Zogby to Dems: get your anti-War, pro-environment face on

[lwcon]

Zogby argues that voters are not so tired of Republican control of Congress that they will vote the party out regardless of the Democratic message. "Democrats are tongue-tied on the war. And that is a problem. They are tongue-tied in fighting the war on terrorism. It is not a great bumper sticker, we care about terrorism, too...there is nothing in that tells me that "had enough" is going to be enough," the pollster said.

Zogby, who has polled for candidates of both parties and a variety of news organizations including Fox and NBC News says the president will not get a significant political boost from the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. "The events of yesterday weighed against what voters are seeing as a no-exit strategy, catastrophic war. You are starting to hear people say I don't understand why we are there. I don't understand how we bring the troops home, the same sorts of things you heard in Vietnam. Views of the war are hardened and are not likely to change. And this president and his administration for the most part are about Iraq."

Zogby argued that, for liberal voters, global warming is as energizing a moral issue as the gay marriage ban is for conservatives. "Not only is there a national consensus developed on global warming but the intensity is on the global warming side. It is not any more on the anti- global warming side. So Democrats have to play to those strengths...."

A focus on the environment could help former Vice President Al Gore's political fortunes, Zogby said. " This could be Nixon redux-1968-for Al Gore. This could be his moment."

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[Warpy]

1. Zogby is wrong

Anti war is a loser issue because most people really don't know what to think. Hussein was a bad guy who needed to go, but we've obviously outstayed any welcome we might have had. Most folks are caught in the middle, feeling the war was a big mistake, but it's good Hussein is on trial, but we don't need to be there, but abandoning the Iraqis by simply bugging out is not the answer, either. Most people still think we can control the outcome there. They're probably wrong, but that's what they think.

Likewise the environment is a loser issue for anyone who doesn't live on a Superfund site. It's not anything people can reach out and grab hold of. They can't taste the arsenic in their water and they generally can't see the stuff in the air that's slowly killing them.

Both these things need to be addressed when the party wins, but the party can't win on either or both.

The only way for the party to WIN is on the ECONOMY. They've been handed the issue of WAGES on a silver platter by a stingy party that has allowed the minimum to fall to a starvation level, something it was never meant to be.

The Democrats can win on "a day's wage for a day's work," and "Hard work should pay off" and slogans like that. That's the real wedge issue. Everything else can come later.

[Selatius]

3. Yeah, I'd say economic populism is the strongest weapon against Repubs

The Repubs have no direct defense against such an appealing message except to attack from the margins with wedge issues to peel away votes. If they peel away enough, they can blunt the attack, but a good campaign with competent leaders should be able to prevent that.

Whether or not the leadership is willing to move left and re-adopt the mantle left behind by folks like FDR is a different question altogether because of certain "conflicts of interest" with respect to corporate campaign contributions.

[theoldman]

4. It's the economy stupid. It worked then and it will work now.

People generally vote their pocketbook. I know that it had been religious beliefs in the past six years but in most past years it was the economy. Low wages, a high deficit, high inflation, a floundering stock market etc. Sometime I think that I could run circles around most political advisors.

[Warren Stupidity]

7. Opposition to the war can be measured and it has been and

the majority of americans are opposed to the war. "most people really don't know what to think" - wrong, most people have figured this issue out. It is our Democratic leadership that doesn't know what to SAY.

Associated Press/Ipsos poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. June 5-7, 2006. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.1. RV = registered voters

"When it comes to the situation in Iraq, do you approve or disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling that issue?" If "mixed feelings" or not sure: "If you had to choose, do you lean more toward approve or disapprove?"
6/5-7/06
Approve 33%
Disapprove 64%

"All in all, thinking about how things have gone in Iraq since the United States went to war there in March 2003, do you think the United States made the right decision in going to war in Iraq or made a mistake in going to war in Iraq?"
6/5-7/06
Right Decision 38%
Mistake 59%


"How likely is it that a stable, democratic government will be established in Iraq? Is it very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely, or not at all likely?"
6/5-7/06
Likely 44%
Not Likely 54%

http://pollingreport.com/iraq.htm

[lwcon]

8. Americans do not like this war...

... and they're looking for a leader who can make it go away.

