THE MESSAGE, FAR AS I CAN SEE
If the Democratic National Committee appointed me chair, these two phrases would be hammered into the national discourse in every white paper, press conference, and interview any member of the party gave in the next couple of years.
1) Stop stealing from the people.
Advocate economic responsibility and hold the Republican party responsible for redistribiting wealth upwards.
2) Stop killing our children.
This message will sadly resonate with more people over the coming months as Iraq claims the lives of more troops. Again, holding the Republican party responsible for the war is crucial, and this rhetoric may be expanded to include anti-violence initiatives (such as reinstating the assault weapon ban) and environmental initiatives at home. We need to re-frame what Pro-Life means in American political discourse and use it to attack the other side.
For too long the Democrats have played defense on the culture wars, and it has killed the party in the south, the plains, and the interior west. Instead of defending mealy-mouthed responses to "abortion is murder!" and "homosexuals destroy marriage!" the proper response is to reframe the morals issue as an attack on Republican values. Who can argue that killing our children is wrong? That's the brilliance of the "Pro-Life" rhetoric -- any dissent is inherently defensive. Who can argue that stealing from the people is wrong? Republicans may scream "class war," but they will be put on the defensive -- in moral terms -- for their economic policies in a much more visceral way than has been attempted since the 1930s. Keep it simple, strong, and paint the people of this country as victims of the Republican agenda. Americans love seeing themselves as victims. That's how the Republicans amassed so much power over the past forty years. As more people slide into poverty, die in the war, and get sickened by environmental ills, there's ample reason to accuse the right of victimizing the nation.
Fight fire with fire. There's plenty of fuel.
1) Stop stealing from the people.
Advocate economic responsibility and hold the Republican party responsible for redistribiting wealth upwards.
2) Stop killing our children.
This message will sadly resonate with more people over the coming months as Iraq claims the lives of more troops. Again, holding the Republican party responsible for the war is crucial, and this rhetoric may be expanded to include anti-violence initiatives (such as reinstating the assault weapon ban) and environmental initiatives at home. We need to re-frame what Pro-Life means in American political discourse and use it to attack the other side.
For too long the Democrats have played defense on the culture wars, and it has killed the party in the south, the plains, and the interior west. Instead of defending mealy-mouthed responses to "abortion is murder!" and "homosexuals destroy marriage!" the proper response is to reframe the morals issue as an attack on Republican values. Who can argue that killing our children is wrong? That's the brilliance of the "Pro-Life" rhetoric -- any dissent is inherently defensive. Who can argue that stealing from the people is wrong? Republicans may scream "class war," but they will be put on the defensive -- in moral terms -- for their economic policies in a much more visceral way than has been attempted since the 1930s. Keep it simple, strong, and paint the people of this country as victims of the Republican agenda. Americans love seeing themselves as victims. That's how the Republicans amassed so much power over the past forty years. As more people slide into poverty, die in the war, and get sickened by environmental ills, there's ample reason to accuse the right of victimizing the nation.
Fight fire with fire. There's plenty of fuel.
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