What's clear is that Democratic Party messaging is woefully inadequate

[MrScorpio]

The Republicans are extremely good at delivering their messages, in spite of the fact that they're all horrible lies, completely divisive and wholly unworkable fantasies… But when it comes to vision, they are experts at that shit.

How can Democrats fix the messaging problem? Is the country itself the issue? Does America really want to be as so self-destructive, nativist, sexist, intolerant, anti-intellectual, fearful, pious, authority driven and completely freaking idiotic as is promoted in the Republican's "positive" role models?

Is the problem our inability to garner and replicate the almost sociopathic levels of mass groupthink that's so easy for the Right to muster? Is the mere fact that intelligent liberals are just too freethinking as a demographic to work together as a movement apparatus?

OR… Is it just that poor Democratic messaging forces Americans to resort to the Republicans because the GOP promotes an image of fervent self-belief? That when people are given a choice between an organized mess and a disorganized mess, most of them are going to choose the organized one?

Give us your ideas and observations… How can we Democrats fix the party's poor messaging problem in such a way that we can all agree on is the best way to go… Not just for ourselves, but for the benefit of the nation as well?

Your ideas for the proper messages, messengers and appropriate methods are greatly appreciated.

[Honeycombe8]

1. You've hit the nail on the head. THAT is the biggest problem with the Dems these

last several years.

The answer is easy: Get the dogs out all over the media to combat misperceptions about to put forth all the good things that the Dems have done these past several years. Most people in the country, including Democrats, don't know what is in the Affordable Care Act, for cryin' out loud! And it was passed in 2009!

[newthinking]

23. Only thing that can beat money is a well defined populist platform

One only need to look to South America to learn that yes, Democracy can overcome big oligarchy and Right wing media.

What is killing us is not just the money, but "third way". The Democrats strength has always been in a strong liberal/populist platform and their hammer was the people.

It is hard for me to believe that party leadership has completely forgotten this. I am just not sure many of them are willing to risk the nice future wealth for what is truly important.

[msongs]

2. democrats have a message? nt

[kentuck]

3. We define issues in 16/32nds...

and Repubs define issues in 1/2's...

[elleng]

4. I agree, Democrats have failed miserably in framing and conveying their message,

even after techniques were handed to them by George Lakoff.

http://georgelakoff.com/writings/rockridge/

MAY be because Dems can't be herded, as can repugs, but it's sure as hell hurting us.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. It would help if they had a message. One, that consisted of more than "Not as bad".

Unfortunately, the message matches the policies. Which range from slightly conservative to slightly centrist. Aka: Third Way

[senseandsensibility]

6. I admire you, Mr. Scorpio!

I admire anyone who still thinks it's possible for the current dem party to come up with a message to fight the corporations. I don't mean to sound cynical (well, I can't help it), but I long ago figured out that mainstream dems don't want to win. If they did, they would have realized back in 2000 that our democracy was in peril and was being stolen from us.

[KT2000]

7. we are going to take a pounding

with all the PAC money. They have a lousy candidate and can only use relentless attacks on Obama to try to destroy him.

The message? Repeat over and over again what he has accomplished and for whom.
Demand from Romney what his plans are (he has none) that will replace Obama's.
They need to consult with Bill and Hilary CLinton about how to operate a "war room."

There are tons of viable messages - do not let women forget what the R's want to do to them.
Yell about the need for more financial reform - have Obama explain who is really losing their shirts in this economy.
Obama should stand up for American jobs not corporate profits.
He needs to remind people of all the things the R's stopped in Congress - closing loopholes for oil co's etc.

Get everyone in the administration on board and on message. Challenge the media for their unbalanced panels and get more Democrats into the media.

[DallasNE]

30. Republicans Use Corporate Marketing Ideas

You use focus groups to find out what the customer wants to hear then craft your message using what was learned from the focus group. In other words, there is no Frank Luntz. Also, Republicans have a lot more 'think tanks' at their disposal. One email tells all of the Republicans what the message of the day is and they all repeat it faithfully, poppycock and all.

[nenagh]

8. I am so glad you posted this...

Messaging: is not a list of Pres Obama's accomplishments... it is more marketing/sales concepts than left brain thinking.

You know...I think those Bain negative ads showing real people having lost jobs to Bain Capital were moving minds...

The images of broken down factories and bare wasteland where factories were... and the sadness of real people who lost jobs did real harm to the Romney brand.

The Right wing complained...not fair...

