Democrats do not need to be in a hurry to present "plans"....

[kentuck]

Because, no matter how many plans the Democrats may present at this time, there is nothing they can do to get them ratified. Because they do not have control of the House, the Senate, or the White House. The only folks that would benefit from a Democratic "plan" at this time are Republican partisans, who are looking to criticize the Democrats than offering any rational solutions of their own. And if you've noticed, they are the ones screaming the loudest for the "Democratic plan".

The Democrats will come out with a "plan" in due time. Their plan at this time is to defeat these radicals that have taken over our government and have driven us to near bankruptcy. Obviously their "supply-side" economics are a failure once again - they failed during the Hoover years, they failed during the Reagan years, and they have strike 3 with Bush Jr. Those that think Reagan practiced "supply-side" forget that he discarded that after about 2 years when the deficits got out of control and when he started raising taxes on everything except the wealthy, including those that were drawing unemployment compensation.

So why should the Democrats present a plan? So it can be criticized and torn down by the Republicans and can effectively distract people from the present disaster of their own governance? No. There is no hurry for a plan. They are in power. Let them come up with the answers. When we get in power, we will not ask the Republicans for their plan. We already know.

[SoFlaJet]

1. At the top of the list of our plans

should be a promise to do whatever it takes to lower these astronomical gas prices-which is something that this guy now hasn't even attempted.THAT one my democratic friends WILL resonate

[stevekatz]

15. easy to backfire

there's very little or nothing the government can do in the short term about gas prices, it's a big mistake to make promises they can't keep

[wryter2000]

2. Thank you

I almost got nasty in another thread at one of our own claiming we have no "plan." I come here to get away from RW talking points.

[William Seger]

3. Disagree

Contrary to popular opinion (even among some Democrats), Democrats do have an agenda and should be talking about it every chance they get. Otherwise, the Repug "no plans" spin gets traction (even among some Democrats).

[kentuck]

4. Any plan the Democrats present is worthless...

except to distract for the failure of the Republicans. We will present a plan in due time. And you can bet your bottom dollar it will be different from this failed Republican plan. The Repubs control everything. It is up to them to govern.

[William Seger]

8. It's not "worthless" if it gets people thinking

... and there's no good reason to wait for that. Otherwise, the one card that the Repugs will have to play this year is that Democrats are just obstructionists with no ideas for making things better.

[gulliver]

5. We should ask for the Republican Plan.

As with all things Rove, the GOP attack on our "lack of a plan" is a distraction from their own weakness. The simple fact is that the Republicans have even less of a plan than the Democrats. Iraq? Iran? North Korea? Katrina? Port security? PLAN??????????

Not only should we not cough up a plan of our own, we should be stomping their guts out on their lack of a plan for six years.

[brentspeak]

6. (Very) incorrect. The Democrats won't get elected unless

they can persuade the electorate that they, the Democratic party, knows how to fix the many problems this nation is currently facing. People want to vote FOR a candidate, not necessarily AGAINST the other one. If you don't believe that, just take a look at all the millions who voted for Bush in 2004 even though they were increasingly troubled by the Iraq War.

Obviously, the Democratic party shouldn't quickly cobble up some plan simply for the sake of saying "Look! We have a plan." It has to make sense.

The Republicans are ALWAYS going to try to denigrate Democratic proposals -- why on earth would the Democrats act like wimps, and be afraid to speak about their own policies?

[kentuck]

7. Nobody is saying Democrats don't need a plan....

They need one before the election - just not right now. Why help pull Bush's nut out of the fire? Why help the Repubs? Yes, they will need to offer a plan before election.

[brentspeak]

12. OK, maybe not this very day. But no later than say, a month from now

The public needs to be won over by Democratic candidates well ahead of election time. Waiting until one or even two months before Election Day to market yourself and your proposals is a guaranteed, time-proven way of losing an election.

You're confusing the illogic of unnecessarily "piling on" politicians who are on the defensive during scandals with the mandatory responsibility for a candidate to make a good impression on the public very early on. Only a fool would sit still and remain silent while the other guy is sucessfully defining his opponent through negative campaigning. What happened after John Kerry heeded his advisors to keep quiet and not fire back while he was being slimed by the Swiftboat Veterans For "Truth"?

He lost.

[msgadget]

9. There is a DNC plan and individual candidates have plans

and to avoid talking about them because they'll be criticized is wimpy. Nobody votes for wimpy. Saying they should avoid such a distraction suggests they don't know how to fight...

[kentuck]

10. Well, if we had the MSM on our side.....?

Maybe you would be right...Why should you go looking for criticism of your own Party at this time - 7 months from election time? And it would be criticized.

[msgadget]

11. No, not looking to criticize,

looking to MOTIVATE, as in GO TEAM BLUE! Get out there and fight, we're with ya!! :bounce:

[kentuck]

16. Not criticism from you, but from the Repubs...

Whatever is put out is going to be criticized, don't you think?

