DNC Battle Plan 2006: "What Do You Mean 'We Don't Have A Plan?'"
Yes, that is precisely what I am saying. The Democrats have no plan. Their plan for the takeover of the House and Senate was supposed to have been revealed in November. But other voices in the party warned against such a move. So, the deadline was set for January. Again, the deadline came and went with narry a word to the wise about what they were going to do. Rep. Nancy Pelosi came out no too long ago and assured all Democrats that they would be revealing a plan "within weeks." But, today's Washington Post shows that the Democrats seem to be virtually light-years away from such a plan, as is evident from this key piece from that column:
The Democratic leaders in Congress -- Pelosi and Sen. Harry M. Reid (Nev.) -- are the party's chief strategists and architects of the agenda, which they view as a way to market party ideas on energy, health care, education and other issues. They have held countless meetings to construct the right list, consulting with governors, mayors and just about every Democratic adviser in town.
"By the time the election rolls around, people are going to know where Democrats stand," Reid said.
But many in the party have their doubts. On Feb. 27, Reid and Pelosi appeared before the Democratic Governors Association. At one point in the conversation, Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, noting that the two leaders had talked about a variety of themes and ideas, asked for help. Could they reduce the message to just two or three core ideas that governors could echo in the states?
According to multiple accounts from those in the room, Reid said they had narrowed the list to six and proceeded to talk about them. Pelosi then offered her six -- not all the same as Reid's. Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski said later: "One of the other governors said 'What do you think?' and I said 'You know what I think? I don't think we have a message.' "
Whoops. Someone screwed up. Something happened on the way to the forum because the Democrats cannot seem to agree on what their issues should be. Sounds much like the same infighting we saw last year when "Howling Mad" Howard Dean took the reins of the party. Democrats from all sides assailed Dean as he simply tromped his way through the political scene--becoming the gift that keeps on giving to the GOP--and making a complete ass of himself in the process. But wait! All is not lost! That venerable sage of the Democrats, EJ Dionne, Jr has a solution for the disheartened, downtrodden party:
The false premise is that oppositions win midterm elections by offering a clear program, such as the Republicans' 1994 Contract With America. I've been testing this idea with such architects of the 1994 "Republican revolution" as former representative Vin Weber and Tony Blankley, who was Newt Gingrich's top communications adviser and now edits the Washington Times editorial page.
Both said the main contribution of the contract was to give inexperienced Republican candidates something to say once the political tide started moving the GOP's way. But both insisted that it was disaffection with Bill Clinton, not the contract, that created the Republicans' opportunity -- something Bob Dole said at the time.
The Democrats' real problem is that they have failed to show how their critique of the Republican status quo is the essential first step toward the alternative program they will owe the voters in the presidential year of 2008.
Everyone get that? In case you dropped your Cliff Notes, the answer is simple: Go On The Attack! Yes, "let slip the dogs of war!" Go after the president one anything and everything they can muster. From the retread arsenic in the drinking water issue, to slamming the president over education (a bill sponsored by Ted Kennedy granting public education more dollars than they saw under Bill Clinton), and even go after him on the war. They can even drag out and prop up old Jack Murtha when they really want to get going again over Iraq. Yes, yes, yes, this will be the watershed moment for their party if they pull out all the stops, and attack the president all-out. Criticism will abound, and the Democrats will show the nation just how dismal of a president Bush really is.
Except there is just one tiny little problem with that strategy. President Bush willnot be running in 2008. He will be flying back home to Crawford, TX., and the GOP will still have control of both houses. See, you need to have a platform to move from if you are going to launch the attacks. You need to show everyone where the president and the GOP messed up, and then present an alternative. If you lack the alternative from the get-go, the battle is already lost. Americans want to see who has the best ideas for the future of the nation, and I am sorry to say, but much of that debate will revolve around national security; a subject that the Democrats are incredibly weak on already. Not only are they weak on it, they are completely AWOL on the subject altogether. Unless you count poor Joe Lieberman, who seems to be frozen out by his own party because he has sided with the president too much on certain things already, like the war.
The strategy of attack is a dog, at best. It may garner them a seat or two, but taking the majority in both houses is still a long ways away. Add to the fact that three principal RINOs are facing tough reelection races already. Lincoln Chafee is facing Steve Laffey in Rhode Island, and it is not looking pretty already for the incumbent. Olympia Snowe has a couple dark horses starting to emerge in Maine to challenge her seat. And the voters in Ohio still have not forgiven Mike DeWine for joining the McCain-led caucus in the Gang of Fourteen deal from last May. So, if the Democrats thought they had problems, they should see that their allies are also facing tough opposition. This could be a sad year, indeed, for both Democrats and RINOs should all the cards fall into place. But if the Democrats think that a lack of ideas, and a resurgence of vitriol is going to gain them back their power, they are sorely mistaken.