The MSM talking heads said Obama has to go positive... and I think Obama's people got suckered into changing ...

The negative ads were working in my opinion. Those ads made people uncomfortable...it could be me next people think...esp if Romney wins and is in charge...

A little study: How many people can remember the Bain ads even now? I can... the look, the despair the images stay imprinted on the brain and the brain links that to Romney

Some sort of emotional link was created... the message came through very well.

[laundry_queen]

28. YES YES YES a thousand times YES

I've posted quite a few comments about this over the years. People in the mushy middle and people on the right don't THINK when they vote, they go strictly with emotion. You are 100% correct about the links they make.

I agree negative ads work, but you do have to hit them from both sides of the emotional spectrum, in my opinion. I've seen positive ads work for the NDP here in Canada. I think those Bain ads, coupled with some positive ads, run one after the other would have the biggest impact.

Messaging and getting everyone in the Democratic party out there in the media is important, but that's also a form of marketing (read about how much of our news is actually press releases from corporations, corporations use the news for marketing and so should Democrats). I think GOOD marketing will take care of the messaging problem. I think they should put all their resources into getting a good marketing contract, putting out emotional positive and negative TV ads and getting Democrats on news shows. They won't get as fair of treatment as the right, but it will put a bug in enough people's heads.

If they keep on with what they've been doing (the Bain ads notwithstanding) they will lose.

[coalition_unwilling]

33. Well put. I dislike the whole idea of a 'negative ad' as opposed to a 'positive ad.' For me, there

are really only two types of ads: truth and lies. Repigs have a monopoly on the latter and our only recourse is the former. When the Repigs squeal 'No fair,' that's a sign they can't handle the truth.

[RBInMaine]

36. Yes, continue the Bain ads and go right after the Republican EXTREMISM. Attack the Republican BRAND.

[teddy51]

9. And they are woefully under funded compared to the idiot on the right! There is no way in

hell that Obama can win/buy this election, if some very deep pockets don't step up to the plate. WI was bought, and I'm certain that most know that.

[RBInMaine]

37. No, it is not that doom and gloom at all. He will win, but it will be a fight.

[snot]

10. The biggest problem is that Republicans own 95% of the media,

and the media are thus little more than an echo chamber for Republican talking points.

Most of the genuinely neutral or liberal reporters were driven out of the business long ago.

[BlueCaliDem]

14. BINGO. This is the problem.

The reason why we're not getting our message out is because we're at the mercy of pro-Republican media that's all but killed the 4th Estate and replaced it with propaganda outlets filled with corporate shills as reporters that are still seen and revered as the long dead 4th estate. Two Pew Research studies have shown that painful fact. Where is the media touting these studies?? This is where the problem lies.

President Obama and the Democrats have an excellent message, but with five out of six mega corporations that own all of our media, blasting their message day in, day out, through radio, broadcast, cable, and search engines (anyone notice how the first ten pages are stuffed with only rightwing sites? Yep. Cons spend hundreds of thousands to keep their sites at the forefront), we could have the best messages in the world, but it's like a tree falling in the woods. If no one sees it, does it make a sound?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

54. Yes, so that tells me that the first thing Democrats need to do is STOP BLAMING OBAMA!!

If we know that the message is out there, but that the Corporate Media doesn't SHOW the speeches, doesn't show the Weekly Addresses, doesn't show what's going on in Congress (yes, they're on vacation yet again, but USA Today is only concerned that the president is playing a round of golf), we're screwed.

The second issue that I have is that I don't see the Democrats out there yelling and screaming. Where are we? R-Money and his spokespeople are on every television show, every political punditry channel. They're everywhere! And they speak with one, coherent voice!!! (None of this Bill Clinton-Cory Booker-Ed Rendell shit!)

By the way, the Republicans are now going around saying that Ed Rendell and Bill Clinton are Romney's top surrogates!!

We Democrats MUST wake the hell up and fight! If we don't, this country is screwed! It's already screwed but it'll be even more screwed!!

[ProfessionalLeftist]

18. BINGO. That was my first thought - 6 large corprats

own ALL the media (newspapers, magazines, cable and public tv stations) in the country. They CONTROL the message because they OWN the media. That's the crux of the problem right there.

Democrats can scream to the moon and back 24 x 7 but if no media is covering it....no one will hear it.

[HughBeaumont]

47. The Right Wing literally has two dedicated channels in Fox and CNBC.

The rest are right-centrist leaning stations, primarily CNN and ABC. MSNBC is about as moderate as it gets, nighttime lineup notwithstanding. CurrentTV isn't widespread enough yet.

