Dean has often said we need to go after their perceived strengths.

[madfloridian]

You attack their strengths. Think about it. That is what they have done. They have taken our issues and beat us to death with them.

On Edit: No particular reason for posting this...it just came to my mind. I have seen them continue to this every day. It is tiresome.

[EFerrari]

1. And this IS THE KEY.

Rove is a school yard bully. How do you counter that?

"You're politicizing the issue"

Betchur @ss. We stand up for our people.

"Oh, another left coast liberal".

Yeah, like the Founders of this great country.

(You get the idea. They make a charge, we affirm it in the most positive terms. It's not rocket science, folks. Whatever they accuse us of, we take it back to them.)

Beth

[crispini]

2. What are their strengths?

[madfloridian]

7. Their "perceived" strengths....

.

[radfringe]

15. their "perceived" strengths are "values"

Since Reagan they've beaten the Values Drum, waved the Bible and wrapped themselves in the flag...

They have portrayed themselves as the ONLY ones who are capable of defending "values"

problem is -- they haven't defined those values, except to encapsulate it in more warm-fuzzies

Although most people felt that Clinton's "affair" was a personal matter and shouldn't be in the public limelight -- the repugs used it to further the notion that Dem's lack "values"

It's going to take some doing -- but Dems have to force repugs to define those "values" in real terms and explain how the repug agenda supports those "values" beyond the warm-fuzzies

Saying you are a compassionate conservative is one thing -- demonstrating that "compassion" is another matter. Words are cheap - deeds are something else.

repugs speak of people needing to be responsible for their own lives -- yet we see proposals/legislation pouring out which restricts and prohibits personal freedoms and dictates how people should behave -- and then they spin excuses for their own members who have questionable "values" -- this is taking responsibility?

Repugs speak of holding people accountable -- yet they manipulate and spin rules in order to provide loopholes for their own members to avoid accountablility, they pass the blame, distort, and twist issues to duck accountability and responsibility

So, exactly and specifically, what are the values the repugs hold so dear? What are they and how are they supporting those values? Where's the compassion and how is it demonstrated beyond warm-fuzzy words?

Dems need to come out and say -- Here's our "values" and this is how we support it. Dems need to stop backing down with their tail between their legs and opting for the "bi-partisan cooperation" excuse -- repugs are NOT interested in being bi-partisan, they are most definitely MY-Partisan in their deeds

Maybe with Dean the dems will grow a spine and some balls instead of floundering around like a neutered jellyfish

[Clark2008]

3. Then we hit them on national security

Duh..
I've been saying this for years.
Hit them on "faith."
Post the Beatitutes, welcome the Interfaith Council into your neighborhoods, LEARN THE PARTS OF THE BIBLE IN WHICH JESUS PREACHES TOLERANCE. Even if it's not what you believe, it stops 'em cold (believe me, I do it all the time. I'm a Biblical "expert" in that I've read it cover to cover five times in my life and will be reading it again, to my son, upon finishing Harry Potter, each night, upon his request - yes, we believe in diversity! LOL!)
BTW, while you're at it, read the Qu'ran and the Talmed. Both beautiful books of faith.
Then we hit them on trust.
Social Security - they're taking away the most trustworthy thing the government has ever done. STOP THEM.

[madfloridian]

9. They are terrible on National security. They let 9/11 happen.

Then Condi lied and she had no warnings. Bush lied about who did it. They really are bad on security. Look at the mess we are in in Iraq.

[Adelante]

21. Absolutely right

Yet this is where their biggest strength lies, God knows how or why. We have to reclaim national security and a rational national defense policy, which uses diplomacy first and war as only the last resort, when absolutely, unquestionably necessary.

The recent Gallup Poll showed 89% think terrorism is very or extremely important; the "Iraq situation" also 89% very or extremely important. In contrast, they viewed same-sex marriages or civil unions as only 40% very or extremely important. Many of these people probably voted Bush, even when they didn't want to, but given the choice between a clear national security message and a less than clear one, or a less articulated one, or a less promoted one, they caved.

Many in the Party seem to see the importance of this, including Howard Dean, which is why I supported him for DNC chair.

We have to regain national security and defense as a Democratic value, woven into our message and platform. Unless the country regains trust in the Party on this, we can never win in '08.

[Guaranteed]

13. Yes, yes yes. nt

[Guaranteed]

14. You understand, though, that this runs counter in my mind

to running someone because they're a general, though, right?

[ZootSuitGringo]

4. I am glad that Dr. Dean said this.

Because I have just posted an article that I just read in the media and they are trying to report things in a different light (as always) from what the good Doctor is talking about in this here thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1589388&mesg_id=1589388

[madfloridian]

6. Yeh, that was a real cute post.

Really good one. Should be fun..

[ZootSuitGringo]

8. It's in the Newspapers

I don't think that it is cute at all. Why do you say that?

[madfloridian]

10. Think.

Reason. Be alert to what is going on.

[ZootSuitGringo]

11. ?

[blondeatlast]

17. self-delete. nt

[TheFarseer]

5. I can see that just think........

Traditional conservative issues include economic responsibility, freedom from government interference, stop illegal immigration.

A republican hasn't had a balanced budget in my lifetime, and this administration is particularly bad. The government is interfering in everything nowadays. Trying to dictate decisions that should only be made between a woman and her doctor, the patriot act, mandating testing to schools when they should be TEACHING, there are other examples. And now president bush wants to open the borders and give amnesty to illegal immigrants. This should be more than enough to beat them over the head with. Michael Savage often says, the republicans have become the democrats and the democrats are trying to be the republicans. If he sees it, surely other people see it. Hopefully all of them are not crazy crotchety old men.

[Guaranteed]

12. Yes, and we have to move into the South.

One way or another. We have to go for the throat, no pussyfooting around.

[Califooyah Operative]

16. yep. their perceived strengths are pretty much; percieved.

Kerry did a good job of this during the election, probably not enough, but it was new to the democrats. It all came with the new progressive movement with help from people like dean, lakoff, moveon, etc, and this year the democratic party caught on.

The obvious misconceptions are fiscal conservatism,(wise) foreign policy, national security, pro life (beyond the fetus), privacy, smaller government, smaller taxes,religous values, etc. that's just a short list, they've broken every single one of their rules, values, ethics, principles, morals,etc. They stand on lies, we stand on truth. We have to comfront them truth as well as bring it to the american people. It's all about perception.

[blondeatlast]

18. Perceived strengths of the R's:

Personal liberty

Fiscal responsibility

Lower taxes

Less government interference

I'm sure there's more, but you get the picture. In all of the above, they have FAILED.

We attack them with these issues, they lose. Period.

[slor]

19. It makes sense to me...

in WWII, I do not believe the 8th Air Force bombed the German flag making industries. Rather, they bombed the plants making aircraft and tanks! I am so glad Dean is going to lead the charge!

[BlueManDude]

20. Dean was real good at exposing the "fiscally responsible" myth

his best riffs on the campaign stump where when he hit them for the wreckless way they've racked up debt and defecit.

[Adelante]

22. That's another one

Really, really good and we can work that effectively.