this will continue to be a problem until the Dems have a message. And a leader. As a matter of fact, I think a leader is more important. A leader will develop a message. Naturally the Media will then set out to destroy the leader.....but, you gotta start somewhere.
Posted by T2 at March 7, 2006 12:25 PMWell, the Democrats should have some sort of theme. The Democrat party consists of very splintered and fractured special interest groups who each have their own agenda; sometimes, the agenda conflicts with another of their special interest groups! So I can understand why it's hard to come up with a theme other than "Lets raise taxes." The only common denominator between the groups is that they always need more money to spend on something or another that never quite lives up to expectations.
Speaking of poll numbers, Barbara Boxer is down to 41%. Boy, that'd be a blessing if the Senate could go on without her next year.
Posted by muckdog at March 7, 2006 01:39 PMMarch is a great month to reviel your November message-If you want to give the GOP eight months to attack it. Between the crony contracts, the port deal and everything else there is plenty of time to build and run a national campaign. If the GOP campaign of 1994 is the model of how to takeover congress, and it should be for it is the last time that it happened, it should be noted that the "Contract with America" wasn't unvieled until six weeks before the election.
Posted by herbal tee at March 7, 2006 01:45 PMSpeaking of poll numbers, Barbara Boxer is down to 41%.
Posted by Muckdog
*********************************
Really? Where did you get that ? Got a Link?
Posted by Oaklander at March 7, 2006 01:52 PMEven if you thing the Dems should hold their cards for now, you can't say they are effectively bashing Bush and the Republican controlled Congress on their host of sins. If we aren't ready to defend our position, we should at least mount an offensive against theirs.
Posted by Via` at March 7, 2006 02:00 PMIf the Dems were smart they would get on board with the Progressive talking points. Like it or not, neither can live without the other if we want the same outcome; which is the repukes (reavers) groveling.
Posted by bbtb at March 7, 2006 02:03 PMWhat is the mantra of all effective marketing? Repetition. Repetition, repetition, tepetition.
That takes time. Want to get really horrified? Find the latest polling data asking Americans who controlls Congress. About 68% do.
We need a message right fucking now--it takes time for the message to soak in. Furthermore, I am greatly disturbed by the blithe assumption that Democrats can in fact create a message by...putting it off.
Horseshit. Ha, show me you can craft anything at all as a team before you tell me you can put it off 5 months. Uh-huh.
Posted by paradox at March 7, 2006 02:07 PMThere are obviously plenty of things to criticize Republicans for. But being in a position of no institutional power, and being the opposition party, the Democrats--as in the Social Security matter--can take great and vocal pride in the off-year elections in unanimously saying we are doing our best to keep the Republicans from making our country and our world a great deal worse than it is now. This may not be an itemized list, but as others have pointed out, why make one out in public when there is absolutely no power to begin to enact it. Blocking the continued worst that the Bushies can do is indeed a great positive good in itself. The very best the next Democratic president can do is to spend 4 - 8 years trying to undo the damage that the Bushies have caused (pick a policy area--any area--and try to find an example of an unfettered good that a de novo proposal can do without first having to clean up some kind of mess--fiscal, regulatory, unqualified political appointments,personnel, inefficient giveaways to corporations, etc.--that the Bushies will have caused).Again, not a sexy agenda--undoing the damage--but absolutely vital to the health of the American body politic. The worst part is, the Democrats will be blamed for the attempts to undo the damage--but it will still be necessary. What other message can there be?
Charles
Boxer at 41%, try closer to 55% and I've got a link.
Lest I be misunderstood, I'm not saying that Bush and allies shouldn't be critized. On spiefic issues by all means yes! What I'm saying is that as most Americans don't pay attention to who controlls congress until after labor day, the national theme shouldn't be pushed too early before most potential voters are paying attention.
Posted by herbal tee at March 7, 2006 02:30 PMSteve,
I'm so glad you posted about this.
