November 7, 2006: The last chance we have to turn it around

[Walt Starr]

Democrats had damn well better get their collective head out of their collective arse and get on the stick. What is needed now is strong leadership that doesnt spend its time talking about how bad Bush was for not doing anything in this latest disaster, the American people are well aware of that fact and no amount of Rovian spin will alter that perspective. People watched it unfold before their eyes live on television. We don't need to waste our time on that bullshit any longer.

The first Democrat who steps up to the plate to offer REAL solutions to the problem, and does so long and loudly, will be a shoe-in for the nomination in 2008 and can guarantee themself a Democratic Congress that will be waiting for them by working dilligently to get Democrats elected on a local level in'06.

Hillary Clinton has done a bit on this road, but she's proving herself to be too timid. Either she steps up to the plate strongly with a real message on a resolution to the problem, or she will fall into obscurity before 2008 and not even get a chance at the nomination.

Now is not the time for timidity. Now is the time for strong leadership. It's a race, first Dem who gets to the plate, wins. Unfortunately, if past actions are any indication, the Dems will be busy running the other way.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. I totally agree.

I worry that if we get too embroiled and invested in bringing down the current admin we will spin our wheels, spend our energy and miss the opportunity to effect real change.

But I know there are other who disagree and they've told me so!

[PuraVidaDreamin]

2. What on earth are they waiting for- I just don't understand.

I expected far more by now than what
we are seeing.

[Jim Sagle]

4. Most DC Dems ARE Republicans. That's the only conclusion that fits their

actions. Their job is to defend w's regime at all costs.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Not the last chance, but the last best chance. Seize it.

[freemen2005]

5. NO! Change NOW - 1 More Year IS TOO MUCH

they will cause nothing but more damage and destroy and pillage America even more.

How can you suggest waiting until november of 2006?

Thats like leaving your wallet unattended on the sidewalk for a year.



Pacifism and the failure to act is what has gotten us to where we are today in this country. People would rather sit on their asses watching Oprah and reruns of "Dynasty". PATHETIC!

[Walt Starr]

12. I won't pull punches. There is a 0% chance the 109th Congress will impeach

Sorry, that's the reality. If you can't handle reality, you should probably not get wrapped up in politics.

There is ONE WAY to take down Bush, put in a Democratic House and Senate.

Talk is cheap. Bullshit walks. The only way to get action is replace the idiots who empower Bush.

[KharmaTrain]

6. It's Gotta Come From The Local And NetRoots

Paul Hackett showed us how a new Democrat can speak strong, look strong and do well in an election. There are hundreds of Hacketts across this country and we need to provide the support and resources to help these voices to be heard.

I'm one from the Tip O'Neil school...all politics are local and the Democrats can't afford to put a template on all races, but have to be flexible and tolerant of many different viewpoints as long as the prime goal here is to win seast and defeat Repugnicans.

Some of us are already involved in campaigns, and I encourage those who haven't and are pissed off and want to do something to call your local Democratic party office and find out how you can get involved.

I don't give a shit about 2008...next year is and has been my focus since the day after the election. When the Democrats lost the House in '94 that's when our real troubles began...Gingrich, Armey, Hyde, DeLay and so on. These people need to be sent to the back benches (even more so, I submit than the Senate)...and it's going to be a real battle to win those 20 to 25 seats that will swing the balance. But Democrats have to make that a priority and do whatever it takes to win the targeted races.

Yes we need leadership, but this is the time for new voices to start emerging. The old ones have had their chance and this next election should be one that shows the birth of a new Democratic party with a strong Progressive/Liberal base to support it.

Cheers...

[PuraVidaDreamin]

7. KT- I met with my local state rep 2 Fri's ago- Told him use me I'm yours

Really hadn't been involved locally before,
but I'm convinced, you are correct.

Interestingly enough tho' we had a very
long conversation on DU
Depleted Uranium.

[KharmaTrain]

9. Way To Go...We Need More Folks Like You

I've been involved in local races for the past 6 years...and our candidate won in 2004. It was a bittersweet moment as we turned a very red district blue in two elections, but the overall national results really hurt. We knew this seat would, and is, targeted in 2006 and we've worked hard to maintain our local base and now are working with other candidates in nearby districts to share resources to turn one or two nearby red districts blue next year.

