The only way we can take the House back in 2012 is for our candidates to run as populist rebels

[Ken Burch]

We're not gonna have a chance if we let any Blue Dogs get nominated or if the DCCC theme is, in any way "Stay The Course".

We can only win those seats with passion-based campaigns that speak to the dispossessed(including the new "middle-class dispossesed").

There's nothing at all to gain from running any centrist or "pro-business" candidates.

Will our party have the guts to try to win?

[WCGreen]

1. Run as real democrats, the kind of democrats that dreamed of big things

and delivered...

[Ken Burch]

3. The kind who weren't afraid to say "Hell No!" to the rich and "Hell Yes!" to the people

n/t.

[Melinda]

2. 1: You're right - we need to rebel (stand up & run @ local level on) cause 2: Dems are gutless, but

3: the problem is we don't have the MONEY to run... corporations OWN us (thanks SCOTUS); Ike was right, and now we're completely screwed.

Sorry folks - Pollyanna has left the building.

[McCamy Taylor]

4. The only way we can take back the house is if Obama has coat tails.

That is why it is our obligation as Democrats to force Obama to mend his ways by putting up a strong Democratic primary challenger who will force him away from that line on the middle of the road that he keeps crowding like some poor deer caught in the headlight of oncoming traffic.

[Ken Burch]

5. A primary challenge would help a lot

But there has to be a way to work for Dem gains in the House even if Obama is unchallenged(and even though it's now clear that he doesn't WANT Democrats to do well in the House and Senate races(as Bill Clinton didn't want them to do well in 1996).

[Ken Burch]

6. So people are unrec'ing a thread on how to win.

Apparently, those people don't want a Democratic House back. They all know that nominating centrist candidates can't get us a Democratic House.

[Waiting For Everyman]

7. Agree. I'm shocked Dems didn't do this 3 years ago.

[msongs]

8. or maybe as republican appeasing bipartsanistas..we see how well that's working nt

[Kurmudgeon]

9. The theme should be, "Clean the House!"

I'd add something about teabag stains, but that may be too obvious.
Just be sure no matter what happens, don't let the GOP/Tea Baggers escape their massive share of the blame for the debt debacle and ensuing downgrading by Standard and Poors.

[Ken Burch]

21. Go to Cafe Press and get "Clean The House!" buttons printed up...NOW!

Maybe there could even be "House Cleaning Parties" as fundraisers?

[Blue_In_AK]

10. You are absolutely correct, Ken.

We might even be able to win over some of the disaffected teabaggers if we put forth a strong enough message. Surely some of them at the grassroots level are starting to wise up.

All of us who are not super-wealthy have the same fears and worries. We should try to find common ground on economic issues. If 80% of the people in the country agree that the rich should pay their fair share and that the social programs shouldn't be cut, then surely we can find politicians who will speak for all of us, Republicans and Democrats alike. Whether we are poor, middle-class, or on pensions or social security, economically, we are all in the same boat. We can save the social disputes for another time.

[dreamnightwind]

16. I totally agree

That's exactly how it can be done. Identify the economic issues which should unite us and go from there. This is serious, folks, not the time to press our liberal social issues, this country needs to be saved from the oligarchs.

The corporations are way ahead of us. They saw it coming and astro-turfed the phony populist movement that, through an impressive propaganda campaign, convinced Joe and Jane Sixpack that the problem is Obama, his socialist policies (yeah right) and the remnants of the New Deal. And it worked, unbelievably.

Those poor ignorant peopled are voting against their own interests, and a lie will only hold up for so long before it crumbles. We could help it crumble by respecting the humanity of those misled people, kindly and patiently explaining the real problem, the oligarchy.

If we could do this, any candidate with the corporate "taint" would be vulnerable, no matter how much they spent (the more they spend, the greater the proof of the taint, since nobody but the corporations has any real money.)

The all-powerful Murdoch machine is reeling from its own corruption. Now is the time to truly reach across the aisle, some of those people will listen to reason. Many of them are never exposed to any honest information on what causes their poverty and hopelessness, and what can be done about it.

