The Democrats can win control IF....

[bcool]

...they stick with easy to grasp ideas and concepts - Lord knows, they have enough of 'em to pick from.

God bless John Kerry, but he came across as a member of the intelligentsia and had no appeal at all to the "American Idol/Survivor" class that seems to be in the majority. The next Democratic candidates need to tone down their message and speak to the average Joe or Jane on the street - and they can win by repeating the following points over and over and over again:

For the first time since 1955, the Republican party has controlled the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives. What has that meant for the country?


Gas Prices

• Twice as high as they were when Bush took office


• This increase costs the average family $2,300 per year since Bush took office, compared to the savings to the average family from the trumpeted Bush tax cut of only $500 per year

Is the country better off today than before the Republicans took over?


The National Debt

• 47% higher since Bush took office


• A total of $28,000 for every man, woman, and child in the U.S.

Is the country better off today than before the Republicans took over?


War

• Over 2,500 of our best and brightest men and women have been killed


• Over $1,000 for every man, woman, and child in the U.S.has been spent - with no end in sight


• We've lost the respect of other nations that we had after 9/11

Is the country better off today than before the Republicans took over?



Minimum Wage

• Congress voted themselves a nice raise, while telling those at the bottom of the food chain to get by with what they have

Is the country better off today than before the Republicans took over?


Just HOW is the country better off since the Republicans have taken over?


Etc., etc., etc.

We need something simple to counteract the Right's "God, guns, and gays" message. Any other ideas?

[RagingInMiami]

1. The democrats can win

If the republicans don't steal the election again

[AX10]

2. True.

[BlueCaliDem]

6. And IF the Repubs *do* steal the elections again--and it looks like they

...plan to!--then Democratic Candidates DON'T "shut up and sit down", but make a ruckus and DEMAND every vote be counted, like Andreas Manuel Lopez Obrador, presidential challenger, is doing right now against the rightwing elitist regime in Mexico.

Read here: http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/06/07/con06307.html

Lopez Obrador has the people behind him, and is riling them up to demand a recount of hundreds of thousands of "no votes" ( a la Florida 2000), and isn't shy about it!

This can explain why disenfranchised Democrats, Progressives, and Liberals haven't marched in the millions against the theft of 2000, 2002 and 2004---because our own political leaders have done nothing to show us they want us to.

In fact, the Democratic candidates backs down; didn't even support Al Gore when he requested a recount in 2000, and has painted US a bunch of cowards as the Republicans run roughshod over our civil rights, protests, and economy.

[RagingInMiami]

7. I'm afraid it won't be much different this time around

And the American people will just accept it as they've done the past two times. It may take a few more stolen elections before the people finally get sick of it.

[BillZBubb]

9. NO! It takes one of our party's leaders to say "Take Action!"

The past two times, our leaders have capitulated immediately after the "election". If our candidate says the election was stolen and has reasonable grounds to make that claim, Democrats WILL TAKE TO THE STREETS. We are just waiting to be asked.

[Totally Committed]

15. Amen to that!

That having been said, I believe the sentiment of the OP is well-taken.

I just think we need to be more courageous voters and elect Democrats who will represent us far more strongly than they do now. Give me Dems with BALLS and MOUTHS and HEARTS! I want them to get up off their knees and represent us!

No more war! No more deficit spending! No more aggression!

Time to get back to being the Party with a social vision of equality in all areas -- racial, sexual, educational, economic.... across the board. Bread and butter issues, and a strong adressing of the Security issues that all Americans think only Republicans can provide. We can be secure without war. We can be safe without invasion and occupation. We need to let the rest of America know that and HOW we can do that.

TC

[Dr Fate]

3. Example: say "Liar" "Lied" & "Lying" instead of "mis-spoke" or "misled"

n/t

[whistle]

4. a.k.a. It's the economy stupid

[tkmorris]

10. Bingo

There's a reason that simple direct message worked.

[joemurphy]

5. By being just like them, saying nothing, and just going along...

biding our time, hoping for the best. <-- Our Actual Strategy from our Do-Nothing Worthless Democratic Leaders.

[truebrit71]

8. True enough, but is doesn't mean squat if they steal the vote. Again.

We can't just beat them, we have to destroy them. The pre-election polls have to be so massively in favour of the Dems that when Diebold tries to hand it to the Junta (for the 3rd time) it will be so obvious that is is rigged that the whole house of cards come tumbling down. Otherwise it is all just academic..

But I agree....are you better off now than you were x years ago should be sufficient to get the thugs thrown out on their ear.....

[USA_1]

11. OK, You Have Made Valid Points ...

Now, instead of keeping this knowledge to yourselves, why don't you Democrats spread this information to every other person in the country?

How about letters to the editor?

Bumper stickers?

Lawn signs?

Graffiti on subway walls?

Placards?

Lapel buttons?

Posts on web forums which are frequented by Republicans?

Calls to media sources?

Open conversations?

Speeches?



Unfortunately, you choose to keep these truths to yourselves as you are too afraid of posting on Republican controlled web sites such as Real Cities. As I mentioned on this forum before, I have been banned from that site for posting these truths. I'm not a Democrat and yet I have done my part to speak the truth. Now it's your turn.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

12. It's a very good message with a few important corrections..

Gas Prices

* Twice as high as they were when REPUBLICANS took office

* This increase costs the average family $2,300 per year since REPUBLICANS took office, compared to the savings to the average family from the trumpeted Bush tax cut of only $50 per year TO MOST AMERICAN FAMILIES, while the idle, ultra-rich dodged paying BILLIONS!


Is the country better off today than before the Republicans took over?


The National Debt

* 47% higher since REPUBLICANS took office

[AX10]

13. kick

[lonehalf]

14. As I've said before - we're not running against Bush

He isn't going to run.

We are running against Republicans who ARE going to run.

[Totally Committed]

16. But, we are running against the CULTURE of Bush...

The Republican Party the Bushies have created are for everlasting war, so they keep Americans terrified. They represent a "base" who, to say the least, vote on values... some religious, some social, but most based on intolerance of any non-Christian, or alternate life-style. They represent the rich over the poor.

So far, this has worked for them. ANd, itis that success that has wrought the group of Republicans who will be running. And, it is that CULTURE that we have to overcome, so to a certain extent, we ARE running against Bush again.

TC