Where the Dems are Blowing it: A LACK OF VISION!

[ulTRAX]

Strategy is a tool to obtain goals. Those goals can be short or long-term.

It seems there's a basic mismatch between the Left and Right in the US. The Right has long-term goals to undermine the social safety net, let corporations run amok, and to permit obscene wealth inequality.

To accomplish the above they have three main strategies...
1: "strangle the beast"... to sabotage the finances of government with irresponsible tax cuts...
2: hijack the federal judiciary to delegitimize New Deal government
3: free trade which forces US corporations to compete with nations that don't have social/environmental overhead.

Their strategy is working quite well.... but not because it reflects better ideas. In fact the Right would prefer NOT to mention what their true intent is. It's succeeding because the American Left... as best represented by the Democratic Party... has no long term vision of its own. It passes off constituent special interests as its values and can't even come to grips with its central contradiction that while wrapping itself in the mantel of democracy, all its energy goes into protecting our anti-democratic political system.

In this state of intellectual bankruptcy it seems to believe that its salvation will come from repackaging old ideas a la Lakoff rather than reexamining core values and building a long-term vision of where we want to take America in 25-50 years.

Without such a vision... long term strategy is impossible. Without an overall strategy, the American Left will be fighting with one hand tied behind its back.

[starmaker]

1. Take back the vote count

When the will of the majority is accurately counted
We will regain our Democracy.

Free Audited Transparent Elections

[ulTRAX]

2. accurate vote counts are not enough

Accurate vote counts are essential but it's delusional to believe that this will make the US a nation based in true democratic principles.

If democracy is about morally legitimate self-government.... where that government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed... what essential elements must democracy have? Just how do we gage that consent of the governed?

I were to try to flesh out the concept of democracy I'd also include the following principles:

* One person one vote where each vote weighs the same.

* Citizens can not be disenfranchised of the vote.

* Citizens have the right to vote their conscience and be guaranteed SOME representation for those beliefs.

* Citizens have the right to vote their conscience and NOT worry about the so-called "spoiler" effect.

* Political minorities can OBSTRUCT, they should never be given the power to govern.

Sadly, in the US... even among Democrats, the above are radical concepts outside the realm of permissible thought.