The biggest sticking point may be their embarrassment about having ever supported it. If they complain too loudly about it, they're going to feel like hypocrites. If a Dem can show a path out of the war that lets Mr. and Mrs. Soccer Mom save face, people will run, not walk, to vote for him or her.

I agree with you, though, that the economy is (as always) an important issue. But Bush has people so fearful that they're grateful to have any sort of job in today's hostile climate. So, the economy is less of a low-hanging-fruit issue this time around. As with the war, it's going to take an exceptional candidate to inspire people to believe in a better tomorrow.

As for the environment, Americans have always polled more pro-environment than politicians give them credit for. Gore has a glow about him on that issue, and I sure hope he'll be our candidate in '08.

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[KoKo]

13. Well said.........good points...n/t

[longship]

9. Yes, screw what people really think. It's the DLC who's right.

Sorry, buddy. I agree with Zogby.

People are tired of Iraq, tired of the deaths, tired of the scandals, tired of the lies, tired of the nasty politics of war. The war is the key issue this year. Period!

The environment is another key issue. The people *know* that global warming is important. Katrina taught them that. ChimpCo's response to Katrina and their denials of the science are not convincing the people. We already know that, too.

The economy must be there, too. And health care. And the culture of corruption in the Repug party. We have a whole menu full of issues. But the people are clearly indicating the number one issue: Iraq.

Who are the Dems going to play to this year? Their base? Or, to the sub-30% of the people who would vote for ChimpCo again if they had a chance.

The Dems best chance is to play to their base, not the Repug's base. The only way we're going to do that is to frame the campaign with *our* issues. We've lost too many elections already by running away from our issues. If we play into the Repug's hand, we'll lose again. It's that simple.

[307 MMS]

12. Votes

All of these discussions are fine, but what's simple to me is the voting process. We've allowed Repuke owned companies to capture the electronic process we're being force-fed to use. Until, and not until, we have hand counted, paper, verifiable balloting, no issue we put forth will mean squat. We've been cheated before and most recently in San Diego. The ONLY issue for me is having a fair process. As long as they control it, let's face it folks, we're gonna lose every time.
We need a state by state driven election reform to be an issue and be issue #1. This asswipe Blackwell is still doin' his schtick in Ohio! Just like that bitch Harris did to us in FL. Who'll be the next "Harrwell"? This has got to stop with a grass roots movement. That's the only way.

[longship]

15. That's another hot issue.

Add that one near the top of the list.

[lwcon]

16. I agree that fair voting is *essential*, but it can't be the only issue

We also need a candidate and a campaign that will win that fair election.

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[Auntie Bush]

18. Wes Clark could fill those shoes and win an election.

"We also need a candidate and a campaign that will win that fair election."

[Donna Zen]

20. Thank you

Seems that Zogby is only listening to war hawk Democrats. I'm shocked!

[lwcon]

10. Oh, and combine points #1,#2,&#3 and Gore's your man

1. Americans don't like our Middle East policy
2. Americans are getting screwed by the economy, especially by gas prices
3. Americans are increasingly convinced about global warming

How about a President that's an activist on alternative energy? We stop funding tomorrow's blowback in the Middle East, we wean ourselves off of expensive gasoline and start a new industry, and we save our planet. Like they say at Nextel: Done.

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[GOPBasher]

11. I agree with you on economic issues, and they should pound those

issues into the debate. But I also think that environmental issues are strong winners, because it energizes the left the way social issues energize the right. Also, Iraq can work to our advantage is we debate it well.

[OzarkDem]

30. Dems should also use wedge issues & fear-mongering

those are very effective tools of the GOP and should be exploited for good, not evil.

[ruggerson]

22. They can't win on economic sloganeering

without a coherent philosophy underlying it. Voters have to understand, or think they understand, a candidate's philosophy of government.

[OzarkDem]

29. Health care, jobs, economy

are key issues. Use the waste of funds in Iraq to hammer the issue from a practical standpoint.