[rurallib]

49. if a treefalls in the forest and the media won't report it

will anyone know?
I have been harping on this issue for a decade.
You can have the greatest message ever, but if no one will put it out there, there is no message.

I think the difference between Jesus and the other saviours is Paul - Jesus publicity man.

[brewens]

11. Too many of the people supposedly on our side have sold out. Maybe the message we'd

like to see doesn't get out, because they don't want to fix things?

[ljm2002]

12. My analysis is...

...the Republicans can state their message loud and clear, because the corporate moneybags they all report to like their message just fine. Therefore, they don't have to censor it, and they can be forceful.

The Democrats, on the other hand, would like to deliver a different message. Well, historically, they would -- not so sure about nowadays. Anyway, the corporate moneybags are not as enthusiastic about the traditional Democratic messages; therefore, the Democrats need to tone it down in order not to lose their donations.

The end result is that the Republicans appear to stand for something, while it is quite apparent to everyone that the Democrats are hedging. And these perceptions are not entirely wrong, not at all.

There are nuances. For example, the Republicans do have to lie -- they must lie to the people whose votes they seek, because in fact the people do not like their positions on a good number of issues, as is borne out in poll after poll. Unfortunately for all of us, the Republicans are good at lying about their positions, and they are also good at using social issues as wedge issues to divide us one against the other. The Democrats also have to lie -- they lie about supporting the issues that people care about -- they don't really support a lot of those issues as strongly as they claim to, because they too are suckling at the same teat as the Republicans, and have been ever since the Third Way made a bargain with the Devil to get corporate cash.

There is no party that is on the side of the people these days. They all think the corporate network is the only game in town, and the rest of us are chopped liver. We don't pay as well, you see. And hobnobbing with us little people just doesn't have the same cachet.

In other words, we're screwed. Even if a populist movement were to arise, chances are it would be of the right-leaning, fascist / racist stripe rather than a left-leaning, inclusive movement to better the situation for all of us. Occupy seems to be losing steam as a movement, more's the pity.

I wish I could offer good suggestions. I guess for me the bottom line is, it is deeper than a messaging problem. Until our party gets back to its populist roots, it will continue to flounder IMO.

[jp11]

13. I think money needs to come out first so that politicians can

actually serve the people, the vast majority of people that want this or that like bank reform, cutting defense, etc can get those things. I think that is part of the messaging problem at the core. Democrats have young voters but I think they get turned off by the 'both sides do it' and 'the government is corrupt' which comes from the media. While a lot of that is BS RW/lies/propaganda it isn't all made up and the few true cases that can be skewed to make both side seem to blame hurts democrats more than it hurts republicans.

Politician's hands are tied in many respects to serving their bankrolling masters if they were free to serve the people their REAL masters then that is the first step in giving them the 'power' to do good. Which in turn gives both democrats and republicans accountability to us which is where messaging has much more power and meaning. That would be a great step in stopping the government's shift to the right.

I think it is much harder to get democrats to strengthen their messaging with the media both being owned by corporations and cowering to the moneyed interests that fund them through ads/etc. All the while politicians and their parties have to be aware that what they do and what they say will effect their ability to raise money to fund their campaigns. Even reversing Citizen's United will only do so much in removing unlimited superpacs but still having politicians cow towing to big money to win as well as wasting time raising funds. There is also the issue that democrats 'big money' comes traditionally from unions which are on the decline with help or the lack of resistance from democrats.

While not an easy task to get money out of politics it is at least much more in the realm of control of politicians than somehow 'fixing' private corporate owned media.

IF the only solution is to address messaging I think it has to have democrats unite to send the same message on various issues as well as never let republicans and their advocates get away with their lies and skewed propaganda. When a republican or their agents spout lies/falsehoods/half truths the response shouldn't be "that's your opinion" or to let it go but to confront it with the truth, "that is incorrect/false/or an outright lie and here is the truth".

The other aspect of messaging is to play up the positives that democrats actually accomplish. I don't see this often enough where democrats claim credit and place blame properly, an example is how terribly congress has acted. There is some effort to paint the 'do nothing congress' but not enough nor is there enough coverage by democrats on what their agenda has been ie not jobs. After the 2010 election they got together for a photo-op and their 'contract with america 2.0' about jobs yet how much of their agenda has focused on fixing the economy or creating jobs VS social issues like birth control?

