Forget Bush. Our side can still snatch defeat from the jaws of victory

[Armstead]

With all that has gione wrong under conservative governing, the nation is ripe for a turn to the left.

However, once again, Democrats, liberals and progressives are poised to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Despite Bush's personal bumbling, the GOP is preparing a vigorous, ideological and corrupt Big Vision for the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast, while Democrats dither and snap along the margins.

As a result, even though the majority is beginning to see through the canard of corporate conservativism, Rove and Company are going to steamroll through more of the same, while we on the left stand by and scratch our heads and chuckle over the antics of GW.

We too often make the mistake of seeing this as a soap opera about the quirks and status of George W. But it's much bigger and more complex than that. It's also bigger and more complex than whether or not the nation experiences a partisan change. They are going to win again, if our side doesn't directly challemge this crap, or only offers timid Demopublicanism as the alternative.

We need to get our act together and stop being so timid about pushing for a liberal Big Vision for ideas and solutions NOW.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. Glad you turned this to a post

because there is wisdom in your words.

[Armstead]

3. Clift's column got my juices up about this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4802274

Thanks for posting it.

[Yupster]

19. Doesn't it seem that in campaigns

the other side seems to have a plan they execute and have in place for months or years and our side can be seen bouncing around seemingly without a plan.

I mean in the last election there were a whole lot of states that had gay rights initiatives on the ballotts. That wasn't something the Republicans thought of the weekend before the election.

That had to be planned years in advance and prepared for and coordinated. And they stuck to the plan throughout the whole campaign.

Is it the candidates, or the consultants, or what?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

24. Perhaps it is diversity

not in the rather cliche'd "party of diversity" but as compared to the extreme white which is very focused on their agenda.

We all ten to have a wider agenda, less focused, and right now are waiting for someone to help herd this party of cats.

And cats are awesome, independent, opinionated... and often go their own way.

[ClassWarrior]

2. You're right - it's OUR responsibility to demand a Big Vision.

We have a lot of work to do, folks.

Never Give Up.

[acmavm]

4. We do have a lot to do. And if people would start paying attention to

Howard Dean and Wesley Clark, they would find that we do have men capable of inspiring us to do better, to take our country back, to rebuild our party.

[Armstead]

5. Fortunately Dean has been more visible lately

I don't know why they let him out of the cage, but he's been on a lot of news and talk programs lately. Good to see he's using it to tell some truths.

[Loge23]

6. who's we?

If we're waiting for a Democratic party response, we can forget about it. There isn't any ideas, nor anyone who can offer any credible alternative. That's the hard truth.
IMO, the only true Democratic idealogues - including Kucinich, Dean, Pelosi, and Kennedy - have been effectively marginalized by the fascists as leftist extremists, kooks, or irrelevant socialists.
Whatever happened to the once-promising Obama? Is this guy still around??
Forget about Kerry and H. Clinton - along with the rest of the sell-outs that aided and abetted this corrupt regime.
As long as "we" remain silent and stationary, there is no effective opposition at all to the fascists. Once we do finally get organized enough to get off our asses, we can expect some serious defense in the way of "emergency powers".
Let's face it, we're up the proverbial creek without a paddle (leader).

[ClassWarrior]

9. Who are YOU?

Your profile is disabled. And that's awfully curious, considering the gist of your post is, "Give up, all hope is lost."

NGU.

[Loge23]

14. curious indeed

...that my profile was disabled - since I barely know how to get to it. I did not disable it.
It's back on now. What is it that you are looking for that will somehow qualify me as a credible poster??

[TallahasseeGrannie]

11. I've been thinking that myself

she is right and now is the time for somebody to step up.

We're waiting!

[greekspeak]

21. I think we have seen Obama a few times recently

I think he is out saying a few things...he is utterly a freshman, though, and yet he is staking his butt to say things. All the while, the old gaurd with their virtually secure seats just sort of do like good little lackeys.

[Armstead]

26. People like Kerry and Hilary have to rediscoiver their liberalism

I don't necessarily think Democrats like Kerry and Hilary are not on our side in their hearts.

But they have become jaded and overly cautious because they've been in the Protected Strategic Elite Class for too long. So they have taken on the mondset of corporatists without realizing it.

Maybe what the grass roots have to do is waken them from their slumber and tell them it's safe -- and necessary -- to be fighting liberals again.

[Conservativesux]

7. Keep Hillary OFF the Presidential ticket in 2008 for starters...

She is despised by many on both the Left and the Right.

Run her in 2008 and you can rest assured that we Democrats wont win the WH back.

[Armstead]

8. We need to act now to make 2008 mean anything.

While I agree with you about Hilary, that's putting the cart before the horse.

We have to have a coherent liberal vision and start pushing it NOW, as a counterpoint to the GOP plan to "privatize" and "deregulate" and "detax" the reconstruction of the Gulf Coast.

The GOP is in back in their masterful mode, and areusing the Gulf Crisis to push their agenda, both publicly and below the radar.

[RC]

12. Why has everyone forgotten about the electronic voting machines

already? The next election will be just a 'Go through the motions' formality to elect more criminals to steal more money to enrich themselves.

