What should the Democrats be talking about right now?

[kentuck]

Other than Gannon?

There is plenty with which to criticize the Bush Administration. Rather than coming out with a SS plan of their own, perhaps they should be pointing out to the people what a terrible idea Bush has come up with. Our deficits are at record amounts and Bush wants to borrow more money? This, after he submits a budget that does not even take into account the cost of the war in Iraq or the plan to make his taxcuts permanent or the 2$trillion to "reform" Social Security.

Although most of the focus is on Iraq and fighting terrorism, our domestic policies are going bankrupt under Mr Bush. State budgets are being squeezed like lemons. And they plan on cutting every program that helps the average American. All this is going on and people seem to be focused elsewhere.

[fertilizeonarbusto]

1. I think we should

talk homeland security and terrorism-seriously. Time to relentlessly point out that despite claims to the contrary, * has done squat about this. Let's start hitting them now so that when the midterms come up next year they can't use it against us. One more thing: Karl Rove teaches us that in order to destroy your enemies, you hit them hard in their strongest points. Once the strongest points fall, all else follows. *'s strongest points are "security," the lapdog MSM and...Karl Rove. Hit all three viciously-and hit below the belt. We are not fighting gentlemen: get dirty.

[mandyky]

2. Elections are 9 months away! Who are we running?

Has anyone addressed Black History Month? We best start taking care of our bases!
Investigations and impeachment. I know we (Dems) can't actually do anything, but we can run our mouths, and should be...

[JDPriestly]

3. Many of them are out there

Better protection against corruption and payola in government
Establishing international fair labor standards (protect American jobs, workers and their families from the downward wage and living standard spiral)
Stand up for human rights everywhere including Iran, Haiti, Iraq and Afghanistan but also Cuba, Sudan, Viet Nam and China
Affordable health care (would do more to end frivolous lawsuits than anything Bush is suggesting)
Reviving usury laws (protect consumers from credit card and bank gouging)
Mercury (endangers unborn children, to say nothing of the rest of us)
Other environmental issues that ultimately threaten human life
Higher taxes for the wealthy -- poor people don't have much to tax.

[kentuck]

4. Are there secondary issues?

That cannot get any attention when war and peace are being discussed?

[porphyrian]

5. Everything they don't want anyone talking about. - n/t

[lancdem]

6. Social Security

There's no need to come up with our own plan. Bush doesn't even have one. Plus, did the Repukes feel the need to come up with their own health care plan before they killed Clinton's? No. Let's give the Repukes a taste of their own medicine.

[kentuck]

8. We should only point out how Bush's idea stinks.

That's all we need to do. When he comes up with a plan, then we can respond more pointedly.

[lancdem]

9. I agree completely

[Democrats_win]

7. We should show pictures of rich people sitting by their swimming

pools laughing at the rest of us who must work to serve them and pay taxes to pay for their protection and support their wars.

Make cartoons of rushbo and bush doing drugs--who will protect our children from these fiends? A cartoon of bush when he in fact got his DUI while driving into someone's yard. Bush was and remains a menace to society.

Now these drug addicts are sending our children to war? After lying about WMD's and OBL in Iraq they're telling us to trust them to solve a make-belive crisis in Social Security. Their army of presstitutes lie to the American people every minute of the day. Meanwhile their plan will leave millions of older Americans in poverty and the rest paying off the debt to pay for billionaire's swimming pools.

[sadiesworld]

10. Dems should be ready to oppose making the tax cuts permanent...

for those making over $200K per year and oppose CAFTA. Given the current economic climate, there is absolutely no valid reason for the "party of the little guy" to support these issues.

[kentuck]

11. But we are always reactive, rather than proactive..

and that's a big part of our problem. Bush keeps our Party off balance and unfocused...

[sadiesworld]

13. "Bush keeps our party off balance and unfocused..."

I just don't know that I buy into that anymore. * wasn't in office 10 years ago when (some of) the dems bought into "free trade". * wasn't in office during the 80's when taxes for the wealthy were cut and payroll taxes were doubled. I'm really tired of making excuses for them. Sure, they currently don't have the power to launch investigations or promote legislation but they still have the power of their votes.

[applegrove]

12. Press WH to release their plan on SS - WITH DETAILS

And do not stop until the WH has put something on paper. Otherwise they can make it all 'disappear' come the next election.

Time I would say to spend some money on ads - asking the President to put his plan out - so that debate can take place in the Democracy known as USA.

[BillyDoc]

14. Almost ALL of our problems can be traced to Bribery

Corporations own the media, which is required to get elected. Corporations give massive amounts of money as "campaign contributions" to insure their control over politicians. In fact, without Corporate money and Corporate media NO ONE has any chance at all of getting elected.

This means that Ruppert Murdock is the effective "Emperor of the World" because he can destroy any politician who displeases him through his media empire. The politicians are all very aware of this situation, and know beyond doubt that if they do anything at all that "offends" their Corporate "sponsors" they will have a future that lasts like that proverbial snowball.

WE NEED TO BREAK THE MONEY LINK BETWEEN POLITICIANS AND THEIR CORPORATE MASTERS as a pre-condition to every thing else!

Until we break this link, we will be nothing but well-entertained, ignorant, superstitious, and now murderous, serfs working from dawn til dusk for the profits of others.

Moreover, we are not going to effect this problem by appealing to the "better nature" of anyone. The CEOs of most Corporations can't actually control them, even if they want to! Think I'm kidding? Read Joel Bakan's "The Corporation." The legal structure that forms the basis behind a corporation is like a virus, it defends itself and mutates to enhance its own growth . . . and will stop at nothing. Now that corporate political control is effectively complete we MUST stop asking permission to act, and just act. I have been promoting a weak idea at BreakTheLink.org along these lines . . . and I sure hope that you have a better one!

[ChairOne]

15. Tort reform.

It's taking place while we Dems are sqawking like chicken littles re: (1) a nonexistent SS plan, and (b) some gay jackass posing as a reporter.

Meanwhile, people can't bring class action lawsuits anymore. Good job, Democrats.

(yah, yah, I exaggerate - but the point remains)

[librechik]

16. what a pissporr job the Shrub is doing on national security

and bust em up real good on how much they're spending on it (no bid contracts!) and how little is getting done effectively.