Have you ever watched or listened to a debate, a political speech or advertisement where the GOP message presented is clearly propaganda, where you couldn't wait for the rebuttal to set the message straight, only to be disappointed by an ineffectual, tardy or non-existent Democratic response? Well I have. I can't even count the times because there have been so many.
Have you ever watched or listened to a debate, a political speech or advertisement where the Democratic message presented is clearly factually based, but the GOP response has been immediate, patronizing, emotional, factually deprived, glib and consequently highly effective? You know, where the Democratic party has been frozen like a deer caught in the headlights? Well I have. I can't even count the times because there have been so many.
It is time for Democrats to stop playing nice. The time has come to take the offensive. The days of playing defense are over. It is time to attack. Time to attack Republicans, their leaders and their billionaire benefactors at the core of their hypocrisy, at the nexus of their admitted exploitation of evangelical religiosity, racism, and ignorance. Are you ready? I am.
While there is no substitute for intelligent, witty, articulate and charismatic candidates with a reassuring countenance, a sense of humor and bold ideas, we progressives can provide support and drive the dialog by creating, funding, and broadcasting issue-based ads, independent of official campaigns, that put Republican candidates on their heels and provide Democratic candidates with ammunition to use in debates and their own ads. In these ads we can initiate conversations about guns, racism and evangelicalism and their consequences in ways that candidates can't or won't for fear of retaliation from the right. They should be designed to make the Republicans angry, to leave a mark and elicit a defensive response. As we have seen Republican candidates and office holders do not play defense well and are likely to make emotional, mistake riddled rebuttals. Once the issues are out there then the discussion is begun.
Some of us are politically connected. Others know how to raise money. A whole lot of us can provide research and content and some of us know how to deliver that content to the voters. All of us will need to be passionate and resolute. Together we are stronger than the Kochs and their minions. We need to get enthused and stay enthused. This is a call to action.
Follow below the fold for some preliminary ideas and rough drafts. Roll up your sleeves, critique and contribute your own suggestions. Be a part of the solution. Our nation needs us. Now.
I propose four main categories of advertisements.
1. Ads to address the national audience, not directly endorsing any candidate. I envision these would expose the Republican party, their policies and their leaders, with a strong focus on their words, actions and quantifiable consequences of their policies.
2. Ads that focus on a particular state or region that expose Republican policies, GOP House and Senate incumbents or candidates, not directly endorsing any Democratic candidate.
3. Ads that focus on statehouse races, state propositions and select local elections. Some would support progressive candidates and measures without official sanction, while others again would expose GOP policies and candidates.
4. Ads that focus on incumbent Democrats who have a record of abandoning progressive ideas and the Democratic party by voting with Republicans on important legislation. The intention here is to hold them accountable and provide support for more progressive candidates in the primaries.
CATEGORY 1 -- National Audience:
1. Republicans claim their policies create prosperity and opportunity for Americans, so we should expect to see Republican controlled states at top of the nation in the categories of prosperity and opportunity. Right?
Well Republican controlled states are at the top of the nation in many important categories: low wage jobs, poverty, food stamp recipients, percentage of government aid compared to taxes paid, teen pregnancy, high school drop outs, gun deaths, murders, percentage of residents without health insurance, obesity, heart disease and stroke mortality, diabetes, incarceration . . . not really indicators of prosperity and opportunity.
Republican rhetoric just doesn't match Republican results.
2. Remember the last time a Republican was president?
Bush Enters Office Bush Leaves Office
Dow Jones at 10,587 ------------------------------ Dow Jones at 8,281.
Unemployment 4.2% ------------------------------ Unemployment 7.2%
Fed Budget Surplus 236.2 billion ----------------- Fed Budget Deficit 1.2 trillion
Consumer Confidence 115.7 ---------------------- Consumer Confidence 38.0
Approval Rating 66% ------------------------------ Approval Rating 27%
We can't afford another Republican President.
3. Low taxes and minimal government regulation stimulate the economy by creating an environment for businesses to grow and create jobs. This is the foundation of Republican economic philosophy. So historically the economy should have been thriving during periods of the lowest tax rates and least government regulation, when Republicans were in control. Right?
Wrong. Dead wrong. During the George W. Bush administration taxes and regulations were the second lowest since WW I.
The result? The Great Recession.
The only other time when taxes were lower and regulations were weaker was during the Roaring 20s, a period of three consecutive Republican administrations.
The result? The Great Depression.
We can't afford another Republican President.
Mon May 25, 2015 at 10:03 PM PT: This diary had been sitting in the queue for several weeks and I guess it had had enough and decided to publish itself. I was planning on releasing it in about two weeks when my schedule was freed up a bit. Anyway, here it is. I have several people who will work with me to produce a prototype to pitch to organizations with resources. Can you help? Are you on board?