[Burning Water]

17. Good point.

We have to have a coherent vision, a viable and charismatic leader, etc., or the Repugs will will honestly.

But we also have to do something about voter fraud of all kinds. What gets me is that we felt in 2000 that we wuz robbed, and yet, we did nothing whatever to prevent it is 2004. Nothing. What happened to all the lawyers that I had read were ready to rush to any disputed state? I heard very little from them, nothing effective.

WHAT HAVE WE DONE SINCE THEN?? WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO ENSURE THAT 2006 ELECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED FAIRLY? Damn little that I can see. If anybody has information about what has been done, please post it here.

[newyawker99]

23. Hi Burning Water!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Burning Water]

40. Thanks, n/t

[Conservativesux]

38. Welcome "Burning Water". I agree that little has been done about the vote.

But who will be this strong candidate for President?

I cant think of that many that will attract the Right, and that is what we NEED to do.

[Burning Water]

41. Thanks for the welcme.

I don't know how we will attract the right, either.

[Conservativesux]

44. Atrracting Right: No gun control acts at all. Winger are deathly afraid..

of gun control measures that people like Schumer and Fienstein harp on about with no reason.

Another thing is a wife that remains in the background, like L. Bush.

One day we will have a female president or a Black person as CIC, but it wont be in 2008

[Burning Water]

46. What if the Repukes

run Condi Rice?? I've heard that she is very popular with some of them. Besides, I suspect that most of them would rather have a black or a woman that thinks like them than a Democratic white man.

[RC]

39. Point to note: The problem was/is Election fraud, not voter fraud.

Big difference.

[Burning Water]

42. Even if I

accept your distinction, wouldn't you say that "voter" fraud was a subset of election fraud that should be addressed.

By the way, what is the distinction? I have an idea, but I'd like to hear what you think.

[ClassWarrior]

10. FORGET 2008. We have to take back our Congress in 2006.

NGU.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

13. Thank God

we have 2006 first.

[Armstead]

36. Yes the thought of three-plus years of Bush is too depressing

Regardless of what happens in 06, at least it gives a comforting goal to get over the emotional hump of being stuck with these wheezers in the White House for anotehr three years.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

18. Solve 2006 first, then and only then think about 2008.

[Bucky]

30. All the wrong people want Hillary Clinton elected.Well, "nominated" anyway

So I don't have to type this all over again, read this

[Imagine My Surprise]

15. I couldn't have said it better myself. Agreed.

[salin]

16. Like a Vision of public service

where those who are "called" to serve as civil servants or elected officials do so out of a sense of serving the greater community/society, rather than seeking power or priveledge.

Where as part of that calling - view policy as both long-term planning for the greater good of society, and prevention in the name of protecting our citizens (in the sense of a strong infrastructure).

An end to viewing public investment as a way of bringing $ via contracts to connected cronies - but rather investments to the greater good (ala creation of the interstate highway system) - and the contracts go to the best bids which are reviewed both for the integrity of the bids (fair wages, environmentally sensible plans) as well as the bottom dollar.

A society where each person has a voice and a value both as an individual - and as an integral part of the larger community in that we become a greater society when the gifts, talents and value of each member can be developed (strong education and programs promoting opportunties that reward innovation, reward talent, reward contributions to the society.)

Something along those lines?

[Armstead]

29. You're right -- And Democrats could apply that specifically

Democrats could make a lot of progress by pointing out loudly when Republicans are ignoring local companies to give big contracts to out of state monoliths like Halliburton, and screwing rebuilding workers by suspending prevailing wage laws.

I think that would be one clear way to distinguish our side from theirs.

[Seansky]

20. Could you list what actions you recommend?

Without a strong leader guiding the unity, how do you think we could get our act together? I am all up for doing that, but can see how to get there...

Hope the 9/24 march is a turning point, but I have also seen many turning points with little progress (CIA leak investigation, Sheehan, Iraq quagmire, the lists goes on and still we aren't organized enough to make any of this potential turning point into a step forward)

I just can't get why not...It is beyond understanding that the most powerful country in the world finds itself unable to implement the basic foundations that made it strong. It seems it has become more difficult for US to rid itself of non-democratic governments than any other in the world...Just can't get it.

[Armstead]

25. In general we need to both reconnect AND start fresh

Like everyone, I have my own specific ideas, but here's what I believe we need to do broadly to both fight back and start pushing a more positive agenda.

By reconnect, I mean get back to liberal first-principles, and stop watering them down or disguising them. That means pushing the recognition that the public sector is an ally of the public interest, and not the enemy. We have to stop enabling the ruthless and amoral "free market uber alles" philosophy of the GOP, and start placing greater priority on workers, the middle class, the underprivileged over the invisible hand of the corporate overlords.

By a fresh start, I mean we should also be open to new approaches that aren't simply a rehash of Big Government bureaucracy. Look for new approaches and combinations that are not antagonistic to valid business interests. In that sense I agree with the "centrists," but I think we need to place the priority on the liberal side of the scale, and do it in a way that is suppotive of workers and small businesses rather than continuing to placate the corporate elite.