The Repugnicans win elections since they have better organized local parties and campaigns. Too many times Democrats focus in on one or two races and dump everything into them yet forget a bunch of others that could have been won with better organization.

This stuff ain't sexy...it's long hours of getting hung up on or yelled at on the phone or walking neighborhoods and being treated like a lepper, but over time you can see what a difference one person and passion can make in a district.

Again, kudos. State reps need love, too. LOL.

Cheers!

[Zynx]

8. 2006 is the must win election if the Dems want to prove they are serious.

The only solution is a national campaign. The strategy of running each race as a seperate entity has never worked to our advantage. We have seen our seats and votes dwindle while running each race seperately. We need a simple, national message that connects with 53-56% of voters at some level to create a national Democratic wave.

[SheilaT]

10. As several others

have pointed out, getting started in local elections is the first, necessary step.

Of course, taking back the House and/or the Senate in 2006 assumes a free, fair, and honest election. I kept on saying that over and over during 2004, and practically everyone I spoke to kept on telling me that the election wouldn't be stolen a second time.

Well, it was.

But if there's any hope of winning, it would be to put forth a candidate who is NOT already a Beltway insider, but one who will honestly stand up to the Republicans, will not be afraid to take them to task for everything that's happened since Bush took office, and offer a truly different path for this country. Who here thinks there's any chance of that actually happening?

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. See my website below for more ideas on what to do about elections

http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/electionreform.htm

[lonestarnot]

13. Here is what I would offer as a suggestion to a real leader.

Not necessarily in this order
Cap oil profits. Cap price of gasoline
Leave SS alone
Create health care as a basic for all.
Pull out of Iraq now!
Repeal the tax breaks for the rich!
Separate church and state.

And clean up and restoration of NO and the other 3 affected states is just a given.

[radwriter0555]

14. LOL! You're kidding right? The GOP OWNS the voting machines. Your next

president is bill frist.

Get used to saying his name with venom and hate.

[Walt Starr]

16. Oh yes. Let's all quit because of a tinfoilhat conspiracy theory

Yeah...right

:eyes:

[radwriter0555]

22. Yeah, hitler and mao were conspiracy theories too. After all no great and

revered world leader could possibly kill 12 million people without the world knowing, and no great and revered leader of millions of chinese would actually let them starve to death when he decided the entire nation must stop all agriculture and commerce and trade in order to make iron and steel... right?

Reichstag never really happened and a man in a cave plotted and planned to blow up the WTC -- and then apparently DENIED it? After having laid claim to every single terror attack he'd ever perpetrated; and then, according to YOUR myths, a guy who couldn't even fly a cessna made a miraculous turn around in his flying skills and could suddenly land a 747 with pinpoint accuracy into the pentagon.

Yep, I got it all right here. Your version is a lot more believable, but then, the truth really, really is too horrible to imagine for most. Indeed I do understand. the PNAC doesn't really exist, right?

http://www.newamericancentury.org <<<< that there is the site that literally belongs to the men who own the USA... Cheney, rumsfeld, et al. It's their site, they're very proud of their goals.

[Walt Starr]

24. You were the first to invoke Hitler

Ergo, you lost the debate.

[radwriter0555]

28. I was perhaps the first American to invoke hitler and bush comparisons

back in November 2000, when bush was appointed to office, just like hitler.

It's only recently in my studies that his regime's comparables to Mao are also eerily similar.

It's history, not a game to play about who loses when one does a comparative historical analysis of evil and nefarious regimes.

[Walt Starr]

29. Invoking Hitler indicates you have no argument, thus you lose the debate

Sorry, but invoking Hitlker makes one look a nutball.

[glugglug]

32. Bush nullifies Godwin's law

just like the consitution.

[Walt Starr]

34. Nope, only tinfoilhat nuttery attempts to nullify Godwin's law n/t

[radwriter0555]

36. If we don't learn from history, then history is doomed to repeat itself.

Considering me a loser for having an opinion based on studies and hostoric facts and information is childish and churlish and serves no purpose. It's rather freeperish really.

Perhaps if you were in the least acquainted with the histories, methodologies, politics and antics of both Mao and Hitler, you'd be keen enough to see that kkkarl rove is well acquainted with said idealogies and employs the techniques often and with great success through his little man bush. But apparently, a discussion about that is out of your league.

