DU, make sure your voice is heard.. What's important to you?

[converted_democrat]

As many of you know, my message was chosen by the Heartland PAC in their 10 words or less contest. The idea was to describe the Democratic Party in 10 words or less. I chose "The Democratic Party: People are our only 'Special Interest.'" I will be involved in a conference call later today with the other winners, and Gov. Vilsack to discuss the words that the others and I chose. The focus of the conversation is going to be about the 10 word phrases, and what we feel are the most important Democratic values. The discussion will be turned into a pod cast, and posted on the PAC website. I was also asked to write a paper about my 10 words that will be given by Gov. Vilsack to all Democratic Governors, gubernatorial candidates, and Democratic Party leaders.. Lastly, I will be given an opportunity to have lunch and spend a day with Gov. Vilsack, his wife, and the other winners at the Iowa State fair in August..

This is where you guys come in.. I've learned so much from everyone here at DU, and I want to give all of you an opportunity for your voices to be heard. I'd love it if you could share with me what you believe our most important Democratic values are, and the direction you think the Democratic Party should be heading in. What do you feel needs to be addressed? What do you believe to be the key to winning in the midterms? What should our message be, and why should people vote Democratic verses Republican? Please post what you feel are the most important issues, and the values that are nearest and dearest to you. Just to let you know, I'm going to pass this thread along to The Heartland PAC, and it may even be viewed by the Governor himself.. I look forward to hearing your ideas, and sharing them with the Gov. Vilsack.

Please stop by the Heartland PAC and discuss the winning submissions. These folks really want to bring about a Democratic majority through closing the idea and message gap, and the only way they can do that is if you let them know what is most important to you..

http://www.heartlandpac.org/
(This is a link to the Heartland PAC's homepage.)


http://www.heartlandpac.org/page/community/post/kevinthurman/BcB
(Link to the winning submissions.)

http://www.heartlandpac.org/page/community/post_group/discussion/BcC
(Link to the explanation of my ten words, and the comments given by others.)

[UpInArms]

1. JMHO - but I do believe that we need to go back to

"It's the Economy Stupid!" - job outsourcing, M&A's that destroy entire corporations (Iowa is losing all those Maytag jobs since it merged with Whirlpool), the continuous drumbeat for more skills when there are fewer paying jobs for skilled workers, etc.

Thanks for the post C_D and good job!

[converted_democrat]

8. Thank you UpInArms.. I agree, the economy is a big deal.. The middle

class is getting squeezed like never before.. We need to make people understand that a vote for a Democrat is a vote for the people, and a vote for a Republican is a vote for a big business. That's my .02..

[the other one]

2. Impeachment

It seems that the mainstream media is the only one not actively throwing the word around.

Will the Democrats raise the possibility of impeachment in the campaigns?

The Republicans took flak for impeaching Clinton without mentioning it in 2006. The Democrats would take the same flak if they impeached Bush without explaining why BEFORE the election and not after. If they are going to do it they should run on it, and if they aren't going to run on it, they shouldn't do it.

[Tsiyu]

3. Congratulations

Your entry is a winner, indeed.

Lately, I've been thinking that we need to be the party to restore peace and order.

Republicans promised "order" but delivered CHAOS.

CHAOS on 9/11

CHAOS in Irag and Afghanistan

CHAOS during elections

CHAOS during and after Katrina

CHAOS with our trade deficit and budget

CHAOS by outing CIA agents

CHAOS by beating the drums for more war....



We need order. We need human beings in charge: Human beings who don't spend our tax money blowing up other human beings. Humans who spend our tax money educating and immunizing and providing vital services to other human beings.

Corporations thrive on chaos, and so do Republicans, apparently. We need to be the party of reason, compassion and order.

Order can be achieved, even in a society where people practice a variety of religions or no religion at all. Peace can happen between people who choose peace, despite what goes on in their respective bedrooms.


Repukes sold the clean cut Fundy on the idea that going back to the appearance of the fifties was the key to having an orderly, less dangerous society.

But the air the Fundy now breathes is the same air we all breathe. It's the air full of war and hate and bombs and greed and spying and drowning and flood and flame and death.

Maybe living in harmony with others can happen when we respect each others rights and privacies. When we walk the other way, hating and fearing and attacking each other, we choose not to have peace or an orderly society.

[linazelle]

4. Honesty...Humanity

We are, for the most part, honest. We believe in fairness, the Constitution--the law, in contrast to the reTHUGlicans.

I think that along with honesty comes our most important issue: voting integrity. If there is anything that you can/must do...it is to communicate the importance of democrats getting behind this most important issue of all.

Without the vote, all is lost.

