Example: How "moderation" de-nutted the Democratic Party

"HAD ENOUGH?" or "A NEW DIRECTION FOR AMERICA" ? Don't they both really say the same? Inside these comments by Josh Marshall is buried Karl Rove's and the Republicans' strategy for running against the Democrats in the upcoming election. "The Democrats have no plan..." = "The Democrats are indecisive, untrustworthy with national defense, not someone you want to vote for in these dire times." That's their plan and we need to address it in a more direct way, not with "moderation" in the way we define it.
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http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/008778.php

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The results seem to be in, from pretty much every quarter: Congressional Democrats' new theme or campaign program or whatever it is it's supposed to be exactly is just embarrassingly lame. Frank Rich says so. Jo-Ann Mort says so. If you haven't heard, it's A New Direction for America. So you can see what they mean.

In his Sunday Times column, Rich quotes Tony Fabrizio's line from last April: "The good news is Democrats don't have much of a plan. The bad news is they may not need one."

I don't want to pump this line up too much because it plays to this pattern of Democratic hang-wringing, that Republicans play up, knowing that it feeds ingrained perceptions of Democratic haplessness, indecisiveness and thus unworthiness to hold office.

<snip>
It's not about the Democrats. 2008 may be about the Democrats. Maybe 2010. Not 2006. 2006 is about George W. Bush and the Republican party. And, specifically, how many people are fed up with what's happened over the last six years and want to make a change? The constitution gives the people only one way to do that in 2006 -- put a hard brake on the president's power by turning one or both houses of Congress over to the opposition party.

That's why Newt Gingrich was so on the mark, ironically, when he suggested the Democrats' slogan should be "Had Enough?" (As a way of understanding Gingrich's particular genius, consider that "Had Enough?" and "A New Direction for America" are actually two ways of saying the exact same thing -- with the first forceful and infectious and the second limp and denatured.) Everything else the election is allegedly about is chatter. The details are so many fine points about making the sale, framing the question. And, yes, those are important. But that is the question. And nothing the geniuses on either side do will change that from being the question.
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It's short, sweet, and says it all! Great size for a bumper sticker or button, and the flash line on every campaign poster and ad!

If Newt unwittingly helped us to win the next election? :)

I suspect Newt dislikes this Admin. almost as much as the Dems do! The other Pub who has been dropping suggestions is George Will.

I stitched the two together, in the spirit of compromise and moderation.

:)

:evilgrin:

would be my guess. Newt is now considered an "outsider" to those in power but still has a lot of support amongst rank and file Republicans...

to use for all the major issues that were brilliant.

we need to do that for this campaign :bounce:

The world doesn't need another bastard like Newt. :)

yeah, but our bastard will be fighting for the forces of good ;->

Democrats are different from Republicans.

:P

by the end of the year, we'll all be able to say that and mean it.

Unfortunately, this election will probably depend on who is best able to package and market their own ideas. That's why some of us have been insisting that all of our Representatives and Senators read up on George Lakoff - and they haven't done it.

Blunt and to the point.

including Republicans. Although many still refuse to accept what they already know.

peddle - they have the strength of their convictions and it shows while the Dems are too afraid to believe in anything with passion - all their beliefs are poll driven and not from the gut -and that shows, too.

"2006 is about George W. Bush and the Republican party. And, specifically, how many people are fed up with what's happened over the last six years and want to make a change? The constitution gives the people only one way to do that in 2006 -- put a hard brake on the president's power by turning one or both houses of Congress over to the opposition party."

THAT is absolutely what it's about. And Dem leader/legislators make a DANGEROUS mistake of underestimating the American people-- treating us as if we are too stupid and deluded to hear the truth that we already know-- and are living every day. The effects of Repug and Bushco's abuse of power ARE "kitchen table issues."

".....consider that "Had Enough?" and "A New Direction for America" are actually two ways of saying the exact same thing -- with the first forceful and infectious and the second limp and denatured.)"

When I saw the article about this "New Direction" slogan buried in the A section of the Sunday paper, with a photo of Pelosi, I thought "There's the Democratic "speaker" that says IMPEACH BUSH is "off the table."



See-- we're sittin at different tables. I hate to say this, but I've even wondered lately if "we" ARE "elitists." Including posts on DU blaming the mess we're in on "uneducated" people. The (Democratic, Independent and Repub Lite) people know what the scam being run on the country is about and it's time for the Democrats to figure that out-- before it's too late.

It's that some people have the time and capacity for educating themselves on what is going on around them. Most people are too busy trying to survive.