Check in with what Obama/Dems need to do now.

[RBInMaine]

The main thing they need to learn from this loss is that it was a mistake to shift from a transformational style to a transactional style after 08. Obama thought he had an electoral mandate that would carry him through as he negotiated legislation. What he needed to do was LOUDLY, CLEARLY, and EMOTIONALLY keep his HOPE AND CHANGE MOVEMENT going to power his legislative agenda at the grassroots nationally: a people-powered government. In a recession, people are scared, nervous, depressed, and frustrated. Obama needed to use his strength of communication to bolster confidence, assure the people of his sense of empathy, and continue to inspire them much as Hughey Long and FDR did. Instead he and his team went into policy wonk legislation negotiation mode hoping to compromise with a party that never wanted to work with him, and he lost his national voice and national movement. (Yes, these views echo the recent LA Times OP ED that makes the same points.)
He needed instead to go BOLDLY forward into the fray as the new champion of the people that he was elected to be. Not that there could be no compromise at all. Some has to occur to get legislation passed. And he had a diverse Dem caucus to deal with. But he needed to stay in transformational campaign mode and keep his movement going. Obama/Dems DID accomplish a LOT of good legislation, but it was done without the loud backing of an energized base.

Now Obama needs to change style gears. He needs to spend LOTS of time outside Washington and in those town halls and backyard meetings and on tv and on radio shows standing up for his beliefs, contrasting himself with the R's, and re-building the unprecedented political movement that got him elected. He and Dems need to UNITE in this approach, UNITE in their message, and make the next two years the new MADE IN AMERICA and REBUILDING THE MIDDLE CLASS era in contrast to the R's "Return To Trickle Down And Deregulation" approach.

If they do this, and if the economy recovers enough, they will do very well in 2012.

** They also need to make a HUGE issue out of Citizens United corporate theft of our democracy, and some progressives with bucks out there need to invest in progressive media once and for all.

Effective politics is mostly about effective communication. It needs to start and end there. Other thoughts?

[3waygeek]

1. Right on target...

we need FDR, but we got Clinton redux.

[RBInMaine]

2. BUT, Clinton got re-elected and left office at 60% approval. He'd have won a third term. He also

made the R's look like fools when they went for a government shutdown. That man is a GREAT communicator and as effective a leader as Kennedy was.

[That Guy 888]

3. And caused a lot of damage by having to cooperate with the goppers n/t

[denimgirly]

5. I wouldnt go that far....

he is a DLCer and had no problems selling the people out on issues to make small groups lots of money

[That Guy 888]

4. They need a strategy to deal IMMEDIATELY with consolidated media and the Citizens United decision

It doesn't look like they are even working on it. I desperately hope I'm wrong.

With the current media President Obama's successes have been ignored and his critics enabled. Howard Dean's campaign was derailed by the media (the deceptively edited "Dean Scream"). The 2000 election decision had many examples including a bush relative calling Florida for *, as well as who the members of the "Brooks Brothers protesters" really were.

As for the Citizen's United, unless something is done, only corporate-dems will be candidates. Real news about candidates won't be covered by the media arms of multinational corporations, and the wealthy elites will money-bomb low information voters into believing anything.

My subtle-as-a-sledgehammer solutions? Break up the media monopolies with current anti-trust laws, and impeach Allito, Roberts, and Thomas for lying under oath to Congress. Unfortunately, if impeachment is "off the table" for war crimes I imagine it is for lying under oath... at least until the next congress gets in session, when there will probably be at least one impeachment hearing unfortunately.

[denimgirly]

6. No Chance on the Citizen United -- When it involves BIG MONEY Democrats NEVER attack it

they may play around the edges but they will never, ever fight against legislation that directly or indirectly could mean a lot of money for big business or the super rich. Unlimited campaign donations that can ultimately come back to passing laws that only benefit the few at the top is to good of a thing that no democrat will fight head on.

[icnorth]

8. A large number of Dems

in the halls of power are quite content with the trickle down largess of the corporate money machine. The Washington Generals would approve this message.

[OHdem10]

7. Get spines, Be ready to get out and on TV. When GOP hurls

lies and smears get on TV and set the record straight
immediately.

Select some members who are good on TV. Get them
prepared . Every Democrat on the Hill learn the
issues and be prepared to fight back.

Go on the offense. Always waiting and having to
play defense is a LOSING STRATEGY.

No matter how much good you do --if the American
people do not know about it, does it really matter???No

[Bluzmann57]

9. Simple

They need to state their goals and stick to them. Show some spine and don't back down.