What are the 3 issues to unify the Dem message in 2006 for the

[blondeatlast]

Congressional races?

I'm thinking there must be three national issues that will resonate on the local level.

I see gas prices clearly being one. It may not be fun to nitpick on DU about, but it'll get the attention of citizens.

I think we can campaign on the issue of EFFICIENT government as most Americans are pretty disgusted with the "smaller" government the conservatives have given us.

I also see rolling back the "tax relief" for the richest of the rich as a winner if combined with concern for the skyrocketing deficit.

I want to say NCLB and health care, but I really don't think they've hit home enough quite yet for most Americans to be concerned enough about.

[William769]

1. Civil rights

Alot of people (even some here) seem to forget about that one.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

2. Homeland security and disaster readines nt

[blm]

3. It's about time we raise a flag for GOOD, HONEST GOVERNANCE.

Get rid of these crooks who concern themselves with getting taxpayers' money into their cronies' already swollen bank accounts.

WE WANT GOOD GOVERNANCE.

[OzarkDem]

29. Agree, Dems should run with that issue

Its their strongest issue, if they choose to exploit it wisely.

[Double T]

4. One America for ALL of its people; no more making the rich richer....

at everyone else's expense, put an end to government corruption and abuse of power, stop the outsourcing of jobs to other countries so Americans will have a future to look forward to.

[ultraist]

8. "One America for ALL people"---I second that!

End the culture of corruption! The poor and the middle class are suffering at the hands of the corrupt corps and their cronies (ie Bush).

[flamin lib]

5. Pay as you go government. That covers the tax cuts and the

excessive spending in Iraq. Fund it or cut it.

Not bigger government, effecient government. Bush has given us bigger government that can't function.

[blondeatlast]

11. I'm using that meme "efficient government" at every opportunity. nt

[Old and In the Way]

6. A new energy vision.

Republicans = Oil = Wars = Dead End
Democrats = Alternative/Renewable Energy = jobs = A real future

[ClassWarrior]

7. Not issues - VALUES, VALUES, VALUES!!

You know that, bal!

NGU.

[blondeatlast]

14. Weeeeeeeeeelll--yes--and no.

My point here is to concentrate on a national level on three key ISSUES that we can construct into a platform.

Note that I used gas prices.

With this issue, we can raise some embarrassing questions for the opposition (Who's profiting, who's hurting?), we can offer to investigate what happened, and we can offer an agenda to have some reasonable control over them.

Values matter, absolutely, but having a unified agenda gives us something to talk to the voters about.

[ClassWarrior]

15. But you know that if we have a well-defined "values agenda"...

...the issues - ANY issues - serve as obvious support points for the underlying values.

Therefore, all the issues you mention are valid, as are so many more. But they should not be the focus. Our values should.

NGU.

[omega minimo]

17. What would be an example

or three?

[ClassWarrior]

19. Why don't you just pick up the book and read it yourself?

"Don't Think of an Elephant" by George Lakoff. Inexpensive, an easy read, and it'll change your life.

NGU.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ClassWarrior]

25. Forgive me. I should have said, "There's an excellent book..."

"...on the subject which explains it much better than I ever could." I know that b.a.l. is a proponent of Lakoff's ideas, and therefore I made an assumption that you knew what we were talking about.

Mea culpa. But DON'T let that taint your view of Lakoff's work. I wasn't exaggerating when I said it'll change your life.

NGU.

[longship]

9. Three issues.

1. Iraq -- This one has got to be #1
2. Cronyism and corruption -- no-bid contracts, unqualified people, etc.
3. Honesty in government -- lying to the public, election fraud, etc.

Those are winners. They dovetail together nicely.

[sunnystarr]

21. and the winner is "Defeat the Culture of Corruption"

cronyism falls under corruption. This meme already being used opens the door to inform the public of all the indictments (and they will increase between now and then) that flush our tax dollars to the sewer of corporations and their lobbyists. This fits in with the policies that continue to cut funding from the people's needs and attacks mainstay programs like Social Security, Medicaid, and education and leads to increased costs in health insurance, MediCare, and gas prices, and of course outsourcing.

[longship]

22. Okay, MacLauglin... hehehe

That may be a very, very good meme. It could be used to frame any of the substantive issues before the public.

Iraq -- lying us into war, cronyism, no-bid contracts...--Defeat the culture of corruption.

Any of our issues can be framed with that tag. Works for me. Let's go.

[sunnystarr]

26. I can just picture the campaign ads ...

the only tough thing would be the enormous amount of choices. There's enough material for the next 50 elections so I expect to see some outstanding work both on the net and on TV. The '08 Democratic Convention better not be lame like the '04 was - it should be replete with examples of the Culture of Corruption along with the Democratic vision to restore America and our democracy.

[elfin]

10. Against Cronyism, corruption and

for government FOR the ALL the PEOPLE and the general good now and in the future.

[skipos]

13. Rolling back tax relief scares many people.

"I also see rolling back the "tax relief" for the richest of the rich as a winner if combined with concern for the skyrocketing deficit."

The Dem tax raising thing scares a lot of people. I am under the impression that almost everyone thinks they are in the top 1%. When they hear Dems mention raising taxes they think, "OH NO!!! They mean ME!!!"

Is there a better way to get the message through to these people?

Personally, I feel that our government has a moral responsibility for the welfare of all of our citizens. If that means higher taxes, so be it.

[jwirr]

12. No. 1: Ethics - honest government and elections;

No. 2: True HOME land security including bring our troops HOME so the can be used to protect our own land not secure oil for the bushies and their cronies, disaster relief plans, disease control and national health program;

No. 3 Economic justice, including civil rights, environment, jobs security and a restored safety net.

[stillcool]

16. Be the party of truth...

i am so effing tired of non-issues that get danced around as the critical vote-swaying must be on the right side of bs. My eyes tend to glaze over at stats as well. i would give my all to anybody who dares to speak truth.

[terrya]

18. Social Security

A reminder that Democrats do NOT support privitization of Social Security.

[McCamy Taylor]

20. National health, Balanced Budget, Out of Iraq--3 Winner Issues

Whoever offers the best single payer health plan will win the election.

[cantstandbush]

23. Lies, lies, and damn lies.

Every imporatant political issue concerning this administration has at its center some kind of a lie. Here's the list. Google and you will find the central lie:

Election 2000
911/ and the war on terrorism
Election 2004
Iraq war
Social Security reform
Prescription drug program
Death taxes
Bankruptcy legislation
Homeland Security and HSA
Plame outing
Gasoline prices
FEMA
Katrina
Rita
DeLaygate
Fristgate

[bklyncowgirl]

27. It's time to put the grownups back in charge.

Effective efficient and honest government

Real security at home and abroad

A government which offers a helping hand--not a handout.

[Stinky The Clown]

28. Newt Gingrich gave us a good frame a week or three ago

and it hasn't yet been heard by the sheeple ....

'Effective Government'

My original thread on this is here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2081686

[johnaries]

30. Aftre reading some of these ideas, how 'bout the 3 E's:

Ethics, Efficiency, and Effectiveness?

Ethics is basically same thing as Values, but since the Repukes have all but copyrighted "Values", we can use Ethics. Also conjures up images of the Ethics Committee (ala DeLay).

I think Efficiency and Effectiveness have already been covered pretty well here.

[ladylibertee]

31. Social Reform, Ecomomy, Iraq-Bring-em home