To the Dem Party: Would you please start campaigning NOW for our IMAGE?

[mtnsnake]

We just can't wait until election time to start doing this. It's imperative that we start flushing all the self-serving Republican perceptions of us right down the toilet & make OUR image the positive one.

The Republicans have stolen the word "patriot" and we need to get it back from them RIGHT AWAY, especially since we're the real patriots and so many of them aren't.

The Republicans have painted us as soft on defending our country, and we need to change that perception because that is simply bullshit. All it takes is for our spokespeople to stand up at each & every speech, each & every luncheon, each & every interview, and just bragging about it.

The Republicans have made us look like we're out to murder unborn children, and we need to make them pay for that false allegation. We need to forget about debating whether a fetus is a kid or not, and make the public aware that Republicans don't practice what they preach.

The Republicans have made it look like we WANT middle class Americans to to pay higher taxes, and we need to campaign now to show that Democrats are willing to pay their fair share of taxes for the good our country and we need to explain how paying a fair share of taxes gets us better roads, better schools, and better everything that everyone wants. Believe it or not, many Americans don't know this.

The Republicans have hijacked religion for themselves and turned it into an ominous tool for their own devious political gain, and we need to get the message out to the general public as to WHY they're using religion in such an insincere way. We need to explain in simple layman's terms how we have all the respect in the world for people of faith, but how we don't abuse it as a tool or weapon.

In other words, we need to go on the offensive in the rhetoric department. Republicans do NOT own the rights to offense. Instead of always defending ourselves from their bogus notions, we need to go on the attack with OUR rhetoric, not theirs. They don't own bragging rights to everything either. It's high time we started doing our OWN bragging.

For Christs sake it's not all that hard to change our perception from negative to positive. It just takes simple explaining in black and white with some well placed rhetoric repeated over and over. For example, "We're 'patriots' because we love our country, and we're willing to defend and protect it from ANY offenders...and we don't need to use religion, taxes, or morally divisive issues to do so. We've already proven our patriotism time and time again and continue to do so at this minute. We're interested in saving our animals and forests so our future generations can hike, fish, hunt, and have some lumber left in 2030 to build their houses with." Is that so damn hard? Democrats are the best, but there are so many things you should be saying on our behalf right now.

We need to explain things more clearly, go on the offense, do a little bragging of our own, and most importantly repeat it over & over...and we need to start doing it ASAP.

We're the best, but they'll never know it unless we tell them.

[caty]

1. Send your post to

the Democratic Party: http://www.democrats.org/contact/

[mtnsnake]

2. Thank you.

Will do.

[MisterLiberal]

8. 1

The first thing we need to do is campaign OURSELVES! Not necessarily run for office, but word of mouth to friends, family, workers.

[russwallac]

3. Don't just complain...

...get off your ass and change things!

Infiltrate the Dem party and make it what you want it to be! How you do that depends on what state you live in, but there's always a way. It won't be easy, and it won't be fast, but you can do it!

Two years ago I was a political newbie. Now I'm on the board that runs the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. It took a lot of hard work, but it was also a heck of a lot of fun.

The only problem is that I can't just blame other people for the mess we're in any more. Now it's my responsibility to fix it!

Good luck!

[karynnj]

4. Several Senators and Dean are doing this

At least Reid, Clinton, Lautenberg, Durkin, Kerry and Drogan(?) were out earlier this year explaining that SS is important to people and that there was no imminent crisis (and no long term crisis that couldn't be averted with a small amount of tweaking.

Kerry has been out talking about Kids' First and sending emails for his petitions, to keep people informed, and to get involvement where useful. He got 2000 plus personal stories of problems the military is not handling well from military families overnight and used them on the Senate floor to get backing for some amendments.

In addition to Kerry; Kennedy, Reid, Clinton and Boxer have all also used email lists to send out emails with petitions on different subjects. (In addition to any impression the petitions make, they certainly increase the awareness of the issues Democrats are fighting for.)

For the period 6 months after a Presidential election, this is a very unusual amount of activity. It also is not any one person - but many that are going way beyond normal. I'm sure there is far more going on than this - but these are things I can think of with out researching.

[MsTryska]

5. I beg to differ on one point....

I think we should grab that "Party of No" label and run with it.

so many different ways to use it.

[caty]

6. I agree!

:thumbsup:

[Gloria]

7. This is what I basically posted yesterday....one of my periodic

blowups about how wimpy Dems are. The need for a permanent campaign. Get a couple of good talkers out every day, keep to a message, and start sticking it in their eye.

Condi goes to Iraq and says the war "came our way and not the other way around." AND NOBODY SAYS A WORD???????????????????/

What good are the Democrats?? Maybe if they opened their traps, the media would begin to sense a story and start reporting some of what they say. Why should the media report anything if the Dems themselves don't give a shit!!???