Media Reform

[jiacinto]

If anything the media coverage over the last few days has shown that we need to improve our presence on TV and the radio. Any ideas?

discuss

[LibDemAlways]

1. As long as repukes

control the networks and radio stations we can't effectively get our message out. This recall crap proves it. We had the goods on Arnold and it didn't make any difference. The repuke media controls the spin.

[Deja Q]

4. Partly true

There's been lotsa criticism over Arnold's sexcapades.

Whereas everybody dissed Clinton for his, everybody's accepting Arnold for his.

Remember what the black community did to M C Hammer? They dissed him for selling out, but after that lots of other black celebs started selling out too - but nobody cared. Which is sad, really...

Though this type of trend can be seen anywhere. The first one who gets caught doing it is shot by a firing squad yet it's acceptable for anybody else to do it in the future.

But no pointless parallels, of this I am absolute and utterly serious: I think this is the beginning of the end of America, if so much of the public got turned off by Clinton, yet don't mind that Arnold is 6 times WORSE... we're screwed. Society is screwed. This is the beginning of the end.

Why do people even vote anymore when they know that one side is going to turn the actions of the other into a circus and think they'll get away with it? In a level society, Arnie would be ridiculed and discredited. But this is America. A country that thinks "first time around" is a call to dignity. Subsequent events made mention by one's opponents just looks like silly toddler fighting.

Fuck it, we're finished.

[Democat]

2. This is the single most important issue that Democrats need to work on

Until we have some influence in the media, it is going to be almost impossible to win anything.

This issue is more important than any one election - it is about the future of the Democratic party.

[even]

3. Quit the bs media.

There are many alternatives that are posted here all the time.

[Democat]

5. We don't need to get the message out to ourselves

We need the mainstream media or we will never win many elections.

[rootvg]

6. Do You Want To Know...

...what's really wrong with the Democratic party? Do you want to know how to fix it?

Are you *truly* interested in electing chief executives again?

OK, fine. Here's what to do. Presidential elections are always won(like, every single one) in the middle of the spectrum. Democrats have become too closely identified with the extremes on social issues - that's why they always lose in the south and the number of those southern districts is only going to increase over the next several generations. You don't have to like it - it doesn't matter what you and I think. This is reality.

If you don't want to see future Democratic candidates nominated at convention and then destroyed in some kind of religious sacrifice, you'll have to change who you're nominating. That's a fact. The Deans and Dukakises and Mondales of the party are not electable in this brave new world. How are you gonna get Bubba to vote for a gay rights candidate? YOU'RE NOT. You can cry all you want and have a few drinks over it but get real...this is WAR.

Your party MUST change. Union membership is way down as a percentage of the population, because manufacturing jobs are down and they're gonna stay down because of NAFTA and GATT - which your man signed into law. If Democrats had more appeal among middle class suburbanites, that wouldn't be a problem - but they don't, so it's another hurdle.

Concerning abortion, it's a dead issue. Feminism and guy bashing are unpopular. Cable networks such as Spike would never sell during the Seventies but they're immensely popular today. Girls want to marry and have kids. They WANT the big house and Suburban. Time did an interview with Kate Michelman several years ago in which she stated that most legislation would henceforth come from the states and "they aren't our friends" was the phraseology she used. She won the legal battles and lost the ideological war...tell me something we didn't know!

About half the party should be thrown over the side. Don't have the stomach for it? OK, I guess you enjoy losing. The number of southern districts is only increasing. That means places like Texas, Georgia and North Carolina are growing in power, while places like Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois are declining in power. Where's Delay from? Houston. Where was Gingrich from? Atlanta. Where's Sessions from? Dallas. Where's Liddy Dole from? North Carolina. Where's Lindsey Graham from? South Carolina. You're being governed by people who hate your guts and it's time to do something about it.

The party must become more moderate. If that means splitting it in two, then that's what it means...but the more conservative side will pick up disaffected moderate Republicans who see real problems that aren't being (and won't be) addressed by the Republicans: Social Security reform, Medicare reform, erosion of the manufacturing base and illegal immigration are just a start.

There's a real opportunity here - and you're busy crying in your beer. It's so sad and so unnecessary.

[jiacinto]

7. Preaching to the Choir

You make some good points that I've argued here before.

[ComerPerro]

8. Nice rant, and welcome

But I have to disagree with the part about "changing".

The public thinks we are too radical and fringe. But as a party, we are not. We are very moderate. If the DLC moved any further to the right, they would be joining Pat Buchannan.

What we need is a PR overhaul. We need to change the image that the public has of us, uninformed Joe Sixpack.

We do this by dismantling Republican lies (the Democrats want to help godless homosexuals brainwash and rape your children, the Democrats love abortion, blah blah).

And we need to get out the message that WE HAVE A MESSAGE!!!!

A major step in doing this would be getting rid of, or at the very least countering, all the Michael Savages, Ann Coulters, and Sean Hannitys of the world.

[Democat]

9. I agree with parts, but you could make that same post about Arnold

Who would have believed that the far right would support Arnold?

[Democat]

11. Why do you call it "your party"?

Is this a Green or right wing poster?

[GOPBasher]

10. But how?

They have all the money, all the power, all the media. How can we compete? Am I the only one who's depressed as hell tonight?

[Democat]

12. They don't have all the money

The richest man in the world is a Democrat as are many other millionaires and billionaires.

There is no major media in the U.S. that leans left. That leaves a huge opening for someone looking for new business opportunities. There is a lot of money to be made off of the half of the country that votes Democratic.

We have to find someone who is not afraid of the right wingers who can bring together the money and the people to do it right.

Anything wimpy would fail immediately.

A successful left leaning network would have to be very proud to be left, just like Fox is proud to be right.