Democratic Message of the Week....

I'm going to try and do this once a week.  It seems that the (D) do a poor job of carrying a message to the voter.  My intention is not to be another opinion that criticizes.  I hope this series of diaries will provide a discussion point for failures by the Democratic Party to speak on a level that voters will connect with. We are working against a powerful party and a media that isn't always cooperative.  To date the "victories" by the Democrats have been because of utter failures by the Administration.  Of course success isn't possible without failure but my point in writing this weekly diary is to highlight a singular point, our party needs to be strategic and refine its attack.  While our agenda can be filled with a wide range of issues, our attack plan must be focused.  The main method of attack is communication with the voter.

Issue of the Week:

UAE and it's controlling interest in Port Security.

While there is resistence by the Democratic Party the end result is the same; The public sees a mistake by the Adminstration but can not hold them accountable because the alternative is a party who is saying that the Administration has rushed to judgment.  

Look at the language used and how it will work negative against our party.  Although the public likes "examination", "thoroughness", "intellectual", the current line of attack by the Democrats fits into the same frame as the Republicans used to defeat Kerry.  When time is on your side and you have the luxury of figuring things out then you can debate etc.,  However, in the post 9/11 world time only permits what it permits.  We can always have the gentlemenly discussion to figure out the fine points of policy.  Action is necessary and other details can be sorted out because safety is necessary.  Our party has been clamoring for port safety for 5 years and now the Administration is doing "something".  Coupled with the party that would like to debate versus the party that wants action, the Democrats may likely get stuck with the short end of the stick.  A finely refined attack by the Republicans will go after the "pro-debate" crowd.

The attack from our side must focus on the failure in decision making by the Republicans and the administration.  They have failed on security and they are making the same mistake again.  In MSO's diary she lists the 12 people who have signed off on the deal.  The attack needs to focus on the failures in decision making by these people over the past 5 years.  Can you trust Rumsfeld's decision making when he couldn't secure our troops?  Chertoff couldn't handle a natural disaster predicted and forcasted, how trustworthy is he evaluating other people's competancy etc.,  This is where you introduce Murtha, Clarke and other military leaders from the Democratic Party.

http://www.dailykos.com/...

Treasury Secretary John Snow (Chairman)

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff

Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez

Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez

D.O.M.B. Director Joshua Bolten

U.S. Trade Representative (to the WTO) Robert Portman

Chairman of Council of Economic Advisors Edward P. Lazear

Director, Office of Science & Technology PolicyJohn H. Marburger, III

Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Stephen Hadley

Assistant to the President for Economic Policy  Allan Hubbard

•  Thanks, but...

  When I saw this in the diaries list:

  Democratic Message of the Week....
  by bikko100
  0 comments

  I almost laughed out loud. The party does seem to be making some hay on this, though.

  It's interesting to hear that the deal was signed off on by so many high ranking government officials. I was expecting a few, but CFIUS is basically a subcommittee of the Cabinet.

  by Cecrops Tangaroa on Mon Feb 20, 2006 at 08:52:49 PM PDT

  •  my point exactly......

    i see it happenning and it saddens me.  There is no debate, there is little discussion aside from a very few minor points.  The regulars post great diaries but what does it mean for the Democratic Party????

    by bikko100 on Tue Feb 21, 2006 at 05:22:39 AM PDT

•  On a silver platter

  This port deal was a political gift to the Democrats.  Even if the deal doesn't go through (which I am hoping for), the Dems can use this in ads: the GOP was going to outsource national security!

  by turning blue on Mon Feb 20, 2006 at 09:34:58 PM PDT

  •  more than outsourcing....

    eventually, outsourcing sucks will no longer work.  Dems need to quickly find another way to attack.

    by bikko100 on Tue Feb 21, 2006 at 05:23:55 AM PDT