If I were the Democratic Strategist, I would do the following....

[Blackhatjack]

Start today making the rightwing conservative fundamentalists 'stake out' what is unacceptable in a Republican nominee.

Make them reiterate on camera and in writing their stances on adultery, multiple marriages, abortion rights, stem cell research, gay rights, gay marriage, any denomination other than evangelical Christians, etc. We already know what their positions are on all these issues. However, there is no Republican nominee today, and before there is one to vote on, we need to help them get their message out 'to their followers' as to what is 'unacceptable' so that when there is a vote on the Republican nominee they cannot change those positions without being hit with television ads showing their clear hypocrisy on endorsing any one of these 'non-qualifying' candidates.

Next I would begin strengthening the bridge to 'fiscal conservatives' and not cede them automatically to the Republican Party. After all, we are the Party that will have to clean up this fiscal disaster that Bush has visited on this country. We already reinstituted 'Pay As You Go' as a requirement for new spending. This is an area we can pick up real votes by demonstrating what we have done and are doing, rather than just talking about it like Republicans. And we have George W. Bush and his Congressional record to run on.

Then we need to highlight the massive corruption that has permeated the Republican Party and caused huge damage to our military and their families. The Republicans have been in control, and the evidence is everywhere.

WHile the War in Iraq is paramount, we need to be honest with the AMerican people that this is going to end badly, and that George W. Bush and his Congress 'own' this war and it is going to take Democratic leadership to end it and bring the troops home. We need to speak directly to the American people and take on the MSM that tries to paint us as 'not supporting the troops.' IF voters see us doing something other than passing 'non-binding resolutions', then the people will support us --and let the Republicans attack us and vote against our efforts. THey will pay for it at the polls. We all know this will end badly, we need to get out in front of the bad news or we may end up 'owning it' as Feingold has pointed out.

Peeling away the groups that make up the Republican coalition should start today. Otherwise, the corrupt money will saturate the airways, and the message will be lost.

What other groups could we 'peel away' from Karl Rove's Republican coalition? And which groups can we add to the Democratic coalition?

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. I would do two things - completely boycott Faux news -

NO Dems at all, ever. And I would go on to other networks, CNN, MSNBC, and essentially state that the Dems refuse to be a part of the Fascism and propaganda practiced by Faux. And repeat it, and repeat it, and repeat it.

Every chance I got, I would just call the right wing noise machine for what it is - lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies. Over and over and over and over again.

Oh yes - then I would talk about actual solutions to the problems that the Republics caused, and grow some gonads and push for real change - DO things rather than talk about them.

[Blackhatjack]

4. You got it! That would make independents and undecideds sit up and take notice...

No Democrats ... state we are not going to be part of the Fox propaganda(essentially what Edwards said so well)... and say it over and over again.

It is going to be hard for them to allege they are 'fair and balanced' if all Democrats refuse to appear with them and call them out for what they are.

[conscious evolution]

12. Absolutely right!

Dem's need to quit treating faux like they are a legitimate news organization.

[mmonk]

2. It's all quite simple.

Tell the public the unvarnished truth. Adhere to the principles in my sig line. A party cannot hold together under withering fear.

[brazos121200]

3. While we have all the facts on our side,

as you say, the problem is getting the truth out to the masses of the people. There is not a single television network which could be considered "liberal", and except for one or two shows on MSNBC, no forum on which to elaborate these facts. The radio airwaves are nearly totally controlled by right wing hate radio, which slant the news to support everything the administration and repubs in general do. Even with all the facts, it's hard to get the message out there if there is no forum available to get the job done. The corporate media will never tell the full story to the American people and it's up to us to find a venue with which we can do so.

[Blackhatjack]

5. Here is where the Dem Majority in Congress comes in....

Dems need to make this a priority --hold hearings on breaking up the corporate monopolies on tv and radio ownership, reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine, and demand the media owners come and testify under oath and bring documents with them.

