A little thing about framing events

[Obviousman]

I know many in here were hoping for a Kerry victory today. And I know many others knew that this was implausible. The fact of the matter is that what happened today can be used to help us. If we keep saying "Kerry should have won, our representatives suck, Obama is a whore for Bush." we are alienating ourselves from the party. Plus, the media and the right wingers will say "look, they FAILED to defeat Bush."
What the Democrats SUCCEEDED in doing today was bringing voting rights issues to the front of the national debate. And they also did something that has only happened twice since 1876. As you may recall, Democrats are not in the majority right now, so they have limited power. This was a SPECTACULAR use of the power we still have, as well as wonderfully organized. Now, there needs to be a concerted media effort to make sure the elected Democrat's victory doesn't turn into a failure. This includes recognizing that they were not trying to overturn Bush's election.
If this is how the Democrats will operate over the next 2-4 years, I say we are in very good shape. Now, look on the horizon, it's the only way to win. A new DNC chair is going to be chosen. We have two great choices in Rosenberg and Dean who will continue this sort of program.
I know many people have worked very hard on all of this, and your efforts did pay off today. It's all in the framing of the debate. So now, lets focus on electing a new DNC chair and prepare for the fight ahead of us in 2006.

[JohnLocke]

1. This thread is an oasis of reason in a desert of hysteria (nt).

[Obviousman]

3. Thanks

[ZombieNixon]

4. I second that.

I'm getting really fed up with the hysterical bitching and moaning in here.

[DireStrike]

2. Yes, I agree.

I think it's ignorant to be bemoaning the fact that we didn't all vote one way. It doesn't matter how we voted, it still wouldn't have passed.

If standing together is so important, why isn't everyone here rallying behind the leadership?

Clearly, standing together is not always the important thing. Instead of criticizing what mistakes were made today, we should be reverberating with the succeses. The void formed from our lack of appreciation will quickly be filled with inane chants from republicans about "sour grapes" and all that other nonsense.

Most of our sens and reps that spoke managed to stay on message. Can you?

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. While preparing for 2006, you might think

about ranked voting and same day primaries in your party.

And there are other election reforms you can get to work on, too.

------------------------------------------------------
Election reform can help save this country!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm

[Obviousman]

6. That's actually a very good idea

I know a lot of the talk about primary reform has been about changing IA and NH first place status. But this sounds even better.

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. We don't travel by horse any more. No need for the long delays in

primaries, not when they tend to leave a bitter taste in the mouths of those at the end of the process.

------------------------------------------------------
Election reform can help save this country!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm

[janx]

13. Is this the same as instant run-off voting?

It sounds similar...

[janx]

8. Cheers!

Boxer did not vote to overturn the election. That's not what today was about.

She took this opportunity to make one heck of a statement (and to encourage other senators to do so) about how sloppy our democratic process has become.

And she did a wonderful job.

[TayTay]

9. And she helped give us a great plank

with which to build a winning platform for '06. Are you for voting rights for all Americans? Do you believe that some precincts deserve special rights or should we all vote the same? This is what happened in Ohio (show footage of the lines and the other outrages.) If it can happen in these areas, there is no law that says it can't happen in yours. Had enough -- vote Democratic, for a change.

I think it's immensely exciting. They basically told the Rethug bastards to shove it where the sun don't shine and damn the consequences. (What are they going to do anyway, call them weak and wussy?) I loved it as a brave start to a new face for the fighting Democratic Party.

[janx]

10. Absolutely!

And we should start at the state and local levels. :toast:

[Obviousman]

12. Perfect

This needs to become the message. And I have a glimmer of hope after today that this is going to become part of our platform in '06

[moggie12]

11. Hear! Hear!

I am a Democrat and proud of it, never more so than today. Realistically, they did the best they could under the circumtances. I spent the last hour e-mailing the MSM asking them to present the Dem's actions for what they were: A courageous, principled effort to get the issue of election reform front-and-center.

[demo dutch]

14. I agree with you, and I hope that you are right about "bringing the issues

in front of the national debate" because I have seen very little coverage by the MSM. Unfortunately I think very few American's even know that this history event happend, and thus may not even be aware of all the election issues. I wish someone would do a poll (ha ha) to find out.

[IndyOp]

15. I like your frame AND I believe that in order to move forward we must

investigate, indict, and punish those involved in fraud in this past election. If we do not do this then we are guilty of appeasing a bully. The bully will only get stronger as it has each time in the past when election has been stolen -- local, state, and federal.

What the Democrats SUCCEEDED in doing today was bringing voting rights issues to the front of the national debate. This was a SPECTACULAR use of the power we still have, as well as wonderfully organized.
Now, IMO, we must take this burst of power and use it to force complete investigations.

Those who do not remember their history are doomed to repeat it.

:kick:

[rman]

16. the debate came and went

How much national debate do you think there will be after this?
Maybe a bit more then before, but will it be enough to cause change?

"Spectaular use of power"?
What did the party officials accomplish in the end?

Do you think the next elections will be clean?

[Obviousman]

20. But this is now a "Democrat" issue

Or at least it can be. "Do you want to count every vote? Vote Democratic. We have the credentials, 2000 and 2004, we have said both times, "we want all votes to count."

[sojourner]

17. Right ON!!!!!

I don't know how, but this is something we MUST make prominent. (Like can this post be given a "kick" or something?)

As a psychologist I know that framing is all. So we really can't carry on about "loss" and must frame our speech in terms of "winning". If you don't believe me, take a look at our "opponents" across the aisle. No matter what they do, they call it a "win". People eventually believe what they keep hearing!

Besides - I personally was amazed and very gratified that our coordinated effort actually turned a hopeless situation (being completely ignored) into an opportunity to get the voting irregularities introduced into the record of the US Congress with support by many Dems, and even got one Senator to rise in favor of the challenge (helps that she's got integrity and guts!). All of this with national CSPAN coverage. YAY for DU!!!!

[Obviousman]

21. That's the spirit!

[BrklynLiberal]

18. Most of the American public are not aware of what happened yesterday

any more than they were aware of what happened on Jan 6 2000. There will be no national debate. There will be no focus on voting rights by the media. Perhaps there might have been if every Democrat in the Senate and the House had stood up, bringing the focus on the voting rights. They should have done this, not because they thought Kerry won in Ohio, but because they had no way to know whether he did or not, without an investigation into the voting conditions that existed in Ohio. We could have had headlines, and we could have called yesterday a success if they had put their butts where their words were!!!

What the Democrats SUCCEEDED in doing today was bringing voting rights issues to the front of the national debate. And they also did something that has only happened twice since 1876

[Liberty Belle]

19. Yes. And we won small victories, too.

After receiving many calls from people like me, our ultra-right-wing Congressman abstained from voting to certify Bush. I view that as a promising sign that he may respond to constituents' concerns on future issues, if enough pressure is brought to bear.

(Okay, maybe threatening to walk to every damn door in his district at the next election if he voted to enshrine the shrub was a bit extreme, but hey. It worked!)