Damn ! You gotta read this article GLOBALIZATION behind Kerry's loss

[EVDebs]

A Democratic Trade Adjustment
by Joshua Holland, AlterNet. Posted August 8, 2005

http://www.alternet.org/story/23912/

"The Dems' 2004 loss in Ohio had more to do with trade than stolen ballots -- Rep. Sherrod Brown's probable 2006 Senate campaign in the Buckeye State could be a showcase for how to win there"

It's freakin' about time Dems woke up to this. Now if Kerry runs in '08 he should make sure that he puts "Going Upriver" and "The Corporation" on a double-feature at theatres around the country and maybe gets his old running mate Edwards to join him again. They'll win overwhelmingly this time around !

www.goingupriver.com/

www.thecorporation.com/

[inthebrain]

1. I don't know if this was the sole reason

I think a lot had to do with the right wing bullshit spewed by the media.

NAFTA and WTO had a great deal to do with it though. I dont think its the issue that made voters vote Republican but it does keep people from voting democrat or to take an interest in the party. It's part of this partys past that we need to acknowledge and address.

I don't think Kerry addressed in a manner that made voters to jump to him though. He seemed to clench his jaw talking about it as he was tow afraid to upset his corporate donors.

[JHBowden]

2. Kerry was leading in Ohio until August.

In August, the swiftsmear people began running ads in Ohio. Coincidence?

[ChiciB1]

3. I've Been Saying For Some Time Now...

2006, focus on the ECONOMY!!! It's worse than many think. I've loaned more than $4,000.00 to friends this past six months because they can't get ANY other kind of help!

And I don't have THAT kind of money to lend. I'm a bleeding heart Liberal, that's all there is too it. Right now, my husband and I live on his SS and my Disability check! Yeah, both from the government, but not easy by any means.

We took money out of our IRA to help them after contacting all KINDS OF CHURCHES and like-minded groups. Seems THEY don't have funds or the means to help out the poorest of poor. One of my friends ended up having a heart attack and now sits in an extremely hot house, w/o phone, AC and barely enough food to eat. She got $160.00 in food stamps for 2 people! How far does that much money go in today's economy???? Neither of them are able to work due to health problems!! And since they get SS now, there isn't any other way to get work. I suggested they started doing some sort of craft work and sell it from home, but that takes money to start up. Unfortunately I had to finally tell them that I was tapped out after repeated visits because they had NO GAS MONEY! I've given them toilet paper, shampoo, soap and canned goods but I can keep this up. I feel awful, but I can't fork out anymore!

[Carolab]

4. No. Kerry shouldn't run again unless he changes his tune.

As the article points out:

{snip}

"Kerry was no different when he got to Ohio, trying to straddle the Democratic and corporate wings of the party by portraying himself as a centrist (which he certainly was), and also as a champion of the working class (which he certainly wasn’t).

{snip}

No Democrat should get away with voting for these trade deals the way they’re currently hammered out. Candidate Kerry’s whining that the only problem with the trade deals he supported for 15 years, including NAFTA, was just "the way that they haven’t been enforced" is simply not good enough.

We need more Browns and fewer John Kerrys if we want to talk to America’s vast middle. Democrats’ excuses for supporting these trade deals are growing stale. When they vote for a CAFTA, they should know exactly what to expect: more of what they got from NAFTA.

And while John Kerry might have had Ohio stolen from him, his utter inability to deal honestly with his long-held position on trade -- his blind refusal to confront the Bush economy head-on -- is, in the final analysis, the bigger reason why he couldn’t win Ohio.

[karynnj]

8. Kerry voted and argued very hard against CAFTA

In the Finance committee Kerry tried to get an amendment to put teeth into dealing with workers' rights, environment etc which did not make it out of committee although it was a 10-10 vote.
Kerry, in the same committee discussed how the effects of NAFTA have been bad in both the US and Mexico.

On NAFTA, Kerry's speech in the Senate at the time of the vote - What's NAFTA GOT TO DO WITH IT - explained his vote. The shift of jobs was happening even without NAFTA and would continue to do so. NAFTA had the possiblity of getting some side agreements on workers rights. (These were promised by Clinton).

He did talk repeatedly about the Bush economy.

[Carolab]

9. Good to know. Thanks. n/t

[zulchzulu]

16. Here's Kerry's CAFTA stance

http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=240185

“The bottom line is this: CAFTA is not a good deal for America. The Administration has turned a blind eye toward America’s workers. I won’t do that, and I hope my colleagues won’t either.

