Are you in this for the long haul?

[JailBush]

I've seen an awful lot of posts suggesting liberals and allies ought to just focus on two hot-button issues, make various compromises and generally sell themselves out if they want to win in 2004. I hope most people don't fall for that crap.

That's the same line we heard in 2002 and 2003, when Democrats failed miserably. If 2004 is going to be another Politics Lite campaign, then when can we expect to see some adults campaigning for office? Since no one gives a damn about LOCAL elections, I suppose we'll have to wait until 2008. But then we won't be able to afford the risk of discussing issues because we'll be confronting Jeb Bush or Arnold Schwarzenegger!

A major part of the problem is that people are so fixated on the presidential election, they forget everything else. If I could choose between 1. winning the presidential election, and 2. winning 90% of America's local elections, I'd choose the latter. A reformed local government can do a lot to keep a pResident in line, including electing people who don't agree with him to higher office.

Of course, there will be many state and local offices up for grabs in 2004, and they'll require people to discuss a wider range of issues. If everyone's pulling together - as they should be - they should be teaming up on the issues.

That doesn't mean you have to snow voters with more information than they can absorb. But, given the diversity and gravity of the problems that surround us, I think EVERY candidate for EVERY office - from President to Local School Board - ought to be able to quickly name at least ten big issues, and speak intelligently about each one if asked to.

Consider the following:

1. Economy - Stop Outsourcing
2. Economy - Strengthen unions and workers' salaries and benefits
3. Corporate Corruption
4. IraqGate
5. Social Security
6. Medicare
7. Environment (HELLO - Does anyone still care?)
8. Public Education (How about some REFORM, rather than the typical tired liberal line: Our sschools need more money!)
9. Energy Conservation
10. Global Warming

If we were electing third graders, then I could understand the need to say nothing more than "Jobs and Defense." But I'd like to break tradition and vote for an ADULT for a change. I want representatives who are educated, well informed and not afraid to speak out. If they're afraid that discussing issues will only give their opponents ammunition, then maybe they should be in another line of work.

It would be especially ironic if Democrats ran a SAFE CAMPAIGN and STILL got beat. Then what would they have to show for their efforts?

[mikehiggins]

1. Clark

has taken positions on these issues, as have Gov. Dean and Sen. Kerry. Senator Edwards has almost an encylopedia of them, all reasonable and workable to one degree or another.

However, if the majority of voters are concerned with foriegn policy and the economy, those are the issues that have to take priority in an election.

Even a third grader can understand that. ;^)

[JailBush]

5. I suspect most voters will care about at least one issue besides

foreign policy and the economy. In addition, a true leader would try to MAKE the public interested in other issues. After all, we can't reform democracy without an informed citizeny.

[RBHam]

2. You forgot 9-11

The Bush Knew story was "leaked" pre-emptively by a Right Wing Newspaper that supports Bush so Rove could try and nip the issue in the bud.

But now even Dean and Clark are raising questions about it.

Where there's smoke there's fire.

WHAT IS BUSH TRYING TO HIDE?

[JailBush]

6. There you go.

The big three issues might be...

1. National Defense
2. The Economy
3. 9/11

It would be interesting to see a candidate list the Environment or Public Education as one of the top four or five issues. Taking a gutsy stand might inspire more citizens to take a closer look - at both the issue and the candidate.

[Eric J in MN]

3. A candidate who promises to stop outsourcing will win,

A candidate who promises to stop outsourcing will win, if he has a plan like barring companies who move more than 1% of jobs overseas a year from federal contracts.

Outsourcing is the issue which needs to be addressed directly.

John Kerry's position of let's create jobs here, and Clark's position of let the Information Technology jobs go to India, aren't the answer.

The Democrat can win the general if he blasts outsourcing loudly and often with a plan to stop it.

[wuushew]

4. Interesting you call 2003 a failure despite winning LA governorship

n/t

[JailBush]

7. What has Louisiana's Governor done for Minnesota, Washington

or California?

[izzie]

8. I think in a number of years we will see we have been in a revolution

Just like the industrial we did not know we were in it but all things changed and I think we have been in one for years. This control by a ruling class is done but will go out with a bang, as the 'right' to rule is hard to give up. Too many people in the world not to start sharing and having one man one vote. It is a dream to think that as 5% of the pop in the world we are going to keep every one in line to feed out wants.Like it or not their will be a new world order but not the old one of a ruling class or corp running things as we are told to think about. If the people that are willing to see this they will win with out a war.The hard part is staying the course to all having a better life. Sorry to sound off. Dem must stand for some thing.