[salin]

32. the challenge is made harder

by years of abuse - per public airwaves - about the beauty and almost religious value of all things privatized, deregulated, and done in the name of "good for the corporations = good for the public". Twenty years of this have shifted/infected the public's conventional wisdom. One can not simply present a new VISION without discrediting the current public conventional wisdom.

For example, in the eighties the public conventional wisdom, much to the chagrin of the Reaganites, was NOT "deregulate everything in sight - as it is always virtuous and in the best interest of the public. This put breaks on the speed at which the Reagan admin could move to try to push deregulation through various agencies. Indeed in this era SuperFund was created by taxation on corporations in polluting industries.

Twenty years ago Randian philosophy was not common political beliefs and acceptance of policies. It took twenty years of nonstop barrages against liberalism spewed on radio, tv, and by politicians to fully alter public conventional wisdom.

Point being a new Vision won't just take hold.

The current "vision" has to be questioned, discredited and ultimately rejected by the public in order to be fertile for a society wide "paradigm shift."

However just doing the discrediting - in absense of an alternative Vision - will lead to nothing but further cynicism (ala post watergate) per government and the public sector.

[Armstead]

35. We have the vision -- We just never defend or articulate it

Liberalism is real simple at its base. It's also real popular as part of the mix of mainstream values. Always has been, and it still is.

The big problem as I see it is that Democrats stopped defending and standing up for those principles. Instead, too many Democratic politicians lost their souls and their Moxie somewhere along the line and stopped hammering out an alternative to free-market corporate conservatism.

Instead, they either echoed it too often. They enabled the Repubs to push false values, but removed the counterweight that would have pushed back.

We need to start pushing back with equal -- and unapologetic force. I believe if we do people will respond, because most of the population still wants a healthy doee of liberal values, and would support it politically if they saw it offered.

[kentuck]

22. I see a populist Third Party coming soon...

Somebody has to speak up for the people. If the Democrats are incapable, someone else will....I guarantee it.

[Bucky]

27. One Big Idea: Rebuild the Gulf Coast for EVERYONE. (say no to corp.'s)

One big vision for us to embrace is making sure that the affected areas get a real reconstruction. Don't turn the French Quarter into a third Disney resort. Everytime Halliburton does one of its little "cost overrun" handjobs, scream bloody murder, wave the bloody shirt (as yall's yankee forebearers used to do), denounce profiteering over the sacred ground of the graves for people killed by Bush's negligence.

Stick hard to the theme: Rebuild the Gulf Coast for Everyone. Make government work, but make it work for all taxpayers, not the fat few.

[Az]

28. Completely missing the nature of the game

The repugs can make mistakes and easily survive. Simply because they have done years of ground work turning this nation around. They control the flow of dialog. They control the issues.

Conversely the left has been trying to play catch up. They have no game plan on the table. They only can react to whatever is before them. There is no long term plan in action. Only damage control.

So Bush flubs up big time. No loss for the right. They still control the media. The only reason they are going after Bush is because the right has written him off. Its like in school when a student is not respected by the teacher all the other students sense his weakness and pick on them mercilessly.

Bush is done. And yet the left will get nothing out of it. Because they have no agenda or plan in place. You can't take advantage of a mistake of the opposition if you have no structure or plan of your own.

[Armstead]

31. They only get that power from strategy

Democrats need to combine strategy with honest ideas and passion to match them.

The wind is starting to shift to our backs, but we have to be clever enough to harness it.

Change may not happen overnight, but we have to start turning the tide, or whatever metaphor one chooses.

[Az]

33. Have to raise the sails to take advantage of a new wind

The problem I keep on seeing is that people seem to think that change simply happens. They keep expecting the pendulem to swing back on its own. They think that just because George screwed up that we automatically get a boost from it.

History shows us that political power swings back and forth. But to those living in history the reality is that hard work and real ideas have to be set forth to change things. Its not a question of waiting for the pendulem to swing back. We The People have to pick it up and carry it back ourselves. Its not simply going to just happen.

[Armstead]

34. I'll also add that Demns should take Tony Blankley's advice

Blankley is a Repub right winger who is editorial editor of the Washington Times, but he also made a great point on a talk show.

he used to be a press guy for Reagan and for Newt Gingrich.

He said when he was a speechwriter, he wolkd start by writing the speech he thought Reagan should be able to give a year from that point. Then work backward to see the steps to make that hypothetical speech possible and true.

In otehr words, set a goal and vision, and work backward from that, rather than just reacting to events as they happen.

[TheStates]

37. My words exactly. Get rid of the Diebolds. nt

[xchrom]

43. one big vision: MAKE FUCKING GOVERNMENT WORK.

from schools to immigration -- liberals need to be about the business of making government wotk.

it's an engineering problem -- it's not insurmountable -- it's doable.

[ulysses]

45. thank you.

Wish I'd seen this in time to nominate.

[Jacobin]

47. Um, the 'democratic party'?

Of whom do you speak?

I only know of one or two in congress or the senate.

What will they do against the Demopublican phalanx?