The Bunny ;)
Yes, that is precisely what I am saying. The Democrats have no plan. Their plan for the takeover of the House and Senate was supposed to have been revealed in November. But other voices in the party warned against such a move. So, the deadline was set for January. Again, the deadline came and went with narry a word to the wise about what they were going to do. Rep. Nancy Pelosi came out no too long ago and assured all Democrats that they would be revealing a plan "within weeks." But, today's Washington Post shows that the Democrats seem to be virtually light-years away from such a plan, as is evident from this key piece from that column:
The Democratic leaders in Congress -- Pelosi and Sen. Harry M. Reid (Nev.) -- are the party's chief strategists and architects of the agenda, which they view as a way to market party ideas on energy, health care, education and other issues. They have held countless meetings to construct the right list, consulting with governors, mayors and just about every Democratic adviser in town.
"By the time the election rolls around, people are going to know where Democrats stand," Reid said.
But many in the party have their doubts. On Feb. 27, Reid and Pelosi appeared before the Democratic Governors Association. At one point in the conversation, Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, noting that the two leaders had talked about a variety of themes and ideas, asked for help. Could they reduce the message to just two or three core ideas that governors could echo in the states?
According to multiple accounts from those in the room, Reid said they had narrowed the list to six and proceeded to talk about them. Pelosi then offered her six -- not all the same as Reid's. Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski said later: "One of the other governors said 'What do you think?' and I said 'You know what I think? I don't think we have a message.' "
Whoops. Someone screwed up. Something happened on the way to the forum because the Democrats cannot seem to agree on what their issues should be. Sounds much like the same infighting we saw last year when "Howling Mad" Howard Dean took the reins of the party. Democrats from all sides assailed Dean as he simply tromped his way through the political scene--becoming the gift that keeps on giving to the GOP--and making a complete ass of himself in the process. But wait! All is not lost! That venerable sage of the Democrats, EJ Dionne, Jr has a solution for the disheartened, downtrodden party:
The false premise is that oppositions win midterm elections by offering a clear program, such as the Republicans' 1994 Contract With America. I've been testing this idea with such architects of the 1994 "Republican revolution" as former representative Vin Weber and Tony Blankley, who was Newt Gingrich's top communications adviser and now edits the Washington Times editorial page.
Both said the main contribution of the contract was to give inexperienced Republican candidates something to say once the political tide started moving the GOP's way. But both insisted that it was disaffection with Bill Clinton, not the contract, that created the Republicans' opportunity -- something Bob Dole said at the time.
The Democrats' real problem is that they have failed to show how their critique of the Republican status quo is the essential first step toward the alternative program they will owe the voters in the presidential year of 2008.
Everyone get that? In case you dropped your Cliff Notes, the answer is simple: Go On The Attack! Yes, "let slip the dogs of war!" Go after the president one anything and everything they can muster. From the retread arsenic in the drinking water issue, to slamming the president over education (a bill sponsored by Ted Kennedy granting public education more dollars than they saw under Bill Clinton), and even go after him on the war. They can even drag out and prop up old Jack Murtha when they really want to get going again over Iraq. Yes, yes, yes, this will be the watershed moment for their party if they pull out all the stops, and attack the president all-out. Criticism will abound, and the Democrats will show the nation just how dismal of a president Bush really is.
Except there is just one tiny little problem with that strategy. President Bush willnot be running in 2008. He will be flying back home to Crawford, TX., and the GOP will still have control of both houses. See, you need to have a platform to move from if you are going to launch the attacks. You need to show everyone where the president and the GOP messed up, and then present an alternative. If you lack the alternative from the get-go, the battle is already lost. Americans want to see who has the best ideas for the future of the nation, and I am sorry to say, but much of that debate will revolve around national security; a subject that the Democrats are incredibly weak on already. Not only are they weak on it, they are completely AWOL on the subject altogether. Unless you count poor Joe Lieberman, who seems to be frozen out by his own party because he has sided with the president too much on certain things already, like the war.
The strategy of attack is a dog, at best. It may garner them a seat or two, but taking the majority in both houses is still a long ways away. Add to the fact that three principal RINOs are facing tough reelection races already. Lincoln Chafee is facing Steve Laffey in Rhode Island, and it is not looking pretty already for the incumbent. Olympia Snowe has a couple dark horses starting to emerge in Maine to challenge her seat. And the voters in Ohio still have not forgiven Mike DeWine for joining the McCain-led caucus in the Gang of Fourteen deal from last May. So, if the Democrats thought they had problems, they should see that their allies are also facing tough opposition. This could be a sad year, indeed, for both Democrats and RINOs should all the cards fall into place. But if the Democrats think that a lack of ideas, and a resurgence of vitriol is going to gain them back their power, they are sorely mistaken.
The Bunny ;)
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 7:36 PM
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