What should Democrats do to keep Bush and Repubs on the defensive?

[kentuck]

They have been on the defensive, trying to explain themselves, since at least the beginning of Katrina. Democrats should not feel sorry for them. If they were in the same position, what would the Republicans be saying? They were asleep at the wheel again, on vacation. They did not take the initiative to send in the help when it was needed and hundreds and hundreds of people died as a result. Three weeks later, the bodies were still buried in the mud and hanging from fences in the city of New Orleans. It is a disgrace beyond description. It is not about politics - it is about incompetence. How do they try to remedy the problem? With more PR! Just turn on the blue lights and promise a lot of money. After all, there is nothing that cannot be bought with the right amount of money, they believe. But dead people cannot spend or vote.

[Dhalgren]

1. Anything! Something! Anything!

Drifting aimlessly around trying not to piss anyone off will accomplish nothing (except getting Republicans back in office)...

[zbdent]

2. Call up CSPAN on the "Support Bush/Repuke" lines and

pose as Repukes . . . and when you get on

LET THEM HAVE IT!!!!

[JNelson6563]

3. Be on the offensive?

Seems simple to me...

[natrat]

4. but aren't most democrats totally full of shit

and just part of the scam?

[kentuck]

5. But you don't throw the kid out with the bathwater...

Right? :)

[natrat]

6. i know , and dem administrations have been worlds better ethically

it just burns me up with these donna brazil types

[Nancy Waterman]

7. It seems obvious to me what they need to do

They need a clear, coherent inspiring program that identifies how the GOP has f*ked up and how the Dems intend toh andle things differently.

1. Global warming. Bush and the GOP have rejected it out of hand and done nothing to weaken its onslaught. It is now obvious with Katrina and Rita that the world is slowly warming with dire consequences. The administration has its head in the sand onthis issue. The Dems say we must accept the reality and prepare for it.

a. Develop and strengthen wetlands, prohibit development there
b. Fund levees and other engineering projects
c. Develop sensible and workable evacuation plans
d. AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE ALTERNATIVE FUELS AND CONSERVATION NOW

This latter should be a pillar of the Democratic policy that is put forth boldly. It would make us less vulnerable to a national disaster due to jurricane damage of the Gulf Coast oil refineries and oil rigs, etc. It would help our balance of pauyments enormously. It would eventually lessen our need for imported oil and military presence inthe Middle East, leading to less terrorism.

2. Intelligent tax policy to stop the growing gap between rich and poor and lessen the deficit.

3. Move in stages toward Universal Health Care.

ETC., ETC.

These issues are on everyone's minds now. The dems need to come out boldly and say these things before the GOP figures it out and steals the issue, at least on paper, doing nothing in reality.

[Nancy Waterman]

8. Someone said it on Air America recently

The Dems need something along the lines of their own Contract with America, in other words a program with a name that is identifiable that sums up what they stand for.

I was thinking of:

BRIDGE TO A BETTER FUTURE
A DEMOCRATIC PLAN FOR PROSPERITY AND STRENGTH