Liberals always claim Dionne is on our team, yet time and time again, he sucks up to the right to gain access and score points with them by dissing the left.
The guy is just a creep.
Posted by Christopher at March 7, 2006 02:33 PMWe should hammer this home, repitition ala Paradox!
I was very happy to see what a progressive stood for in a national and state elections:
*Iraq War - Out now, leave no permanent bases, return property and sovereignty.
*Hold Bush administration accountable for lies and crimes.
*Veterans rights & Health care for all who served, DU screening.
*Universal health care
*Election integrity guarantees & clean elections
*Fair trade, including active support for organized labor.
*Protect Civil liberties and human rights.
*Strong anti-poverty measures.
*Katrina & Rita victims right to return and rebuild.
*Humane and economically responsible border & immigration policy.
*Effective regulation of corporate behavior (environment, health and safety, media).
*Alternative Energy Investment.
All are losers-not a winner in the list-we really do need to get out and listen-AND NOT JUST TO OUR CHOIR!
Posted by pigeon6 at March 7, 2006 03:39 PMcheney/bush will bomb Iran. The blood thirsty americans will rally round them. the dems will lose again (and so will america and the world).
Posted by jj at March 7, 2006 03:40 PMI think charles moore has inadvertently hit on a great theme for the Democrats in 06 and 08: "undoing the damage." It'd make a pretty snappy bumper sticker - "Vote Democrat - Undo The Damage." (:>
Posted by Donald Cormac at March 7, 2006 04:00 PMflying rat 6: Where's your "list of winners"?
Bomb Iran? Reinstate the draft? Print more money?
Posted by TIKI AL at March 7, 2006 04:03 PMStv, thnkng bt yr gvn pnt cncrnng yr rtnl xplnng th lck f chsv Dmcrtc pltfrm, sttng t s ‘t rly’ n th pltcl gm t tp yr hnd, sspct tht th ltrr rsn fr lck f Dmcrtc strtgy s bcs thy nt nly lv th stts q, bt tch bsnss s sl. ls, yr pnt s wll tkn bcs t shws th lck f cgntv dpth f r crprt pltcls n tht thy r nbl t nt nly grsp hstrcl, sclgcl, psychlgcl nd pltcl vls, bt bcm cnfsd n thr prrty strtgy. Thy dn’t wnt t tll vtrs wht thy nd t hr, (thy dn’t knw, nyhw) bt wht thy wnt t hr t bcm r-lctd, (nd ths hsn‘t chngd n 100 yrs). Th psychlgcl fctrs nvlvd wr drvn by r crprtn bys fr th vry sm pst 100 yrs, nd spclly snc th 60’s.
Ths s th vry ssnc f r nfntl mjrty f tyrnncl vtrs: thy nt nly lv wht thy s n th mrrr, bt lv wht thy s n DC, ll thrgh th ncrdbl fltr f bbysh tlvsn. Ths, hnst, drct, ntllgnt ppl, nd thr nn-mmbrs f th prfssn f gngstrs tht mst dlz s, ‘crprt lwyr,’ d nt stnd chnc t rcv th prty nd. Th prty nds ‘ffrmtv’ t nly ths tht ply by th crprt rls f pltcs. Ths s why r crprt bys r clld, ‘kngmkrs.’