[Gregorian]

15. I've said it before on this forum. It was rejected. But I heard Howard Dean say it to Elliot Spitzer

We need to sum up our points in soundbites of no more than four words each.

I'm sorry, but we have to do what works, not what is intelligent.

Everything must be condensed forms of important messages about things that people want or fear. What they want are things Democrats can deliver. Things they fear are things Republicans want to push on to them. And the many combinations of these kinds of messages. Things Republicans have done. Things they have kept Democrats from bringing to fruition. What we are becoming, because of Republican legislature, or lack thereof.

And if it's a longer story, once it's established the four words are like a Pavlov's signal. Willie Horton. Lockbox. Communist.

I don't know how else to do it. If we sound like the droning on and on of John Kerry, people tune out. Not that he really droned on. But that's how it was perceived. And what is perceived is the message.

And we need to go on the offensive. The offensive automatically has a kind of legitimacy that the defensive just seems to lack.

We cannot afford to lose this one. This one is the nail in the coffin.

[snot]

17. It's not just a matter of sound-bites, though you're right as far as that goes;

but Repubs have been going all-out with p.r. techniques for decades. And p.r., properly understood, goes way beyond spin. It is the calculated deployment of techniques designed to bypass the higher cognitive faculties and directly mobilize our most powerful and primitive emotions and drives – fear, greed, hatred, etc. And the reason they have to bypass our reason is because they want to blind us to the fact that the things they're getting us to go along with are against our own, overall best interests; they want to manipulate us. Maybe since liberals are basically trying to help rather than exploit, they never developed the p.r. chops required for successful counter-manipulation.

[Gregorian]

20. Exactly.

As I was typing I was thinking of the buildings full of brains employed over the decades to help out the conservative agenda. The think tanks they probably spent a billion on over the years. I can't even imagine the psychological theories and philosophies that they use.

But we better remember we're not in a knife fight. I have a feeling people caught on after 2000. But we're so damned slow to get moving. There's something in the water in Washington. These guys think they're in a club. But the Dems are fools if they think the smiling conservatives are going to play nice. Plus, they own the media.

What we're up against is an age old power structure. They make the rules. They have the money. What we have to do is get the people unified.

[eridani]

38. How about six words?

REPUKES WILL TAKE YOUR MEDICARE AWAY!!

[longship]

16. Arrrgh! We're gonna lose! All is forlorn!

Give up! Nobody should vote cuz it's all fixed!!!

We all need to hide under our beds!!!

Arrrgh!


Stop with the negative waves, Moriarity! You're always putting out those negatives waves.

(Name the celluloid allusion.)

[MrScorpio]

25. Kelly's Heroes

They beat the Germans and even got some to side with them in spite of them negative waves, right?

[longship]

26. A great, totally anachronistic, flick

What!? Hippies in the 1940's!?

But it's one of those great flicks (which never made the big time) but which has an incredible cast of loonies -- fucking Don Rickles for Christ sakes -- who were great character actors.

Oddball is iconic.

[Logical]

46. So you think discussing it is wrong? WTF?

[DonCoquixote]

19. And I will say it again

FIRE DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULZ!

[elleng]

21. Maybe, and hire Howard Dean and George Lakoff.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

77. Yes

[calimary]

80. YES and YES!!!

I do NOT understand why George Lakoff hasn't been hired and made one of the big guns of the DNC. Good Lord, we won't make any headway at all unless we get the messaging thing down, and he'd be OUR frank luntz. That's something we need DESPERATELY!!!!!!!

And Howard Dean? That goes without saying. Match his track record against any of 'em lately and he shames them all. Especially the underwhelming, utterly unimpressive, and manifestly useless DEBBIE.

[elleng]

81. As I recall, Lakoff spoke at a conference or was hired by Dems for a while

a few (?) years ago, after which they simply IGNORED him and his advice. Something seriously WRONG there.

Here's a little something I found, from 2005, quoting from The Atlantic: 'Some liberals ridicule Lakoff as what Bai called a “new progressive icon.” In the April issue of The Atlantic, contributing editor Marc Cooper wrote that Lakoff sees the American people as, “Red-neck, chain-smoking, baby-slapping Christers desperately in need of some gender-free nurturing and political counseling by organic-gardening enthusiasts from Berkeley.'

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/george_lakoff_-_teaching_democrats_to_talk_to_americans/

[pinboy3niner]

22. RE-ELECT OBAMA!

--Justin Bieber

Oh, wait--his fans can't vote yet, can they?

