Democrats need ideas, platform

[BayCityProgressive]

OK, so it is universal on this board that we need to get Dems out giving talking points more frequently like the GOP does. What do we do as far as a platform though? In "Contract With America" the GOP pushed only issues that had storng public backing like reforming welfare and balancing the budget. So what liberal issues have broad support (more than 60%)? How can we draw these issues together into a coherent message?

[MichiganVote]

1. Simple

Reduced government spending

Increased global diplomacy

The economy, the economy, the economy

[Sparkly]

3. Yes -- all of which affect children

Seems to me that ought to ring some sort of bell!! We're saddling them with debt, closing off their opportunities, shorting their educations, endangering their security... I think an appeal to people's direct and immediate family ought to matter. Not that it necessarily would (go figure!), but it ought to.

[Spiffarino]

2. Fiscal responsibility

That's my number one. Nearly everybody has to work within a limited budget and knows what happens when you get behind. Frame the deficit the same way. Stop paying out more than you can bring in.

Use the tax cuts for rich people against them. Kerry had a great plan, but it got lost in all the other stuff and never really gained traction. Dems need to hit Republicans for their fiscal irresponsibility every time one of us gets on the air or in print.

[BayCityProgressive]

4. so what should sme detailed policies be?

not just generalizations. Should we campaign on raising taxes on the rich? Would that work? or would we be seen only as tax and spenders?

[Sparkly]

6. Have you read Lakoff's book?

"Don't Think of an Elephant." I'm only halfway through, but it's food for thought on these things. There's also a "Frame The Debate" DU group.

I for one believe a majority of voters are right with us on policy issues; polls have shown that. But there are emotional hot-buttons and long-standing stereotypes that many just can't get over, and that's a whole different hurdle.

[Spiffarino]

9. Progressive taxation, for one

I don't care how much Repub operatives try to spin it - most Americans don't have a problem with progressive taxes.

So how do we frame it? Simple. Frame it the way it was done at the turn of the 20th Century and in ancient Greece:

The wealthy reap most of the benefits of the society in which they live; they should be expected to pay a fair share back to those who help them obtain and maintain their wealth.

The underclass provides the soldiers and sailors who risk all to protect the homeland that so enriches the upperclass; is it asking too much that they repay those who keep them safe?

[BayCityProgressive]

5. so what should sme detailed policies be?

not just generalizations. Should we campaign on raising taxes on the rich? Would that work? or would we be seen only as tax and spenders?

[Inland]

7. We need a permanent, centralized, national apparatus.

Republicans have a message out constantly. Their institutions are national, and constant--even ignoring the administration for a second, the media, the televangelists, the think tanks, the lobbying groups are all in part of one, message making machine.

The dems don't have a national apparatus. We have no national institutions, except maybe the unions. We have 700 Club, no Fox, no think tank with a revolving door to government and tons of money.

We have national campaigns for office, centered on a specific person for office, who gets torn apart by other Dems who feel the need to argue in order to differentiate themselves. As soon as the biannual campaign ends, all the Democrats go home and fall silent, or worse, any person with a (D) next to their name goes on the cable and, thanks to their being available, speaks for all democrats.

Result is a reactionary, disorganized, bad political party. No, that's not right. There isn't even a party except for a few months every two years. Disgusting.

[BayCityProgressive]

8. Well of course when you poll people

a storng majority say there should be stronger environmental regulations or universal healthcare. However when you get specific, like introducing single payer care- support drops. Also, people are all for protecting the environment until it hits their bottom line. If you wanted to restrcit hunting for instance in a certain area, you would lose dramatic support. In generalizations it is easy to say the peopel support us, but once you name specific policy support drops significantly.