This is what the Democrats stand for!

[fooj]

I'm so sick of the "Dems don't have a clear message" bullshit line they keep throwing out in the media. I say we've got a VERY CLEAR MESSAGE!!! That message is...

This is what the Democrats stand for.

1. Rule of Law
2. U.S. Constitution
3. Bill of Rights

Period. We stand for everything that this country was founded on. We stand for preserving ALL OF THE ABOVE. That's a simple and concise message, right? Let's start hammering it home!!!!

That's right you rat bastard Repukes! We stand for everything that you are trying to DESTROY!

Peace.

[NativeTexan]

1. We are for all the things that the Bush Facist Party....

...is against!

[fooj]

2. Precisely.

That's why this message can be so effective, IMO.

Peace.

[Surya Gayatri]

3. Hear, hear, fooj

You've given the Dems their clearest, most concise message yet--kick this up, get it out there in the public discourse. SG

:toast: :headbang: :yourock:

[stop the bleeding]

4. Cool I posted a link in the GD to here to get the word out

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x228702

[JeffR]

5. Nomination #5

:bounce:

[ClassWarrior]

6. George Lakoff says Progressive values are the BEST of American values.

And he's right!

NGU.

[samhsarah]

7. Nuff' said. K&R

[question everything]

8. Bill of Rights IS part of the U.S. Constitution

and these are nice words but for too many voters they are not easily translated into "what's in it for me."

When Limbaugh and the priests on small town churches are talking about "killing babies" and about "perverts" - their parishioners feel these things viscerally.

We have to use the same imagery. Good school, decent jobs, decent health care and retirement are concepts that speak to every voter. Especially the ones in rural areas where their sole source of news and commentary are the Sunday sermons.

We need to revive the volunteerism of the 60s, when so many drove to small towns in the south to register and educate black voters. We need to send volunteers to learn about what's really on the mind of the same voters, what they are talking in the coffee shops and in the bars on Sunday afternoon and on weekday morning. And we need to taylor our message to their basic needs.

Abortion and gay rights need to be expressed in terms of privacy. Everyone has private issues that s/he does not want the government to know. We can talk about family planning, for example. About the Chinese government that mandates one child per family. Do we really want the government to be involved in this area?

We can talk about girls that "get into trouble." Shouldn't we start by educating her about what sex is all about and how to prevent it? Don't the adults remember how they were when their hormones were raging when they were teens?

Yes, we need to talk at simple language with few syllables. Sadly, this is how elections have been won.

[stop the bleeding]

9. for simple starters - how about "civil liberties and rights" which almost

all other things/what's in it for me stem from these.

[sandnsea]

18. Think about their imagery

Protecting those poor little fetuses who don't have a voice, they care about the rights of those who don't even have a voice, surely they care about women, minorities, etc etc.

Defending the 2nd Amendment to the death, surely they're patriots who would never ever violate the Constitution or Bill of Rights.

We have got to tie the issues you mentioned right back into the constitution and Americana, like you did with the gay rights and privacy. Capitalism does work to a large extent and we can't sit around waiting for a Depression to elect another FDR.

[samhsarah]

10. WE are what DEMOCRACY looks like!!!!

THEY are what HYPOCRISY looks like!!!!

Reading that post just made me think of that chant:+

[stop the bleeding]

12. I like the sound of that - it has a nice ring to it - bumber stickers??

Tshirts????

[samhsarah]

13. Great idea...

I'm not really the graphic artist and have no idea how to do that kinda stuff but maybe someone out there...ANYONE????

[stop the bleeding]

16. maybe someone here at this site could help you out

http://www.solarbus.org/election/realnews.shtml

I use this as my homepage for news - I widh it had truthout.org, but they have other links at the top for stickers and shirts maybe you could contact them for your message or maybe there is a site out there that will make that kind of stuff to order.

[samhsarah]

17. thanks...

it's not my message, though. it's chanted at a lot of anti bush/war protests. but i will do.

[Imagevision]

11. To me, Dems have no presense - bitch-bitch-bitch! all talk-no content

[fooj]

22. It's time to ACT!!!

Peace.

[OneBlueSky]

14. the nice thing about this approach is that it encompasses . . .

everything else . . . I like it -- though I might add "Preseving government of the people, by the people, and for the people" . . .

[fooj]

15. Yep. Nice touch.

Peace.

[kentuck]

19. I can support that !

We need to get back to our roots. Liberty and liberal are from the same root word.

[fooj]

20. Yes, indeed.

Simple and clear...

Peace.

[jillan]

21. That's all the dems need to campaign on!

We have a local dem running for Congress.
He was on local AAR.
He said "I am not running against the Republicans. I
am running to bring back what is important to our country."

That is what our leaders need to do.
We don't need to bash the repugs - they do that themselves.
We need to stand up for what makes this country great.

K&R!

[fooj]

23. I think this goes to the core of what the repubs revile in our govt.

We need to hit them with this...HARD!

Peace.

[Uncle Joe]

24. Excellent post fooj!

I think you have put your finger on the heart of the matter.

:kick:

[pat_k]

25. Democrats actually believe in democracy

Dems stand for SOLE moral principle on which this nation was founded: the Consent of the Governed and the Sovereignty of We the People. (i.e., Democrats actually believe in democracy).

Take care with the "Rule of Law." All too often, the fascists employ legal technicality to trump reality (e.g., to overrule the intent of the voters in the State of Florida. Even the fascists knew more voters went the to polls to vote for Gore. They didn't bother to deny it. They just employed twisted legalisms and misuse of the courts to stonewall and trump reality).

You don't need a law degree to know what fascism looks like. You don't even need a high school diploma to know that the absolute power they claim and wield is never freely given to a leader; it is only taken by deception or force.

The notion that we have divided power equally among the branches is just another fascist fantasy. As the expression of our will, we have given Congress power over the other branches. We gave the House of Representative, the body most responsive to our will, "the sole power of Impeachment." Of course, we sometimes pass laws to address specific problems that conflict with the principles we have established in our Constitution. To ensure that, as we strive to create a more perfect union, our laws are the best reflection of our will possible in this imperfect world, we have given the task of resolving those conflicts to the Judiciary. We have NOT given the Judiciary the power to override our will, only to reconcile conflicts.

When the Bush Syndicate flagrantly violates our laws, they are committing crimes against the most basic tenet of our Constitutional Democracy -- that WE THE PEOPLE are sovereign, Congress is OUR voice, and the laws we enact must be respected as expressions of our sovereign authority.

More than 80% of Americans agree on a host of issues. When you sit down and talk to people, no matter what party they identify with -- a vast majority believe Americans are committed to true individual freedom, which cannot exist without freedom from fear of economic hardship. They know that a vigorous private sector cannot exist if work is not valued. They know that economic security requires access to quality education and medical care. They know that private industry can only flourish and create prosperity for all when the power of the people to protect their interests is embodied in strong public institutions.

The Republicans divide and distract so they can serve the few. The Dems actually attempt to represent the interests of the many -- body of the people -- the sovereigns.