The Opposition Party (that's our side)

[LynnTheDem]

If I say I can build you a thingeydingle for only $1000, you might think that was a really good deal and agree to my plan.

BUT if my competitor told you he could build you a far better thingeydingle for $450...then my plan looks not so good. And if you'd already signed a contract for MY plan? You'd probably be quite unhappy.

And THAT is what the Dem Party leadership must do to bushCartel over the next 2 years, imo.

TPM has a good article about how the Dees are totally irrelevant to bushCartel for at least the next 2 years. He can get passed about anything he wants to until then, and Dems aren't going to be able to do much, if anything, about it.

BUT.

We shouldn't waste those 2 years; every time bush produces a PLAN, the Dems should produce an ALTERNATE PLAN. We do BETTER PLANS, that's a fact. So let's SHOW AMERICANS WHAT THEY'RE MISSING; let's show Americans we have BETTER plans.

It's pretty likely bush will refuse any Dem plan and go with his own; after all, HIS plans make his haves & have mores & big corporations base RICHER. Dem plans look out for the poor and working class stiffs.

And AMERICANS WILL SEE THIS VERY CLEARLY if the Dems SHOW THEM alternate plans that the Dems would do if THEY were the ones in power.

At the very least, this gives Americans 2 solid years' proof of what the Dems' vision and agenda and message is, and exactly how Dems would do things that better benefit the electorate.

We could even see a majority of Americans demanding that bush use the DEM plan for something, and NOT bush's plan. :D

How delicious would that be; bush with his Historic Huge Whopping Landslide Will Of The People... and the People demanding he implement DEM Party plans! LOL!!!

The Dem Party leadership should show the American people EXACTLY what they're losing out on every single time bushCartel come out with a plan; and note to the Dem Party...DO NOT say any alternates BEFORE you come out with a fully ready plan or BUSH WILL STEAL IT as his own. As bush did several times the past 4 years.

TPM discussion along these same lines;

But Democrats also need to learn how to live with it, at least for the next four years. And that means realizing that for at least the next two years, the President can get passed almost anything he wants to. His congressional majorities are now sufficiently padded that he can even afford a few Republican defections. He simply doesn't need Democrats for anything.

And that means approaching most legislative battles not with an eye toward preventing passage or significantly altering legislation, but placing alternatives on the table that the party will be able use as contrasts to frame the next two elections. In other words, their only remaining viable alternative is to be an actual party of opposition.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_10_31.php#003943