Does our party need new ideas? Do you have any?

[Guaranteed]

I've been thinking (seriously), and in order to take leadership of our country back from the Republicans I think we need some new ideas. It's important for us to stand strong on our values, but it's also important for us to come up with new issues and have some vision.

For example, the alternative fuels issue. This one is a no-brainer, not even original. Its benefits are so unbelievably obvious that it's amazing that our leadership hasn't pushed harder on it. I think it should be at the very top of our agenda.

But there are also smaller, more creative issues. The one I keep encountering myself is all of the credit card junk mail I get on a daily basis. This garbage piles up around my house, since it can't just be thrown away anymore due to the identity theft issue, until I finally get around to shredding it. As I'm shredding it, I get so angry. My CC company is sending me CHECKS every week, unrequested? Not to mention all these applications. This is a serious security risk- and, more than that, it's a goddamn hassle! I'm sick of it. I think the Democrats should crack down on this.

So, what are some of your ideas? They don't have to be big- but big ones are great, too.

[Nikki Stone 1]

1. I'd like to see a REDUCTION in the number of standardized tests kids take

In high school, teachers can lose up to a month of instruction time because of the many different standardized tests kids have to take.

I would also like to see a kids civil rights amendment that prevents the government from psychological surveys and mandatory medication, a bill that is in Congress now and will probably pass at some point under the radar.

[blm]

2. I think we have the strongest, wisest platform a bigtent party can have.

What we don't have is massive effort to expose the two obstacles to pushing our progressive agenda through - the GOP control over most of the broadcast media and the electronic voting machines.

If we tackle those issues en masse and as an organized party eddort, we win...BIG.

[Guaranteed]

4. I think our two most important issues

are media deconglomeration and alternative fuels/energy.

But I think we need to be creative, as well, and find new issues that help us connect with people. Even if it's small, the right issue can go a long way if it paints our party in a good light.

And we just need some kind of issue to take leadership with, that most everyone can agree on, anyway. It would be nice not to be following all the time.

[LTRS]

3. Yes the do have to be big

... and they have to start with a plan to get out of Iraq and deal with the blow back.

Honest to goodness, I know you must mean well, but this junk is why we lose. We need very big ideas the address the most pressing concerns of the voters.

Gas prices are one, yes. The war. An effective homeland security program. Healthcare. Wages. Jobs. Preserving SSI.

But you are right on one thing -- even the most pressing and obvious issues haven't been able to move our democratic politicians to get off their collective rear ends and present any solutions (that haven't been nuanced to death and are consequently incomprehensible, a la John Kerryspeak).

WE (DU) can come up with plans from now until eternity, but if our party won't get off their butts and even act as the opposition let alone come up with plans of their own there is nothing we can do but stop voting for them, stop donating to them, and stop working for them. SOMETHING has got to send them a message.

[Guaranteed]

5. No, this "crap" isn't why we lose.

We lose because we don't act with principle.

New ideas mean new principles.

I'm not talking gimmicks. There's a lot out there that's being ignored right now.

Think about the CC junkmail issue. It's actually much bigger than the 5 minutes that it takes to shred it.

[LTRS]

9. People aren't going to base their vote

on whether or not a politician supports legislation about junk mail. In fact, they would have their ass laughed off every podium if they even brought something like that up while there are actual serious issues going on.

[Guaranteed]

12. No, they won't. The point is that they base their vote

on someone who has ideas that they can relate to and agree with IN PRINCIPLE.

Even if it means standing up to big, bad MBNA. That's the idea. That's the bigger picture.

[LTRS]

17. Uh huh, okay

But no, not really. I hate to break this to you, but who they vote for is the guy who speaks DOWN to their level about things that really REALLY matter to them (not annoyances, but REAL issues) and sounds like the biggest bad ass while doing it.

Our politicians don't even get that, so I mean no offense by saying you don't seem to get it either. But that IS the bottom line.

[Nikki Stone 1]

6. Energy conservation and tolerance...we already have those, don't we?

:)

[wli]

7. end felon disenfranchisement

... interestingly, it is rather likely to get a buttload of new Democratic voters on the rosters.

[wli]

8. end the war on drugs -- it's too expensive to hold all those prisoners n/t

[Mountainman]

10. I think we should build government sponsored auto factories to build

fuel efficient affordable cars to compete with the auto industry that does not want to build such cars. We could hire the unemployed to create jobs. We could supply all the raw materials and sub assemblies from plants all over the country. This is similar to the civilian conservation corps during the depression. It would be better than spending billions in Iraq to capture their oil production.

After the cars are a success we would turn the ownership of the plants over to the workers.

[welshTerrier2]

11. here's a "little" idea ...

i have all sorts of ideas about America's role in the world, dealing with lobbyists, and increased job security for workers ... it's really not clear what political impact these issues would really have ... well, maybe with the exception of a clear jobs program ...

but if you want to look at issues that have a very direct effect on most people's lives, think about things that affect most of us every single day ...

my little idea is to start focussing a little more on "quality of life" issues ... and one of the biggies is traffic, overcrowding, urban and suburban sprawl, and poor urban and suburban planning ... some may argue that this should not be an issue for the federal government ... but it is an issue that affects more and more of our population ... commuting to work in urban areas can take hours ... there is stress ... there are accidents ... there are way too many highway deaths ... we lack open space and parks ... and builders and developers just keep building more and more and more with virtually no restrictions ... in the West, there are serious problems supplying water to people ...

we don't need to have a rigidly controlled, centrally planned country ... but neither should we allow the insanity of the free market a completely unrestrained hand ...

perhaps there are some opportunities to propose changes that could improve the daily quality of life for millions of Americans ...

[Guaranteed]

13. Yes. nt

[Wizard777]

14. War Crimes and treason trials for Bushco.

[Dr Fate]

15. Substantial middle class tax cuts. n/t

n/t

[TankLV]

16. Don't compliment or say anything nice about bunkerboy or a repuke - ever!

Don't have to badmouth them, but goddamit, I choke every fucking time some dem acutally COMPLIMENTS one of the bastards!

All John/Jane Q. Public comes away with is "gee, even the dems like this guy, and say good things about him - he must be OK!

Stay on message, but DON'T EVER SAY A GOOD THING ABOUT A REPUKE!