Democrats are thinking up excuses already

[Caro]

I used to play ping pong. In fact, I was girls’ champion for two years in a row in my home town. One of the things I learned was that some people, when they see that they’re starting to lose, begin making excuses before the game is over. And that’s what the so-called Democratic leadership seems to be doing here. Won’t SOMEBODY give these people some WHEATIES for breakfast?

From the New York Times:

Some Democrats Are Sensing Missed Opportunities

Democrats described a growing sense that they had failed to take full advantage of the troubles that have plagued Mr. Bush and his party since the middle of last year, driving down the president's approval ratings, opening divisions among Republicans in Congress over policy and potentially putting control of the House and Senate into play in November.

Democrats said they had not yet figured out how to counter the White House's long assault on their national security credentials. And they said their opportunities to break through to voters with a coherent message on domestic and foreign policy — should they settle on one — were restricted by the lack of an established, nationally known leader to carry their message this fall.

As a result, some Democrats said, their party could lose its chance to do to Republicans this year what the Republicans did to them in 1994: make the midterm election, normally dominated by regional and local concerns, a national referendum on the party in power.

You couldn’t be more right, Democrats. You’ve failed to mount a campaign to take the Republicans to task for all their monstrous wrongdoing. That’s because you listen to the Bob Shrums of the world, who’ve lost election after election, but who continue to tell you to be NICE to people who say they want you murdered. People who will do and say ANYTHING to get and keep power.

You haven’t figured out how to counter the White House’s assault on your national security credentials because you won’t fight them on their mischaracterizations of you. The words “HOW DARE THEY” must become your mantra. Besides, as I’ve said before and will continue to say until I have no voice left, NO ONE WILL EVERY BELIEVE YOU COULD BE TOUGH ON TERRORISTS UNTIL YOU GET TOUGH ON REPUBLICANS!

You don’t have a leader because you’re busy stabbing each other in the back, instead of trying to promote progressive ideals.

BUT IT’S NOT TOO LATE. Hire a few firebrands like me, and let’s get this show on the road. We could engineer a gigantic win in November. In fact, it will HAVE to be a gigantic win, if we want to take control of either house of Congress, because Republicans control most of the voting machines, and somehow all the discrepancies go their way.

But you’d rather just complain, wouldn’t you, Democrats? You’d rather complain than fight.

And you’ll continue to lose. Until you grab the bull by the horns. Or until we elect enough replacements who will.

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

[file83]

1. Kind of makes you wonder - how much dirt did the NSA gather on

Bush's political opposition to make them so impotent? Ted Kennedy was on the "no-fly" list until he found out and got his name removed. So makes you wonder how many other politicians were on the NSA's wire tapping list of "suspected terrorists"?

[electropop]

5. Every Dem in Congress and every DU member is being tapped.

Until we get this crime syndicate out of Washington, our "leaders" will be afraid to dissent. I am surpised at Harry Reid, who fought the Mafia in Las Vegas, to the extent that he found a bomb under his car. Is there something worse they are threatening him with now? What, embarassment? Please, blackmail is blackmail and the perpetrators of it will face far worse than embarassment if he exposes them.

[Dogmudgeon]

2. It's up to US

This is going to have to be a grassroots effort. But keep in mind that the word "seismic" refers to forces that shake and crack the Earth, not the Heavens.

In some ways, I don't blame the politicians at all. It really isn't their job to move the Earth, only to call down fire from Heaven. We Democrats have been, as a group, far too willing to let the politicians do all the work. The Republican coup started in the middle 1970s when (many) Libertarians and Christians were hotted up enough to get involved in grassroots politics -- taxes, abortion, crime, guns, and taxes -- and all the side-issues they entail. They had gotten by strictly on patriotism from 1932 and for about forty years onward, and I'm amazed they managed to keep the Presidency for more than two-thirds of the time since World War Two.

Our leaders don't need Wheaties. They need US to start calling them on the phone, sending them letters, and othwise arranging to actually MEET them in person. No haranguing is necessary -- they will become far more responsive when they can associate a letter with a phone call with a political direction with a human FACE. Of course they are busy men and women -- but the most sociable and persuasive of us will make the impression. Not everyone can speak with eloquence, but those who CAN, have lots of friends with tied tongues and political passion. Politicians know it. They are usually starved for honest opinions and human friendship, too. We have a natural tactical opening -- a large one into which we can walk unopposed and claim power.

Politicians will do what they need to in order to win elections. It's sad, but it's the way it works these days. There will be a few shake-out primaries. And within a decade, the Press will be whining how the Libbruls are riding roughshod over the Conservatives.

--p!

[Kurovski]

3. It could also be the media gearing up to give excuses to cover

another stolen election.

The media has foreshadowed dem losses well in advance of elections for six years now.

"Some" Democrats? I think Howard Dean warned us on that kind of lazy, horseshit reporting. "establishment Dems" are the bastards who say Dean, Kerry, Gore and Kennedy are "flawed messengers" No names given as to who the mystery shitbags spouting that Repub-supporting tripe are.

The paper reports Dems "... have watched opinion polls indicating that the public is souring on the Republican Party and receptive to Democratic leadership..." So WTF is the problem? I'll tell you, it's the corporate media and the DLC. The media is doing early damage control, knowing full well the public is hopping for change.

Remember: it's the DLC that talks this trash. They're mostly full of shit, and mostly comprised of butt-buddies bending over for the benefit of the Repubs.

