Nuance is dead.. I hope the people running in November have noticed

[SoCalDem]

For too many years, the Democratic party has counted on the intellect of "the people" to see through the obvious lies, and to "get" the nuanced things the party has done.

Republicans don't DO nuance. They are "smash-your-face-in-your-mashed potatoes" campaigners.

They have mastered the art of getting democrats on the record, supporting, or appearing to support their nonsense, and then turning the event into propaganda to use against us. The ordinary person will be shown pictures of democrats smiling and participating in standing ovations for Prince Pissypants, and the ads will portray them as deceitful and flip-floppy when they all of a sudden oppose his policies. Common courtesy and decorum are no longer valued commodities, nor are they even understood.

Parents these days are teaching their kids to TAKE what they want..don;t LET another kid get ahead of you..Winning is all that matters, even if you injure your opponent.

Democrats need to take off the gloves and BE REAL. Think about it.. People PAY BIG BUCKS to go to movies where "real talk and actions" are the theme. People LIKE to be (and NEED to be) told truth in basic language. I am not suggesting that candidates drop F-bombs every other word, but it's way past time to show anger if they ARE angry, to SHOW disgust at republicans if they really are disgusted.

Republicans use their own failures, and turn them into successes by twisting the facts to suit them..and they keep doing it.. repetition works

Just today in Nashville, Bush was BRAGGING about the disaster relief. WE know it's a lie, but they have managed to change the result, by patting themselves on the back and will continue to do so. If this is met with a tepid, nuanced response, he gets away with it, and then whoever dared to challenge him will be met by a barrage of charges of OUTRAGEOUS attacks on the president.

The old childhood rhyme "rubber/glue" is their game plan, pared down to the minimum.

The charges made against them are gentle and or sly, and of course they are just thrown right back at us...by experts...and loaded with shrapnel..

The people who win in the fall will be the ones who can pare down the rhetoric to a cogent message, in real language, keep it simple, and repeat it . If they are smart, they will NOT over-analyze their every move.

I am not suggesting being phony. People can spot a phony..(democrats can). It's time to take off the gloves and fight to win. Brash politicians may grate on nerves, but they get things done. It almost seems as if every democratic campaign is run based on "how the republicans will respond". They win because they don't CARE how we respond. They have come to trust that no matter how outrageous they are, we will always back down.

A politician who gets "real" about the things that middle class people care about, can win.


( I am NOT forgetting the fact that the whole election system is shit, but as a realist, I know there is not enough time..again.. to correct the wrongs there....AND I know the media is not our friend....but the election is still coming, and there will be candidates anyway)

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. Perhaps our culture is a victim

of its own entertainment: shoot 'em up movies, death, destruction and reality tv.

[SoCalDem]

4. That's the plan..desensitization

Bread and circuses

[DancingBear]

2. Well, Tim Kaine gave the SOTU response last night

I believe John Murtha was available.

So was Wes Clark.

Or Paul Hackett.

So, it sure looks like nuance is alive and well in the Democratic Party.

Lucky us.

[SoCalDem]

3. It's dead in the general public.. I hope the party notices soon

:(

[SmokingJacket]

5. But they HATE loudmouth liberals.

Look how they dump on Cindy Sheehan, who speaks her mind. Look at the vituperation for Michael Moore.

I mean, I think you're right, but my god, how quickly a frank, truth-speaking liberal gets painted with the "loony left" label! Even by Democrats!

I guess the solution is to KEEP DOING it, until the tide changes.

[sendero]

7. Don't confuse middle America..

... with "they". The "they" you speak of are the hard core dumbass true believers.

As to the OP, I couldn't agree more, and I've been beating that drum here for 3 years. Why in the world people cannot catch up to the reality of TODAY is beyond me. Statesmanship no longer carries the day. Intelligent, thoughtful positions don't either. The American public has long since given up any hope that a politician, even if s/he has a well-thought-out position, will actually act upon it once elected.

It's all WWE, all the time, and we better get some slammers or we are history.

[Atman]

12. The public does not dump on Cindy

The GOP-controlled media does, and tries to convince the public that everyone else is, too.

[SoCalDem]

16. "they" are the ones we should care the least about

"they" are the media who tries to marginalize us, and the focused message back to them whenever a dem gets a chance to speak on air? "YOU" (media) are the PROBLEM..quit lying!

[rucky]

6. If you don't have a clear, focused message...

you may as well be speaking Klingon.

[SoCalDem]

10. Exactly.. clear,focused and oft-repeated

Once in office, there is plenty of time to do the nuance. Nuance is necessary in congress, but on the campaign trail it is perceived as mealymouthed.

[firefox]

8. If the Dems cannot voice opposition to 6 huge media companies

they are pretty much useless. The conglomerate media is part of the strategy to keep Wealthy Rule. If the Dems do not target the media ownership(You know it would shut up Rush and his anti-liberal media campaign)they have no plan, they have no vision, they have no message, they have no voice.

Everybody at DU should be calling for busting up the media. The Dems cannot do the obvious and it makes you wonder who they serve.

[Ohio Joe]

9. This is exactly why

I can't wait to vote for Hacket and have him as my Senator. Plain, honest, straight forward and absolutly no BS.

[SoCalDem]

11. I hope he wins..

[Ohio Joe]

13. Me too

Many of the people I work with as well as many of my friends are very excited about him running. I have the feeling he has a very strong support base.

[azurnoir]

14. Keep it simple and consistent

don't allow repubs to draw them into debate and don't allow anyone to use wedge issues abortion and gay marriage, Iraq too . The simplest answer is are you asking my opinion or my constituents mine doesn't matter I'm here to represent the people of my state.

[linazelle]

15. "'smash-your-face-in-your-mashed potatoes' campaigners..."

You couldn't be more accurate in your description. Well put.

Nuance and civility are dead. I watched yet another criminal lie and squirm on TV this morning, and I wondered what kind of morals and values we can expect from today's generation when there is so much rampant dishonesty from the highest levels.

We have stood by and gotten beat up by these bullies long enough. It's time to take the kid gloves off and put on the brass knuckles.