What do we run on in 2006?

[rpannier]

Okay. Scrubbos numbers are about 42%, but we are not running against scrub and his cabinet. We are trying to win Senate and House seats. We have to be about something(s). What does/should the Democratic Party stand for? Please don't drone on about what we AREN'T about. That doesn't really inspire or rally people. We have to explain what we ARE FOR and what we ARE ABOUT. I mean, I'm against letting people starve and I'm against people being out of work. Hell, most of America is. We have to explain how we fix these problems.
I'm curious as to what others think our priorities should be and how we should try and attain them.

[Vincardog]

1. Privacy Peace and Prosperity

[rwenos]

2. A Restoration of American Values

Like caring for the elderly; civil rights; free trade; relations with our traditional allies; restoration of the rights of organized labor; preservation of Social Security; federal aid to education; protecting the environment; basic scientific research; a renewed effort in the war against al Qaeda (as opposed to the madness in Iraq).

We have an excellent opportunity this time to voice the Democratic position as a return to traditional values. After a radical conservative presidency, it only makes sense.

[auburngrad82]

39. All the things the Bible teaches but neocons ignore

I don't think the Bible teaches us to let everyone fend for themselves. It doesn't teach that only the rich deserve to be taken care of. It doesn't teach that respect for life ends the moment the child is born. It doesn't teach us that a war based on lies is a "just war".

Democratic values are more in line with traditional religious values. That's why the Civil Rights movement, child labor laws, etc were organized and pushed through by religious groups.

We need a coherent message showing that our values as Democrats are more in line with religious values than the so-called compassionate conservatives and neocons who invoke the name of Jesus daily to remain in power, yet do absolutely nothing that would be condoned by Jesus or should be condoned by his followers.

[auburngrad82]

40. Hope over Fear, the Future of our Children

I posted this a few days ago but it applies to this discussion:

I want to see all of our children taken care of. There are millions of American kids without any kind of healthcare. We rank 41st in infant mortality rates per 1000 births, ranking two places behind Cuba. Life doesn't stop at birth. We need to provide adequate pre-natal and post-natal care for our children and their mothers. We are the greatest country in the world. We should have the lowest infant mortality rate in the world.

I want to reduce the number of abortions in our country by improving the quality of life of families. During the eight years previous to the current GOP-led government, abortions decreased annually because of a booming economy. Since the GOP took control of our government abortions have increased every year. People who are unsure of their economic futures and who live in the fear created by constant terrorist alerts are more likely to see abortion as a viable option while people who are financially secure are more likely to feel safe and better equipped to bring a child into this world.

I want to see our children educated. Providing an adequate education for our kids will insure that they will not be a burden on our government and that they will be successful and contributing members of our society. 90% of our nation's children attend public schools. Therefore we must fully fund public education in America. To not do so is to short-change our kids on their future potential. Yet the GOP-led government has consistently and relentlessly cut funding for public schools and have yet to adequately fund the ill-named "No Child Left Behind" program. The destruction of our public school system will lead to a permanent caste system of the educated few and the uneducated masses. In a country where "all men are created equal" we cannot allow this to happen.

I want our kids to live in a world that is safe. The GOP's aggressive and bullying attitude towards the rest of the world has INCREASED the number of potential terrorists in the world and has fueled a hatred against Americans that is unprecedented. We should be working towards regaining the respect that our country once had as the greatest country in the world. We can do this by working WITH our allies and neighbors rather than demanding that they do things our way.

I want our children to feel that they have hope for their future. Millions of Americans do not have healthcare. American ranks 46th in life expectancy of our citizens. We have the highest drug costs of any developed nation. This is unacceptable. We need to provide adequate affordable healthcare to ensure that our children can live long successful lives.

Stem cell research holds the potential to cure many illnesses, yet the GOP-led government chooses to not fund the research. Millions of Americans who could potentially benefit from stem cell-related medicine are being denied the hope that this research holds.

