That's why I don't feel too guilty about telling them how to win the elections. They can't resist that BusHitler Kool-aid.
Today Bush hatred is shared by almost 50% of the country who not just disapprove, they strongly disaprove his job performance and don't like him personally. This time around Bush hatred might actually work. That's not to say that the dems should not have a positive agenda - swift pull out from Iraq, strong borders, universal healthcare, end of corporate welfare and crackdown on outsourcing.
In other words, make Michael Moore the Dem Campaign Chair. That'll surely unite the majority instead of appealing to the lunatic fringe....
The additional people that you are referring to are conservatives who are mad about immigration. Surely you know that. Do you think they will go dem? And do you think the public will do an about face on the other issues you list? Forget your phony polls. They always vote against those things. (except strong borders- as if dems could say they are for strong borders with a straight face)
Doesn't matter how ugly the polls get for Bush since he isn't running. Although it rubs off on Repubs in general, the Dems ABSOLUTELY must have a platform to run on, and stick to it! Kerry should have beat George, but he'd flip every time polls changed. Hillary still mainly bashes, and has few ideas so far. I mention her simply cause she's at the front now. Jay
Conservatives will not go dem with or without Bush hatred, with or without dem's positive agenda. Surely you know that. They may go dem if dems adopt purely republican agenda but even in this case they will probably not trust the dems' sincerety enough to vote for them. Conservatives are a lost cause. The more americans (or their family, friends and neighbors) lose their high-paying jobs the likelier they will vote to curb outsourcing, the more americans lose their health benefits and are forced to declare bankraptcies because of health emergencies, the likelier they will vote for Unversal Healthcare, the more american troops die in Iraq, the more Iraqies voting for religious fundamentalist leaders, the likelier people will vote for an immediate pullout.
AAA: as usual, a well thought out proposal. I agree with others though that ethanol is not a practical, efficient alternative to where we are now. Jeez if we were just 10% more efficient and 10% more frugal we'd cut consumption by 20%. It's a doable goal. You are correct though that the Democrats are in need of a fresh issue. The old standbys are in need of repair. Class warfare as described by Madison has limited electoral appeal. The problem for the left is the salient fact that most American's are ok financially. That's why Kerry was smart attacking the war. Almost worked. Trouble with the war issue is that the Hillary wing of the Party is tacitly pro-war. The last thing a mainstream Democrat wants to do is be placed in the pacifist/isolationist box when it gets time for him/her to bomb Iran. At least Bush was upfront about his "axis of evil." Both FDR and LBJ campaigned in 1940 and 1964 as peace candidates. Maybe Hillary can say she'll never fight in the Middle East as she's secretly antagonizing Tehran.
it seems even guys like dddoo know deep down the democrats can not muster a coherent party platform capable of guiding a country. All they can do is bitch and appeal to whackos. How sad and how much it has cost this country.