[UpInArms]

5. I agree - how do we get rid of corporations that can control the vote?

[ChiciB1]

6. Oh Goody! And Congratulations To You! My Little Idea....

For months and months, oh maybe years I've been on a constant roller coaster regarding what has been happening to DEMOCRACY in America. Here at DU and I'm sure at many others blogs we get ourselves all hyped when each new scandal breaks, or when we see "some" action being taken by a few members in Congress. Our hope get raised and our hearts start to flutter and we think FINALLY! But then we see it's only one more string of NOTHING!! Within days or maybe hours, most of the time any gains we think we're making quickly gets dashed by yet another "explanation" or "reason why" or outright "lie" about any given situation. Screwed Again!!!

These people who now run this country have done so much damage and it's infuriating to just sit back and see it happen over and over and over again. I swear I tried to WARN them before BOTH elections but many simply held tight to their blinders. As time has rolled on, many have been FORCED to realize that they were lied to, and FORCED is the operative word too, because I KNOW they hate to admit they were wrong. Many are probably still sitting on the fence waiting for a magic rabbit to pop up and say that the reality they are experiencing isn't really happening. These are the people we need to reach!

Unfortunately I no longer wait for OUR side to show much leadership and have decided that it will be up to "We The People" to bring sanity back to America. I have a budding idea that I've been trying to get others interested in. The idea needs EXTRA HELP and very possibly can be used only as a beginning point to expand from.

I know we have been ignored by many marches that we've had in the past AND others HAVE actually blasted us for even having them. But what if we decided to have 2 or 3 HUGE marches in D.C. or Austin, TX or some other MAJOR place that is geared toward a Universal message and not just one issue? I don't know what it would be called, but something that is as simple as People For The Bill of Rights! Or perhaps Marching For Our Civil Rights, Marching For The Middle Class, Stand Up And Be Counted or maybe just Remember Us, The People Of America???.

I really don't think I'm the person who is capable or inventive enough to give it a name. All I'm saying is it should be "general!" Immigrants are out marching as I write this and getting TONS of coverage! They are UNITED and SERIOUS about their cause. I think we're just as SERIOUS, but "the corrupt ones" have managed to turn us into some type of Shrekish Ogres. And obviously they done a pretty good job on almost all the Democrats in Congress! Each time one has come forward with ANY idea, they have to stand out there alone. Their own members don't even support them. So I say, they aren't going to do it FOR US, they want to get re-elected. They fear backlash, but what are WE afraid of??

I've gotten to a point that no matter where and happen to meet up with anybody, I try to get politics into the conversation. Most of the time, I don't even know the people, but I talk. Sure I get some "lip" but you would be surprised at how much agreement you get. I don't hide my point of view and I tell them outright that I am very political. I say that what I see going on in America today IS NOT the America I grew up in. From the elderly to school kids, you CAN find common ground. I can't say they all agree with me, but unless I know I'm dealing with a like-minded person, I try to find common ground. It has been working too.

I care for my mother-in-law who has Alzheimer's and just about an hour ago a lady came into evaluate her for some physical therapy. Her Alzheimer's is pretty advanced and I happened to have Democracy Now on, but I found a way to turn the conversation to politics. I told the lady that I generally have the station turned to something like I Love Lucy or simple topics for my mother-in-law to watch, but today I was trying to follow what was happening with the Immigration Marches. So because I have a DISH it was on FSTV. She herself told me she has a green card and was originally from Trinidad and we got to talking. This person was "my type" of person and we agreed on almost everything. Then I told her how active I was and how I wished there was someone close that shared my activism. EVEN BETTER! She has such a friend and she is going to give her my name so we can get together and see what we can work out.

It was a good day today! So this is long, but this is my "little" idea. It would be foolish for MSM to ignore people who just want to stand up for their RIGHTS in much the same way the immigrants are. Anti-War Marches don't make their socks go up and down, maybe people hollering at them will!!

[ChiciB1]

7. You Need To Post This At "Politics" Too!

It's slipping down and I think this is too important to let slip away!

We need ACTION not just words!!!

[Ron Mexico]

9. What I'd like to see, although I don't have an idea how to phrase it well,

is for us to try to pick up the "compassion" idea and take it from Bush. You know, SMART social spending rather than blatant attempts to buy votes. That's the only idea that comes to mind that hasn't been mentioned.

Sorry, wish I had more.

Recommended, BTW, and congratulations again.

[jsamuel]

10. congratulations! My suggestion: minimum wage!!!

That will drive voters, Dem voters, to the ballot box. Minimum wage... That is the Democrat's gay marriage, but in a good way. Again, CONGRATULATIONS!

[converted_democrat]

11. I like the minimum wage idea.. I'm not sure which state it was, I'm

thinking that it was Oregon that raised the minimum wage to 8.00 an hour, and it had a great effect on their economy.. I'm not sure on the state, I'm thinking it was Oregon, I saw the piece on Lou Dobbs.. The point of the piece was that raising the minimum didn't hurt small business the way that republicans always claim that it will.. In fact, it had the opposite effect, and it was good for the entire state economy..

[jsamuel]

12. yes exactly :)

i believe a few states are putting it on the ballot in 2006... Arkansas? and Wisconsin???