[brentspeak]

18. Yeah, so...?

The Democrats are "going to be criticized" by the Republicans -- how is that different than every other day of the year? :dunce:

Democrats shouldn't talk loud and clear about how they would do things differently -- the Republicans might say something mean...

:crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

Who cares what the Republicans may or may not say? If I was a voter trying to decide which candidate to vote for, I'd have zero respect for the one who refuses to speak up until the last minute because he were afraid...:scared: ....to be challenged by the other guy.

Actually, if I was a voter trying to decide which candidate to vote for, I probably wouldn't even know about the one who didn't bother to show up until the last minute. How could I?

[kentuck]

22. "how is that different than every other day of the year?"

Because it would not be politically wise to simply give an advantage to your opponent on an issue just for the sake of it. As I state below, there are many issues the Democrats can use to put the Repubs on the defensive. Why give them an issue where they can put you on the defensive and they can get their polls back up? It just doesn't sound too smart to me. Just my opinion.

[msgadget]

26. Yes, I do think it will be for sure

but that's no reason to back away. I understand your point very well but am uncomfortable supporting their staying silent so as to avoid the rough and tumble. If they can't handle rhetoric or defend their positions while still doing damage to their foes, what hope should I have of them surviving in office where that happens daily?

[kentuck]

27. They shouldn't stay silent but...

talk about the issues we want to talk about - not the issues the Repubs want to talk about...Basically, that is the gist of it.

[Stinky The Clown]

14. We're playing the game on an uphill field, against two enemies

On the one hand, we have the repubs, all clamoring for a dem 'plan' so they can something to use as an enemy. They **always** need an enemy, cuz it is easier than having to stand on their own merits.

Next, we're fighting against a tide of biased media. It can be argued that the media and the repubs are one and the same. I see them as two distinct but cooperative entities.

In any case, we need to hold back and play the strategy VERY carefully. I can understand the calls for us to come out with 'plans' now - the dems calling for it want action NOW. The repubs just want something to knock down.

Smart money will go for careful strategy. That includes the timing of when we start talking about our 'plan'. I don't know when that pought to be, exactly, but I think it needs to be closer to the time Joe Sixpack starts paying more attention to the upcoming elections. That leaves less time for it to be knocked down and all we need to do is be relentless in our volume and our sticking to message. I actually think we'll be better at that this go-round.

[kentuck]

17. There are some "issues" that Dems can talk about ...

and the Repubs cannot attack:
such as balanced budget, which focuses people's attention on the huge deficits of the Repubs.
And minimum wage, which focuses attention on the loss of jobs and the loss of wages and the Republican lack of action.
And a more sane and rational foreign policy, which focuses attention on the calamity in Iraq.
And a compassionate and rational immigration policy, which focuses attention on the lack of any immigration policy from the Repubs...
And stem cell research, which focuses attention on the right-wing influence within the Republican Party.
And energy independence, which scares Repubs to death, with the present price of gasoline.
And trust, openness, and integrity in government and in our representatives which would focus on the the Republican lies and corruption, and which the Repubs would not wish to talk about.

There are other issues which need to be presented once we regain the House and/or Senate, such as healthcare, investigations of the corruption, exit plans for the war, tax plans etc. All these types of issues are crying for action but those are the ones the Repubs want the Democrats to use, so they can further divide the nation.

[Stinky The Clown]

13. kentuck ..... once again .....

.... you and I see pretty much eye to eye.

As always, your views seem, to me, spot on.

[AngelFactor]

19. This is more like it

The Republicans are screaming for a Democratic plan so the R's can attack the plan so no one will see the R's do not have a plan of their own. Hasn't anyone noticed that?

B B B

American Justice? Sure, so why is an attorney getting away with tampering with court documents even though he “inadvertently” filed three pages of emails detailing what was done with the court.

See for yourself: http://www.maximumadvocacy.com/Court_records.html , look on pages 25-27 of document 64.

Unbelievable. Priceless. Hilarious, if it wasn’t so sad but true.

How’s your faith in the justice system?

[madfloridian]

20. I recommended this sensible post.

Because I agree that everyone is clamoring for the plan...which BTW they mostly do have...so they rip it and shred it to pieces.

The GOP needs the Democratic plan because they don't know how to plan.

[brentspeak]

21. I DON'T recommend this insensible post

because I want the Democrats winning -- not losing -- this November.

[madfloridian]

23. Then support them, not attack them.

.

[brentspeak]

24. I'm not attacking them, I'm urging them

[madfloridian]

25. Then recognize when they do good things.

And they have done a lot of good things lately.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian

[Imagevision]

28. Dems will allow them to self desruct - Rove hasn't been indicted yet

that should wonders for GOP election plans, they afraid of allowing Bush/Cheney showing up for endorsement photo-ops? - no more advantage to phto-ops, these guyz can't be trusted, why be photographed with a loser?

[BR_Parkway]

29. Our plan is "to observe just how badly the GOP screws up so we can figure

out how to fix it for the good of everyday Americans, not just the super rich and corporate campaign lobbyists"