Bush's numbers are in the crapper and he is being revealed daily for the dim bulb he really appears to be. And what do the Dems do? I see Hillary on TV talking about nudity in "Grand Theft Auto" if you hit control-alt-backslash-jimmy or some such. To me that isn't W's weakness. One could argue that it is a weakness of the left. Under the hopeful scenario that the Dems might show some cajones I think these are some strong issues to hit: 1: Bush's failed presidency. As we are at war, and a cat 5 storm is hitting New Orleans, he is in Crawford, riding his bike. He has given up trying to even keep up appearances. He is irrelevant in his own administration. 2: Budget issues. The Dems should be wrecking the right for their proflugate spending. From the tax cuts for the rich, to the new highway pork to the "Here's to you Exxon-Mobil" energy bill, to the horrendous defecits this should be hung on Bush, Cheney, and the Republican congress like a millstone. 3. Corruption and malfeasance at the White House. Rove, the buddy deals with Halliburton (Cheney's company), Scooter Libby, Ken Lay, to voting scandals. Use a page from Karl Rove's book and go negative. Call Rove a threat to national security and make the Republican's defend his remaining in the White House. 4. The environment. From ANWR, to the National Parks, to "Blue Skies", get the enviro wackos (and I mean that in a good way) back on the Dem voting ledger. No more Green Party splintering. Get them back in the fold. It appears waiting around for the electorate to notice we are going to hell in a handcart may not be the best stategy. It didn't work for Kerry, and it is becoming seriously important that we find some political representation that cares a wit about the country.
Memo to Dems: Re: Cleaning Up Politcally Since y'all are already on vacation, take another couple of weeks off. Better yet, take the next few months off. BushCo and their croniers are doing your job better than you can hope to ever do. Sit back and enjoy the show.
tuition costs roughly 50-60% more than it did for me in '00: check gasoline was half as expensive as in '00: check there's probably more... that's just what I'm dealing with today
Yeah That's really "Seizing the Day" continue to whine and complain about Bush, like you have been doing for the past 4 years. That has taken you about as far as you can go right now. Bush has the hard core Republicans on his side, and the middle is in play, if your number one option to "sieze the day" is more Bush Bashing then you guys truly are hopeless. When the Republicans were in the minority they knew they had to offer more than Clinton Bashing, and they came up with the Contract for America, to have a proactive agenda, The Dems really need to do the same, but I don't think they have it in them. And you really think people are gonna buy that? Exactly what Spending have the Democrats been opposing the past 4 years? Are the Dem's gonna step up and bash bush for something like the perscription drug plan? So the Democrats startegy is going to be to run against tax cuts and having an energy policy? You really have to give up on this one. In light of the fact that you have no positive agenda, thiis just looks like more Bush bashing. The general public really doesn't give a rat's behind about Karl Rove. Yes in a time when people are increasingly concerned about the price of oil, it would be a great strategy to point oout that the administration want's to allow domestic oil drilling and that the Democrats are against it. More great political advice. Make sure you bow to the left extreme of your party, when you are trying to convince the people who voted for Bush, but are disallusioned with him to join the Democratic Party. If you were advising Bush you would probably tell him to go out and strongly Defend Pat Robertson to make sure he doesn't loose the religous right. So the Democrat positive agenda will consist of: Rolling back tax cuts. prevent oil drilling in Alaska. Stop giving poor seniors access to drugs. That should play well.
I wouldn't pay George much mind. If the reply is more than a zippy one-liner, it doesn't fit into his head too well.
True. Yet, I was suprised that I haven't heard anything like "Bush to send National Guard" or "White House assures Lousiana Reconstruction Money". It seems like that would be the smart political play. Proactive, and stuff. He should get back to Washington, though, ASAP. Everyday that he stays in Crawford (although he's in CA and AZ, today) after Katrina is another point off of his approval ratings. What do Democrats need to do? Be smart enough not to support someone like Kerry. Pick ONE issue. I say Education. Put all of their effort into making education cheaper. Then? Totally ******** with everyone by lowering taxes
You mention a lot of good stuff to stand against...but nothing to stand for. What do the dems have to offer to draw people to the booth? critizing the president is not enough. They need to connect to more middle-class and lower-class voters. Voters who are concerned about their own taxes, wallets, housing costs, oil costs, etc. What plan do the dems have that lotsa people will like? the silence is deafening. And they must be very careful of what they propose, cuz republicans are great at manipulating images to the democrats' loss. Come right out and say no more drilling in ANWR? You'll be perceived as a hippy in no time. You'll have gained 5000 green votes, and likely lost 50,000 average americans. On the other hand, you could say that the situation in ANWR troubles you deeply, but oil costs are getting worse....you need more time, statistics, and facts before coming to any conclusions - but you promise that you will have a decision in <6 months, and you promise that, unlike the republican decision, the decision will not be a corporate welfare handout made over a round of golf with fatcat oil executives who use offshore accounts to never pay taxes. But you need some hard promises to make that will win you more votes than lose. make them. For all other issues - dodge tougher questions. One tactic to try is to claim you do no have all the information needed to make the decision. The best scientists, managers etc workign for the government have been gag-ordered by the current administration by threats of firing, demotion. Show examples. Question the validity of any claim the republicans make - let people know they twist the truth anytime they open their mouths - that the country is not allowed to see the true situation. Do not promise certain outcomes - promise that the right people in government will look at the issue without a) lying b) firing anyone who disagrees c) making all decisions into corporate welfare handouts
Northcal: The Dems have an image problem. Depite Bush's relatively low ratings, most Americans still support Bush. Want to know why? Trust. There is no one in Democrat party right now that America could trust. Not one! Zippo. And why is that you think? Simply because Dems are the reactionary party of reacting to Republican ideas; they have no ideas of their own. And that, thus, is their image problem. Although all the ideas surfaced by Republicans may not be perfect, they are at least doing the research. I read through your list of suggestions and none of them would fix the major problem within the Democrat Party: it needs to compete one on one with the Republican Party in idea development. So far it has not.
[ http://www.pollingreport.com/congjob.htm#Democrats http://www.pollingreport.com/congjob.htm Looks to me like the Dems and Reeps are equally hated. So, the next question is who do the voters take their anger out on?
First, Bush cannot mobilze the national guard. That is the Governor's job. Second, Bush cannot proise money not approved by congress. He has declared a state of emergency in LA, MS and AL. He cannot do any more at this point. Also, by being in Crawford, he can whip over to New Orleans right after the storm ends.
Wait, if he can't mobilize the Guard, then why are there so many Guard units in Iraq? I've yapped about this before, but this is why the Guard has to stay at home.
They went with approval of their respective governors. And, yes I agree with you. This is exactly what the guard is in place for. That and invading neighboring states
Here's a the kernal for a prospective Democratic version of the Contract With America: http://democracycorps.com/focus/Democracy_Corps_August_2005_Focus_Group_Report.pdf With some context: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/8/21/15930/9523
Actually the best part of a contract with america is that you don't have to follow through with it. I don't think the context link is necessary.
This is not true. The national guard is only under the state governor's control when it's not under federal control.
Actually, that article shows that the Democrats can have fits of sanity, if they'd follow Carville's advice more they wouldn't be in such a bind. However, the Democrats find it very hard these days to take that advice of his - softpedal the obsession on abortion and absurd notions like gay marriage. If they could, they'd discover a very vulnerable GOP. The problem is, they love the easy cheap shots that people like Cindy Sheehan and Michael Moore give them, no matter how crazy they look. The Roberts confirmation will be another example of that, the shrill and the nutty will be out in front telling Leahy how to vote, and he'll obey.