What matters to democrats, why, and what does the rest of the country know about it or the relevant facts? And why is there such a large disconnect between the two?
TeacherKen:
There is one issue that is not negotiable with me, and that is the Constitution. I cannot support anyone who advocates restricting our liberty by amending the Constitution. I expect people to be willing to publicly stand up for our rights. Thus those who refused to oppose even if they did not endorse the recent proposed flag desecration amendment are people who I cannot support in this cycle - that issue is non-negotiable for me. It is my only absolute.
No doubt. Yet regarding flag burning, here was the democrats "brilliant" and "principled" strategy.
Or,
consider the principles upon which the Constitution and American demcoracy are based. (And which are being
effectively discarded under current far right wing rule.)
...we are patriotic in the truest sense - we see our constitutional framework as the key to everything important and valuable about our government, our society, our nation. For the overwhelming proportion of us no single issue beyond that is make or break.
See this journal from the other day, which illustrates exactly what the Bush Administration has done with respect to the Contitution, and secrecy in government (which ranks a close second). And was done to provide a framework for readers to use elsewhere to help communicate and emphasize this message -- including to the media.
It got rescued, yet received "19" comments.
Comments are one thing. But I have NOT seen the focus on here that this issue deserves. I HAVE NOT seen the focus on it elsewhere that it deserves.
Contrary to popular belief (on here), most Americans don't know these points.
They have not been adequately illustrated and explained, let alone repeated or intelligently turned into part of the democratic communication. ("American principles," "our gift, what we represent, to the world," "American values," "constitutional values," "preaching democracy while undermining what it means here at home" "severely abdicating our founding father's vision, and...what American stands for," "rhetoric about 'values' in place of upholding the principles for which America stands" - all of which, though much better phrases are still needed - are more importantly designed to appeal not just to democrats.)
They have barely been mentioned with respect to the Liebeman Lamont race, which instead by some democrats as well has been turned into something it is not. (And worse, as an aside, and as that article illustrates, democrats have been allowing the republicans and the media to almost insanely also spin Iraq (and thus again a Lamont victory as well) into something it is not. "That somehow not staying in Iraq is 'dovish' on national security, as if it was Iraq that presented the terrorism threat to us, and not al-Qaeda and related sovereignless terrorist cells which we have lost focus on while overemphasizing Iraq.")
They have been poorly covered by the media. (Note in particular my conversation with PBS as noted in that piece, in red towards the bottom therein under "update.")
Worse, and perhaps most discouraging of all, many democrats continue to assume that "everybody knows this," when, in fact, they don't. Republicans distort the facts and engage in manipulative, misleading rhetoric (to themselves as well), and saturate America repeatedly with that message. Democrats, on the other hand, self destructively just "assume" everybody knows what they do.
Or simply call names. (My comment, not the most diplomatically or intelligently put on this. But as for the underlying point, "if it walks like a duck..."(see therein). Note the checks it receives, versus the checks of the comment "arguing" with me. ? That is an important point or even productive point to make? That Lieberman is a "liar and a fool." That will really help turn the Lamont victory into what it is -- democracy actually working, and a democratic party that recognizes that it is time for change, and standing up for the principles that it belives in and upon which America was founded. Not the "vitriolic anti war left" that the media often disparages both this site, and, more ridiculously, Lamont supporters as -- right??)
Democrats need to identify the key points that matter, as TeacherKen tried to do. Then focus on effectively saturating America with the necessary points and facts, in a way that communicates with a cross section of Americans. And, in a way that at the same time exposes the pattern of the far right for what it is. Because until the far right -- which right now has defined themselves, democrats, and the issues -- is exposed for what it is, fighting with this spin out there is like fighting in intellectual quicksand. And it is only worsened, again, by making the assumptions that others know or perceive things as well informed democrats may do, telling people what they think or should be thinking (as DNC spokeswoman Karen Finney does in this absolutely dreadful right wing spin AP piece -- to be much more substantively addressed later), instead of the facts that show why, or simple name calling rather than SHOWING and SELLING the facts and points that "allow" voters and readers to come to the same or similar conclusions (with such "help") on their own.