That said, you win. Go ahead and bask in the glory.

I hope it was worth it; far more important than having a meaningful discussion. You WIN!

[paineinthearse]

15. Amen, brother! And if I see another "who should run in '08?" post, I'll

:puke:

nominated.

[kentuck]

17. You are correct, Walt Starr...

If it is not turned around in 2006, we will all be in the streets...one way or another...

[CascadeTide]

18. Is there a good primer on 2006 election?

Like the one on DU that showed the 2004 election and where close races were going to be.

[Walt Starr]

19. Right now, any Republican Congressman is vulnerable

Every last damned one of 'em. And we should be on the ground against every last damned one of 'em.

Gingrich proved in '94, if you can nationalize a Congressional off year electin, you can even take down the Speaker of the House.

That holds every bit as true today. Probably even truer given the stark circumstances we find ourselves in. The Dems need only seize the moment and the landscape in D.C. can be shifted dramtically for decades to come.

[CascadeTide]

20. That's true but the work needs to begin now

just wondering where I can find a list of everyone up for election so I can do my part ;)

[Walt Starr]

21. All 435 members of the House are up for re-election

as is the case every two years.

The following Senate Seats are up for election, too:

State Name Party Seniority Class Next Election
AZ Jon Kyl R Jr I 2006
CA Dianne Feinstein D Sr I 2006
CT Joseph Lieberman D Jr I 2006
DE Thomas Richard Carper D Jr I 2006
FL Bill Nelson D Sr I 2006
HI Daniel Akaka D Jr I 2006
IN Richard G. Lugar R Sr I 2006
MA Edward 'Ted' Kennedy D Sr I 2006
MD Paul Sarbanes D Sr I 2006
ME Olympia Snowe R Sr I 2006
MI Debbie Ann Stabenow D Jr I 2006
MN Mark Dayton D Sr I 2006
MO James Talent R Jr I 2006
MS Trent Lott R Jr I 2006
MT Conrad Burns R Jr I 2006
ND Gaylord 'Kent' Conrad D Sr I 2006
NE Ben Nelson D Jr I 2006
NJ Jon Stevens Corzine D Sr I 2006
NM Jeff Bingaman D Jr I 2006
NV John Eric Ensign R Jr I 2006
NY Hillary Clinton D Jr I 2006
OH Michael DeWine R Sr I 2006
PA Richard Santorum R Jr I 2006
RI Lincoln Chafee R Jr I 2006
TN William 'Bill' Frist R Sr I 2006
TX Kay Bailey Hutchison R Sr I 2006
UT Orrin Hatch R Sr I 2006
VA George Allen R Jr I 2006
VT James Jeffords I Jr I 2006
WA Maria Cantwell D Jr I 2006
WI Herbert Kohl D Sr I 2006
WV Robert C. Byrd D Sr I 2006
WY Craig Thomas R Sr I 2006

[Media_Lies_Daily]

23. Better get control of the voting process, or the chance of voting out...

...ANYONE is 0% or less.

[Walt Starr]

25. Blaming it on voting machines

is a poor excuse, IMO. It's passing the buck and, quite frankly, unrealistic bullshit.

[Balbus]

30. Well said.

It'd be nice to have an election strategy thread without seeing the obligatory "fixed election" posts for once.

[Terran1212]

26. Putting "DEMOCRATS" in office is NOT A TURN AROUND

We need to eject these corporate puppets -- all of them -- from office. Put more Bernie Sanders and Ron Pauls in office -- people independent and for the people.

[Walt Starr]

27. Ron Paul = Republican = more of the same

The ONLY way to alter things is to give the Democratic PArty a majority in both houses of Congress. Anything short of that and you get more of the same.

Sorry if you don't like reality, but there it is.

[RallyInDC]

31. not only that.....they need to offer a visible message...

and get rid of the voting machines and the bogus problems completely, you know it, everyone knows it...

http://www.votersunite.org

[leftofthedial]

33. 2000 was a coup

voting machines are rigged

what outcome do you expect?

[paineinthearse]

35. One more nomination needed to get this one on the greatest page nt

[anarchy1999]

37. Fix the MACHINES FIRST! If we don't take care of electronic voting there

is no tomorrow.