A proposal for the Dems...promote the family

[cally]

A little background...I think too many families are concerned by the sex and violence in our culture. I also think this is promoted by RW capitalists but the left supports it by advocating freedom of speech. The left gets blamed for all concerns about 'hollywood values'. We have to change that.

The left cannot take on the mantle of all the social changes of the past 40 years. That's what the RW is selling. They are saying they are resisting the change in our society and the left is the party that promotes hollywood values. The reality is that corporartions are promoting the change.

We have to take back the values issue. We have to promote a pro-values agenda.

Support the right for families to say no to the media, support the right to medical care, support the right to education. It's values.

[opiate69]

1. I think I'll stick to promoting freedom and compassion.

Real freedom and compassion, not the empty rhetoric ** and his minions prattle on about.

[cally]

4. Did you win elections with that???

We hav to figure out a way to reach out and win others to our side. i don't think it's going to work your way. Try to convince me.

[opiate69]

8. Well, is winning the most important thing?

For myself, integrity is paramount. One can cite a myriad of reasons why the Democrats lost ground in the last few elections, not the least of which was their inability to get their message out. I say, don't change the message, but Gawd-Dammit, make sure it is heard above the din.

[cally]

15. Both...I want to win and have integrity

I think we can do both if we figure out our message.

[opiate69]

17. Not to be contrarian, but..

I think our message is fine.. we're just getting over-shouted by the 'Thugs and muffled by the media's unwillingness to stop shining Shrub's shoes long enough to tell the repugnant truth about him.

[cally]

18. We aren't winning the airwaves battle

We're just losing. Ask anyone who campaigned in a swing state, we lost this one. We can all think we have a better message but we don't. We've got to change.

[rooboy]

2. No thanks. n/t

[opiate69]

3. How about this?

We begin to promote giving the power and responsibility of choice back to families.

[cally]

5. Pick a new phrase..we lost that one..

Notthe value but the phrase

[opiate69]

11. OK then.. hows about "Empowering Families"?

What can be more empowering than knowing that as an adult, you have the control of your family without government telling you what you can and can't watch/read/listen to etc?

[cally]

12. I think it's good but did a RW propronent try that one

It sounds familiar in a weird way.

[leesa]

6. I would rather promote people in general. Way too much emphasis

on individual families in the US. It strikes me as very selfish.

[BellaLuna]

7. We do promote the family

But we also promote helping poor families, single parent families, and non-traditional families. In doing so we freak out the right wing who can't see beyond the 50's model family and people are buying into that crap right now.

We need to push ALL families but it's an uphill battle.

[cally]

10. I know that...I'm starting a discussion on how to promote this

We lost this debate IMHO. The RW is the party of moral values. It's absurd but I think that's how most Americans think. We have to take back this issue...make it our own. We just have to discuss it and form our message. That's what this post is about.

[BellaLuna]

16. I knew what you meant and agree with you

I believe we need to push the fact our policies help and promote all families not just the 50s models. We can do this by showing real examples of widow's who needed some kind of help getting on her feet again after her husband died, help for a family with a severely disabled child. etc.. use real life examples of how policies help people and the other side's policies hurt them.

[No Exit]

9. I'm glad you brought this up

and hope you won't mind if I do a quick rant. IMO it is a complete myth that "republicans have better families", or "republicans are more family-oriented", etc.

About 10 months ago, there were a lot of stories in the media about gays getting married. That was when the big San Francisco thing was going on, and the decision in Massachusetts had just come down, etc., etc. Well, I was reading on Freerepublic at the time. (Yes, BARF, etc.) They were hysterical: "Letting the homos get married will RUIN MARRIAGE!"

It occurred to me then that the ones who have "ruined" marriage are the ones who've been using it all these years--not some johnny-come-lately types who are getting married for the first time. I would be very comfortable laying a bet that fully 80% of the crowd on that pathetic website has been divorced, some, repeatedly. I mean, if you ever talk to any of them, they are always talking about custody issues, abusive ex-es, parental kidnappings, you name it.

There is really only one way to "protect" marriage: that is for each person to protect his/her own marriage. For each person to abide by his/her marriage vows. For each person to think and plan CAREFULLY before entering into a marriage contract.

But those idiots over there are worried that a bunch of homosexuals will "ruin" marriage. Truth is, they've ruined it themselves. Conclusion--and I know this will be a BIG surprise to everyone here--the freepers (generic republicans) are HYPOCRITES.

[American Tragedy]

13. The left is absolutely correct to advocate freedom of speech.

This is one of a few issues on which there will be no compromise, for me. Adults should have the right to judge for themselves and for their own families, without a reactionary, paternalistic establishment to cover our collective eyes during the scary parts. People have always had the right to reject the media. As George Bush himself once noted, there is a power switch.

The government needs to stay the fuck out. That is "small government", to use a right-wing cliche.

[damntexdem]

14. Hey, I'm for that! OK! Let's demand that all who want to ...

be able to form families by getting married. So, no more obstacles to same-sex family formation!