Democrats: No Unified Message? HERE'S HOW TO WIN!! -->

[Dr. Jones]

This is SERIOUSLY making me upset. It's so simple how to win the public over and to retake Congress. Here's how:

1) First and foremost, TALK TOUGH ON TERRORISM. What is it that caused people to vote for Bush? HIS TOUGH STANCE ON TERRORISM. I cringed when I saw Tim Kaine give the Democratic response to the State of the Union speech. At a time when people are psychologically conditioned to fear another attack, and self-preservation is foremost on their minds, this guy talks about who the hell knows what, saying "there's a better way?" A better way for WHAT? He never really said! Dems - TALK TOUGH ON TERRORISM. Dispel the myth that Dems are soft on terrorism. Tell the American people exactly how you plan to fight terrorism in this country, abroad, and how you will win the war in Iraq. Tell them in no uncertain terms that you are serious about protecting the people WITHOUT infringing on their civil liberties.

2) Scandals - Emphasize current scandals in the Bush Administration and how you plan to clean up Congress. Explain to the American people just what Bush has done - Talk about DeLay, Abramoff, Frist, and Bush's cronyism and incompetence (particularly in responding to Katrina).

3) Ask the question - how can Bush protect us after another attack when he couldn't even get to the Gulf Coast in FOUR DAYS!! He can't! But the Dems CAN because we have a PLAN! Ask the question - Why does Bush want to have the UAE, a country that has harbored terrorists and financed terrorism, to take over critical port operations in our country? Isn't this a flip-flop? Isn't this being soft on terrorism, even rewarding them?

4) Appeal to faith. Of course it was the religious right that gave Bush much of the vote. They worship the guy. What if a Democratic candidate came along and also talked about faith and how important faith is? Would this not draw away some of Bush's base? Of course it would! Note: The candidate's faith should be real, I do not advocate fakery in that area. We already have a faker in office. Edit to add: Some oppose this point on the grounds that the Democrats should leave faith out of it altogether and rather discuss Democratic values. This argument actually has merit. It could be said that people, even people of faith, are growing increasingly wary and sick of Bush calling himself a Christian and then doing things that are totally antithetical to the faith. Therefore, there could be a backlash, and it may in fact be advantageous for Democrats to stick with Democratic values and leave religion/faith out of it altogether.

5) FIGHT Dammit, FIGHT!! The Dems are so unwilling to stir the pot a little. For lack of better words - they need to GET A SPINE and STOP MEALYMOUTHING. They need to HIT BUSH WHERE IT HURTS. I mean REALLY whack the man! Bush's "tough stance" and "tough talk" is part of what won him the election as well...Dems need to realize this and use it back on him.

I could go on ad infinitum, but I just hope the Democrats will take this to heart.

Democrats Struggle To Seize Opportunity
Amid GOP Troubles, No Unified Message

By Shailagh Murray and Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, March 7, 2006; Page A01

News about GOP political corruption, inept hurricane response and chaos in Iraq has lifted Democrats' hopes of winning control of Congress this fall. But seizing the opportunity has not been easy, as they found when they tried to unveil an agenda of their own.

Democratic leaders had set a goal of issuing their legislative manifesto by November 2005 to give voters a full year to digest their proposals. But some Democrats protested that the release date was too early, so they put it off until January. The new date slipped twice again, and now House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) says the document will be unveiled in "a matter of weeks."
Campaign 2006: Key Races

Some Democrats fear that the hesitant handling is symbolic of larger problems facing the party in trying to seize control of the House and Senate after more than a decade of almost unbroken minority status. Lawmakers and strategists have complained about erratic or uncertain leadership and repeated delays in resolving important issues.

The conflict goes well beyond Capitol Hill. The failure of congressional leaders to deliver a clear message has left some Democratic governors deeply frustrated and at odds with Washington Democrats over strategy.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/01/AR2006030102193.html?referrer=email&referrer=email

[mattclearing]

1. This Post story is crap.

If you look hard enough, it's easy to find people who aren't on board with the strategy.

The Post will always be able to find some unnamed clown who will say, "We disagree with where they're going on this."

The GOP is twice as divided as the Democratic Party is right now, but you wouldn't know it because no one is reporting it that way.