If you want to hear what a real Dem sounds like, listen to the Congressional Black Caucus, Howard Dean, Henry Waxman, Barbara Boxer. those are the Dems the public will accept.

And the more Vets from Iraq who run for Dem positions, the better.

The only ones "starting to lose" (as polls are clearly showing) are the Republicans, and this is why we have the early strikes on the democrats. The negative campaigning has begun in earnest.

Swing back, keep swinging, and for god's sake...tell the demi-crat crybabies to shove a bottle in their mouths or become a repub already. they'll find plenty of corporations to adopt them and put them up in one of their petting zoos where they'll find the best care any congress critter could ever fucking hope for.

[KittyWampus]

8. ABSOLUTELY! But DU'ers take the Media Bait Yet Again. The Mediawhores

already have the narrative and they're starting early.

Democrats are ineffective and divided.

Oh, and angry.

[Kurovski]

15. Yes, and it bears repeating that they're starting early because

the polls indicate that the public no longer wants a Republican majority voted back in.

That is a natural desire, as most voters believe in the value of checks and balances, but it is especially true today with the miserable failures and worrisome projects of BushCo that have been fought for most assiduously by Republican reps.

Some of our good (not the whackjob) Republican neighbors are also in line for change. they are angry as well.

But overall, not as angry as we the Dems. Dagg-nabbit to bloody hell! :-)

[KnaveRupe]

4. Recommended, O Princess of Ping Pong!

Well stated.

Democratic leaders - Look at Bush's tanking poll numbers. Look at the polling for the Republican-controlled Congress. America is waiting for you people to DO something! Here are 4 things America wants you to do in '06:

1) Visualize a Senate with a solid Democratic majority.

2) Visualize a House with Nancy Pelosi as Majority Leader and John Conyers as House Judiciary Committee chairman!

3) Visualize the thugs in the executive branch being held accountable!!

4) Now make it so.

[AndyA]

6. Democrats just need to get off their butts and DO SOMETHING!

Issue press releases.

Force closed sessions.

Call a liar a liar, and provide proof that cannot be disputed.

Name the spinners and what they're spinning.

In short, get organized and get out there and DO SOMETHING!

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. What they need to do is tap into the outrage that exists in the voters

for both parties. Lobby abuses, wiretapping common Americans...these are winners. You just have to find that piece of evidence that convinces the Republican voter that the Republicans have gone over board.

[blm]

9. Caro, be ACCURATE - Shrum was actually PUSHING the filibuster in DC.

I get on his ass as much as anyone, but I believe that the left needs to be more accurate and stop throwing false charges around because it fits into preconceived storylines.

You can't demand fairness and accuracy while unfair and inaccurate yourself. We can't afford it when we have to fight an entire corporate media industry.

[Caro]

14. I wasn't aware that Shrum...

... was in favor of the filibuster. Good for him! But he still advocates being nice to people who want to kill us for our political beliefs.

Caro

[blm]

19. He may be changing his mind about that - hasn't been so cheery lately

in the last few appearances I've caught.

[sandnsea]

20. He pushed Gore's populism too IIRC

I'm not a Shrum fan, but I suspect others are bigger problems than he is. They're just very good at staying behind the scenes. I think we've got to flush out these "leaders" who are always quoted and never seen.

[CornField]

10. Ever saw that movie "The Replacements"?

There's a line in that show which is so true, not just for football or sports, but for all of life: "When it matters, winners always want the ball."

[randr]

11. In the dog eat dog world of washington politics

you either start a fight and accept that you will take some licks or you just roll over.
Apparently not one of the so call democratic leaders is willing to step up and strike the first blow.

[mom cat]

12. Link to Make Then Accountable's "Not Another Nickel" campaign:

http://makethemaccountable.com/nickel/

This site rocks! Great job in putting into action what many of us have been feeling!

[Marleyb]

13. K&R

[EFerrari]

16. NO ONE WILL EVERY BELIEVE YOU COULD BE TOUGH

ON TERRORISTS UNTIL YOU GET TOUGH ON REPUBLICANS!

:thumbsup:

[TahitiNut]

21. Rarely are truer words posted on DU.

I'll add my :thumbsup: to that.

[liveoaktx]

17. Until I see who "SOME DEMOCRATS" are, I'm taking what is said

with a grain of salt. Maybe it's Lieberman saying that, or that guy from Texas who went and sat on the Republican side during the SOTU. Or Ben Nelson.

Otherwise, it's just defeatist crap

[Marr]

18. I'll tell you why they aren't aggressive. I heard it stated plainly from a

Democratic strategist on NPR just a few months ago. He was proud of it- seemed to think they were being very savvy.

Anyway, he said their "strategy" is to do nothing. Make no waves. Let the Republicans own corruption eat away at their legitimacy. That way, he explained, the Democrats could simply step into power in 2006.

That's it. That's their "strategy".

Apparently they would prefer to get into power by being the 'less corrupt' party, rather than by making any sort of active populist push. I mean, then they might actually have to fulfill some promises to the people who have been so thoroughly reamed in recent years. Much easier to just step into the Republicans' shoes, and occasionally pander to progressives on symbolic crap the way Republicans do to fundamentalists.

[EFerrari]

22. Have they communicated this "strategy" to their voters

at Diebold, ES&S and Sequoia? :eyes: