Failed policies. Failed policies. Failed policies.

[pinto]

Yeah, I think it's worth repeating.

While I tend to give little more than a passing nod to many "TV talking heads", Mr. Alter, of Newsweek, had some advice for the Democratic Party as we head into the mid term elections that bears a look. Commenting on Santorum's inane grandstanding, Mr. Alter segued to the bigger picture - the Republican's "cut and run" ploy in the debate about our role in Iraq.

Most of us probably saw the piece on Olberman, but to reiterate, the point was this:

Don't respond to the RW attempt to, once again, frame the debate. Ignore the meme. Respond with our own stand. It's the Republican's failed policies that are the issue in this election.

They own the House. They own the Senate. They own the Whitehouse. They own the morass that is Iraq.

And, the Republican track record of failed policies doesn't end overseas. Katrina anyone? Deficit? Health care?

Yeah, our party may not be the poster boy of unity. What's new? We don't have to defend ourselves in response to the Republican spin meisters. Regardless of our representatives' voting history, or our internal debates, they are the majority party. They have to run on their track record, not ours.

I think it's a great election talking point.

[proud patriot]

1. I like it

:thumbsup:

[Olney Blue]

2. They are unified in their failed policies. We have diversity of ideas and

love debate.

K and R- great thread, pinto. :kick::kick::kick::kick::kick:

[sandnsea]

3. Exactly yes yes

Point to their mess, label their mess, they don't know how to clean it up - that's the only response to anything they have to say. They're still "miserable failures".

[welshTerrier2]

5. yes yes but ... not exactly ...

1. don't respond to their framing
2. highlight their failures ...

BUT ...

we absolutely need to clearly articulate OUR VISION ... if we rely only on "they screwed it up", we will not do well ...

the current Dem message is pure pablum ... we need something much sharper ...

[pinto]

7. Good point. And I'd rather see us spend time on that - especially while

the Congress "goes home" for the summer break - than spin our wheels trying to defend spurious strawman accusations of treason, cowardice, etc. in regards Iraq.

The Republicans don't have a plan beyond "stay the course" - whatever that means. The debate this week in the Senate is a good starting point.

[sandnsea]

8. I agree about vision

But as to all the cut and run and retreat and defeat shit - it's just classic crazy-making drunken nonsense. You ignore the crazy-making, restate the crisis, and demand they clean it up. Apparantly you deal with drunken frat boys the same way you deal with 2 year olds. :)

I would agree I'd like to see something better than what Reid presented the other day. Invention and Innovation - we need some ideas that build on American's view of themselves as the creators of the future. That Reid line-up really did lack punch. I'm not laying it all on Reid, that's just where I remember it coming from.

[Cocoa]

4. we tried doing things their way

in all cases, it didn't work. :toast:

[kentuck]

6. Basically, the Dems are playing defense rather than offense....

When they should be playing offense. The Democrats want to "cut and run", the Repubs say. Instantly, the Dems are put on the defensive. And they don't know how to respond? They don't know what to say? But, it is obvious that they need to put the Repubs on the defensive. I thought Kerry's resolution was actually putting the Repubs on the defensive - until the large number of Democrats agreed with the Repubs? What can they do?