Crp, Stv, r Dmcrts spprt nd strngthn th mlt-ntnls t th xpns f thr vry prnts: th vtng ctzns. Thy rb thr prnts dly fr slf gn. D r ctzns wnt t hr tht r crprtns r glty f RCC? N….Bt smn hs t tch ths rhds, nd t dsn’t ppr tht ‘smn’ s gng t rs p frm th Dmcrtc Rnks, tht’s fr crtn. thnk y s my pnt: th Dms dn’t hv ‘pln’ bcs thy lv th vmt f crprt hgmny, trtr, nbrn nfntcd, fthrlss chldrn n r cntry nd n th wrld, nd ths cntns t n nfnty f vlgrty. Hw mch wrs cn t gt? Wll, f r crprt prnts rb nd kll ts chldrn vtrs, ds th ppl fll fr frm th tr? N. S, r chldrn rb, mrdr nd plndr ch thr nd vryn ls, bth ‘lglly’ nd ‘llglly.’ gn, th Dmcrts mst stnd dwn, lk nt th mrrr, lst ll scl ssmptns, nd, ys, s th Bbl s n nsgn. Nt th Bbylnn crp f r Gdlss chrchs nd thr dmn spwn n th WH, Hll ’fft, nd th Crt ’Dprvty, bt hnst stdyng f th Bbl f th sm rdr s th bv dts stdy crprt dls sch s th kk Drwn, gmp Hwkngs nd mlqtst Cprncs, t nm fw.
Boxer (who was resoundingly reelected in 2004) won't be on the ballot in 2006. Or 2008.
But Santorum, DeWine, Talent and Burns will, and their ratings are lower.
The Dems do need 6 or so issues that they promise they will address if elected--health care, retirement security, moving toward energy independence, and redeploying out of Iraq, plus competent government and an end to corruption and cronyism. They don't need specifics, just say that Dems will attack the problems of ordinary people, not cater to business and the very, very rich, like the GOP does.
Posted by Mimikatz at March 7, 2006 04:03 PMflying rat 6: Where's your "list of winners"?
Bomb Iran? Reinstate the draft? Print more money?
Posted by TIKI AL at March 7, 2006 04:03 PM
I raise exotic pigeons, hence, Pigeon6, as well as other birds-Your comment of the "rat" exibits your intelligence-probably the same reason that your believe the path we are going is going to win elections-It is not. By the way, you are a stripper are you not?
I would like to wain elections for a change as much as the next person-some of the comments I see here tell me we will not.
Posted by pigeon6 at March 7, 2006 04:15 PMIn addition, the survey found U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer's approval rating among all 680 registered voters in the poll dropped to 41 percent, its lowest point in a Field Poll since 1997. DiCamillo said the Democrat's popularity has declined since she has taken a more partisan stance against President Bush.
Posted by muckdog at March 7, 2006 04:31 PMGoing local to some extent isn't exactly a bad idea, and that's exactly what Dr Gov Chairman Dean is aiming at.
Why it's downright grassrootian!
And really, pigeon6, actual issues that affect people are never losers, especially in a non-presidential year.
You got a better list, please share it with us!
Posted by Duckman GR at March 7, 2006 04:40 PM"To whom more is given, more is expected."
Progressives have set the standard for governing and the GOP gets credit for a 'gentleman's C' effort because it's part of the zeitgeist that Republicans are stupid and superstitious and more to be pitied, so the curve is MUCH lower for them.
It is expected that the Left will be educated and more competent and so the bar is higher.
It's a backassward compliment of sorts and as soon as the Democratic Congress (weak & lame though they be sheeesh) gets pissed and starts a ZERO TOLERANCE bullshit policy toward the bullies across the aisle, they'll win again...
Posted by Russ at March 7, 2006 05:26 PMpigeon6, You'll have to forgive us here in the Phoenix area who refer to pigeons as "roof rats", they are way over populated and shit everywhere. They build their nests in the cracks and crevices of our homes and do excessive damage to paint jobs on cars and houses. If this bird flu does come through here I just as soon not have an additional carrier to possibly infect my son.
Posted by bbtb at March 7, 2006 05:28 PMConsidering the fact that Bush's poll numbers in CA are in the toilet, I find it hard to believe that anyone would hold it against Boxer that she is being hard on Bush. Afterall, only about 1/3 of Californians approve of Jr. LOL! And what about 29% have a favorable opinion of Jr. Did you know that OJ Simpson has a favoribility rating of 25%? Wow, muck your hero is barely beating out OJ!
