Texas as a Microcosm - Dare to Fight and Dare to Win!

[David Van Os]

The specifics of this writing are about Texas, but the message relates to everywhere.

The Texas statewide Democratic vote for state offices in the last 3 non-presidential general elections (1994, 1998, and 2002) was not representative of the Democratic base. The Democratic base is much bigger than the votes the Democratic statewide candidates received in those elections, but the party's message in each of those elections was not designed to motivate growth in the base voter turnout. Even when a Latino candidate and an African-American candidate were put at the top of the ticket in 2002, the consultantocracy made sure that those candidates' campaigns did not convey strong populist messages of the kind that would speak to the base vote. I am convinced that strong populist Democratic campaigns appealing directly to the Texas Democratic base will wake the slumbering parts of our base from the sleep they have been in since at least 1994.

It is time to reject the "avoid polarization at all costs" strategy, the "take no risks" strategy, the "appeal to everybody" strategy, and the "chase the middle" strategy. It is time to remember what Jim Hightower told us 20 years ago, "there's nothin' in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos." It is time to cease the followership strategies of scripting campaigns on the basis of what people thought yesterday in polls, and assert the leadership strategies of campaigning for what we know to be right based on our deepest convictions of what we want for tomorrow. It is time to stop worrying about whom we might offend if we speak truth to power, and start worrying about what value are our lives if we don't speak truth to power.

It is time to cherish partisan Democrats and reject nonpartisan Nothingcrats. It is time to forget "right-left" analysis and install "right-wrong" analysis. It is time to replace the "liberal-conservative" spectrum with the "liberty-tyranny" spectrum. It is time to stop worrying about how to get money from big donors and start worrying about how to get more money into working people's paychecks. It is time to fight for better lives for voters instead of peddle promises to voters. It is time to treat public office as a duty, not a promotion. We must fight for the people, not in order to win their votes, but in order to win them justice.

When we Democrats as the heirs of the noblest political tradition in the world - the tradition of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Franklin Roosevelt, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, James Stephen Hogg, Ralph Yarborough, Ann Richards, and millions of unsung Democratic heroes - learn and relearn and apply these things, the people will know we are there for them and they will turn to us, because they are in need and have been in need for a long time. The more courageously and more vigorously we fight for the people against economic, cultural, and political tyranny, all the sooner will they turn to us. When that happens we will be prepared to win for the
people, because we will already be thinking like winners and conducting ourselves as winners. We will dare to fight and dare to win.

David Van Os
Democratic Candidate
For Texas Attorney General 2006
www.vanosfortexasag.com

[Vincardog]

1. Well said David Kicked and nominated and WELCOME TO DU

We will dare to fight and dare to win
because we will already be thinking like winners and conducting ourselves as winners.

[Vincardog]

13. HEY DU can we click his link and send a little money down to David?

I know we are always looking for our "Leaders" to stand up for Real Democratic Principals.
Well here it is.
We have the chance to help a real progressive candidate here.

The best part is just imagine the looks on the RePigLicking faces when the Peoples Lawyer starts to actually DO HIS JOB?

Had enough? Support and Vote Democrat.

This is our chance to strike a real blow against the FASCISTS thugs.

[acmejack]

2. Amen!

Every word is God's truth!

[madfloridian]

3. Well, welcome. Not from Texas, but recommending this post.

Many of us who watched the Texas races like your fightin spirit. Sending a little your way.

[David Van Os]

4. Thank you...

...for your encouragement. You honor me.

David Van Os

[PDittie]

5. The man speaks

truth to power.

Did y'all know Jim Hightower has endorsed David, and will speak at his filing day party in Austin on Saturday, December 3?

"David Van Os will fight for the people against the special interests. He is a genuine, old-fashioned Texas truth-teller who says what he means and means what he says. He is an authentic voice of the people in the proud tradition of Texas populists of the past like Jim Hogg and Ralph Yarborough. With David as the Attorney General of Texas, the people will have a lawyer who represents them for a change. I enthusiastically support David Van Os to serve as our next Attorney General, and I urge you to help put him there."