The egg is cracked. If we have enough love in our hearts to reach out to those we consider our ideological enemies, we can succeed against our real enemies.

I've been waiting for this for a long time. So far, both sides prefer to hate the other rather than to fight together against the beasts-of-no-nation. We can only be controlled if we accept the corporations' "divided America" story.

[MisterP]

11. it'll also make the win meaningful, rather than Pyrrhic, for the voters nt

[gordianot]

12. I am sick of decades of Republican outrage.

I could list specifics but why preach to the choir? What totally infuriates me is having to compromise with the ignorant in the name of bi partisanship. The middle class, dwindling as it is, still has the numbers in this country. All I ask is to be able to vote for candidates who represent my interests. At this time I am convinced you cannot even buy the political support of Middle class or its needs. In 2008 Obama seemed to fill the niche, 2010 and 2011 proved that was an illusion. This time around I will not work the phone banks, go door to door, nor donate to the cause. I am left to voting against the radical and dangerous in our midst and what amounts to the less radical and outright dangerous.

Bi partisan compromise to me is appeasement and a code word for surrender. You cannot compromise with radicals, hostage takers, criminals, and yes terrorists who rely on a state of constant fear. Terror, religious bigotry, and ignorance is the platform of the Republican party. I know what I oppose there just does appear to be a clear choice ( at least where I live) that is willing to stand against toe to toe the GOP radicals. A sad state of affairs for a lifelong Democrat.

[JI7]

13. like Grayson ?

[gordianot]

14. There used to be plenty like Grayson in the Democratic Party.

Now Grayson stands out as unique and is portrayed by some in his party as a radical.

He reminds me of Missouri's Gerry Litton in the 1970's. Litton died in a plane crash after winning th U.S. Senate primary in Missouri. In his time Litton was considered a very eloquent moderate. Today Litton would have been branded a radical and would not stand a chance of election in ultra conservative Missouri. (I am convinced had he lived Litton would have been a contender for the Presidency.)

[Ken Burch]

15. Yes. And like Feingold.

And like a lot of others.

[dreamnightwind]

17. K & R, this is important

We won't get any help in this effort from any major funders, but it can still be done.

The centrist Dems provide some resistance to the right-wing craziness, but almost no resistance to the upward distribution of wealth. Plus they undermine our message, they are transparent phonies who stand for little more than their own access to power.

Populism is where it's at. We've been fools to let the right-wing astro-turf populistsd suck all of the populist air out of the room.

We have plenty of idle hands (the unemployed), the public generally agrees with our issues when polled directly about them, and the rage is reaching the necessary boiling point.

I'd like to see a website that does nothing but analyze, in easy to understand graphics and information, a candidate's corporate ties and allegiances. I'm aware of OpenSecrets, which is good, but doesn't really accomplish what I think we need. It should include questions and responses from the candidates on how they would feel on hypothetical legislation which would be relevant to their funders' interests, so we get as good of an idea as possible of who we are voting for. If the candidates won't respond, that could be used against them to cast suspicion on their willingness to represent the people. Sorry, I ramble...

Anyway, genuine, energetic and non-compromising populism is the road to freedom. The internet is our friend. News is becoming less concentrated, it is now possible to reach people without owning a TV network.

[TeamsterDem]

18. More important than running as populist rebels, they need to actually be populist rebels

and vote that way once they get elected. No more empty promises. Even moderate Republican voters would respect our Democrats more if they did what they said they'd do instead of buckling to whatever the Republicans say.

[Ken Burch]

20. That too, of course.

I hope you didn't mean we should intentionally nominate fake populists.

[dbt]

19. "Old-Time Populist Democrat"

I think that's a label that would resonate in the South, provided candidates backed it up with actions. Let the opposition wave the flag and rave on about homasexyuls and libruls and puttin' prayer back in the schools and simply ask them "What does all that do for working people? How does that put more money into their pockets?"

It's time to hang The Great Depression of 2012 around the jowly necks of the Republic Party and let 'em holler about Class Warfare.

Here's the sad part, but it needs to be dealt with quickly: what remains of the Democratic Party is going to have to repudiate Obama to have a chance.