The power of the subpoena will help expose what has gone on, and demonstrate to the owners of the Media that the rules will change to their detriment if they do not start changing their ways immediately.

It will take time, but there is no substitute for making the news media outlets 'the news.'

[brazos121200]

6. The power of the subpoena is crucial,

this is probably the only way to get the truth to the people. The Congress is at a crossroads at this very moment in time. It either steps up to the challenge and exposes this administration, or it fails and the Democratic party will sink into obscurity as before. The choice is up to them.

[Blackhatjack]

7. It may be counterintuitive, but Dems in Congress need to use their power....

... to call out the wrongful acts of every Republican who has engaged in wrongdoing while they were in the majority.

THis would sound backwards, since we need to gather Republican votes to get the majorities we need on upcoming votes to fix things.

However, it is more important that Democrats draw the clear lines between right and wrong, and Republicans really have no other choice than to join Democrats to support efforts that fall within the 'right' domain.

For example, Specter needs to be put on the extremely 'hot spot' because it was his office that inserted the language in the bill that allowed the President to replace US Attorneys without Congressional confirmation. WHat is he going to say? You exposed this, I am mad, and I will not vote with you to fix this? He can't. THe public attention is fixed upon this. He has to be part of the solution. And Democrats need to welcome his vote to fix it, but not sweep under the rug that he was the means by which this problem was allowed to occur.

Democrats need to start putting their case before the people, and use the Congressional hearings and subpoena to expose the depth of corruption and criminality to the AMerican people. If Republicans want to vote against these measures, let them. Keep putting up the votes, and keep a record of Republicans's votes. They will pay heavily at the next election as Democrats roll out the list of things that needed to be done but that Republicans killed.

Democrats need to understand that what they are doing goes way beyond winning individual votes. Democrats need to be seen asking Republicans to join them in the fix-up/clean-up campaign, and Dems need to make it clear that Republicans will be called out for failing to join them.

This is about who the government belongs to, and who has been complicit in turning it over to corrupt. The American people can understand that message. We need to get busy and implement this plan starting right now. And we need to let patriots like Feingold, Kennedy and Kerry take the lead since they are not running for President.

This will be a contact sport, and the sooner we face up to that the better for everyone involved.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. Hitting the economics is a key

Republicans I know want a balanced budget--and the Dems have a proven track record on that--we need to remind them about it. They also don't like outsourcing, and we can address that issue via legislation. We can show that no-bid contracts to Haliburton have actually cost the government more money than having the government do it.

The real key is to continue to walk our talk about these things. We'll never peel away the one issue people, but conservatives who have a broader view of government can be swayed to realize that the Dems really have their economic interest at heart. Obviously I'm talking about fiscal conservatives who are in the bottom 99%. :)

[leftofthedial]

9. fire myself for a generation of incompetence

return to populist themes that would reestablish the Democratic party as the party of the common people.

Shitcan the DLC front for repuke infiltrators.

[NDP]

10. I would point out the dirty little secret that Conservatism has always been against the

most fundamental ideals that the USA was founded on. If the Republicans don't have the myth of "conservatism" then they have no base.

[Blackhatjack]

11. very true indeed!

[stonebone]

13. kick - good stuff

[Blackhatjack]

14. Really, All This Involves Is Pragmatism and Acting, Not Fearing Missteps...

IF this were a basketball game, you could look up and see that the clock is running and we are in the second half --the voters are the spectators, waiting for something to happen. The opposing Republican team is the defending champion boasting how they will counter anything we try to do, and saying we cannot win.

Well, all we have to do is follow our pragmatic game plan, quit listening to the Republicans and their taunts, and stop worrying about losing.

You do not win the game with one shot in the game. It is decided after many shots have been taken. But one thing is for sure, if we do not shoot the ball --we lose.

Democrats need to buck up, just like John Edwards did against Fox News, and let the chips fall where they may. No risk, no reward.

Just seemed like an appropriate analogy at this time of year.