[Uncle Joe]

2. I believe the global warming issue

will only increase with intensity over the years and has a carryover moral aspect that could draw independents and moderate Republicans to the Democratic side possibly by 2006 definitely by 2008.

[Tom Joad]

5. I agree with zogby. I also happen to believe ending the war is the

most important issue.
What is more fundamental than stopping the US from waging wars of aggression?

Vets are disheartened to see people forgetting the war. You can go to candidates websites and be hard-pressed to even see mention of it. Some "liberal" websites the same e.g. moveOn.org last i checked.

[flpoljunkie]

6. CNN just announced Al Gore will be on Larry King Tuesday night.

[KoKo]

14. Thanks for that news. He will be on Charlie Rose this week, too...don't

know the day, yet.

[AtomicKitten]

17. Dems need to take a hard stand on issues and quit equivocating.

[ginnyinWI]

19. Zogby's right

In 2004, no matter how much Kerry and Edwards pounded on economic issues, people kept thinking of the war/terrorism/national security, and how they shouldn't change horses mid-stream.

We can win on the Iraq issue and the environment, but what then? How to keep the House more than two years? We have to implement those smart economic issues as well as work on the environment and Iraq. There will be so much to do, it will be boggling. But I think key Dems have some definite plans once they get a chance.

[lwcon]

21. Right, shining a light on Iraq...

... neutralizes the Repubs' (bizarrely) perceived strength on terrorism.

The GOP's bringing terrorism and civil war into a previously tamed country is a record we must be prepared to run against.

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[w4rma]

23. Zogby is correct. (nt)

[marmar]

24. I disagree that the environment is a loser of an issue...

The knowledge is spreading. And with Katrina and the parade of hurricanes, and the increasingly devastating weather events around the world, I think people realize that something's not right, and this particular something has the potential to end all of us.

[Radical Activist]

25. The environment is the liberal wedge issue. We should use it.

Over 80% of Americans support protecting the environment. This is our issue, but we don't use it effectively.

We need candidates who will say: the Republicans support a corporations' right to poison your air and water, give your kids birth defects and make you sterile. Not only that, they want you the taxpayer to pay for cleaning up the mess made by wealthy corporations. There is no more clear issue where the GOP is siding with corporate special interests over the public interest. All of those should be top election issues because they are important and they play in the Democrats favor.

Why don't we? Part of it is cowardice over being called tree-huggers and stereotyped, part of it is the inability of national leaders to talk about environmental issues in a compelling way that applies to everyone's daily life, and part of it is that too many Democrats have been bought off by the same corporate polluters who buy the Republicans. All that has to change.

[ruggerson]

26. Bingo

Few at DU are interested in wedge issues or comprehend their power. Threads about the importance of wedge issues die on the vine here.

The environment, stem cell research, and Teri Schiavo (framed as "the gummint better not be telling me when we can pull momma's plug") are incredibly powerful wedge issues for our side. They should be exploited in every way imaginable, including constitutional amendments and ballot initiatives at the state level.

[Radical Activist]

27. Ballot initiatives

That's a great thought. Imagine if swing states had something simple like an initiative requiring corporate polluters to pay the cost of their own mess, instead of passing it off the to taxpayer. Almost all voters would support that and it forces Republicans to defend their pro-corporate, pro-pollution position, which is something most voters don't even think of as a partisan issue. Its time we stop letting Republicans portray themselves as friends of the environment while they continue to destroy it.

[ruggerson]

28. Exactly

I ran into my state rep about a year ago and asked him why no one was organizing ballot initiatives for "medical right to privacy" statutes in any states. He looked at me blankly and then said "wow, that's a great idea."

To my knowledge, nothing has yet been done, though Missouri has a ballot initiative on stem cell which may just end up winning the state for McCaskill.

EVERY STATE should have a stem cell ballot initiative in 06 and 08. Every single state. It's our counterpunch to their state by state gay marriage push.

The problem is we don't fight as smart and as craftily as the Republicans do.