Are the Democrats vocal enough in their opposition to Bush's SS plan?

[kentuck]

In your opinion, do you think they should be more vocal in their opposition? Why aren't they more vocal? Are they vocal and we simply don't hear it because of the corporate media? Or are they waiting until they come back from vacation and/or after the inauguration of the Boy King?

[mikehiggins]

1. Nowhere near vocal enough

They should be on the floor of Congress every day making speeches about the real intent of these Bushoid plans AND NEVER USE THE WORD "REFORM" WHEN DISCUSSING THEM.

Draw the line in the sand on this issue and we have a chance to beat down the whole Bush agenda.

Unfortunately, all the Dems seem to be doing is pissing in the sand and that is typical of the party.

[markus]

2. The word is Sabotage

The pedigree of this part of Reaganism--sabotaging what can't be actually destroyed through finanancial shennanigans and deficit spending--was outed in the 80s by David Stockman.

This is a attempt both to sabotage the system and divert hundreds of millions of Social Security dollars into the pockets of Wall Street investment managers. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Historic NY]

3. They better or the Republicans will train wreck one of the best programs..

to come out from Washington...by a Democratic President. They will never be able to show face if they let them go....then again FDR is already rolling in his grave.

[punpirate]

4. I suspect...

... that it's because there's no formal plan yet delivered (even though Bush has started a propaganda campaign for the plan). Democrats are probably waiting for the bill to actually arrive in Congress.

That said, they ought to able to say, very simply, that the President and his men are liars, that they are claiming crisis where none exists.

If every single one of them did that, perhaps the public would hear that side, too. To do that, however, they would all have to start sounding like Democrats of old, something that is not in most of them....

[kentuck]

7. That's why they need Martin Frost as DNC Chair....

He is as milquetoast as they come....and DLC.

[snippy]

5. Bush is keeping the details secret so that criticism is difficult.

Democrats should be educating the public about the actual facts concerning the financial condition of the Social Security program. An astonishing number of people, especially younger people, think that the Social Security program, if left unchanged, will be unable to pay any benefits at all in the future. Democrats need to correct that misimpression. Democrats also should be talking about the fact that the republicans have announced that they intend to use misinformation, campaign style rallies and tactics, and the "politics of fear" to persuade people to support Bush's plan.


Because Bush is keeping the details of his plan secret, democrats should be polling Bush followers and other supporters of private accounts to learn more about the expectations of those people so that the criticisms of the plan can be tailored to weaken support for Bush's plan. They also should be preparing to talk about the information concerning the performance of the federal government employee Thrift Savings Plan. Many of Bush's followers think that his plan will allow thenm to get rich. Democrats need to be prepared to crush those expectations when Bush finally reveals the details of his secret plan.

[youngred]

6. No, they're not

and they're losing out on framing the issue right now which will cost them dearly when it comes time to vote. Either they don't care abut this issue or they don't know what to do

[jarab]

8. The Dems have their finger in the wind

just with all other legislation.
They don't believe this will fly and can't really believe it's happening, but - with the history of this admin - they are still afraid to preemptively oppose.
...O...

[kentuck]

9. That's a real chickenshit position, ain't it ?

:shrug:

Gotta go to work today.

[jarab]

12. Sadly, it is. (eom)

...O...

[DavidDvorkin]

10. Are the Democrats vocal enough, period?

Not during the last four years, and probably not during the next.

[AndyTiedye]

13. We'll Only See it on CSPAN If They Do Oppose It

The MSM will continue to do the bidding of the regime.

[pdxmom]

11. Not even close

This is do or die time. They need to be out there daily, showing that the Bush rhetoric is another bit of fear-mongering. They won't get the chance to argue this on the merits of the details...this will be kept secret until a few hours before they have to vote on it. The time is now, not 2 months from now. If they can reframe this argument and keep Bush from getting this passed, they've crippled him badly.

[NoFederales]

14. Hell no

they're not not! And WTF are they waiting for? Engraved invitations to sniff the PC wind? White House doilies?

The Dems have a national platform in front of them that they can ride to 2006, maybe beyond. The Repubs desparately want a bipartisan attack on SS to share the fallout once people find out how screwed they really have become. I would hope that a unanimous Dem coalition with disaffected Repubs stand against * (he/they who should not be named). Goddamn *, he doesn't care or stand for anything but chaos, but maybe we can outlast the damage, minimize it, and get a balanced gov back.

Here's the SS line drawn in the dirt we should be telling the uncommitted Dems, and whoever is going to cross it should realize there are consequences?

What are these assholes waiting for, anyway?

NoFederales

[Lefty48197]

15. It's our job to be vocal too!

I think Sen. Debbie Stabenow - D, MI gave an excellent response to the threats against Social Security in the Democrat's radio response today. She pointed out that the non-partisan CBO says the program will be solvent for almost 50 more years. Why is Bush telling us otherwise?

[stray cat]

16. Better if republican coalition falls apart on the issue

and democrats work initially behind scenes. A strong vocal democrat opposition right now may rally the republicans to Bush's side. Let them self-destruct for the time being. Votes on a specfic plan are a long way off.

[NoFederales]

17. Unity

But many of us want to see unity among the Dems on at least some issue that is contrary to * desires. Unanimously agreeing that there will NO Dem support does not have to get into specifics other than exposing the lies * purports. Would this not put the Repubs in a chilling prospect assuming that they actually care about their constituents?

NoFederales

[NoFederales]

18. Delete Dup on edit

[sandnsea]

19. They could run naked with No SS Crisis...

painted on their chests and some people around here would still say they weren't being vocal enough.

And as I recall Kentuck, just yesterday you said changing the tax structure on SS was a good idea. Just how is that being vocal against the so-called crisis?

[Guaranteed]

20. Until they use the word "fearmongering," or a synonym, they

will be nowhere near vocal enough.

If the Democrats don't stop this, it will be the second thing they've backed down on that their constituents will never forgive them for.

[Dr Fate]

21. They should call Bush an out & out liar-expose his credibility issues

Thats what Repubs did to us in the 90s- and it did not alienate those precious "swing voters" for the 2000 election either.

They could be much more vocal and could be sending more big-name DEMS on TV instead of pundits. They need to use "hot" language that will get Republicans goat and stir up media coverage- like "You cant believe anything the Republicans say- remember WMDs?"

I'm behind the DEMS, but they never seem to fight enough, so I'll keep pointing it out until they can kick some real ass.