Bush approval ratings at 41%! What possible reason can the Dems

[saracat]

have now for not going for his throat? The time is now! They need to join Kerry and attack. It is now or never.They just take a stand on Roberts about the abortion issue and say so!89% of Americans say they want to keep it legal! Why arr we continuing to kiss fundamentalist ass?

[Mass]

1. Here is what some Democrats say

This may explain why some people in the Senate are waiting, and one of the reasons all these DLC good/DLC bad talks are going up on GDP.

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=253471&kaid=86&subid=84

In short, voters don't know what Democrats stand for. Why should they? For the most part, congressional Democrats, DNC Chairman Howard Dean, and the party's new Internet activists have delivered a largely negative and pessimistic message -- talking more about what's going wrong than how to make it right.

...


Think about the future, not the past. Forget about President Bush. He's the past, a lame duck who is increasingly irrelevant. He's not on the ballot in 2008. Democrats should not let their anger toward the president blind them from seeing the path to victory.

[Island Blue]

2. I think in addition to articulating what we stand for,

Democrats (both those in power and those of us on the sidelines) should also begin to strongly link Bush's* many, many failures to the Republican party in general. After all, if the Repukes didn't control EVERYTHING, perhaps Bush* wouldn't be seen as such a gigantic failure because not all of his policies would have been rubber stamped (like they have been by the Repukes in the Senate and House).

Bush = ALL REPUBLICANS.

[Mass]

3. I would be happy to see that, but it does not seem to be the plan

Happily, some of those Congressional Democrats just fight for that, and understand it is important.

[sandnsea]

6. No freakin' kidding

He's a "George Bush Republican", they should all be saying that all the time.

[sandnsea]

4. What does Hillary stand for?

I know what John Kerry stands for, I know what Howard Dean stands for.

Hillary? What is her position on abortion, Iraq, terrorism? I really don't know. The only ones who don't know what they stand for, at this point in time, is the DLC.

How do we give them a clue?

[Mass]

5. opposition to video games?

[sandnsea]

7. No

Opposition to video game companies that try to cheat the ratings system. Just want to be clear on that. ;)

Video games, :eyes:

[TayTay]

8. You're not kidding on Kerry

He has been extremely consistent in his views this year. (And yes, he was before. I am just talking '05.) He has laid out a consistent plan of what he feels the most pressing needs in America are today and has presented a consistent critique of the * Admin that primarily faults it for issues of 'accountability and responsibility.'

Hillary is going forward by fighting the last war and she believes, as do many DC Dems, that the next Pres battle will be, essentially, another referendum on the War in Iraq. She is placing her bets at the table that positioning herself as a defense hawk and that taking on 'moral issues' such as the flap over porn embedded in video games that are accessible to kids will inoculate her against charges of being a soft lefty.

Kerry is not fighting the last war. He has moved forward. He seems to be (hey, who died and made me Gawd. 'Seems to be' means I'm just talking for myself here) placing bets that by the time '08 rolls around Americans are going to be good and sick of GWB and his slimy deals and scandals. The critiques of the * Admin are critiques against an Admin that has lied to the American people, failed on ethical matters and sold out the working people of America who voted for morality and got scandal in return.

Add to that the numerous things that Mr. Kerry has stood FOR in this Congress and you begin to see what the pattern is going forward and how it (at this very, very early stage) differentiates from the rest of the pack that might run in '08:

Consistent stand on Small Business Issues that want the SBA to actually work for small businesses.

Health care is in crisis mode in America. Too many Americans have no coverage and too many more have insufficient coverage. This is working against small business and is having a huge affect on the ability of American business to compete fairly in the global marketplace. The Kids First bill is an example of trying to get the alleged 'compassionate conservatives' to at least provide some coverage for the most vulnerable group in America. (How can Rethugs not do this? Oh yeah, it might interfere with their plan to give more money in tax cuts to the rich. For shame, for shame.) We as a nation can and should do better. (Notice in all the speeches and releases that idea that we don't have to put up with this and can do better. This essential note of optimism is a wonderful and necessary thing. We need optimism, it's sooooo American.)

Read the releases on the other major issues (or 'felt needs') that are piling up. Now tell me what pattern you see and how it differs from some of the other good folks out there running?