there's not just the mess in Iraq, but the question of why we dropped rebuilding Afghanistan to go galavanting off to Iraq and leave Afghanistan in a big mess.
Which could come back to why Bush hasn't mentioned Bin Laden.
Hmmm, so many questions, so many Republi-lites not asking them.
Our message list looks very good but if I voted for a Republican last election based on what they said about Democrats, I would like for you to tell me how they will do these things. If you don't go one step farther and tell America how you will make these things possible, it's nothing more that rhetoric. Our strategist, who must be last election left overs, think you don't have go that far because you will make someone mad and we don't won't to make anybody mad. If our citizens are victims of big oil,drug industry, health care industry,corporate greed and many others, how can you fix it without making someone mad? We have a bunch of weaklings running this party who are afraid to put anything on the line for the voters. They must not trust that we will rally around them and elect them for doing the right moral things. I am sick of this bunch.
This entire post is a laugh. What the dnc.org should have on it's blog is "Democrats accused of having no plan" or "The Censure: Feingold's move to hold Bush in check."
Why is MY Democratic Party so weak and afraid to examine itself? It's same old, same old, attack the Republicans but don't let's have a tough dialogue about ourselvs. This site is WEAK - just like the party itself. If Democrats want to get strong, start asking for the TOUGH FEEDBACK from your constituents. Until then, I'm going back to Huffingtonpost where REAL ISSUES are discussed.
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