Analysis: Democrats wary of November vote

[ShockediSay]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/29/ap/politics/mainD8HTL1B80.shtml

Analysis: Democrats eye November landslide but worry about blown opportunities....

"The fear I have as a Democrat is that if we are making this solely a referendum on the Republicans, we are not giving people a reason to turn out," said Democratic strategist Chris Lehane of California.

"Having said that, I think all these other elements are so bad for the Republicans that 'Had enough?' should be enough...."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Don't bet on the vote coming out well for us.

In the first place, they have all those gerrymandered seats to the point of where Congress does not reflect the will of the majority.

Read "Fight Club Politics."
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22Fight+Club+Politics%22&btnG=Google+Search

In the second place, they can, have and will thwart the will of the majority with their voting machine games, phone bank jamming (wonder why they're collecting phone data?)and a raft of other dirty tricks.

I vote for international observers.

[Selatius]

1. Int'l observers were denied in the last election

It is up to the state governments to OK international monitors, and Ohio, among others, refused them access.

[bananas]

2. "Same story, two very different headlines"

Read this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1308986

[leftchick]

3. the vote will be FIXED!

like the last three elections. As my good friend Ida has told me "we are fucked" :(.

[wordpix2]

5. maybe we Dems should hang around the polling places just to observe

and watch as they count the votes.

[Doctor_J]

8. And then...?

The voting will be rigged - it's a foregone conclusion. I don't think hanging out at the polling places is going to help much.

[leftchick]

14. You can't watch a GEM tabulator count the vote

or see your vote flipped in a touchscreen. That is the problem. Paper Ballots are the solution.

[Demeter]

15. The Fraud Isn't Always At the Polls

Often it's at the collection center, where the individual results of each polling place are added together. Still, each step of the process must be monitored, from the location of the polls, the police interference, the felon-stripping, up to the state tabulations.

[midnight]

18. What kind of police interference?

Can you let me know what you mean by this-thanks.

[Demeter]

19. I'm Thinking of the Stuff They Pulled in Florida

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=\Politics\archive\200408\POL20040825c.html

http://www.electionprotection2004.org/archives/cat_florida.html

and so forth

[JNelson6563]

16. Exactly!

In 2004 we had a lawyer at almost every polling place with observers too. We had the cell phone # and location of every poll worker and lawyer (those without cells got 'em on loan from volunteers) and coordinated it from our storefront office. It was a great organizational effort.

If our county party 9n a very red county can do this, I don't see why all of 'em can't manage something similar.

Julie

[bluestateguy]

4. Chris Lehane is from the Bob Shrum school of political consulting

Overpaid, out of touch, Lexus driving, never say anything controversial, corporate funded professional election losers!

[still_one]

6. excellent insight, and it begs the question

why did many democrats in congress rubber stamp almost everything that came from this white house?

The hope with the democrat party will start when Ned Lamont defeats Joe Liberman. That will be a clear warning that the Democrats will take back their party, and eventually the country

[skipos]

7. We did really well in 05 (VA, NJ, CA) and we can do well in 06. nt

[AndyTiedye]

13. But Ohio '05 Is Their Model For the Future

Last Fall, he turned a landslide for US into a landslide for THEM

He flipped 30% of the entire, statewide vote, and got away with it

[Copperred]

9. THE SINGLE BIGGEST ISSUE AMERICANS FACE IS VOTING

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP?


IS IT BEING BOUGHT OFF BY THE REPUBS????

HELLO PEOPLE PLEAsE MAKE SOME NOISEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


THE ONLY...REPEAT....THE ONLY ISSUE THE DEMS SHOulD LEAD WITH is:

100% TOTALLY VERIFIAABBLLEEE OPEN SOURCE VOTING....

IF A VILLAGER IN INDIA CAN TRUST HIS VOTE, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TOO!!!!


THE DEMS MUST LEAD THIS


IT WILLL BRING THEM THE HOUSE< THE SENATE AND THE IMPERIAL THRONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1


WHY ARE THYE NOT TLAKiNG ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DEMAND FEDERAL ELECTION REFORM NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ShockediSay]

10. worth repeating>DEMAND REAL FEDERAL ELECTION REFORM NOW!!!

including the elimination of all those safe "incumbent wins" gerrymandered voting districts

[bemildred]

11. This is drool.

Why is attacking Republicans not a good reason for Democrats to turn out? Do we only vote for Democrats that suck up to Republicans? When did Democrats decide that sucking up to Republicans was the only way to go? Why are we Democrats if we only want sucking up to Republicans anyway?

[depakid]

12. "..worry about blown opportunities...."

That's about the long and short of it- one blown opportunity after another- followed by a punt.

Other than that week in May where the Dems defeated a couple far right health proposals, the entire year has been a substantive disaster for the Dems and their supporters- and especially their base.

Unless something major happens, I'd be very surprised if there was more than a modest turnout.

[Triana]

17. NOW they're worried about blown opportunities?

What about the PAST 5 YEARS worth of blown opportunities? They OUGHT to have been worried about that a LOT sooner than this!

[alcibiades_mystery]

20. As soon as I hear "Democratic strategist," I know all is lost

These people are cowardly AND stupid, and deadly combination.