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Why the Repub "lite" approach is doomed in '04

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wellstone_democrat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-09-03 07:46 PM
Original message
Why the Repub "lite" approach is doomed in '04
Not only is the idea of a cloned "repub lite" approach ridiculous for the obvious reason: why vote for the fake when you can have the real thing. But, I think it has another serious problem. To position oneself (or one's party) to align with the Bush themes and issues is to potentially invite disaster. Personally, I think that the "shine" is wearing off of Bush* and his minions. By summer 04, that might turn into a huge liability for those "flattering him by imitation" (aka: trying to offer the same only "nicer!"). A contrast is needed in any election but in 2004, it might be absolutely critical.

Do I think he will be impeached or resign? No. Do I think that Diebold/WH antics can steal the election through fraud? Possibly. But, I do think that he will have a lower rating with the public by next summer---convention bounce or not----and trying to imitate him could be deadly.
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Friar Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-09-03 07:49 PM
Response to Original message
1. Agreed
Dems lose when they run as "Just like a Republican, but stupider".
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Trajan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-09-03 08:15 PM
Response to Original message
2. I do agree ...
but it is important to keep the "National Security" issue in perspective: ... we mustnt be seen (nor should we actually BE) as "weak on defense' .....

It SHOULD be noted that a STRONG defense doesnt include attacking other nations based on a litany of lies ...

FDR wasnt weal on defense .. Truman wasnt weak on defense ... Clinton wasnt weak on defense ...

That canard is BS, .... we CAN be both liberal AND strong ..
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Warpy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-09-03 08:52 PM
Response to Reply #2
3. The Chimp is vulnerable on defense
He can be assailed on several fronts:

His unwise and mishandled war on Iraq has made our country far less safe. Not only is our military stretched thin, his preemptive strike on a country that was no threat to us has angered people around the world. He couldn't have come up with a better recruitment strategy for anti-American militants if he'd put the best minds in the country on it.

He's completely bungled the peace in Afghanistan, trying to do it on the cheap and accomplishing nothing but increasing resentment towards this country. The Taleban are back, by the way.

He has cut military benefits and veterans' benefits far beyond what could be considered humane. Soldiers who are seriously wounded know they'll come back to little compensation and increasingly poor health care. That has an effect on morale, and that makes us far less safe.

Let's face it, this filthy gang of corporate thieves has made us all less safe in the world at large, and that lack of safety is very likely to visit us here at home. If the Democrats don't attack this bunch of self-absorbed criminals on these grounds, they deserve to lose.
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Code_Name_D Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-09-03 08:58 PM
Response to Original message
4. A Rush to fascism or a slow crawl.
The big problem with republican light is that is isn't much of a choice in our direction, as much as it is a choice in the speed of our progression towards a clandestinely chosen direction. Slow fascism, or fast fascism. Or in another word, corpretisem.

I have been forced to reevaluate my opinion of Clinton, and exactly how "republican light" he was. And as much as I hate to say, Dean himself may have republican light qualities. But that is another discussion.

The DLC's argument is that they must appeal to the "center" in order to win. The center as being defined as "Democrats who voted for Ragan." But then one remembers that Ragan had the October surprise, one of our classic Republican manipulations. So this manipulation was either successful beyond the Republican's wildest dreams by tricking the Democrats into basing there entirely campaign philosophy on this one event, or they were in on the scam.

The problem is that this has provided its own self fulfilling philosophy. As dems moved more to the right to remain in the center, this further alienates the left. Even as the right demonizes the left, prompting the dems to run away from the left. In the dems effort to appeal to the center, they have in fact given the power to define what the center is, to the Republicans.

Much of the DLC's political position is the result of ridiculously poor strategically thinking. Defeats become victories, and victories become defeats. Even now, it has become apparent that the Dems efforts to "soften up" the recent tax cuts, are now being used by the Repugs (who opposed them in the first place) as reasons why we shouldn't just repeal the tax cuts. That isn't Republican light, just incompetence. But the DLC dems walk into it every time. And I mean EVERY TIME.
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leftyandproud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-10-03 02:17 AM
Response to Original message
5. Thank you
Bush must be opposed every time...on EVERYTHING...every issue. We need to be a real opposition party again. No compromises. If we lead, the people will follow.
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tedoll78 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-10-03 02:21 AM
Response to Original message
6. We need to emphasize DEFENSE over OFFENSE>
Bush has been on offense in other countries, leaving us wide open here at home. First responders, bridges, power plants, water purification facilities.. all open to attack. The Democrats propose spending on these items, but the GOP refuses to fund them. This has gotten remarkably little play in the media.

We need to connect security to ordinary Americans' everyday lives.
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jfkennedy Donating Member (219 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-10-03 05:44 AM
Response to Original message
7. Stop being liberals
Just because Limbaugh likes calling democrats liberals does not mean that democrats are liberals. I get it the game of politics is to win, but if democrats try to be liberals which they are not they will just not get the votes.

The Republicans brainwashed the Democratic leadership by calling all liberals democrats, or all democrats liberals. At that point the democrats should of taken action, because everyone went into groups, and would protect their own group or pet cause.

In reality liberals are a powerless bunch of people. When Limbaugh screams day in and day out liberals, he really means democrats.

The problem is that frankly the democrats lost control of the Democratic Party after Kennedy was shot.Unions stopped organizing, people stopped voting, and the southern bigots walked into the peoples house.

Limbaugh calls liberals reactionaries. That's not true. Democrats after Kennedy was shot developed reactionary politics, because in some cases they would win short term gains but in the long run they had more money and more people then the democrats.

Frankly the game is over for democrats, they will never be in power again ever.

So if there is no organized politics that is based on what the writers of the constitution intended the natural development is revolution. Dean is not capable of being a leader during revolutionary times. Clark has that leadership that we need.

Gandhi wrote many articles about how to conduct a non-violent revolution.
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radfringe Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-10-03 07:37 AM
Response to Original message
8. it will fail because
it's less filling and tastes crappy

repug-lite is the watered down version of the reich-wing... if I wanted to vote reich-wing I'd vote reich-wing and not some weiner imitation
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bodhisattava Donating Member (98 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-10-03 01:09 PM
Response to Original message
9. It takes a lot of gall for Lieberman
to claim that adopting Dean's positions would take the democrats into the political wilderness when, in fact Al Gore and another nameless guy got the majority of the popular vote and yes, the electoral college majority in 2000.

The only way the Republicans have been able to "win" any elections is through subterfuge and outright fraud.With Dean igniting the traditional democratic core, there is a good chance that democrats will win.It is Lieberman's prescription of war and tax cuts for the rich that will cause apathy among the democratic supporters.

Lieberman is better off becoming a Republican.He has no business speaking for Democrats.
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