Anyone else feel the Dems need to improve image almost as mush as *?

[Dawgs]

And, with *'s approval numbers being so low, isn't this a great time to work at it.

Bush and company are hurting themselves. Isn't it about time that the Dems propose legislation for things that really matter to Americans. The war is on everyones minds, but so are gas prices, healthcare costs, jobs, and the environment.

The Democrats are hurting in the polls, just like Bush. The difference is that the Democrats can do something about it.

It's about time for us to start making a push for 06', and being positive, with a plan of our own, will only help.

[Kagemusha]

1. Well, take Biden...

85% of the population in the US is polled as opposing more troops for Iraq. So what does he go on TV and propose?

More troops.

Looking like your ideas have less of a future than Bush's takes work, but obviously some people are putting in extra special effort.

[Deja Q]

2. Yup. And they need to work damn hard to get my vote.

They're all bought out by corporations and continue to vote pay hikes and post-"service" benefits to themselves.

Why should I care?

[MercutioATC]

3. I completely agree. We need to offer a real alternative.

For some bizarre reason, Repubs hold the "morality" card. Fortunately, I think all we need to do is show some competence...something our candidates havent shown in a while.

Given the choice between a likeable competent Dem and a "moral" Repub, I think people will choose the Dem.

[southernleftylady]

4. in a word yes. nt

[mr_hat]

5. Absolutely. While the Bushistas may foundering >

they've managed to do considerable harm. And with friends like the DLC...

[bunkerbuster1]

6. When on the Daily Show, Dean kinda joked about this...

and it bugged me a bit.

Jon Stewart pressed Dr. Dean about what the Dems would do differently than the Reeps. Dean--who I've liked all this time up to this moment--bugged me a bit by acting a tad irritated, and said something like "you mean like a shadow government?" in a slightly jokey fashion.

Well, yeah, guys. Let's do have actual proposals. Put something on the line and give the citizens some choice.

That's one point the righties I banter with, in real life and on line, do have to lord over me in these conversations. "What would you guys do differently that's so great?" I can hold my own, I can make my OWN proposals, but why should I?

The new website is a start. I see that there's an "agenda"--

http://democrats.org/agenda.html

but I don't see proposals that'd actually improve anything.

I know, first and foremost, an opposition party needs to oppose. But we should propose as well.

[Dawgs]

7. Thank you bunkerbuster1...

You said it much better than me.

I think your line says it all.

"I know, first and foremost, an opposition party needs to oppose. But we should propose as well."

[bunkerbuster1]

11. We need something bold that'll scare the crap out of the reeps.

Universal healthcare would be huge. It'd mean some pink-tutu boys would have to do without their usual infusion of cash from the insurance an associated leech industries. Do they have the balls? Can they mount a campaign that'd educate each and every American about how very SCREWED they are, compared to other nations, on what they're stuck spending for crappier care?

A living wage would be great, too. That could be tied to a realistic immigration policy, one that'd provide for serious penalties to business people who routinely hire undocumented workers.

I'd love to hear the doughy Republican pantloads argue against good, fiscally sound proposals that'd put the other side back to playing defense.

Yes, I want the truth told about voting machines. I want the ratfuckers taken out over ginning up the WMD threat in Iraq. And so on.

But vindictiveness, fun as it may be to plot, doesn't really move the nation forward. Those two proposals would.

[Kagemusha]

8. Maybe Dean was proposing opposing via a joke.

Just thinking out loud here.

[bunkerbuster1]

12. Who knows? Maybe he's working on a "government in exile" as we type.

That's cool with me. One thing that does encourage is, I think they are learning and doing a fair number of things right.

Of course I thought they had their act together for Kerry's 2004 campaign. Maybe I'm too easy to please that way.

[wurzel]

9. Dems have got stop appearing weak and dumb.

They are for ever apologising because they won't stand up. And the recent Dem. furor over Rove's 911 remarks was just taking the bait. It was Rove's assertion that Durbin was motivated to imperil troops that should have had every Dem in Congress demanding Rove's head. Instead they bleated about how loyal "liberals" were to Bush afer 911. They just have to be harder and smarter. Like Dean! Forget Biden. I bet half the people don't know what party he belongs to.

[Pirate Smile]

10. Did you see the new Democracy Corp poll that proves your point?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3988273&mesg_id=3988273

[Senior citizen]

13. Yes. And I hope "mush" wasn't a typo, cuz that's our platform.

The Democratic Party has been working so hard to appease the right and cater to big corporations, that they've lost touch with the people. So long as they have a demonic puke to oppose, they can take our votes for granted and give us nothing in return.

We want what people everywhere have always wanted: peace, jobs, security, free and fair elections, and representatives who will represent us instead of themselves.

Remember Patricia Schroeder? Pat got started in politics without any help from the Democratic Party. It almost looks like the party will jump in and support a politician only after they're elected, and then only in order to control them. If this country ever gets clean elections, both major parties will be out of business. Go to any classroom, nursing home, or community center in America, and everyone there will tell you who among them is honest and who is a crook. But the honest people rarely seem to be able to get their names on the ballots, and we usually end up voting for the lesser of two crooks.

Big surprise that most Americans don't like to see jobs being outsourced, a declining economy, and increased international hostility towards us. Even Diebold can't get a Congresscritter reelected if they vote for the chimp's Social Security plan.

There are a lot of positive proposals right here on DU. And I'll bet that Democratic Party operatives are reading them. But as long as they can take us for granted, they won't budge an inch. So they call for unity instead of seriously considering criticism. They figure that they've suppressed the third parties, and we're not going to vote for a puke, so we're stuck with them. But they do watch the polls. And if all they do is cheerlead instead of joining the team, the polls will continue to show it.

We all joined the Democratic Party, and nothing changed. Now we the people are demanding that the Democratic Party join us, and they will either respond or continue to become more and more irrelevant.