Issues that are WINNERS for us,..

[SoCalDem]

I am NOT saying that all the others are "chopped liver", but the Democratic party simply MUST learn to FOCUS on issues that cut across the grain, and touch EVERYONE.. (in no particular order)

1. economy
2. education
3. health care
4. economy
5. elder care
6. child care
7. voting issues
8. media issues
9. economy
10.economy

We, as a party are so engrossed in trying to be everybody's pal, that we end up with a watered down, scattered approach to every election I can remember...all the way back to Carter.

Don't get me wrong, all the other issues, women's rights, choice issues, gay rights, civil rights of all kinds, religious issues, environmental issues..all of them and more I have forgotten to list ARE IMPORTANT, BUT BUT BUT BUT BUT

until we have a majority in at least ONE chamber of congress, AND a president, NONE of our "pet issues" will be tended to in the least..

As long as republicans run the show, we are just pissing into the wind...they know it, we know it, and they KNOW we KNOW it..

Our leadership has failed, time and again, to FOCUS the candidates..all of them onto issues that are winners for us. Anyone who wants to run for office should receive some training on how to deflect the slings and arrows that will undoubtedly be hurled at us as a dividing mechanism, and how to re focus on OUR issues.

We have been playing defense for so long, because we ALLOW them to constantly play OFFENSE.

Even the most rabid Bush-lover has bills to pay, wants his/her kid to go to college, has work issues, gets sick, has elderly relatives, buys gasoline, and will get old themselves.

Dean needs to start conferencing with the leaders of our "radioactive" partners..(the lightning rods that are used by the religious right..EVERY election cycle).. these groups need to be reassured that their interests will be addressed, but winning the elections is STAGE ONE, and when all the democratic issues are tossed into the republican media blender, it's impossible to get any focus for a campaign.

[coloradodem2005]

1. Yeah. The economy really worked for us in the last election.

NOT!!!!

[SoCalDem]

2. We never made it through the garbagecan media blitz

and most of the media hyped "how WELL" the economy was doing.. Then of course we wasted most of our airtime trying to un-spin all the republican nonsense..

[lostinacause]

5. Talking about how bad the economy is will not have the same effect

as suggesting what can be done to improve it. Suggestions like the re-importation of Canadian drugs did not help.

[Zynx]

10. We did not have an economic agenda.

That's why we lost.

[lonestarnot]

14. We lost on a cheat! That's why we lost!

[bryant69]

3. Social Security

Although this issue may be nearly over for the year, it is a key issue where in we differe from them, and where in the democratic approach is both popular and well understood.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[deadparrot]

4. Fiscal responsibility. It's ours by default.

The "tax and spend" Democrats balanced the budget.

The deficit is appalling. And it's the neocons' fault.

[lostinacause]

6. That's one of the reasons the Canadian Liberals have been able to stay

in power for so long.

[La Coliniere]

7. Election reform should be one of the big three

Democrats need to keep the issue of paper trails and accountability at the fore. It seems to me the issue doesn't have the urgency it had right after the last election. Democrats CAN'T let their guard down on this. And we can't wait until a few months before the elections of 2006 to proclaim the dire importance of this issue. We must pursue this issue day and night. If indeed elections have been "stolen", we must make damn sure it doesn't happen again. Paper trails for all 50 states, or a campaign to endorse mail-in ballots, like in Oregon. This is a baseline issue IMHO.

[SoCalDem]

8. True election reform has to be NUMBER ONE

or we will continue to lose "ooooh so close"..elections Unfortunately, I wonder if our leaders really understand this stuff..Every time I hear one of them talk about it, I hear.."paper trail".. which is as meanigful as a snail trail...garbage in garbage out..

Until the public can fully trust black box voting, we must have a duplication of votes vapor AND paper....and if the totals do not match?? Paper wins every time..

[applegrove]

9. Democrats would have gone after bin Laden and caught him.

Democrats were always for Democracy in the Middle East.

Democrats know that elites & tribalism go together. One cannot survive without the other.

Democrats know that democracy kills tribalism and uber elites.

[Jesus Saves]

11. Gun control, free needles for addicts

Just kidding...

Actually I'd add religion to your list.

The right wing is not Christian.

Secondly, we were not founded as a Christian nation.

[OneBlueSky]

12. here's two more that are winners . . .

1. the environment
2. restoring citizen authority over corporations

[question everything]

13. Or, in one sentence

Security of education, healthcare and retirement