[ErikJ]

27. 3 Most important things. NUMBERS, NUMBERS, NUMBERS!

When I go to RW websites and they trash Obama as a socialist Marxist, all I do is post this and their heads explode.

THis shows just how bad things were when he took office AND how much it has improved since he took office.
=======================

Since Obama took office ( with a record number of GOP filibusters)


The Dow is UP 6000 points from 6500 to 12,500


The GDP is UP 11% from -9% to 2%


Corporate profits set records in 2010 and 11.


Bush was LOSING 700,000 jobs a MONTH
and for the past 2 years Obama has been ADDING up to 200,000 jobs a month.


Romney promises a return to Bush economics .....on steroids.

[eridani]

41. Your neighbors don't give a shit about laundry lists of facts.

People could give a shit about what Obama has done--all they care about is whether or not he is on their side. The Bain ads carried that message with a story, not a laundry list. They should be at least 1/3 of all his ads from now on IMO>

[hfojvt]

29. the first step is we need to stop the bad messaging

at least that would be a positive first step, IMO.

You have an almost complete list there of the bad messaging. It involves name-calling against people who disagree with us. On every issue, we seem to stake out a position that is held religiously. It is absolute and anybody who is not with us is - sexist, nativist (xenophobic), intolerant, anti-intellectual, pious and/or completely freaking idiotic. There are no decent human beings, not even one, on the other side.

That kind of messaging, that kind of preaching, is loved by the choir, which is only too happy to sing another chorus of "How great we art" but it tends to drive away people who are not already in the choir.

That's not the party's messaging, but it comes from supposed friends of the party.

Another problem I see is that what has been chosen as one message simply is not true. When Obama writes me and says "I am fighting for the middle class, I don't buy it, and I may not be the only one. So I would suggest two things there. First, try acting in ways that would make that message true, and second, perhaps talk more about how the other side is fighting for the rich.

[MrScorpio]

34. Questions:

Besides the things on my list that the GOP does promote, what are some things that our side and their side can agree upon and or side does a better job of theirs in doing that?

Name some good Republicans, ones that entirely reject the sexism, xenophobia, intolerance, anti-intellectualism, piety and idiocy of the rest of the party, if you don't mind.

I'd love to know who these guys are before the Teabaggerati makes short work out of them.

[hfojvt]

58. the point is about voters, not about elected officials

But here's an elected official http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Bethell

Now deceased. When he died in that car accident, many of the Democrats that I am friends with on facebook - Sean Gatewood, Ann Mah, Annie Tietze, etc. posted about what a great guy he was. My own state rep, started her newsletter like this

"The 2012 Legislative Session ended in a sad note last Sunday when
Representative Bob Bethell died in a car accident less than an hour
after adjournment. He had spent the last minutes of the session trying
to get the House to concur on a bill that would have established an
oversight committee for the State’s new KAN-CARE plan that is going
into effect in January 2013. The bill failed. Rep Bethell was a 69
year old retired teacher who ran senior living centers. He was also a
pastor and headed many community projects in his town of Alden Kansas,
an annual fundraiser for the Special Olympics in Topeka, and a ministry
for the women in the Topeka Corrections Facility. This was his 12th
session. He always had a smile for you and wore a “Veggie Tales”
tomato pin and a Mickey Mouse tie. He was the Chairman of the Longterm
Care and Aging Committee. We will all miss him."

But, whoops, there may be a little piety there. But one thing about piety, is that there are many Democrats who are Christians. So I am not sure why anybody is supposed to reject piety, much less Republicans. Here, let me quote a great progressive leader from the past "Here, then, is the hard challenge and the sublime opportunity: to let the spirit of Christ work toward fashioning a truly great Christian nation.." or a convention speech from 1984 which began "Tonight, we come together, bound by our faith in a mighty god, with genuine respect and love for our country..."

[MrScorpio]

63. My point has always been about elected officials

Although I found it amusing that you had to locate some obscure, dead pol in order to state your case.

Poor Rep Bethell is nothing like the clowns running the GOP today, God bless him.

And still, my attention still points toward GOP messaging, which is very good at convincing fine, upstanding Americans at voting for Republicans and thus, slitting the country's throat.

How can we convince them to do otherwise?

[hfojvt]

74. he's not obscure to me

I happen to live in Kansas (not that I had ever heard about Bob until he died.) Plus, it is not like I follow Republican politicians.

Our messaging throws a lot of hate at the voters. If we want to win them with our messaging, it is better to avoid that hate. One of the messages that the GOP sells is "liberal elites think they are better than you" and often it is US, we are the ones who help to sell that message.

Our party certainly did a good job selling its message in 2008. So what went wrong between 2008 and 2010? Citizen's United? Probably a big part of it. We cannot get a message out if they have the megaphones. I mean, I thought that I had a good message. My campaign was based on three points 1. Reaganomics has failed. 2. Unless you are in the top 5%, Republican politicans are not representing you, 3. we are in a Bush recession. Yet I could not even sell that message to Democratic voters. At least not enough of them to win a primary election. I spent $700 or so on newspaper ads the week before the election, even advertising all week in the Topeka paper, including their election edition, and still 400 people went to the polls in Topeka and didn't vote for ANYBODY in my race. It takes money to get a message out, and then your message needs to fit what the people with money want it to be. So that is a huge hurdle for anybody with a message that wants to fight the money-powers.

[RBInMaine]

39. I think you;re trolling. You reject attacking the horrid right wing then you say you don't trust our

candidate. Sheesh.

[Stephanie69]

31. Spam deleted by tjwmason (MIR Team)

[HiPointDem]

32. I think there are three problems.

First is that certain messages are off limits because the funders of the party don't like them.

Second is that even when milder versions are promulgated, they can't be followed through on because the funders of the party wouldn't like it. Thus voters get understandably cynical.

Third, so far as anti-republican messages go: the places where democrats should be hitting them are dangerous, because democrats are implicated in some of the same things. Thus the wedge issue strategy to create difference between the two parties.

[RBInMaine]

40. This shit about the 2 parties are just the same is total crap. So enough of that.

[JHB]

44. That's not what he said, and ignoring the matter just feeds the meme

Since HitPointDem didn't give any examples I'm not going to guess about what he or she was referring to, but I'll use a historical example:

The S&L crisis was a stellar opportunity to hit the Republicans over whole-hog deregulation and the corruption and criminality that goes with it. If nothing else, it would put them on the defensive.

However, plenty of Democratic politicians also had ties to problem S&Ls, so that strategy entailed some blowback against fellow Democrats. Add to that the growing need for big money for campaigns and that the rising "pro-(some)business" faction (which would form the DLC) was on board with deregulation and other conservative economic policies, and the result was that there was no counterattack against them around this issue.

The "no difference" meme is crap, but the whole reason it has any traction whatsoever is because of economic issues: The leadership of both parties advocate "pro-business" policies and don't really have plans to address the structural issues that have been in effect since Reagan that have undermined the livelihoods and futures of most people for the benefit of a small stratum at the top. And that's because of the money needed for television advertising for campaigns. The people who can reliably pony up funds for that like "pro-(some)business" policies.

It's myopic in the extreme, but it doesn't come from nowhere. And ignoring that goes against the goal of improving our message.

[Lionessa]

43. Ouch, but oh so true. Said well.

[Raine]

35. You're totally on point. nt

[kentuck]

42. There's a simple difference in the Parties.

Republicans attack personalities and Democrats attack issues. People are naturally more inclined to talk about other people than issues. Attack Romney. Attack Boehner. Attack their leaders and their sick ideas of destroying our institutions.

[mmonk]

45. It has competing messages.

Therefore, it confuses people to the point that they don't know what the message is.

[HughBeaumont]

48. Too bad middle America's not down with this slogan:

It's also too bad that more than a few Democrats still worship at the Temple of Saint Ronnie. That shit REALLY doesn't help a simple message.

"Well, we think Capitalism certainly has it's flaws, but don't get us wrong, it also has it's merits . . . and we still love the Free Market and all of the great things it's done . . . and we're not out to stifle thinkers and innovations . . . Not out to be "SOSHULISTS" or "COMMIES" or anything like that . . . a little Socialism goes a long way, though . .. not full on . . . Regulation in the right facets, a little restraint of trade here and there . . . I mean, you could probably pull a fair, level field off without raising taxes on the rich, I think . . ."

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ . . . . adjust your bowtie, Chuckles.

[shcrane71]

50. Democrats are missing the boat on public transportation.

Obama tried to give money to the states to build passenger rail and commuter rails in under served parts of the country, and every Republican governor gave that money back. That's money for jobs. That was money to improve infrastructure. That was money that would have reduced our dependence on foreign oil. Democrats aren't talking about that.

I love getting out of this country because I know that once I travel out of the US, I can easily get around on trains. Driving everywhere is a pain.

[JHB]

51. How's this for a message:

"Where's the Loyalty Down?"

[Peaceful Protester]

52. The Privileged Few

Last edited Tue Jul 17, 2012, 01:14 PM - Edit history (2)

They're doing the same thing to the Middle Class that they did, and are still doing, to Native Americans.

We're still living under the same "system"/"power structure" set up by the privileged few that was originally rigged and used to "divide and conquer"/"take from" Native Americans.

Replace the words "Native Americans" with "Middle Class" and you'll see history repeating itself.

Fast Forward

They wiped out the wealth of the middle class when they collapsed the economy by gambling with other peoples money in the form of mortgage derivatives.

The middle class is still the target because there's money left to steal, and they're not yet satiated. We MUST get ahead of the messaging because they're coming after social security and medicare next!

[Comrade_McKenzie]

53. The Democrats should have rejected the notion of austerity from the beginning. nt

[Odin2005]

55. It's INTENTIONALLY inadequate, via the DLC Third-Wayers.

The Third Way WANTS us to loose as a way to keep on pushing us to the Right.

The Third Way is a fifth column that is destroying our party.

[Martin Eden]

56. Here's a message: ***Pass the AMERICAN JOBS ACT***

If Barack Obama is not elected to a 2nd term as President, it will be because his opponents have succefully laid the blame for our economic woes at his doorstep.

It is true that Obama turned the crashing economy he inherited into one of modest growth, and that Republicans in Congress have purposely obstructed economic recovery to enhance their own electoral prospects, but those facts and that argument don't seem to work as the primary message in this campaign.

However, ***Pass the AMERICAN JOBS ACT*** is a clear, positive message that does two things:
1) It shows that this president has a solid plan for improving our economy.
2) It shows that Republicans are standing in the way of it.

Keep hammering home the message ***Pass the AMERICAN JOBS ACT*** and focus will shift to the merits of this plan versus the failure of Republican trickle-down economics. The fact that they have been obstructing economic recovery will then be obvious.

The message ***Pass the AMERICAN JOBS ACT*** should also help the Democratic Party win back Congress as a necessary step to economic recovery.

[Peaceful Protester]

57. Something to think about...

Last edited Mon Jun 18, 2012, 02:33 PM - Edit history (1)

Republicans believe they are patriotic because they watch Fox News. Yet Fox News is owned by someone who wasn't even born in America (very odd, for all the xenophobia on their side), who is under investigation in the UK (for all the yelling they do about illegal immigrants, he is not exactly a stellar immigrant himself), who uses his network to distribute propaganda and serve as the Republican reelection center. The owner of Fox News, Rupert Murdock, is an extremely wealthy person; who can't even be bothered by philanthropic activities.

Rupert Murdock has never really had a rival to counter balance the Republican perspective and challenge their messaging until MSNBC was formed with the help of Bill Gates. Now lets take a look at who Bill Gates is:

Bill Gates was actually born in America (but, he doesn't wear it on his sleeve), produces a useful product for everyone (Democrats and Republicans alike), is not under investigation for criminal activity, and is an extremely wealthy person with a philanthropic organization that helps the less fortunate.

[Auggie]

59. The party needs better leadership experienced in traditional and new media ...

preferably with an advertising background. Establish the Democratic brand and hire the right creatives to craft the right message. That's what the repukes did with Reagan's It's Morning in America.

We need the same type of group effort. It's too late now for November IMO -- work should have started last year.

This is too-over-the-top for a national effort (Ad Agency punks the Tea Party in Troy, Michigan, http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002819901), but it's in the right spirit.

[treestar]

60. The use of different words may not help

Convince anyone. Clearly the people who run campaigns think about what they are doing. No one on the board here could improve on it as amateur. It could be that there are many self-destructive, nativist, sexist, intolerant, etc. people in America - it's not just improved performance of Democratic campaigners is all we need.

The Republicans may flame out with their own extremism. They aren't better at it. They are just shameless.

[Peaceful Protester]

61. Democratic strategist Bob Shrum said

If your claim is you should be president because of your experience in business, then your business history should be examined.

The narrative will be what Mitt Romney did at Bane Capital. He laid off people, took away their pensions, he took away their health care, and he parked his own earnings in offshore and swiss bank accounts. Romney has also backed the Ryan Plan.