The tax cuts of the GOP-led government have led to the largest deficit in world history. This deficit amounts to a "birth tax" on our children and grand-children. Our kids will be paying this birth tax until the day they die unless we roll back the tax cuts and make the GOP accountable for the damage they have done to the financial stability of our country.

As Americans age need to ensure that they have the security needed by protecting their retirement programs from fraudulent and improper business practices. We also need to ensure that Social Security is protected from unscrupulous politicians who are set on destroying this much beloved American Institution.

I want our children to be able to see the beauty that is America. Our forests, rivers, lakes- even our air- is under attack by the GOP-led government. Rollbacks to environmental protections and weakening of regulations designed to protect our natural resources are endangering the air that our kids breath and the water that our kids drink.

As Americans we should all be Pro-Child. Unfortunately, in our current GOP-led country, the attitude seems to be "Leave all children behind". As Democrats we can change this. We must change this. Our kids depend on us to change this.

[Totally Committed]

41. Beautiful, auburngrad82...

absolutely beautiful. A real reurn to the very values and ideals of what used to be The Democratic Party.

A great piece of writing and thinking. Thank you.

TC

[norml]

3. Returning things to normal.

That's something most people would like to see.

[snowbear]

4. Speaking of 2006.. Katherine Harris isn't doing so well...

:rofl:

17 points behind D-Nelson in the polls and the Bushies are supporting someone else (probably because they know she can't win)

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/06/25/State/Harris__primary_oppon.shtml

[AndyTiedye]

17. 17 Points In Florida is Well Within the Margin Of...

...steal-ability.

[Hippo_Tron]

18. I highly doubt it

A stolen 17 point stolen election is a lawsuit waiting to happen and if it did happen, Diebold's dirty tricks would actually be uncovered.

[AndyTiedye]

22. They Explained Away a 16 Point Shift in the 2002 Governor's Race in GA

They just made up some shit about "angry white men" (who somehow showed
up even in black precincts), and the media all ran with it like
well-trained puppy dogs.

The BFEE has even better control in Florida than Georgia, so 17 points
is not out of the question, by any means.

With

All Things Are Possible

[Hippo_Tron]

26. If Barnes' internals were showing him up by 16 points he would've sued

Pollsters can sometimes be dead wrong. I'm not saying that there wasn't foul play in Georgia, but I don't think that Barnes was truly up 16 points.

[AndyTiedye]

30. He Couldn't Prove Anything, Thanks to Diebold Paperless Voting Machinez

It was the same election in which Senator Max Cleland lost to Saxby Chambliss --
another double-digit upset.

All of the exit polls were MIA for that sElection.
They eventually resurrected the ones for some of the other races,
but the ones for the senatorial and gubernatorial races have never
seen the light of day.


We Make Democracy DIE

[Hippo_Tron]

19. Dems should temporarily re-register as GOP and vote for her...

In the primary.

[senseandsensibility]

24. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Couldn't happen to a nicer Bush lacky. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :applause: :applause: :woohoo: :woohoo:
OMG, stop, you're killing me!!

[rateyes]

5. Making minimum wage a livable wage. n/t

[Independent_Liberal]

6. Accountability, Respect and Honor

That should be a few of them.

[Mythsaje]

7. These are important questions

WHAT to do about it?

Hmmm.

Let me think.

Okay...first, I think we need to stress that we're small business friendly. Small businesses employ a lot of people. We want to increase funding for startups, simplify tax code, and provide some tools for wage improvement through tax relief. Small businesses need our support a HECK of a lot more than big corporations do.

We need to get people insured, and come up with a plan that even a more conservative voter can get on board with... Renew the Estate Tax with a relatively moderate cap, for example. Another option is to put a sin-tax on risky behaviors SPECIFICALLY ear-marked for healthcare reform.

We need to push for education...educated people are a boon to society. Education means higher wages. Higher wages means more taxable income. More taxable income means more money for State coffers, means more education and healthcare.