“Instead, we should stand solidly for free trade - and more importantly demand a national policy to compete in the global economy on terms that are fair to all Americans. I believe America can stay at the top while making trade fair for Americans whether they spend their day working the boardroom or the factory floor. I believe we can make trade work of all Americans. CAFTA, unfortunately, does not work for working Americans, and I hope my colleagues will join me in standing up for America’s future and voting against it.”

[PATRICK]

5. At first look, yet more issue angst, but

for once this is an issue that flies against the the lemming leadership surge toward corporate favoritism. They will parse all the issues as if they were the cause of defeat, but on second thought, maybe it is the REAL issues like bread and butter they still are ducking.

The more an issue or a fraud complaint deviates from the deceptive issues of values, "war president" the more invisibility and qualified mumbling.
There is a larger point than the jobs and NAFTA issue and that is the the obstinate course being steered by much of the party's leadership away form populism, the base, and a disturbing accommodation to the tainted money game that is so out of control in US economics.

I can't help thinking it a possible parallel to things like the Iraq war vote when perhaps a concern for America' "future" in keeping petrodollars vs. petroeuros was part of those larger, wiser concerns they don't like discussing in public. What they do ballyhoo seems weak or insincere or incredibly naive. Maybe some harsh alliance to a murderous economic theory(for the good of....) could be the professional face of "wisdom" they keep far away from political consumption. In any event, sacrificing votes and passionate charisma to soft pedal or express rather unbelievable second thoughts about extremely predictable bad results all points instinctively to hidden priorities, embarrassing priorities- all on record with very damaging votes. Not one of those macroeconomic motives of course was worth one drop of innocent blood. Not one compromise left the well-intentioned with clean hands.

You would think, in those larger "for the good of..." terms, there is a time to lie and go for the gusto, but there are those pesky big donors so necessary in the final stages of the campaign for instant big checks. In their gut people sense that yes, it is just all that venal they can't even dare lie to us so as not to offend certain people. If they can't even lie to please the people to get into office they must be pretty committed to NAFTA and globalization over our dead bodies.

Correct or not, campaigners were willing to leave people unsatisfied, to show greater priorities than really basic needs of the people. This is not an isolated complaint but the general problem is lost in waffled silences or phony values memes or timid attempts to get to the bottom of Ohio that look more like OJ Simpson searching for his wife's killer than a Democratic candidate robbed blind.

In sum, one of many revealing facets of disastrous central party positioning, and a great contribution to the progressive election response to the phony sludge: "Values, issues? I'll show you values, issues!"

[Carolab]

6. And a reason why the grassroots must take the party back.

Which is what Dean is consistently saying and trying to do.

Meanwhile, the powers that be continue to undermine our power through economic policies that strip us of jobs and economic futures. In the end, if it does not stop, we will have NO recourse. The time to act is NOW, while we can still do something to reform our elections system and while we are still able to donate to and support progressive candidates.

[loudsue]

7. Wow! Sherrod Brown sounds like he "gets it"! I'll WORK for his

campaign!

This is what ALL Dem leaders need to be barking about, and Dean can team with Brown and lead the charge.

:popcorn: This will be interesting to watch!

:kick::kick::kick:

[Carolab]

10. Sherrod Brown gets EVERYTHING. Even the election fraud.

He's AWESOME.

[loudsue]

11. Really? Then let's get behind him ASAP!

We need about 300-400 more just like him, but he's a great place to start!

:kick::kick::kick:

[OzarkDem]

14. He always has

He's excellent in policy and a good campaigner, too. And an incredibly nice and very fun guy.

[EVDebs]

12. Center for American Progress has two articles on the phony economy

President Bush’s Job Deficits
by Christian E. Weller
June 3, 2005
http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=736493

and

Was the Bush 'Job Boom' Merely Hype?
by Scott Lilly
July 19, 2004
http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=124338

It appears Bushco has yet to create a 'net' new job and that everything is being done with spin smoke and mirrors...and the media is Bush's best friend. Time to hold him to account.

[bvar22]

13. The Corporate Financiers of the DLC...

...don't like it when Democrats talk bad about their Sacred Cash Cows.

The THREE Commandments of the DLC:

1) Thou shat not diss Free Trade!

2) Thou shalt not diss WAR!

3)Thou shalt not diss Growing Corporate Power!


If thou breakest the 3 commandments, thou dost not get any money!!!

[Al-CIAda]

17. Yes sir. nt

[bvar22]

15. Nominating for Greatest!

Everyone should read this article!!!

http://www.alternet.org/story/23912

[bvar22]

18. Boot to the head....

of the line for late nighters!
:kick:
:patriot: