You got to give the Conversatives credit.
They know how to make the most of an Opportunity. They know how to rally their members.
AND Conservatives know how to boil down their Ideas into simple Talking Points, that they can easily repeat, and easily pawn off on their Independent friends, neighbors, and acquaintances.
Short, sweet, and to the point. Agree, or Disagree, one thing about Conservatives -- you always know where they stand. And you usually know Why, too.
As this year's Conservative Rally CPAC, winds to a close, some New Talking Points have emerged.
Question is, Will Dems sit idlely by, saying "Oh that's nice. Good for them," or will Dems take note, and respond forcefully, factually, and with good humor, to the "War for Hearts and Minds" that is about to take place?
Conservatives use CPAC as rallying cry for midterm elections
Feb 20, 2010
(CNN) -- Conservatives wrap up a three-day meeting Saturday that has featured speeches by Republican leaders, training sessions for local political activists and a renewed purpose to stand firm behind their principles heading into the midterm elections.
U.S. Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana made no apologies for trying to stop President Obama's agenda in Congress, telling attendees that he proudly wears the "Party of No" label that Democrats have tried to pin on Republicans.
"Some folks like to call us the 'Party of No,'" Pence said during his speech Friday.
[...]
Pence, a potential 2012 presidential candidate, [...] who is chairman of the House Republican Conference, predicted the GOP would reclaim a majority in the House of Representatives in November and the White House in 2012.
"Welcome to the conservative comeback and the beginning of the end of the Pelosi Congress," Pence said to applause.
[...]
"Debt is the monster," [Ron] Paul said, condemning federal borrowing to support government spending. "Debt is what will eat us up, and that's why our economy is on the brink."
http://www.cnn.com/...
Some response advice for Dems:
If Conservatives have decided they LIKE the label of "Party of No" -- Let's make them wear it, every chance we get.
The "average" person knows there are REAL problems in this country -- and they want REAL solutions. Just saying No all the time, Gets you Nowhere!
If "Debt is a Monster" -- we must always, always, stop to ask: "Who created that Monster?"
I seem to remember a Presidential Candidate a while back, arguing about the urgent need for a Lock-Box to ensure that the Boomers got all the Benefits that they were entitled to. BUT the competing Candidate ridiculed the idea of a Lock-Box, and then proceeded to spend all OUR Social Security IOU's -- on unfunded Wars, and Tax give-aways to the Richest among us.
Behold the Debt Monster -- that W created! It's alive, and it lives on, to haunt OUR Retirement Dreams.
Here are 4 more simple Talking Points that CPAC is "arming" its members with. Conservative smell victory ahead, so they just need to paint the current crew, with these 4 shades of grey:
Pawlenty offers 'four principles' at CPAC
Feb 19, 2010
[Tim] Pawlenty got down to brass tacks and offered "four ideas that should carry us forward."
- "The first one is this: God is in charge," he said. He spoke of the Declaration of Independence and the Founding Fathers, who wrote: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. "If it good enough for the Founding Fathers," he said, "it should be good enough for each and everyone of us."
- "We can't spent what we don't have," the governor said. He recalled growing up in a family that "didn't have a lot of money" and his mom saying that they had to "live within our means." He then took a shot at the president. If government spending were an Olympic sport, he said, Obama "would be a repeat gold medalist."
- "People spend money differently when it is their money." He warned about government wasting money -- our money -- on ways that we wouldn't if we were in control of spending it.
- "Lastly . . . bullies prey on weakness not strength." He spoke directly to Obama. "I have a message for President Obama . . . Mr. President, no more apology tours and no more giving Miranda rights to terrorists."
http://content.usatoday.com/...
Some response advice for Dems:
- "God is in charge?" -- Funny, I didn't see his Name on the ballot, last go around. And shouldn't religion really be a private matter? It seems the Constitution is pretty strong on protecting ALL faiths and beliefs.
- "We can't spent what we don't have?" -- If we all did that, then No one would own a home, No one would get a College Education. As any Business student will tell you, using and managing Debt well, IS the Key to Success, in the real world.
- "People spend money differently when it is their money." -- Yes, this is true. But if you have too little money in the first place, due to lack of jobs and falling wages -- SOMETHING must be done to steer the Economy to a stronger Future course. Rivers shift their course from time to time -- OUR Economy is in the middle of one of those major "structural shifts" right now. Question is, will it shift to the Green Economy of the Future, or retreat to the by-gone Reagonmics of the past?
- "Lastly . . . bullies prey on weakness not strength." -- Yes, Republicans are experts on that Subject! Haven't we all seen enough of Bullying Behavior to last us a Lifetime? Isn't it time for some Grown-up Behavior on the World Stage?
Don't get Mad -- but DO take a Stand -- whenever you are confronted by these latest paper-thin Talking Points from the "Party of No". You can be sure that the Nostalgia Party will be making the most of their Opportunities -- every chance they get.
By Responding in kind, one day, will be able to give Credit (and Credibility) to the Democratic Party, too.