Dems should take the smaller govt of the GOP and triangulate the message

[mandyky]

I have been thinking about this since the election (2004), and especially since Katrina and the in-your-face cronyism on the GOP side. Even states with GOP governors are doing the same cronyism at state level, Ernie Fletcher here in KY being one.

I posted this in another forum-
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5008521#5008553

First of all, Dems need to make clear the objective is to preserve states' rights but to make govt efficient and productive for solving problems for the people by allowing experimentation at state and local level. We need to stress that the GOP version of states' rights and smaller govt is merely to lower taxes and eventually be able to "drown the govt in a bathtub".

Secondly, we need to make the case that poverty, homelessness, healthcare and education solution, esp., are best handled at state level.

Thirdly, the federal cabinet level depts need to be oversight, studies, and accounting of where money goes and how it is spent, and if the programs implemented are working. Cabinet level federal officials should be working with their counterparts at state level and in some cases, cities with populations of 1 million or more, city level.

Other considerations -

States should have to submit a plan to the appropriate federal dept., and also the the citizens of their state for referendum.

State level dept heads may need to be changed to elected officials to avoid cronyism and waste. This might require changes in state constitutions in some or many cases.

I am thinking about emailing the DNC to see if we can work on this at party level. I will include a link to this thread so if you have specific ideas, please post.

[mandyky]

1. Just emailed this to the DNC

To whom it may concern,

I think that 2 issues Democrats could utilize in the upcoming elections are coming up with a web page that decodes "GOP Speak". Reform means destroy like the Social Security debacle and the names of bills like No Child Left Behind and Healthy Forests.

Secondly, we need to triangulate the smaller govt.
claim the GOP makes. We need to stress working on efficiency and practical purposes, not by hating it and wanting to drown it in a bathtub.

Perhaps we could start by blog entries on these 2 issues. I am also a poster at Democratic Underground, and have started threads on both topics in our Democratic Party forum.

Dems should take the smaller govt of the GOP and triangulate the message -
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=296&topic_id=5315&mesg_id=5315

Democrats need to decode GOP speak -
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=296x5316

I think you all are doing a great job at the DNC. Please don't let the DLC work against our core issues and principles.

Sincerely,
Marlene Jones
Richmond, Kentucky