Look, goddamnit- IF YOU DON'T GET BEHIND THE TAX CUTS ISSUE, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN

[coti]

for the next two years about the way Democrats play politics.


This IS THE ISSUE we will have to win with in 2012. If you toss it aside, NONE of your "The Democrats didn't do this" or "The Democrats didn't do that" gripes (of which I have had MANY) will be legitimate, well beyond this next election.

Pelosi and Reid are putting their necks on the line for the issue and- for ONCE!!- playing the issue correctly. And now people are getting negative and "Well, they should have done it earlier" about it.

I swear, if *I* was representing your asses, I wouldn't stick up for you even ONCE after that kind of weak reaction.



Getting all timid after you've been expecting them to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and "grow spines."


Now they're finally doing it, and now it's YOUR TURN to "grow a spine." This is the strategy- and it WINS. Use it. It's the truth, and IT'S THE MESSAGE.

If you don't, I'm giving up on YOU, the Democratic base- not our representatives.

[leftstreet]

1. What are you talking about...the tax cuts for the rich?

[aquart]

2. What is it you want done, dear?

Not that I appreciate one word of your attitude, but you're long on tonguelash and empty on specifics.

[coti]

7. MY attitude? This is about positive reinforcement and backing up the people doing right by you.

That's what Pelosi and Reid are doing by pushing this in the way that they are. The only reason they ARE doing it is because we asked them to, and because we KNEW it was going to be a winning campaign issue.

Now we're playing it off as "just political games" or something that should have been done earlier.


It's KILLING me, the way people are so beaten down here. We finally have the chance to put the Republicans in their place- thanks to our Dem leadership (for ONCE, again)- and people just want to be negative about it.

[Hello_Kitty]

11. I applaud Pelosi and Reid for this. Why is the WH so willing to cave? eom

[hfojvt]

14. because we have seen this play before, we know the second act

In act 1, Democrats are like Carol Burnett doing a Tarzan yell.

Then comes act 2. Wesley, the Republican rises up off the bed and says "Drop your sword." and Humperdink, the Democrat, goes "okay" and meekly sits down.

But yeah, I plan to call the White House tomorrow and tell them that if they do not fight the Bush tax cuts for the rich, they are going to lose my support, and that a temporary extension is not acceptable either. And by "my support" I mean something like $1,700.

But I don't think Democrats are doing it right. The way to do it is to a) pass an extension of the tax cuts for incomes under $100,000, and b) pass another tax increase of 5% on incomes over $1 million and 10% on incomes over $10 million.

With those two bills on the table, THEN the COMPROMISE position becomes "extend the tax cuts for incomes under $200,000".

The way Pelosi did it, there is no place for compromise. She already passed the compromise bill. What is left to give up to gain some Republican support?

[Frank Booth]

3. They're doing what they should be doing, but what stopped them from doing this 4 months ago?

This could have made for perfect political theater. I'm glad they're finally trying it, but people on this site and elsewhere have been suggesting the same tactic since at least January. The incompetence can start to wear after a while.

[nofurylike]

4. K&R

self-deleted message

[coti]

6. Look at this previous thread- 300+ recs telling Dems to do this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=9562782

and now people are reacting like this when they finally do it right.

[nofurylike]

9. i read a very effective quote today. to paraphrase, it said, stop

complaining and call a senator. it was said to the failure-junkies.

or write an LTTE.

one thing to remember: this is not the real world.

i suggest you write those excellent points in LTTEs.
and that maybe you can find actual activists in your area who do call their senators and representatives.

but this is not the base, by a long way.

i wish you well, coti.

[last_texas_dem]

5. I'm glad they seem to be fighting on this, but it ain't over 'til it's over...

...and if the Dems can find a way to lose on what should be a slam-dunk issue, they will.

[coti]

8. Frankly, you've got to buck up- at least a little. I'm feeling relief, myself- that they actually

did something right, for a change.

Seems to me we have to positively reinforce their courage and follow through OURSELVES, if we want to see more.

[ZombieHorde]

10. Recommended. nt

[EFerrari]

12. You know, browbeating other people is not doing anything positive.

It's just browbeating other people.

[NuttyFluffers]

13. psst. giving a simple template on "HOW to HELP" would make your life easier...

i have no idea what exactly *you* want others to do, but it helps if you have an answer and a simple step-by-step process for them to enact action.

for example: you may want to draft a form letter for people to print, sign their name on the bottom and mail to their congressional representatives.

... or something of that nature.

it's really up to you to explain what you think will work. yelling "go get 'em!" doesn't really mean all that much otherwise.

[liberal N proud]

15. K&R