A clarification on Paul Hackett...

[kentuck]

It is my opinion that Paul Hackett should win a House seat before running for the Senate. However, that does not mean he is not qualified. Look at what we have up there now. Surely he is as qualified as that cartoon character from Alabama, Sessions. Or that liar from Georgia that stole the election from Max Cleland, and many others. So it is not that Hackett is not qualified - he is. However, he and we must learn to work together as a "Party" if we are going to succeed.

[FreedomAngel82]

1. That's true

And from what I understand the democrats seem way more focused on the House than the Senate. If he was to go for the House could he run for the Senate seat in 2008?

[xultar]

2. The house is where IMPEACHMENT starts!

[kentuck]

3. Yes...

..and he should. He needs to stay in the picture if he is going to remain viable as a future candidate.

[Daylin Byak]

4. No he couldn't

Ohio does not have a Senate election in 2008, he'll now have to wait till 2010 when George Voinovich is up for re-election. They'll even be a tough race for him to get that seat cause mark my words. Tim Ryan will be gunning for that seat since by that time he'll be older than 35 years so he'll meet the age requirements to run.

[kentuck]

6. Who did voinivich defeat in his last election....in 2004?

I do not recall ??

[cmd]

7. Eric Fingerhut

Eric just withdrew from the governor's race. He entered late and didn't get his campaign off ground.

[atreides1]

5. I Don't Disagree

But how can we work together, especially with a leadership that played backroom political games. Add to that a Senate candidate who is already tagged as a possible plagirist, and who the Repukes will call a man of little integrity for saying one thing and then doing the opposite.

Do we really want to be like the Republicans. We have all seen what they did to McCain, but at least they did it more out in the open then what was done to Hackett.

I'm sure Brown is a viable candidiate, but what happens if he looses?

Working together is great, but before plans are made, perhaps the leadership should get their shit together first.

[LeftHander]

8. The party needs to work from shared values...

As long as the party is split on choice, marriage equity, Iraq War, lobby, election and campaign reform, fiscal repsonsibility then the Democratic Party will always lose.

The base will not move farther right any longer. The GOP is pushing division for victory and control. If the progressives in this nation focus and gather around a core set of values and stick to them we will win and draw the moderates and even some conservatives with.

RIght now the GOP controls the battle. They call the shots the Dems are following as planned.

Time to stop playing to thier strength and start using our our values to counterpoint the wrong headed values of the far right that has taken over this nation.

We can wage the battle for a house seat here and a senate seat there. But no lasting vision will be realized until the progressives can seperate the social conservatives from the democratic party....or the progressive democrats form a new democratic party.

SOmething to chew on.

As far as I can see....the GOP has indeed won control and is pushing the agenda further and further right. now is the time for progressives to define a clear set of values and stand fast....for the future of this nation and future generations.

It is going to take 10 years to stop the conservative momentum and another 20 to undo the damage.

Time for long term thinking and radical change.

[kentuck]

9. The Republican Party does not have "shared values"...

Their leaders simply ignore those issues they don't agree on, more or less. They will not make fiscal responsibility a big issue this time around, although that has been a traditional Repub issue.

[LeftHander]

10. All the more reason to rally on clearly defined values....

No Order:

Choice
Fair Taxation
Renewable and Alternative Energy Technology
Sustainable growth and living
Local Economics
Marriage Equity
Racial Harmony
Peace and Non-Violence
Election Reform
Campaign Finance Reform
Media ownership Reform
Quality Education
Universal Health Care


When you look at these so called "progressive" values they aren't really all that progressive. Greens, Independents, Moderates, many Democrats, even some republicans claim to share these values. Yet time and time again in Washington we see the vote against these values....what the hell is WRONG with these values!! I'll tell what is wrong with them....Big corporate influence on policy in Washington, selfishness and greed. What it really comes down to is reigning in the corporation and shifting priorities to establishing a new post oil dependent existence. Profit should come from progress not exploitation of third world workers and natural resources for quarterly profits and golden parachutes.


Integrity has a lot to do with why the Dems keep losing. You can't play fast and loose with values.

The Christian right has framed the "values" that the current neocons are exploiting and they stick to them no matter how wrong they are.

Some moderates are more in tune to the left but focus on a few key areas to get re-elected. the GOP is ruthless in it's party discipline.

This board needs to get it's shit together and start establishing something concrete. It is almost as if DU exists to maintain the current power structure in the Democratic party by offering progressive members of the party a platform to vent and a way to distract. Rather than the constant complaining about Dick Cheney, George Bush people here should be organizing. Establishing a strategy and a base....but you don't...because deep down we know the Democratic Party needs to be shaken apart and rebuilt either as a moderate conservative body or a progressive one..The same people keep making the same decisions. To maintain the current status.

Many people have left DU after Alito, Hackett issue will drive more away....I came back to keep rattling the cages and maybe help facilitate some real change.

The big issue is that the base is leaving the party right now. The reality is the Democratic Party is probably going to have substantial losses in November. It is ALL ABOUT values.

As long as moderate elements keep sidestepping to the right in a vain attempt to please the supposed moderate middle...this party is doomed to suffer a serious schism. It may already be too late.....

And it is all about about the values listed above. Everyone needs to ask themselves how important they really are to you. Are you willing to make the sacrifices to your lifestyle and comfort in return for renewed pioneering spirit in America. Our generation has to be the pioneers to build this nation into one where our decendents can live in peace in equality in a clean and healthy environment.

We all will have to live with less...but we will ultimately be richer for it.

[kentuck]

11. The trick is to clearly define "clearly defined"..

:)

[LeftHander]

12. I not sure I see your point...

Please clarify....

:)

[kentuck]

13. "Clearly defined" would be an issue that the majority...

, or perhaps a large majority of your party agrees with. Just because you or I think it is "clearly defined" does not make it so. From a purely political perspective, issues win or lose votes and votes are what win elections - not our personal "defined values".