Brainstorming Of Ideas On What's Wrong With The Democrats

This is sort of a brainstorming of ideas about what's wrong with the Democratic Party and what they need to do to counter their problems against the Republicans.

Brainstorming Ideas Of What’s Wrong With The Democratic Party

Worried about the state of the Democratic Party as a viable opposition party against the Republican-controlled Congress and Presidency.

Believe Democrats main problem is a lack of vision on the issues. Democrats love to see the issues in differing shades of gray—different voices, different opinions, different policies that contradict each other in solving an issue. While this is good for shaping government policy, it is terrible for playing politics or winning elections. Republicans have been able to tailor their message into short slogans or simplified words—Republicans use God, Guns and Gays for example.

Democrats refuse to engage in class warfare—even though the Republicans are doing it all the time. This is a potent weapon the Democrats can use—painting the Republicans as pro-rich, supporting the elites of big-business. Republicans could care less about the middle or lower classes—if the super-rich get richer, then they’ll spend their money and the money will trickle down to the middle and lower classes (The old trickle down theory of economics that the Republicans love).

Democrats consistently argue the issues according to the Republican rules and terms. Example—pro-life or pro-choice on abortion? If you’re not pro-life, then you’re pro-death and you’re a murderer. Democrats need to argue the issues according to their rules and their terms—ignore what the Republicans are saying, or counter the Republican arguments according to the Democratic terms.

Democrats have been fighting short-term tactical battles, without an overall strategy. Perfect example is the Democratic support for authorizing President Bush to use military force in Iraq—if you don’t give the authority to use military force to President Bush, then you’re not a patriot. If you don’t provide funding for the war, then you’re a traitor—you support the terrorists. Democrats need to change from fighting short-term tactical battles, to fighting large-scale strategic battles of ideas—example could be providing a free college education for everyone who wants it.

Democrats have somehow lost the support of centrists and progressives with their lack of opposition to the Republicans, and their lack of a viable message. Centrists and progressives are certainly angry at the scandals and incompetence of the Bush administration and the Republican-controlled Congress. But at the same time, they don’t see any spine within the Democratic Party. If the Democrats are expecting these centrists and progressives to join their party in open arms simply because Democrats are against George Bush and the Republicans, then the Democrats are setting themselves up for a major fall in the next elections. Some centrists and progressives will certainly vote Democratic. However others have been complaining about the need for a viable third-party that can counter both the Democratic and Republican Parties. These progressives may split their vote between the Democrats and the smaller third-party candidates, allowing the Republicans to continue maintaining control of Congress and the Presidency. The Democrats need to provide more for these centrists and progressives than just saying that they oppose the Republicans. Hence, they need to craft a powerful message with new ideas that will entice and energize the centrists and progressives into their party. That is still not happening.

Democrats need to start fighting dirty against the Republicans in order to win elections.