--

Bush on Steroids

Since he's running for president, his governorship should be examined as well. Unlike Obama, Romney took office as governor of Massachusetts during an economic uptick. Massachusetts had a net job growth of 1.4 percent under Romney. However, that was far slower growth than the national average of 5.3 percent. As Romney’s opponents have frequently, and correctly, noted, Massachusetts ranked 47th in job growth over the entirety of Romney’s term.

[Peaceful Protester]

62. Income Inequality

"They don't get who we are!" -- Joe Biden

Listening to this sound bite of Joe Biden and hearing the energized roar of the crowd was just incredible. News of this event exploded onto the scene. I loved it!

--

Joe Biden Lays Into Romney, GOP: 'They Don't Get Who We Are!'

At a campaign stop in Youngstown, Ohio, today, Vice President Joe Biden lit into Republicans and their presumed presidential nominee Mitt Romney for what he described as a failure to understand the plight of the middle class.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/joe-biden-lays-into-romney-gop-they-dont-get-who-we-are/

[McCamy Taylor]

64. No, Axelrod, Obama and Clinton are doing just what they need to do. The battle is uphill because

the MSM always favors the one who promises to give their corporate masters what they want.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

78. Beg to differ....Repukes CAN NOT STAND Axelrod. He's just too obviously political - and

it turns them off big time.

I tend to agree with the opposition. Axlerod, despite his other attributes is a horrible spokesman who wouldn't
even influence me to buy a cup of coffee.

Obama needs to think outside the box.

[McCamy Taylor]

65. Message one: the GOP wants to chainsaw massacre Medicare.

[McCamy Taylor]

66. Message two: Obama wants to save Medicare.

[McCamy Taylor]

67. Message three: the GOP wants to make your daughter give birth out of wedlock.

[McCamy Taylor]

68. Message four: Obama understands and cares about women.

[McCamy Taylor]

69. Message five: the Democrats welcome hard working latino immigrants to the country

[McCamy Taylor]

70. Message six (some of you won't like it), Democrats are the party that ACTS like true Christians.

[McCamy Taylor]

71. Message seven: The GOP will send your son and daughter to fight in Iran.

The Dems are doing an excellent job with all of these messages, and if they can get past the MSM roadblock and get to Americans, they will win. One way to negate the blackout---use those celebrities. The press will not be able to resist covering them. And get lots and lots of ministers to speak about real American (i.e.) Democratic values.

[One of the 99]

72. That's because the corporate media

adopts GOP talking points as facts and pushes back on facts when presented by Democrats.

[flamingdem]

73. From another post in GD -

>>People vote their aspirations, not their reality. In a poll during the 2000 election, people were asked if they were in the top 1 percent of earners. Nineteen percent of Americans said they were in the top 1 percent and another 20 percent expect to be someday. So immediately there is more than a third of Americans who don’t oppose tax cuts for the wealthy because they think it somehow does now, or will one day, apply to them.

Americans of the lowish info variety are deluded so it's difficult to reason with them..

[Kablooie]

75. Democrats talk logic. Republicans talk emotions. Emotions win everytime.

Democrats have to find a way to make their arguments hit emotional nerves in a positive way.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

76. put Dean back in charge of the party #1. He's brilliant, quick, and savvy. Saw

him the other day - he's amazing.

If I was going to be in charge of messaging...I would hire Mario Cuomo and Howard Dean to run the show.

On edit: I'd throw in Gary Hart too

[sendero]

79. I'm aware that ...

..... nobody want to hear this. But the weak messaging from the Democratic party is BY DESIGN, nobody could be that fucking stupid.


Time and time again "our" politicians miss GLARING AND OBVIOUS answers and talking points. It is not an accident and it is not an oversight.

[Peaceful Protester]

82. Policies: Republican vs. Democrat

Last edited Sun Jun 24, 2012, 10:00 AM - Edit history (3)

The difference is Republican policies have produced a Global War AND a Global Recession!!

Some people blame Bush for the state of the union, but Bush was actually a good president in that he sought to bring Republican policies to fruition. The problem was not in the execution of these policies, but the actual policies themselves.

PS: Republicans refuse to take responsibility for their own policy failures while they continue to accuse Democrats of not fixing these enormous global policy failures "fast" enough!!

NOTE: According to economist Mike Kimel...

1) The 5 former Democratic Presidents (Clinton, Carter, Johnson, Kennedy, and Truman) all reduced public debt as a share of GDP.

2) The last 4 Republican Presidents (H. Bush, G. Bush, Reagan, and Ford) all oversaw an increase in the country's indebtedness.

Summary: Democratic policies are far better for the overall economy than Republican policies.