From the outside, I'm going to ask you to be patient. While I've diared a few times before, I have yet to use all the goodies at my disposal. So if my attempts to hide links and use block quotes go horribly awry, I'm not responsible.
Anyway, the point of my diary is this: as in 2004, the GOP is giving us a phenomenal opportunity to get back `in government,' as the Brits would say. We did not capitalize on it last year. In fact, we lost seats in Congress and won fewer states in 2004 than in 2000. What I propose is an unambiguous assault upon the GOP agenda, boiled down to three salient points that, I believe, will resonate with independent voters. More below the fold.
Keeping in mind that midterm elections are infrequently the place where non-voters begin to make their voice heard, I am focusing mainly on people who currently vote on at least a semi-regular basis. Additionally, I am assuming that about 85% of all votes in 2006 have essentially already been cast; 40%+ will vote solidly Dem, and 40%+ will vote for whatever the GOP throw at us. There's some mild variance based on district, but essentially the ballgame is over the 15% in the middle who do vote, but do not have brand loyalty when it comes to Party. So without further ado (and I'll admit that the above was some pretty significant ado), here goes:
Salient, Unambiguous Talking Point #1: They're Destroying Our Military!
Our once proud military, a symbol of Americana, is in tatters. There's a brain drain at the military academies. When our armed forces take the field, it will be led by fewer and fewer graduates of these institutions. Not that it will matter, since fewer and fewer people are joining the ranks of the military at large. This will invariably lead to a smaller, less specialized, less prepared armed forces. What are the direct effects of these developments? Well, for starters, we can't fight a two front war, should the need arise. And that's not just another Left wing talking point. That's the expert military opinion of General Richard Myers:
General Richard Myers, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has informed Congress that the U.S. military's present wars in Iraq and Afghanistan would hamper American efforts to fight another war if a situation arises that requires soldiers to be sent abroad.
So there's that. The GOP has damaged, and perhaps crippled, America's ability to defend herself for the next ten years, so says their own appointed expert. Moreover, this once proud institution which was regarded so highly that it became a part of Americana itself, had had its reputation tarnished. Thus, we must, for our safety's sake, for the sake of this sacred institution, hold the malefactors accountable.
Salient, Unambiguous Talking Point #2: Kick the Bums Out!
We expect a few things out of our elected officials. No, we don't expect them to be saints. After all, Andrew Jackson's parrot had to be removed from his funeral because it wouldn't stop swearing. So we have a long history of electing colorful characters. But we do not expect outright fraud. And that, dear independent voter, is unfortunately what has been going on of late in Washington, D.C. Lemme tell you a story. An administration with close ties to the oil industry has to write a report on global warming. It falls upon one particular bureaucrat to `refine' the language. His edits call into question the scientific validity of global warming, the oil industry's worst nightmare. Less than one year later, the guy gets a job offer from, you guessed it, Exxon. Coincidence? We think not. But how about this one: the second in command in the House of Representatives is on the take.
Whenever one political group stays in power for a certain length of time, they inevitably become insulated and corrupt. In the GOP's case, that happened several years ago. It's time to take your government back, and kick the bums out!
Salient, Unambiguous Talking Point #3: How Come I Have a College Degree or More and a Decent Job, But I Can't Afford Shit?
We hear you, and we have an answer. The GOP would like you to believe that this phenomenon is due to affirmative action, or illegal immigration or activist judges or gay marriages or some goofy-ass thing. But you know better. You're a reasonable, educated human being. So we're going to level with you. The reason why you can't afford to take a vacation this year is because you're paying way more of your own health care costs. Your employer is getting away with highway robbery. Twenty years ago, health insurance was assumed to be another perk of having a job. Now, when employers do offer it, you're paying more and more of your own co-pays and premiums, until a family of four with nothing wrong with them can still cost thousands upon thousands of dollars of after-tax income. And that's not all. There's also the issue of college tuition rising way faster than inflation. Not only is it becoming more expensive to get an education, but also the financial aid you do receive is more and more frequently offered in the form of loans, basically creating another monthly tax for recent graduates. I got my bachelor's degree for free, and only had to fund a small portion of my law school education. Yet, because of the drastic rise in costs, I will be paying the United States Treasury $350 per month until I am 51 years of age. Sound familiar? Or is that even better than you have it?
Democrats are ready to work with, not against, the regular guy and gal in America. We're looking to fully fund education, so that not only will you be able to confidently send your kids to public primary and secondary schools, but they won't be saddled with hordes of debt upon completing college. We're looking towards major overhauls of the health care industry, such that you keep your own doctor but health care costs go down while insuring that everyone in America can see a doctor if they're sick. And we're for investing tax cuts and incentives into the middle and working class, so that it's easier to buy a home, get a new fuel-efficient car, or have a child. The GOP thinks that money should go to those who have already made it. We think it should go to you, so you can make it yourself someday. In short, we're for opening the door of opportunity. They're just interested in rewarding those who snuck into the window on the backs of others.
And those are my talking points for 2006.