How do we counter this: "At least the Republicans Stand for Something!"

This is what I've heard from my Media/Cable/Whore News survey today. I'm watching because I want to know what's happening with Hurricane Francis.

I'm so upset with the Repug Assault on us by this statement...and I'm a person who only watches cables in "sound bytes" but HAD to tune it in for "Francis News."

This is what "some folks" who are "at home/working at home/or whatever in their hotel rooms see ALL DAY!

The Repug Challenge is from my scan today: "At Least Republicans Stand for Something!"

How do we as Democrats with our nuanced, thoughful replies about policy respond to AHHHHNOLD Swartzenegger...that Media Fav who's the next in line as the Actor to Replace Reagan?

Did they say?

all the WRONG things, like the pugs!

even though President Clinton lied about a BJ he is still 1million times more honest then chimpy. Bush lied thousands died.

do they have any constitutional American traits they stand for? All I can tell is they want to shred the constitution. Is that what they stand for?

as a group anymore- they've become political cowards, bowing to the right and selling out their own party and their constitutents. For example, my congressman- Mike Wu, sold us out on the medicare bill! The one that took over three hours to vote on at 3 in the morning- and forced the Republicans into bribery to get the extra vote that they needed. (So incidently did Ron Wyden- who got his political start with the Grey Panthers).

The Republicans are absolutely right on this one, I'm afraid. And the Dems have no one to blame but themselves.

You then point to one vote on one bill, characterizing it as a "sellout." So Mike Wu now "stands for nothing," because of one vote on one bill that you don't like.

I think the real reason a few Democrats beat the shit out of themselves for "standing for nothing" is demonstrated, in spades, in this little bit of reasoning right here. Either be 100% oppositionist, or "stand for nothing."

It's a binary world, black/white, all or nothing, you're either with us or against us, and there is no in between. Any deviation is an example of weakness and lack of ideological resolve. And then the bitter little chickens start squawking about "sellouts."

How about the bankruptcy bill- a blatant giveaway to the credit card companies (who overwhelmingly support Republicans) at the expense of single moms. Hillary Clinton AND John Edwards along with about 1/3 of the Democratic Senators voted for that;

And what about Bush's budget busting tax cuts? How many Dems voted for those- despite the obvious deceptions and warnings from economists about the consequences?

How about the Telecommunications (more aptly named the Media Consolodation Promotion Act) Tell those votes were in anyone but the Republican's best interests?

The list goes on and on- I could easily think of twenty more such instances in the past 10 years where the Democrats sold themselves and the rest of us out. That's why so many people (including me) believe that they stand for very little as a group. It's an unfortunate situation- and one which has relegated the party to minority status- as well as declining registration percentages.

It's also why we had tens of thousands at the shadow conventions in 2000. A lot of people are sick and tired of it-

I don't view any of those as "sellouts." Every vote or position you don't like is a "sellout." It's a black/white, binary world you live in.

It's hardly a black & white world from the policy perspective- however, on any given bill, there will be winners and losers.

If Dems (and apparently you) wish to choose credit card companies over people with major medical bills and single moms (who stand to lose major chunks of alimony and child support via this bill) then I think that they're siding with the wrong intersts- damn right I do- and AGAINST traditional Democratic ones.

The same holds true for tax cuts for the wealthy that jeopardize social security and medicare (along with passing on costs to beleagered state and local governments)- and for the Telecommunications bill that essentially turned local radio over to Clear Channel and Entercom.

The problem lies with what interest groups one wants to ally themselves with- When Mike Wu sided with PhRMA over seniors- he lost my vote, I'm sorry to say. That's politics 101- and it's hardly black and white- but it is, in conglomeration, the reason why the perception is out there that Democrats as a group, stand for very little.

.

Similar to former President Clinton's statement at the Dem convention: Republicans stand for the top 2% income brackets, Democrat stand for the other 98%. I read a quote by Prescott Bush "In all things human - be liberal". We believe government is not an evil but is there to enhance life and security for the majority and the individual. How can we take back the term liberal to its original meaning - genorosity and compassion?

at least bush makes a decision and sticks to it.

and even when they know it is the wrong decision they continue to stick with it, as lives are lost

i would fire his ass if he were employee

adn dems stand for a lot of things, much more inclusive than any repug

If you believe Secretary Rumsfeld is doing a superb job orchestrating torture, rape, extortion, and murder, then you should vote for Bush.

If you think it's a disgrace, don't.

and they stand for tax cuts to the top 1% and off shore accounts and corporations. bush stands for corporations not America!

As Nancy Waterman pointed out last night in a valuble thread..we need to get bush on his lack of patriotism.


On Edit~ And Dems stand for helping all Americans..not just the ones who won multi Million $$$$dollar businesses!

The Democratic Principles..

". ensure that every individual is able to practice his or her civil and constitutional rights.

2. maintain a balanced (or surplus) budget.

3. ensure market competition without allowing dominant groups of people or organizations to develop a monopoly over certain resources or rights.

4. protect consumer demand by ensuring that every individual/household has access to income and financial resources.

5. actively engender human and social capital for all U.S. residents via public educational institutions and thereby reproduce a globally competitive labor force.

6. promote environmental responsibility nationally and internationally.

7. foster strong international alliances between other democratic/capitalist nations and actively promote peaceful resolutions to international conflict.

"Every policy he has pursued has been for the benefit of the global corporations, who have no real loyalty to the US, only to the bottom line. And every policy he has pursued has been bad for average Americans. The list is endless:

the war has brought profits for the military industries and a disaster for US foreign policy including an increase in terrorism; the environment is increasingly polluted due to the deregulation of corporate polluters; the economy is in a shambles for the workers and our children and grandchildren will be saddled with debt but the rich are much richer and saddled with nothing; the deregulation of the media benefits the 5 or so big corporations that own it but harms democracy; and on and on. Every policy can be examined for who benefits, and it is never America, iti s always the super rich and the mega corporations."

More @..
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=706394

Whoever makes a statement such as "Well, at least the Republicans stand for something" is assuming an awful lot -- that Republicans are monolithic and united, that Democrats have no platform, etc. It's one of those dumbed-down sound bites that makes no sense on closer examination, like Bush's claim that "We're spreading the peace."

The next time you catch a someone in the media saying something like that, note the source and call them on it. Ask them if a living wage is nothing, if the right to organize is nothing, if privacy and freedom in family planning is nothing, if improving international relations is nothing.

HOW DO WE COUNTER THIS?????

What kind of a question is that? Sounds like something Hannity would say.

:evilgrin:

If they can't prove they don't then they have to apologize. :)

The Democratic Party stands for protecting our environment
Protecting workers from predatory employers
Protecting consumers from predatory banking practices
Protecting patients from cookbook medicine
Protecting people harmed by predatory companies and insurance agencies
protecting women's rights to equal pay
protecting minorities from discrimination
protecting ordinary people who paid into SS all their lives from being ENRONIZED
protecting a woman's right to determine her reproductive health with her doctor.

Kerry and the Democrats DO stand for 'something' ... Democratic Party values : support for workers and common citizens ... rational, internationalist diplomatic philosophies that this administration has veered away from ....

If the Media would just get their HEADS our from the arses of their masters: they could see we have a message ....

C'mon, man, this isn't hard.

At least Hitler stood for something.

At least Ghengis Khan stood for something.

At least Darth Vader stood for something.

What leadership the republicans have to offer is invariably in an extremely unhealthy direction -- which is far worse than not leading on those issues at all.