[FSogol]

2. Nice Post, especially #5. Kick and Recommended

I also agree that the Post story is crap. The outline probably came straight from Rove's desk.

[Savannah Progressive]

3. Yeah that's it, we can out Conservative the Repugniks

We can bring in a new era of the Far Right Wing Democrats and beat them at their own game. I suggest we first beat John McCain to the finish line, and pass a law requiring the Military to shoot anyone crossing the boarder from Mexico. We can quickly follow that up by deploying land mines along the boarder to protect ourselvs from Terrorists.

While we are at it, we can sponser all sorts of School Prayer programs, Abstinance Only educational programs, and of course, we would have to throw huge piles of money at anything "defense" oriented because that is the only way to show we are truly Conservative. :sarcasm:

Sorry, we can't and shouldn't even consider trying to out conservative the Repugniks. If they are wrong, and they are, we shouldn't vote with them even once on their bullshit issues. We should throw the polls away. If a majority of people polled think that it's a good idea to bomb mexico for invading us, IT WOULD STILL BE WRONG.

[Dr. Jones]

12. Yikes.

It isn't necessary or wise (obviously) for any Democrat to become like-minded with conservative Republicans! What would be the point? But it IS necessary, however, for Democrats to begin to walk the walk and talk the talk that will win elections and establish a kinder, friendlier Federal Government that is for the people, by the people, and of the people.

As to the issues you raised:

1) We should not shoot people coming across the Mexican border, but remember, because Bush has left the borders completely open without proper surveillance, thousands of terrorists from many unfriendly countries have already crossed over into our country. For a "president" who claims to be so tough on terrorism this is a misnomer and a flip-flop. Furthermore, remember that people can come to our country legally, and they can come in illegally. If we want to be consistent, we have to say that people sneaking into our country without proper authorization and paperwork are doing so ILLEGALLY, and this must be enforced.

2) Democrats need to talk tough on terrorism, but this does not mean continuing to spend as much as Bush is currently spending. In fact, Dems should hit on the fact that much of the money has been transferred to huge defense contractors, namely, Halliburton, VP Cheney's former company (CONFLICT OF INTEREST!). Dems should criticize Bush for not giving enough money for soldiers to buy their own body armor, and how our men and women in uniform were dumped there without what they needed to fight this war and win. Dems should promise to clean up defense spending while winning the war on terror, AND finally providing what the soldiers really need to keep safe.

I don't believe any of this is trying to "out-conservative" the conservatives. It is simply assuming some of the tactics of the opposition, customizing those tactics, and using them to win.

I personally believe the Democrats should always present their arguments this way: "Here's what Bush has done wrong, and here's how we're going to fix it."

[derby378]

4. My advice: Forget terrorism, cronyism, and faith (at least for now)...

The Democratic Party is the party of the working American, the party of every man and woman who believes in honest work for honest pay, the party of every CEO and assembly-line worker who understands that we all must work together in order for America to endure, to remain strong and vibrant, and to reassert its ideals of freedom and justice in an increasingly violent world.

I think that should be our starting point. You can derive arguments about terrorism, cronyism, and faith from there.

[IndyOp]

8. We have to deal with the security issues - as important to working America

...the Dubai ports deal offers us a 'teachable moment' - selling off our resources, selling off our security.

:kick:

[Armstead]

9. Great Post

You summed it up in a nutshell.

Get back on the side of workers and honest businesses, and restore the basic concept that "We're all in this together" as a direct assault on the GOP CONservative mantra of "Every man for himself."

All othr positions can flow from that if the Democrats start restoring that as a core value and -- most importantly -- really mean it and do something about it.

[Webster Green]

5. I agree....except for the "faith" stuff.

It creeps a lot of people out......me included.

[IndyOp]

6. "faith" stuff freaks people out for good reason:

Emphasize positive values - ALWAYS - pro-labor; pro-child; anti-war; pro-health-care-for-all. Democratic principles speak for themselves.

Faith - keep it out:

[Dr. Jones]

11. Indeed.

You have a good point. Please see my edit per #4 in my original post.

[BlueEyedSon]

7. Obesity is a greater risk to americans that Terrorism

http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/ap_060302_obesity.html

The terrorism hype is a trick.

[DUgosh]

10. If you're not against corruption,selling port security, wiretapping

You must be for *