Nixon 68, Nixon 72, Reagan 80 and 84, Bush 88, Bush 00

[ShaneGR]

Notice that 12 year gap? His name was Bill Clinton. His group, the DLC, recognized that we needed to COMPROMISE on some wedge issues, or we would continue to get our asses kicked just like we had been for the last 20 years. Granted, I think the current DLC candidate Lieberman is a complete moron with no chance of beating Bush, but I think we do need to recognize that SOME compromise is going to be needed in order for the Dem to win. Not a lot, but some. So what are those issues? I think gun control should be at the top of our list, and while I'm not against gay marriage at all, I don't think it should be a big focus of 2004.

Just my 2 cents.

[Birthmark]

1. That is crap.

Just my 2 cents in return and no offense intended.

I suppose if your goal is to simply win elections with the current voters, then you have a point. It's not a point that is worth winning, though, IMHO.

What the Democrats need is some cohesive policy and people who can explain and defend that policy. Nearly half of those eligible to vote don't even bother. If we develop policies that excite even 1/10th of these non-voters, we will sweep the vast majority of elections.

This stuff about trying to pry away X% of * voters is a complete waste of time and can only be accomplished by becoming more like the neo-cons.

The hell with that! Fight or surrender.

[LoZoccolo]

2. I'm not so sure.

The right-wingers kind of get a lot of what they want, because they have an effective propaganda machine, from a set of think-tanks to come up with the messages, to their own media outlets like the radio talk shows. I think there'll pretty much always be compromise in a two-party system, but we wouldn't have to compromise as much if we had a reliable media platform, consistent messages, and a base of people who were regularly plugged in to all that. I think that's starting to build now...in part because of you-know-who :)

[maggrwaggr]

3. "gay marriage" is an issue invented by the right wing

to distract from the real issues in 2004.

If you take their bait, you're gonna end up in their frying pan.

Fight that fight later. When we've got a Dem in the WH.

[TrogL]

4. Hold off on gay marriage

Let Canada win that war. The US will quietly follow a few years later.

[dawgman]

5. actually Clinton was an 8 year gap.

and compromise got us GWB. FUCK COMPROMISE.

[fabius]

6. Makes Dean the perfect candidate.

He's compromising on letting the Bubba's keep their gun racks and confederate flag decals. And letting the states make their own gay civil union laws. Federalism issues, good old Constitutional stuff.