161 Days - Democratic Underground

grantcart

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Tue May-27-08 05:08 PM
Original message

161 Days

In 161 days the world will change.

Now I am not a Republican hater and I don't really like the pejorative terms that are common here; Rethugs etc. I don't like it for three reasons;

1) Its Limbaughish.

Its a cheap shot and it demeans us. There are plenty of good Republican mayors and Governors. Something happens with Republicans when they go for federal office that is just mystifying to me. Its not that they sell out. Let's face it most of our Democratic Reps and Senators 'rent' themselves out in order to finance these campaigns. The Republicans at the federal level operate at a completely different level.

They sell themselves out cheap and stupid.

For example they gave away the entire store on pharmaceuticals when for the same amount of money they could have gotten a discount. They gave away the whole store for peanuts. They could have gotten what they wanted and settled for a 10% discount. When they sell out they go apeshit. No the Democrats aren't perfect but at least they offer a reasonable alternative.

They could have joined with the Democrats to override Bush on global warming. We lost 8 years for nothing. The sell out for stupid.

So I don't use the cute anti-Republican names but my hope is that in 161 days every single Republican Senator and Congressman gets defeated.

2) Its bad Strategy.

The primary vulnerability with strategic planning is overestimating your strengths and underestimating your opponents weaknesses. Its what Rumsfield and the neo-cons did in Iraq and what the Clinton brain trust did with Obama. We need to evaluate the Republicans with cold objectivity and it isn't helpful if we are simply reinforcing the same perspectives with cheap shots that do not resonate in the larger world.

There is good evidence that Senator Obama is going to run a historic campaign and a strong victory. http://uselectionatlas.org/PRED/PRESIDENT/2008/pred.php He has the smartest campaign in modern history, he has defeated the strongest second place candidate in history, he is an expert on voter registration, McCain is a terrible campaigner and will prove and embarrassment on debates - but, regardless of what the polls say we should run as if we are 50 electoral votes behind.

Every state should be under siege, we should try and win Arizona (right now Senator McCain is running only at 51% - with 10% undecided - what might happen if Barr trims off 5% from McCain in Arizona http://www.pollster.com/08-AZ-Pres-GE-MvO.php) and every other state. The impact down ticket is what will give us the governing super majority to be able to pass real legislation, real health care reform.

3) Its bad Tactics.
There are lots of Independents and Republicans who are willing to give Obama a chance. They know that they don't agree with us on a lot of things but there is universal distaste for what has happened and lets face it nothing helps a party reorganize for the future than a real ass whipping. Many Independents and Republicans are reachable but if we communicate in a haughty and patronizing manner we will lose people that are reachable.

In 161 days the leadership of this country will change and it will effect every human living.

There are many important issues that we feel passionately about. There are two that have world wide significance.

1) The use of American military as the primary expression of American power.

2) The technological impact on our atmosphere.

These two issues effect the peasant in Iran or Burma and everyone in between.

We have been lucky so far

You think Iraq is a disaster. Iraq is a pseudo-disaster. It is a trailer for disaster. It is a regional disaster that effects 10 million people. It can get a whole lot worse. A choleric McCain does not have the patience to engage Iran and others with subtlety. He has been trained and trained well to push the button. Don't worry about what happens after those bombs fall - let them go and somebody else will be there to clean that mess up. That bomb doesn't work? We have more bombs.

I am in the 'least likely to believe a conspiracy' wing of the Democratic party. However, if the McCain candidacy does not lead you to think that some type of military action is highly likely with a McCain candidacy then you should join the Lanny Davis optimist club.

We have been lucky so far.

The war in Iraq, while a complete disaster in terms of conflict management, has largely been confined to stay within the borders.

An expansion outside of Iraq opens up the possibility of a war of epic proportions engaging entire regions that no one can envision. When those geniuses started the 100 Year War they all thought that it was going to be a 6 month war. Every war starts as a 6 month war. Here however we have vast millions that live in a tinderbox of fervor. The kerosene in the mix is the same that drew Hussein to Kuwait in the beginning - vast fields of unmeasurable wealth in Kuwait, Saudie Arabia, UAE with relatively small indigenous local armies.

The only likely viable restraint to McCain military aggression is going to be the capitalists warning of a historic collapse of the stock market.

Further delay on undoing the changes to the atmosphere is too frightening to consider.

So in 161 days approximately 140 million Americans which path will be taken.

The stakes are so great that we will have to put aside all personal preferences. Clinton supporters will have to choose if they are really willing to gamble giving additional power to those who have a clear preference to using military intervention to solve problems in order to express their personal frustration at losing.

Obama supporters may have to consider a combined ticket with Clinton or some Vice President nominee that doesn't fit our litmus test.

DU partisans will be forced to stop aiming for purity and consider how to seduce the 'impure', dissatisfied Republicans and Independents that are willing to consider a reasonable non antagonistic approach.

We need to take the 60 million that Kerry got and add 15 million more voters to be absolutely certain of victory. This time defeat is not an option.