Wedge Issues - What Can We Hammer Republicans With?

[ruggerson]

What are some good wedge issues we can use against the enemy in 06 and 08, since our esteemed leaders aren't very good at coming up with any themselves?

I think, number ONE, we exploit the hell out of medical privacy . The big Republican nanny state sought, in the Terri Schiavo tragedy, to trample on a man and wife's right to make their own private medical decisions, free from the intrusion of big government. I think we can pound this one home, over and over, as we have about 85% of the country that was appalled by what Delay and Bush did.

Let's come up with some wedges issues that cut OUR way for once. Any thoughts?

[ruggerson]

1. Well I didn't see this post before I posted

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5010192


But none of those are wedge issue. They are policy positions.

Wedge issues are very controversial, highly emotional subjects like race, gay rights, abortion, privacy rights, etc.

Republicans use wedge issues every cycle, from Willy Horton to gay marriage.

WHat are some WE can use?

[TheFarseer]

4. I saw that post the other day too

and, sorry to that poster, but it completely misses the point as you pointed out. Wedge issues can't be quantified. Either abortion is wrong or right. There are no stats to help you decide.

[ruggerson]

10. At fundraisers, etc

I hear people talking about how if we can just pitch universal health insurance properly, the majority of voters will understand and agree with us. Or if we can just talk simply about corporate
control of the government, the voters will finally get it and vote Democratic.

Bull. The middle swath of voters, the ones who decide elections, base decisions on which candidate they like better as a person, who seems more authentic, and hot button wedge issue which scare them away from the other guy.

Policy issues are in the back seat for these centrists.

[BOSSHOG]

2. Military Service, or lack thereof

I'd love to see that as a litmus test bantied about by the electorate (not the candidates). I'm a Veteran. bush, cheney, republican pukes ad infinitum who support getting American Kids killed in War while fooling the religiously insane that they are pro life and while having zero military experience themselves pisses me off to the core. If bush had not served, I would feel better about him then the fact that he deserted to avoid a drug test. Any lurker out there want to attempt to dispute that last factual statement and make yourself look like a greater loser then you already are?

Republicans are cowards, check their DD-214's. What's that, they don't have DD-214's?

[TheFarseer]

3. Maybe right to die?

That just doesn't seem as powerful as abortion and gay rights.

I think they are trying to destroy the internet with censorship. They want sites like this to go away. That might be another issue.

Of course there are stem cells.

[ruggerson]

6. Stem cells are a big one

I was also thinking this whole evolution vs creationism thing. Do we really want public schools teaching our children religion as biology?

[TheFarseer]

7. I like that one!

I believe this "f*ck you, science" attitude that republicans seem to have with evolution, global warming, etc etc is damaging to our class room performance. Is it any wonder our science scores are dropping when our leaders don't believe in science?

[Zynx]

5. Reverse abortion on them. Make them explain why with so much domination

of national office over the last 24 years that they have not done a damn thing. Split the moderates from the fundies.

[FlaGranny]

8. Corruption,

corruption, and more corruption. Corporate gifts, corporate welfare, corporate tax shelters. More abortions under Republicans, more bankruptcies under Republicans. More war profiteering under Republicans. Higher living expenses. It goes on and on.

[Ksec]

9. Worker rights. Handicapped rights, we need to take

the populism angle back before they figure out how to steal it. You just know they are trying to portray themselves as the working mans party and I see alot buying it. Foxnews is working this big time.

[ruggerson]

11. All good policy issues

but they aren't wedge issues.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Fleshdancer]

13. CORRUPTION

beat them over the head with all the corruption charges the next time they even think about getting on their faux morality high horse.

Follow that with pork spending.

[AlphaCat]

14. I'm not sure...

I know medical privacy means something to US, but I'm not sure the average Joe on the street is going to know what it is and have it really speak to them. I think it's one of those things that most people won't be quite sure WHAT it means--and that means it won't work as a meme to guide thinking at the voting booths.

Also, many people in America don't have health care. They are on the city dole and have to go to charity hospitals or emergency rooms for their care. They don't have many choices there--they either accept the way decisions are made or they're told to leave.

Thus, I think a health care plan for people might be the thing we need to push first. When the average citizen can go to a decent place for their care, they can begin to think about that care, plan for how they want it shaped, and get behind an issue like medical privacy.

Right now, they are simply being told that 'you're getting charity at this ER (or wherever) so we'll do it the way WE want'.