Posted by Ga6thDem at March 7, 2006 05:29 PMI felt that I was needing a pep talk this morning (still do) but it seems that the greatest pep talk that I can get is when the Progressives start to trash the Progressives.
Listen, the Dems DO have messages.
They have plenty of messages, and these messages are what Americans care about.
The only message that the Repukes have is trash the Dems and be very afraid. That is it. That is all that the Repukes have got. The Republicans have failed at every single other endeavor.
Our problem is the media. The media continues to attack the Dems and they continue this bullshit. Uh, isn't that what Steve's post was about?
MSM will not cover the truth.
I watched a brilliant press conference yesterday with Reid, Leiberman and Kent Conrad. Conrad is second in the budget committee and he is brilliant in economics. The PC was on America's insecurity.
They brought out charts and explained how our deficit and our debt create a weak America. They talked about plans. They talked about outsourcing. Reid let Bu$hCo have it. He did not hold back at all.
I saw not one blip in the MSM about it.
The Dems have messages, ideas, plans, agendas and leadership. What does it mean if the MSM will not cover it? Squat.
It is up to us, the people, to rally behind them and get the message out.
Our outrage must turn into public outrage so that the media will cover it. It is up to us. The media will follow us. We must change the psychology of the lobotomized masses following the infotainment that used to be news.
Ask not what your Democratic Party can do for you, ask what you can do for them!
Posted by Anjha at March 7, 2006 06:37 PMThe Impeachment Movement is in full swing.
The impeachment campaign is in full swing
Just last week tens of thousands of people participated in the People’s Impeachment Lobby by sending letters to their Congressional Representatives.
Last Thursday, New York City’s historic Town Hall Theatre in Times Square filled up with people supporting impeachment. The event was sponsored by Harper’s magazine. Many of those in attendance took the ImpeachBush.org/VoteToImpeach.org petitions home with them promising to collect signatures in the coming weeks.
Radio personality Garrison Keillor has just released an article entitled "Impeach Bush." and actor Richard Dreyfuss called for impeachment, while speaking before the National Press Club in Washington.
28 members of US Congress have now signed on to H Res 635, including US Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), the original co-sponsor. The current 28 total co-sponsors are Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN), Rep. John Olver (D-MA), Rep. Major Owens (D-NY), Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ), Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), Rep. Martin Sabo (D-MN), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Fortney Pete Stark (D-CA), Rep. John Tierney (D-MA), Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), and Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA).
BTW - 30 Something Dems on CSPAN live now - 8-9 pm PT.
They go on the floor of the House several nights a week and speak so that their words go into the Congressional Record.
They are talking about the Dem message.
Unfortunately one must watch the SPAN to hear the messages, they are not covered on MSM.
You can hear about all of the legislation that has been defeated or disallowed by the Repukes.
Posted by Anjha at March 7, 2006 08:19 PMcaged flying rat poop farmer 6: Your neighbors must LOVE you, bringing all of that 70 decible "cooing", and "exotic" gobs of greasy grimey acid rain to the area. Mike Tyson tried it here, and got slammed with an injunction for being an inconsiderate bastard.(Biting his ear off is still on the table).
Your remark regarding my intelligence did not bother me, however my somewhat supercillious fellow Mensa Society members are livid.
How you knew I strip and refinish fine furniture, is somewhat perplexing to me.
I am still waiting for your brilliant "talking points", so we can "wain" the next election.
Posted by TIKI AL at March 8, 2006 12:31 PMYour new theme, after many months of hard work is...
"Together, America Can Do Better."
It does come with a little baggage, however - John Kerry used it in 2004, and you know how that worked out.
Wonder what the "The Three Stooges" will do next?
Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Howard Dean.
By Jacob Weisberg
Posted Wednesday, March 8, 2006, at 3:30 PM ET"
from Slate
Great job Democrats!!! Keep up the good work!!!
Posted by peter at March 8, 2006 08:47 PMHow about "Jee-sus please free us from GOP greed and corruption"?
Posted by TIKI AL at March 9, 2006 11:05 AM