Democrats need a new script - Helen Thomas - Seattle PI

[rndmprsn]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/275029_thomas23.html

Are the Democrats going to be such easy prey again, neutralized by phony wedge issues and neglectful of the real issue, which is the administration's flagrant use of falsehoods to justify a war of choice?

It could happen again. The leaderless Democrats, speaking in a cacophony, are being outgunned by the conservatives and members of their own party representing the Democratic Leadership Council who are at heart "Republican lite."...

...The fact that millions of Americans lack health insurance is a theme Democrats should campaign on. The Democrats should support universal health care. When the administration lays down the law in the prescription drug program that drug prices are not negotiable, who is it working for?

Another rich target for Democrats: Bush and the Republican Congress cut taxes for the richest people in the country while fighting to keep the 10-year-old minimum wage at $5.15...

...As Bush prepared to visit Europe this week, Die Zeit, a German weekly, declared that Americans have "lost their moral credibility in Iraq." The newspaper also said "America's entire Iraq policy is out of control."

That's what the Democrats should be saying.

[Greeby]

1. I dunno, Helen

They seemed to be doing pretty well this week

[yurbud]

4. better but not well. They seem to be trying to tell just enough truth

to differentiate themselves from the GOP & get elected without offending the corporate interests that back the GOP & DLC.

They'll impress me when they start talking about why the Bushies invaded Iraq, who is profiting from it, and how they are screwing us after doing those corporations the favor of giving them Iraq's oil contracts.

Until then, the Democrats sound about as tough as Mr. Rogers, reminding you to put on your galoshes.

[Gloria]

2. "Who is it working for?" Randi Rhodes keeps repeating a theme

which I was thinking over today as the core of a Democratic message:

That the Repugs don't work for YOU or the country, they work for corporations---and then go at the list of all the crap they have done.

Even last night, the women Dem Senators were ticking off all sorts of things the Republicans had done or FAILED to do....Stabenow referred to the "hand signals" used during Katrina for lack of equipment that all services could use...and how the GOP have voted this down 3 times...

Stuff like that....goes to the gut...all under the umbrella of "WAKE UP, THEY'RE NOT WORKING FOR YOU." And call their "issues" what they are: Gay this, flag that...are all DIVERSIONS so that YOU don't notice how they're screwing you!!!

[nealmhughes]

3. the whole act needs a new plot, and a new cast, not just script.

I do feel a lot of good vibes out there from Gore, Dennis (my boy), General Clark, and Edwards. They makes the show worth watching. Actually I'm starting to really like Durbin a lot...