We Will ONLY Win In '06 and 08' if....

[ruggerson]

We start using OUR number one wedge issue, which can kill the Republicans where they live:

Economic populism. It's OUR wedge issue and it's staring us in the face. And we didn't use it!!!

Enron. Mutual Fund scandals. Adelphi cable. Frank Quattrone. Investment banking favoritism. Etcetera...

One scandal after the next: the corporations, enabled by the Republicans, lining the pockets of the greedy few at the expense of YOU, Mr and Mrs. Red State American.

Voila. The perfect wedge issue designed to piss off even the most brain stem challenged red-stater.

We have to become, again, full throated, impassioned, fervent believers in economic populism. Only then will happy days really be here again.

[DaveinMD]

1. I agree

with this. And it needs to be couched in the American value of hard work and fairness. This is how we win the values debate.

[Emboldened Chimp]

2. Scandals are nice and all, but they mean nothing

if there are no on-going investigations or media coverage. Since we've got no control over the House or Senate, we cannot keep these issues up front with investigations.

What we need to do is invoke an emotional response in our base, and drive a wedge into theirs. There is a schism developing in the republican party between old school fiscal conservatives and religious fundies. The fundies have ZERO fiscal restraint, and I think this stark difference between the two should be exploited.

[KharmaTrain]

3. More Basic...Rich Vs. Poor

Wanna get a Repugnican twisted in knots...start a discussion on the issue of class warfare. They'll hop around like their pants is on fire since they know how true the economic divide is, not only within this country but within their own party.

What confounded so many was how people who are being economicaly exploited by the Repugnican power elite trooped in such large numbers to the polls last Tuesday. They were blinded by fear, crosses and homophobia to ignore how that vote was going to destroy them economically. These people didn't feel Enron since it wasn't explained that this company caused their electrical bills to soar in California or that tax cuts for the rich mean lower state and local taxes that take even more money out of their taxes with less services to show for it.

The Repugnicans play the carrot & stick...it's a party where either you're rich or you want to be. It's a no-win game since even if you're "rich", there's someone else whose richer and more powerful. However a majority of the people never even get this far, but are blinded by the "moral" issues.

Economics should be our strongest suit now...one that crosses into the red states and will become an even stronger issue as the divide expands over the next 4 years.

[meow2u3]

7. fed2dneck to Repugs: you want class warfare?

We'll give you class warfare! In spades!

let's hammer their asses on the class war they started! Let's tell'em we see through the culture-war rhetoric, and it's nothing but smoke and mirrors to hide the fact that the GOP is robbing us blind!

[brettdale]

4. We will only win if

Elections are fair, ewhich they arent, nothing else matters, before canvassing, before discussing what we stand for, before working our butts off, we have to make sure every vote gets counted and there is no cheating, but with bush here for another term its means nothing we are well screwed. It will NEVER BE FAIR AGAIN.

[Mike L]

5. We'll only win if----

We diffuse the "guns and gay marriage" issues.

I personally support gay marriage.

[bunkerbuster1]

6. A New Republic article nailed it awhile back--Consumer advocates.

Don't recall who wrote it, but the idea was that the Dems should position themselves as being pro-consumer. I know, it sounds a little bland, but who doesn't like a consumer advocate? Consider a guy like Clark Howard (syndicated radio guy.) I kinda assume he's liberal but he never talks politics on his show--well, not overtly, anyway. But he drives a Prius. How right wing can you be, if you're filthy rich yet drive a Prius?

Everyone in my red-state redneck hellhole more or less loves the guy. Or at least they respect him.

It is populism at its most basic. Something to chew on anyway.

(on edit: I'm not suggesting running Clark Howard, just that we consider the marketability of consumer advocacy.)

[rucky]

8. We DID use it. It was the heart of Edwards' message.

If you read the Kerry Blog & the DNC site, expose yourself to C-Span and some media outlets (very few), you would've seen that we had the right message... we DID fight back... we DID bring up those issues. But the mainstream media shut out the message - leaving no chance for real debate. Thanks to the media, the GOP got an echo chamber and we got the cone of silence.

[demwing]

9. Populism

Corporatism is anti-American.

The entire corporate structure brainwashes the masses to accept authoritarian rule with the threat of reduced economic security if one tries to introduce democratic principles (such as Unions).

Corporations enforce class conflicts, Democracy seeks to neutralize class in society.

Corporatism is also anti-Christian.

Christianity prizes thrift, but being thrifty is not the same as being stingy. There is plenty of "thrift" on the lowest rung of the Corporate ladder, but plenty of excess on the top. Chritianity prizes charity, and forgiveness. Corporations promote, subtly, ruthlessnes and greed.

Its a matter of profits vs Prophets.

populism and Democracy are much more alligned with America, and Christian, ideals.

[kodi]

10. dream on.

that's going to work only if first they feel the pain directly.

nader might very well have been right in that for people to get it things are going to have to get a lot worse.