How to Win: Run Leftwards After the Primaries (During the Gen. Election)

[David Zephyr]

I'm so sick of the old adage: "Run to the right if you are a Republican and to the Left if you are a Democrat during the Primaries, and then back to the Middle during the General Election".

To hell with this thinking! It is exactly the thinking that has reduced Roosevelt’s legacy of 40 years of Democrats controlling the Congress to the situation we face today.

Focus less on the 19% who waver between voting Democrat and Republican every four years and who vote with us during bad times and with them during good times (That is exactly what "independents" do, folks. Deal with it.)

Rally the 50% of the entire electorate that doesn't even bother to vote because they are convinced that their vote won't change things and that there is very little difference between the two parties.

How do we get that sleeping giant of non-participating voters to show up on Election Day and scare the shit out of Republicans and Global Corporations?

Here's a rough David Zephyr proposal for the next Nominee of the Democratic Party in 2004 on how to galvanize these voters to show up and win back both houses of Congress at the same time:

1.) Campaign for Universal Healthcare for all Americans (not just children) along the lines of what Dennis Kucinich has proposed.

2.) Campaign for four years of free university/college level and or vocational education and training.

3.) Campaign for adding 7 to 10 extra National Holidays for workers and browbeat Corporations to participate.

4.) Campaign for making all U.S. Governmental agencies purchase only products that are made in the United States of America.

5.) Call for the immediate decriminalization of Marijuana.

6.) Promise to let all drug users, not pushers, out of America's prisons and jails immediately.

7.) Call to move the nation towards 100% employment through public sector hiring and taxation. Campaign for clean energy, for building high speed rail, highways, expand solar/wind energy investment, etc.

8.) Call for Life Imprisonment for Major Corporate Crimes committed by CEO’s. Three strikes (counts) and they are out!

9.) Call for immediate legislation to make all U.S. Corporations with more than 50 employees to provide on-site day care for working parents.

10.) Monitor and enforce labor and worker rights internationally by permitting or prohibiting imported goods from nations/corporations that violate them.

11.) And by all means, campaign and educate the American populace as to class awareness.

[KoKo]

1. Most of what you say, I don't have problem with, but Drugs won't sell with

most of the population. I'm not as liberal as most here on DU about it.
But, I would go after "plea bargaining" to try to get the Pushers, and let the others out of jail. It would cost so much for rehab..most people would scream about "rehab" over paying for minimal health care, so the $$$ factor would defeat it. The other problem is that I think the Drug Dealers are known by the "higher ups" and if we think we could figure out whose bringing all these drugs in. So, who will go after the "folks at the top?" Instead the "users" get hooked and locked away.

I don't know what the answer is on Drug use, and even marijuana use. I really don't go for either one. But, as I said, I'm very much in the minority on DU about this, and understand that I am. And, DO NOT feel these users should be jailed unless they are "pushers."

[David Zephyr]

3. It Would Be Worth It Just to Hear Limbaugh Struggle With His Audience

:hi:

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

2. Mr. D. Zephyr, you are 100% correct

Well, I don't agree about the drug thing either, but otherwise, you are right on!

[David Zephyr]

4. Every Marijuana Statewide Initiative Has Won. Everyone.

State after state. It has proven to be a magnet in getting people to the polls.

Thanks for your comments. You mean you don't mean in becoming Republican Lite during the General Election? Well, that's at least three of us here at the DU.

[KoKo]

5. How would you go about educating people about #11? Class Awareness?

Could you flesh that one out a little? (Sorry, it sounds a little creepy to me).

[David Zephyr]

6. A Million Ways to Do So.

The easist of all:

Point out that 1% of the population controls 40% of the wealth in the country.