-- Jim Hightower

[400Years]

6. Hey! Welcome to DU

I've actually spoken to you personally and on email a few times a couple of years back. Mostly through communications about the PPC.
I also had my mom and a bunch of her friends go see you speak with Ronnie Dugger down in Houston.

Anyway, welcome aboard.

[TomInTib]

7. I had the pleasure of accidentally meeting David Van Os and..

his wife over breakfast in a Dallas hotel. I walked into the restaurant and overheard the only two diners in the place talking about Danger Man. So of course I sat right next to them.
What a couple of great people.
If all politicos were like David this would be a far better place.
Every Texan DUer should go all out for David in 2006. The AG of Texas is a very powerful position and David Van Os could get some things done.

on edit:
I forgot to say that the points he makes here are perfect. That's how the Dems started getting trashed at the pols (the accuracy of which can be discussed at a later date). We need a message, not a massage.

[WestHoustonDem]

8. Kick and recommended!

Hi David. Let's take back Texas! Welcome to DU!

[yowzayowzayowza]

9. Welcome!

Glad ta see ya participating here!!!!

Yer rite, we gotta get back to our populist rootz!!!

[PurgedVoter]

10. Heard you in the Bryan Public Library

You've got my vote.

[YOY]

11. Good luck...

A good first step might be blowing up Amarillo...outside of Stan Marsh III I can't think of many usefull people there.

If you're running for Attorney General I'm sure you might have heard of the Brian Deneke case from back in '97 (?). It has made me hate Amarillo and the right wing hypocrites that make-up the reddest part of Texas.

I hope you win. I'd like to start thinking Texas justice means something other than a right-wing lynchmob's bloodlust for all that is not them.

[TexasLawyer]

12. A fellow Texan gives you

a big kick. (The good kind).

[Lone_Star_Dem]

14. It's time for Texas Dem's to stop running over those dead armadillos

Get out of the center of the road and reach out the to the forgotten base. We are out there, we're just disillusioned, battered and bruised. Not to mention starving for someone to believe in again.

If you're willing to fight against corporate government, I'm willing to listen.

[Poet Lariat]

15. I like it!!!

"Insert much of this same dialog into National Democratic races and it resonates just as strongly. Seems like people are a little more reluctant to buy into the spin they've been hearing from the other side. Simple truth delivered from the heart might just work."

Thank you David...I for one am behind you all the way!

Recommending again!:patriot:

[madfloridian]

16. Hope you don't mind this picture.

It's a good one.

[amitten]

17. Right on. n/t

[bigbrother05]

18. As a former E. Texas resident, you have nailed it!

So glad to see someone with some gumption coming forward to reassert the Texas principles that can save the state from Delay and the assorted scoundrels and fools now running the state into the ground.

Just as it's clear Jimmy Carter and Ann Richards were credits to their party, one has to wonder.... What if Gerald Ford, a truly decent (if somewhat weak) man had won, would the Reaganites have been able to gain a strangle hold on the RNC? Had Clayton Williams, a real self-made Midland oilman (albeit given to sexist remarks at the wrong time), won, GW might still be running Poppy's friends companies into the ground.

We saw the rise of the GW demolition derby first hand. Had kind of a front row seat (think Forrest Gump) to what has now become the national malaise. The dirty politics, cronyism, destructive tax cuts, and just plain screw the little guy attitudes were all there to anyone who would look.

Think that at first, the Dems were holding to what they saw as the way Texas politics should be, plenty tough, but fair and with a certain Marquis of Queensbury rulebook. Think it took them a while to realize that the other side only believed in winning, governing and service was for the "help".

When some of the old Dems retired, like LT Gov Bob Bullock and the party chair (forget his name now), the vacuum was huge for their would be/eventual replacements. Just when they were needed most, the party leadership was learning on the job and made freshman mistakes and have been playing catchup ever since.

Based on the strength of the support from the good folks here that have met you and what appears to be starting off on the right foot, my hopes for the future of Texas has just brightened considerably.

The best of luck and keep coming back, we'll all want to hear the latest and send our support the best way we can.