A winning strategy

[felonious thunk]

The left needs a positive message and right now there is big room for a far reaching positive message that will resonate with the public. They don't to hear about how Iraq was a mistake. A majority accepts that now. They don't want to hear about how bad Republicans are. A lot agree, but they don't think Democrats are much better.

Gas and energy prices are hitting Americans in the pocket book right now. Prices are rising across the board, but incomes aren't. The Republicans have no plan to solve this, and Americans are starting to finally realize that oil dependence is no longer good.

Democrats have a winning argument to make about getting us off oil.

It's a winning argument for national security: We no longer need to get involved in the Middle East to the extent we have for the past several decades. It leaves us less entangled, and perhaps lessens the threat of terrorism from Islamic extremists

It's a winning economic argument: Though there may be some short term sacrifice, we're paying too much for energy now. Would we rather pay more for a scarce resource, or pay for finding a way to get a renewable energy source? If we lead the world in creating a new energy source, it could create thousands of jobs, all across the economic spectrum and make America a net exporter of energy. The government provides the seed money, the market takes over and creates the next great American innovation.

It's a winning patriotic argument: When faced with adversity, Americans innovate. Americans have the knowledge, perseverance and will do the hard work to create new sources of energy. Why are we relying on foreign oil, when we KNOW that we can do better?

And lastly, it gets us to stop talking about stuff that doesn't matter. Crime has been on the decline for 2 decades. Let's stop worrying middle America that we want to take away their guns. Monuments and words in public buildings change nothing. Let's stop getting so upset about religious statements in public. They don't matter. No one is converting to Christianity based on a Ten Commandments monument. If it makes middle America happy, then so be it. Save the battles for the important things, like women's rights and education.

Democrats need to stop defining themselves by what they won't do, and become a party with a vision of the future.

[kentuck]

1. I agree ...

We need a Democrat with the positive message and vision of a JFK...It's not enough just to be against Bush and the neocons.

[Toots]

2. Isn't this what Nader has been saying lately?

I am not a Nader voter but sometimes he makes way more sense than the entire Democratic party. Of course you are right. It is wayyyyy past time to ween America off it's oil diet and start being progressive in it's energy attitude. I even heard Lindsey Graham say the same thing recently. He and three other Senators, Clinton, Snowe, and McCain all toured Canada and Alaska in the lase few weeks and all have said virtually the same thing you and Nader have been saying without the "some Democrat should use this" meme.

[felonious thunk]

4. It needs to be ALL Democrats

The other great thing about this message is that it's an idea that virtually all the disparate interests that make up the party can get behind. It's an idea that Nader and the leftists can get behind. It's an idea that Lieberman and the more conservative Democrats can get behind. They may quibble about the details of how to get it all going, but let's worry about that later.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. And while the message gets refined and reframed we need to

fix the voting system or we will never regain the majority in federal elections ever again. :(

More on that:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4390619