The Repuke 2006 Strategy.....by Fred Barnes.....deserves a "must read"

[AnnInLa]

Republican 2006 Strategy Will Be To Define Foes And "Change The Subject" (UPDATED)
by Joe Gandelman

Independent voters, those who believe elections are job performance reviews, and those who want to see the quality of political debate elevated in this country will not be heartened by a piece by Fred Barnes detailing how in the 2006 mid-term elections Republicans will try to avoid defending and explaining what they and George Bush have done the past few years.

How? By changing the subject — polarizing America in way that may earn the GOP a place in the Guinness Book of Records (just look under "Divisiveness"):

Politics is pretty simple. If the debate in an upcoming election puts your party at a disadvantage, it makes sense to try to change the debate. At the moment, the 2006 midterm election is framed as a referendum on the Bush administration and congressional Republicans, putting Republican candidates on the defensive. Party strategists, led by chairman Ken Mehlman, want to rejigger the debate so it's about a choice between candidates, putting Democratic candidates on the defensive as well. In short, they want it to be a choice election, not a referendum election.

snip

For 2006, the Republican National Committee, the White House, and most Senate and House Republicans are on board with the choice strategy. In fact, some members of Congress are already repeating a phrase first used by Bush in meetings with congressional allies. It's an assertion that Democrats would "raise your taxes and raise the white flag" in Iraq.

snip

Can you guess what else is coming up? P-o-l-a-r-i-z-a-t-i-on on social issues:

snip


House Republicans, for their part, intend to seek votes on measures such as the Bush-backed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, a bill allowing more public expression of religion, another requiring parental consent for women under 18 to get an abortion, legislation to bar all federal courts except the Supreme Court from ruling on the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance, a bill to outlaw human cloning, and another that would require doctors to consider fetal pain before performing an abortion.

(Please go and read the whole article, and click thru to the Fred Barnes-authored article:)

http://www.themoderatevoice.com/posts/1142780783.shtml

[jojo54]

1. It all gets down to No Freedom Of Choice.

That's a true patriot if I ever saw one! :sarcasm:

[BOSSHOG]

2. Their strategy works perfectly for me

I am now more intensely committed to never voting for a republican for any office ever.

[slor]

3. The Dems need to smack it right down in a debate...

"Gay marriage did not bring us the disaster in Iraq", "Gay marriage did not send your job to China", "A lack of guns did not create the biggest deficit in our nation's history". They just need to be strong and keep the people looking at the real issues.

[durrrty libby]

4. Gay marriage will once again be on the ballots

to get the homophobes to the polls.
The dems must do something to make this a non-issue, and not let it distract from the real problems.

[On the Road]

5. This Kind of Thing Can be Successful

much of the time. I really, really hope that it will be just too transparent this year.

Democratic candidates will have to have their heads screwed on straight and show some leadership and ability to control the terms of debate.

[Greyhound]

6. New campaign motto: "We won't get fooled again!". Whaddaya think?

[Minnesota Libra]

7. The way to get around that is to insist on "issues not individuals" or....

....."matters not mud", in other words keep the subject on issues only. Take the high road and neocons can't keep up.