Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

General Discussion

Showing Original Post only (View all)

babylonsister

(171,999 posts)
Tue Sep 9, 2014, 05:57 PM Sep 2014

Democrats Are Squandering an Opportunity to Expose The Republican Agenda [View all]

http://www.politicususa.com/2014/09/09/democrats-squandering-opportunity-expose-republicans-agenda.html

Democrats Are Squandering an Opportunity to Expose The Republican Agenda
By: Rmuse
Tuesday, September, 9th, 2014, 11:53 am


In political campaigns it is more important to have an appealing message, regardless it is founded on lies and propaganda, as it is to have a plan to advance a specific agenda or set of policies. Republicans are masterful at telling their base, and many independent voters, exactly what they want to hear despite the fact they have no intention of following through on their campaign promises once they are elected. One of the primary reasons the GOP is so successful selling a bill-of-goods to voters is that Democrats, while campaigning on issues they fully intend on advancing if elected, are more often than not reluctant to either cite Republicans’ broken promises, or inform voters of the GOP’s true motivation for seeking control of the government.

On Sunday, President Obama finally exposed the Republicans’ goal in their drive to take control of Congress and few, if any, people took note of a very important remark buried in a message that should have resonated with every American. Last week it was reported that “for a minute,” Republicans were concerned they did not have a viable campaign message to run on heading into the midterm elections other than opposing Barack Obama. It is not that the GOP does not have a message or agenda to campaign on, it is just that their message will not appeal to anyone except their anti-government base and it is curious why Democrats did not seize on the President’s revelation that Republicans’ sole intent on controlling Congress is “dismantling the federal government.”

While the President railed on Republicans for lacking common sense in making partisan issues out of things that were once common sense such as “building roads, bridges, improving our airports, improving our water systems, and reducing traffic,” he noted the reason why “they have become partisan issues is because you’ve got a ‘small’ portion of the Republican Party that is fixated simply on dismantling government.” Now, although the President’s remark was prescient and fundamentally true, he sorely underestimated the number of Republicans who are fixated on dismantling the government. If Americans were not so dense and uninformed, the President would not have had to tell them what Republicans are more than hesitant to campaign on; eliminating the federal government.

snip//

Democrats are squandering a prime opportunity to expose the Republican agenda if they win control of both houses of Congress; dismantle the federal government. Mitch McConnell has said it, Tom Coburn said it, Paul Ryan said it, House Republicans’ 40 jobs bills say it, and President Obama said it; albeit as more of a passing remark than a bold statement of fact. As an aside, if one takes even a cursory glance at House Republicans’ vaunted “jobs bills,” they will see they are integral to their not-so-secret dismantle the federal government agenda. Still, Democrats are unwilling to go much farther than suggesting the House Republicans’ ‘jobs bills’ do not create jobs; just more wealth for their wealthy supporters.

Obviously Republicans are not going to overtly call for eliminating the federal government on the campaign trail, but for three years they have revealed that their entire agenda is predicated on the Koch vision for America without a government. Regardless what any American thinks about the federal government, there are few, very few, Americans who want to live in a nation with no federal government to protect Americans from wealthy predators with no other goal than taking every and anything from the people; a goal Republicans share en masse and one Democrats are curiously unwilling to expose. If, as President Obama said, elections matter, then it is crucial that Democrats reveal what is in store for Americans if Republicans continue lying about creating jobs to win big in the midterm elections because their concept of job creation is dismantling the people’s government and they are as serious as a fatal heart attack.
13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Democrats Are Squandering...