We want to do everything in our power to see our kids get as much education as they can handle, not deprive them of funding if they or their parents can't afford it.

Just a few thoughts on the matter.

[rwenos]

9. Thought I Gave A Serious Answer

In my previous post, "A Return to American Values."

Everthing you've listed would fit under that broad umbrella. And it allows the Democrats to look sane, to present a progressive message, and not look like social engineers.

My point was that Bush is SUCH a radical, we as Democrats have an opportunity to sound a message of restoratation of the previous balance between growth, rights, economic policy and tax policy. In other words, a return to the America of 1999-2000. When Big Bill was making the calls, instead of this RW twerp.

[rateyes]

8. Doing what only a Democratic president has done...

Balance the budget, and pay down the debt. Isn't it funny how Republicans talk the talk of fiscal responsibility, but it takes Democrats to walk the walk.

[XemaSab]

10. Lies lies lies

n/t

[union_maid]

11. Keep it simple

"Throw the bums out." That will resonate and an anti-incumbent year would benefit us hugely.

[FrenchieCat]

12. It won't much matter....

cause the only thing you'll hear about in 2006 is the "trial of Saddam"...brought to you by the Corporate media.

[pstans]

13. Empowering America

Democrats need to start a campaign called Empowering America, focusing on renewable energy (http://www.apolloalliance.org), reducing our foreign dependence on oil, education, universal health care, strengthening the middle class, and helping people get out of poverty.

I read that 80% of Americans think the Environment is an important issue. (That goes against the picture the media paints of a Liberal tree hugging hippee saving seals.) This is a winning issue and could be effective considering Bu$h is the worst environmental president ever. By focusing on ridding our dependence on foreign, we can link a strong foreign policy into the theme.

By stressing universal healthcare, education, and strengthening the middle class, Democrats support policy to empower the average American. Bu$h has done the exact opposite by having lobbyists write legislation for the suffering billionaires.

Also throw in there that Democrats empower Americans to make their own decisions about their lives instead of the people in Washington. Toss in Schiavo and use the "no one is pro-abortion" speech that Dean has been using. Democrats trust you to make the important decisions in your lives.

[wurzel]

14. To open impeachment hearings.

[Hippo_Tron]

15. Au Contraire, we are running against Shrub

Midterm elections are a referendum on Presidents and often the country sends members of the opposition party to congress in response to the president doing a shitty job.

[1932]

16. We run as the New Keynsians: they way forward to a peaceful, prosperous

future is through building up the middle class.

[Cash]

20. Tippy Canoe and Tyler, Too

Hey, it worked once.

[1932]

35. "Tippy Canoe" -- that's a pretty funny malapropism or slip or whatever it

is.

[Lexingtonian]

21. Why?

The reason people are going to go to the polls, or stay away from them, for Democrats next November is because Republicans are finished.

I think we're spending every day on DU arguing about what Democrats are. Either we're the compromised, transitional, moderate, whiny, chickenhearted and ass-kissing economic issue party of the late Nineties. Or we're something better than that- Modern, liberal, and competent. Maybe.

As for talking about 'issues'...average people don't understand any complicated ideas, plus they're too full of Republican propaganda concepts. They're weary of slogans. And to top it all, the serious solutions to all the problems are incremental ones and pretty damn intricate. It comes down to an issue of trust in any case on these subjects.

Consider also what Republicans are going to run on. It's going to be "Stay the course" or really digging into Gays, Guns, & Abortion. Utterly irrational stuff and social issues. Success depends a lot more on how Democrats deal with it- say, face up to our side standing as it does on them, and telling voters "Aren't you getting tired of that crap Republicans always harangue about and never really have a solution for? Forget it, the game's decided, our side can't lose and their side can't win."

[rpannier]

29. Funny

I've heard our side make that argument in 88, I was at University and all I heard from 87-8 was how we had the pukes beat, the next Prez was gonna be a Dem. I heard it in 96 -- The public's gonna make the pukes pay for shutting down government. We took 8 House seats and lost 2 Senate Seats. In the end we failed to control either house of Congress We were gonna do so well in 2004 and we didn't.
I'm not sold that the games over. There's about 16 months til 2006 elections -- A lot can happen in that amount of time.

