I think we are falling for the newest talking points...

Who is it telling us that the Democrats are not doing anything? Where are you hearing that we are not benefitting from the GOP scandals? Who wants you to think that?

The media is using those talking points, the right wing blogs are using those points. Some groups who want to form a third party are using those words.

How do you know what they are doing? You don't. They are coming up with their own Contract for America. They are forming agendas.

State groups are forming and getting their political directors. It is not all over the news, but it is going on.

I am speaking for the DNC efforts, not the DLC/PPI/or Third Way efforts. They will form their own agenda, and they are already trying to foist it off on all of us.

In a recent Texas appearance, San Antonio, Dean said, "Republicans specialize in taking hope away." They also specialize in getting anger to build up. We are snipping among ourselves. There are also now some sneak attacks going on from some new media groups being formed. Please remember that we have pretty well established...well as best we can, anyway...that online magazines are lining up allegiances as well.

We go all to pieces when a Democrat says something we don't like. Even if it is decent statement and partially true, we implode.

I plan to work with the party as best I can. We in the DFA have a good working relationship with our local DEC, and that is a good thing. It is not perfect, and it takes a lot of patience.

I am very worried about the war, and I am equally worried about women's rights issues. I am also aware that my desire for my party to scream, stomp, and yell right now because I am angry....is just that. It is my desire because I am angry, and it unfortunately won't accomplish anything for them to act like that.

Watch for the next time you hear someone on TV saying Democrats don't do anything. Notice who it is. On Hardball tonight it will be Chris Matthews saying it to Howard Dean who is working to build the party without being dependent on corporations. They love doing this.

It means they don't have to take responsibility for the culture of corruption in the GOP administration. By blaming the Democrats they are taking the pressure off Bush.

and i've also heard right-wingers saying 'the democrats will say something over and over again until people start believing it is true' which is THEIR standard tactic.

we live in interesting times.

i've seen quite a few rants on DU about this dem or that dem not doing enough, or, in the case of Bill Clinton, not hanging with the right people. i think this is tied to your though of it not being necessarily a good thing to scream, shout and stomp your foot. i think there is a lot of careful planning going on in the background. things are happening! a great number of things are happening and we've all seen it. we live in an instant society so we tend to want everything yesterday.

keep the faith:)

its so hard not to get sucked into some of these henny-penny scenarios. There is enough old dirt to go around, but somebody is always digging up something new, and I jump at the bait on a regular basis. After going for the ride, by the time I get back my mind, whatever my focus had been on is long gone. Sure wish I'd learn... my lack of trust is turning me fickle.

And I still respect Senator Ken Salazar. It is hard for a lot of Dems to get elected. And they have to be moderate on many issues. There are a lot of Catholics who voted for Salazar in Colorado, he is sensitive to that.

Sometimes I wonder at the motivations of the most vociferous critics. Maybe they just don't get it. This is a diverse world and we have to find ways to get along.

And if anyone takes that to mean I recommend sucking up to Republicans, I'm standing you in the corner, and you will write a three page paper on the finer points of political infighting. This is a guerrilla war, we don't line up in tidy rows and take out all the bad guys. And working with people is a messy business. Ideology guides but doesn't rule. :)

If people aren;t getting the message, it means by definitions that Democratic lreaders are not effectively sending any message.

Maybe it's my own professional/personal inclination towards the importance of information and commu8nications, but IMO one of the major jobs for the Democratic leadeership is to be sending out strong and clear and relentless messages to counter the RW spin and talking points.

Democratic leaders should be screaming from the rafters about everything that is going on, and relentlessly telling average people on how they've been snookered. And, just as important, Democrats need to be publicly drawing clear and REAL distinctions between what we stand for and what they stand for. And we need to be offering positive solutions that go beyond tepid status-quo platitudes.

I agree with much of what you said, and compliment you on expressing it so well. That being said, I still think that if nothing else a lack of co-ordination haunts our party. The leadership needs to stay on the same message, and repeat, repeat, repeat. Every Dem who makes it onto a talk show whould call * "the unpopular President". What a simple idea, and it's backed up by poll numbers if they're called on it. There is no strategy, especially no media strategy, and I think that's why many of us are frustrated.

Keep up the good work, and thanks!

:patriot:

-Laelth