Winning the Independent voters: First, lets do away with a myth..

[TruthIsAll]

We don't win the independents by assuming that a Bush-lite agenda will get their vote. Voting for Bush is an affirmation of fascism. People have to be educated as to the definition of fascism.

Indies are looking for change; they are very much aware that things have come unglued under Bush. They just need a push. The push must come from the left, not from the center where they already live.

Assume the electorate is composed of 35% Dems, 35% Repubs, 30% independents. It's our JOB to enlighten the indies and win them over by speaking TRUTH to POWER. This is a winning strategy. We just might get 3% of the 35% Repubs who are seeing the light (i.e. military, libertarians, etc.) and just want a confirmation to desert Bush. This pro-active approach is best exemplified by people who speak out clearly against Bush in ALL areas: Gore, Dean, Graham, Byrd, Kucinich, Waxman, McDermott and Sharpton. And Conason, Palast, Corn, Franken, Ivins, the Dixie Chicks, Michael Moore, etc.

This is how we lose: By appauding Bush for his MISTAKES and CRIMES (i.e. taxes, Iraq, 9/11, stolen elections), thereby confusing the indies who are now disposed to "kick the bastards out". Bush apologists like Lieberman, Kerry, Gephardt, Feinstein and Biden are guilty of clouding the issues by not aggressively speaking out against BushCo's political, social, economic and foreign policy CRIMES.

At the rate Bush is going down in the polls, he may well hit 35% by election day - but only if we keep the pressure on. And by drifting that far down in the polls, he won't be able to steal it again.

In other words, we win by aggressively demonstrating the TRUTH, and exposing the LIES. If we set our goal, the final numbers can be:

Dem 33 + Indep 20 (of 30) + Repub 3 = 56% Dem, 44% Bush (toast)

[saline]

1. good point..

.. on the issue of how to drive the point home I've been trying to come up with good posters to put up and hand out approaching and during the election. Unfortunately I lack layout software on my computer (although I'm working to rectify that (through completely legal means too!)) which makes producing the posters time consuming if punkily authentic. Posters with the truth, the numbers, the quotes, the history, something people can read waiting for the bus, standing at a crosswalk etc. I think it has big potential (as it always has). I figure hey, it worked in our first revolution, why not our second?

[Clete]

2. I so agree.

We need a clear anti-neocon message, not watered down wishy washy Repuke Lite.

[tedoll78]

3. This all depends on nominee and message, of course.

Assuming that Dean gets the nomination (and assuming this for any candidate so early is a leap.. I know), I'm curious about all of the new people he's supposedly bringing into the process. If this race turns-out to be another one where 50 million vote for Bush and 50 million vote for the Democrat, even an increase in turnout of just 5 million (5%) on the Democrat side would have a dramatic effect. Especially if those 5 million votes come from key electoral states.

I'm really curious to see if Iowa or New Hampshire have significant bumps in participation next January. If they do, this is something to very seriously consider.

[snyttri]

4. All winning Democratic candidates have been moderates.

Clinton, Carter, LBJ, JFK, Truman, FDR, Wilson. Not a liberal in the bunch. FDR was a moderate who was forced by cicumstances to go socialist. JFK ran to the right of Humphrey and others and sympathisized with McCarthy's commie-bating. LBJ went socialist and civil rights hero, but was a hawk.

[TruthIsAll]

5. No liberal Dem, you say? Then where did all those liberal programs

come from? Surely not from Harding, Hoover, Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan or the Bush's.

All Dems were liberals/moderates, even if they had normal haircuts, shaved and wore suits every day (well maybe Carter wore a sweater).

[Isome]

8. JFK "sympathisized with McCarthy's commie-bating"?

I didn't know that. Where can I find out more information about it?

[Ein]

6. Democrats could get the Indies (IMO)

by being a left wing party.

Big government is played off, but the gov't would be there to help people, not restrict rights, like the right wing.

Easy win if we can get that point across. I don't think anyone who steps over a homeless person doesn't think "Poor Guy", and that, to me, is what liberalism is all about.

[shockingelk]

7. why are they in the center?

I would venture to guess because they like to take the middle road, dislike extremes, etc, etc. Language like "fascism", "CRIMES", "LIES", etc is not the type of language to use when speaking to the center. Perhaps better, demand a clear and consistent message:

a. Is the creation of jobs the ticket to economic recovery, or is an uptick in employment the last sign of economic recovery?

b. Is the troop level in Iraq adequate or do we need more troops - backed by the UN?

c. Does the President wish government-endorsed lifestyles to be "codified" or is a person's sexuality "not a matter that the president concerns himself with"?

d. Is al Queda "on the run" or are they sprinting into Iraq to attack our troops?

[hippywife]

9. I was an "independent" voter

in that I was defaulted to that status by the state of OK when I moved here since I declined to declare for either party. I was raised in a Dem household and have always mostly considered myself a Dem but I do like to vote my conscience based on the candidate, the issues, and the platforms, not necessarily the party. This of course was pre-2000 in which I did vote for Gore.

Unfortunately, OK is not an open primary state so I changed my status and declared myself as a Dem. I did this based on the refreshing change, dedication, and integrity offered by Dennis Kucinich.