[senseandsensibility]

23. If we had any brains

social security and Iraq. Of course, that's an open question.

[Nancy Waterman]

25. Moving America to the Post-Petroleum Economy

of the 21st Century

Moving away from this heightened militaristic society and reclaiming our heritage of creativity and real strength

[whyverne]

27. Someday, somebody is going to have to be honest.

Even though the Repubs will say "Pessimism!", someone is going to have to admit that we have no markets.
The reason we went into a recession was that we made more stuff than we had people to sell to. That's why all this corporate welfare is just so stupid. Yes, businesses do create the jobs, but without someone to sell the widgets to, there isn't much sense in making more widgets.
And the angry neocons rallying cry of "We don't care what the rest of the world thinks!" might be fun for them but also stupid. It's like putting a sign up in your restaurant, "We really don't care what you think". And they are supposed to be the great businessmen!
I know "It's the trade deficit, stupid" isn't a very sexy point, but it is one of the most important ones.

[AndyTiedye]

32. We Used to Have, Before Bushco Pissed Off All Our Customers

Now it just isn't cool in other countries to buy American stuff anymore.

All this stuff about it being OK to be hated as long as you are feared
doesn't make for good customer relations!

Turning the mad cowboys over to the Hague for war crimes would be very
good for business!

[KingFlorez]

28. Here's what I'd do

Try and move the social issues off the front burner, because they are a front for real issues. Run a "Bring the Troops Back" campaign with a withdrawal plan from Iraq, focus more on job creation and expose the Republicans outsourcing to other countries.

[welshTerrier2]

31. Democracy, Renewing the American Dream, Peace and Prosperity

Senator Byrd is one of the few Democrats who seems to "get it" ... he waves his Constitution around and talks about how many have lost sight of what our country should be all about ... yeah, perhaps it's a bit "fluffy" but Americans are drowning in cynicism as our democratic institutions are collapsing under the weight of greed and arrogance ...

it is way past time for Democrats to promise Americans, and America, a fresh start ... you want specifics? how about banning paid lobbyists completely? how about fighting for laws that would make being paid as a lobbyist to "influence" the government a crime just like bribery?

Americans want their government to work the way it says it should in the textbooks that school children use ... Democrats should call for a new American Revolution and ask Americans to work with them to throw the greedy, money grubbing imperialists out of Washington ...

and Democrats must stop cowering in the corner on foreign policy ... trying to out-macho the military-industrial imperialists is bad for the Party, bad for the country and bad for the cause of global peace ...

and finally, jobs ... how do we do it? easy ... tax incentives for companies that create jobs ... punitive taxes to companies that export jobs ... rework or eliminate NAFTA, WTO and don't even get me started on CAFTA ... if trans-national corporations want to participate in the American marketplace, they will create jobs in this country ... any company executive who moves his operations overseas should be kicked out of the country ...

that's enough for starters ... maybe Americans would like to really believe the Democratic Party is on their side for a change ...

[Pepperbelly]

33. All politics are local ...

I have never seen a successful PARTY congressional campaign ran on theme. It will all depend upon local conditions.

[rpannier]

42. Contract with America

got the pukies pretty damn far.

[Pepperbelly]

43. very true ...

at the same time, in my recollection, that is both the first AND the last time something like that happened.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

34. U.S. out of Iraq? (crickets)

[rfkrfk]

36. The three best issues will be...Koran abuse, Kerry's VietNam service

and shrub's goofy National Guard service.
We need to constantly bring up issues that
vitally important to the average voter.

[enough already]

37. Keep it Simple

1. Immediate withdrawal from Iraq.
2. Closing the gulag at Gitmo.
3. Impeachment hearings when we win back the House.

[rhett o rick]

38. No War and no torture. nt