To the Democrats afraid of not winning control of Congress:

[tgnyc]

Most Americans want a TIMETABLE now for leaving Iraq.

Most Americans disapprove of the way Bush is handling Iraq.

Most Americans disapprove of Vice President Cheney.

Iraq has a constitution and a government.

Saddam is gone.

Most Iraqis can't wait until the day comes that the US leaves their country.

Half of Iraqis think it's OK to kill American troops.

By this time next year, more Americans will have died in the Iraq War than died on 9/11.

American troops are starting to be charged with hunting down, kidnapping and murdering unarmed, innocent civilians.

Despite the US presence, despite the tens or hundreds of thousands of "trained" Iraqi security forces, Iraqis continue to kidnap, torture, and kill other Iraqis by the dozens.


So if you want America's vote, STOP COWERING AND START LEADING! START THE PROCESS OF GETTING US THE FUCK OUT OF THERE! This war is OVER. It's now just a endless death loop.

[yurbud]

1. no shit. Problem is, it's not voters they are afraid of, it's corporation

They don't want to alienate potential big donors.

[BlueIris]

12. Or a second 9/11.

Or some grotesque variation of that. Not all of this is about Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Diamond, etc. Some of it is about letting the neo-cons, particularly the aristocratic wing of that faction, save face. Which isn't the worst thing in the world for some Party leaders to be doing considering the amount of media control the Right can still claim, and the worst case scenarios that could very easily play out if the Republicans feel not just beaten, but humiliated. Not saying that the Dems keeping their hands off certain kinds of spin on certain issues is great or wonderful--but it's not the DNC's fault the neo-cons still have their hands on the proverbial trigger. That's the fault of the neo-cons for being criminals and terrorists. It's also not stupid or cowardly for our Party to be very concerned about wanting to excise the neo-con menace carefully rather than through rash action--the consequences of a second 9/11 would be global (and dire).

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[kstewart33]

2. Well said. Their spinelessness is stunning and infuriating. nt

[Johnny Falco NY Dem]

3. My thoughts on todays Senate votes I shared with friends

Today the Republican Senate rejected two plans proposed by Democrats that would begin to end our occupation of Iraq. Let’s keep in mind we have been in an occupation mode since the President announced that major combat operation were over while standing in front of a “Mission Accomplished” banner. The fact that Democrats offered two diverse plans is not an indication of a split or divide within the Democratic Party but rather highlights the inclusive and accepting nature of various viewpoints by Democrats. The Democrats showed Americans that they are the party of ideas. The Republicans “stay the course” viewpoint translates to “we don’t know what else to do”, “we have no plan or ideas”. “Stay the course” means we will “stay off-course”. We saw the diverse viewpoint of Democrats in the voting for these plans as well, some voted yea for Levine’s plan while voting no on Kerry’s. The Republicans once again voted inline as a party and not as individual representatives of their constituents. This is important to note for November. Do Americans want to send representatives to Washington who will vote on their behalf or send a Republican whose “line of loyalty” is:

1) Party and President
2) Corporatists and Lobbyists
3) And eventually “the mythical little guy” (a Republican quote) … the constituents

Throughout the debate on these plans, the Republicans continually labeled the Democrats with a “cut and run” slogan. They love to create little bumper sticker slogans like “flip / flop” and “cut and run”. To return the favor I would say that Republican policies can be defined as “Feed and Bleed”.

FEED – defense contractors, namely Halliburton, fat no-bid contracts with no meaningful oversight.

BLEED – America’s financial strength taking us from a 5 trillion surplus to a 3 plus trillion deficit.

FEED – the wealthiest Americans with tax breaks.

BLEED – the majority of Americans of essential benefits and services.

FEED – oils companies with rising gas prices and record profits.

BLEED – America of one of our most precious resources, a strong vibrant and well respected military.

America has one important question to ask itself this November, can we afford to BLEED anymore? It is time we get “back on course” in the “War on Terrorism”. That’s right, not a war on terror. Terror is a feeling, an emotion you can’t fight. Terrorism is a philosophy of warfare that will take more than guns and 500 pound bombs to defeat. The true battle is within the hearts and minds of those who will potentially grow to hate the “West”. The battle is within our own hearts and minds as well. We must begin to change hatred and mistrust into understanding and coexistence for humanity, as one, to face the challenges of this new millennium.

[lyonn]

7. Good thinking - Senate Dems. put their msg. out there

and it looked like the other side was sqirming. Now to get those important sound bites from the Dems. to the masses.

Welcome to DU.

[Sooner75]

19. Making the Republicans squirm is where it's at.....

The GOP has been putting the Democrats on the defensive for years, and they've captured control of public policy that way.

Democrats will need to turn the tables to get back into the driver's seat. We've got some pretty smart people. Kerry, Murtha, Waxman, Reid, et al. They need to burn the midnight oil and come up with some ways to stir the pot and put the GOP on the defensive before they ramp up their newest election year non-issue issue (gay marriage, flag burning...)

The minimum wage issue is a good start in my opinion....especially when we drive home the point that states who've raised it on their own have all seen positive results. The data shows that a minimum wage hike works and raises people out of poverty. It's not so easy to argue against it.

Universal health care is another possibility. Al Franken has talked about it a lot. Every other industrialized country has universal health care, and they all provide better care for their people with better outcomes at lower costs. The data is out there waiting for advocacy.

[tgnyc]

8. well-put

[gristy]

9. Welcome to DU, Johnny!

:hi: Great post.

[BenDavid]

15. Johnny Falco, welcome

and your message was one in my opinion, spoke volumns. Yes, the dems have got to put forth a united front. Even though there were two amendments that dealt with iraq and the troops it needs to be shown this is not a sign of a party divided but a party united in an attempt to show there needs to be a change in the administrations direction.Clinton said it best this morning when she said the Democrats are not divided but united unlike the republicans that "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil." and " the debate a day earlier on the Senate floor about war policy in Iraq was actually a sign of party strength, not weakness."

[skylarmae]

4. verify the vote

how can we win unless the vote is real and fairly executed....no unreasonable lines to wait in - no poll taxes - no jammed phone lines - no illegal purging of the rolls.....etc, etc....

verify the vote

[Sooner75]

5. most Americans seem to let others do their thinking for them

Therein lies the underlying problem.

If they stood for something and voted accordingly things would be quite different.

[Dr Fate]

6. When they lose in November, they will blame us moderates & libs.

They will say DEMs did not go FAR ENOUGH to the "center" (AKA-far right)

The "DEM" strategists who lost thelast 3(4?) election cycles will blame "Micheal Moore" & "Move on" Democrats instead of their own wishy-washy, far right postitons.

Mark my words.

[depakid]

17. That's exactly what's going to happen

and it's 6 elections in a row that the far right enablers have lost.

Soon to be a 7th, I'm afraid.

[cantstandbush]

10. You are so right. Dems can't win by being Republicans...

They need to learn to fight and to fight using the same shameless tactics the Rethugs use. Dems can learn to scream without screaming lies. That's the one thing Dems have over Rethugs: truth!

[RedTail Wolf]

11. 98% re-election rate for incumbants is scary!!!!!! NT

[ChipsAhoy]

18. Yes! Let's acknowledge that. n/t

[Toots]

13. They aren't running where "most Americans" can vote

They are running in their own precincts and incumbants win ninty percent of the time. Remember "most Americans" voted for Al Gore but he isn't leading this nation.

[deaniac21]

16. L A N D S L I D E !!!!