Should we begin to consider more extreme tactics?

[Ken Burch]

If, as appears to be the case, the Congressional elections for 2006 have been rigged by Republican redistricting, should we participate in them at all?

Are there other tactics that might work better?

I was thinking we should maybe be thinking in terms of an electoral boycott and mass civil disobediance, at least on the House races.

If we know those races are unwinnable and illegitimate, should we even bother honoring the illusion that they are a democratic exercise?

Should we not, instead, mass our forces nonviolently and move straight ahead to RESISTANCE?

[SeveneightyWhoa]

1. Like, for example?

What are you suggesting?

[Bronco69]

2. Can you elaborate? n/t

[rzemanfl]

3. You know the rules of DU. That being said, I am more and more

convinced that the sea of lies is overwhelming the reality-based community. My thought is to focus on a single issue and beat it to death. I nominate Bush's cheating in the debates. All the evidence of Bush wearing a wire in the debates and everywhere else it happened (and still does) should be gathered along with the feeble explanations-put on a single, not copyrighted DVD and handed out everywhere, grocery stores, sports events, rock concerts, outside Blockbuster video. Men should start wearing mock receivers under their coats as a social statement and conversation starter. Women's fashions should have "Bush humps" designed into them. Bush should be referred to as "the Cheater-in-Chief." "A bug in his ear" should be part of every reference to * whether it is about Iraq, Social Security or whatever.

Once we have defined Bush as a cheater the time will be ripe to turn to the "election."

[RC]

4. Sure, everybody stay away and not vote on election day.

Yeah, that'll sure teach'em a lesson. :eyes:

Oh, and disobediance is spelled disobedience. I'll give you an A- on the spelling.

[Ken Burch]

5. OK, sorry about the damn spelling.

And, as to the rules, I am not trying to hurt the Democratic Party.
My point is, if we know that the 2006 Congressional contests are already rigged to guarantee our defeat(and probably the loss of more of our seats)does it serve any purpose to fight a losing and demoralizing fight? If we fought that race and lost MORE seats, as the GOP district lines seem to guarantee, won't we just make ourselves feel worse and provide the ammo to those who want us to move even further right.

I am trying to be provocative here.

I am NOT advocating violence.

I am thinking in terms of an electoral boycott of House races, mass civil disobedience leading to a nonviolent general strike, with electoral participation in that year limited to Senate, Gubenatorial and state legislative races.

I want us to go on fighting. I am just wondering if we need to consider a radical change in strategy and tactics.

[Ken Burch]

6. Perhaps we should consider the old Sinn Fein electoral approach

Of running for seats and then not taking them when elected. Perhaps the Democratic Representatives could then declare themselves the legitimate Congress of Free America.

Clearly fighting on the current Congressional lines, losing five or ten more seats(as we are probably certain to do)and just meekly sending our depleted ranks back to D.C. again in the spring of 2007 would be utterly pointless, since we would never recover if we worked on those terms.

[Ken Burch]

10. And here's a useful quote

"Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the state becomes lawless or corrupt." Mahatma Gandhi

We need to regard ourselves as living under the Ukrainian electoral system and to act accordingly.

[met00]

7. it's all about funding

If you want to cjhange the tone, you have to be willing to reach out and support those that are changing the tone,. In you state and others.

For instance, we have a DINO who is about to negotiate away the Dem win on Social Security. Joe Lieberman. If you want to change the tone you have to be willing to stand up and say that people like Zell Miller and Joe Lieberman can't represent our party since they don't share our basic princples. Miller is gone, and now it's time to tell DINO Joe to go.

http://www.timetogojoe.com/

[Ken Burch]

9. And I'd support a progressive challenge to Lieberman

I was not calling for a boycott of Senate races.

[Hippo_Tron]

8. 50% of the country doesn't vote, therefore the gerrymandering...

Must take that into account. How about instead of not voting in 2006, we got an 80% turnout. Suddenly those "safe" districts wouldn't be so safe anymore.

[blondeatlast]

13. That's the answer there. We have to make it easy for people to vote and

desirable--a tougher call.

We need to make them see that 1/2 hour of their time (we hope, but that's another issue altogether) affects them for the next TWENTY years.

Regardless of whether voting reform succeeds, we need an all-out campaign to convince reluctant voters to get out there.

I don't even care if it is nonpartisan (but it obviously favors the Left :evilgrin: ), it just needs to be done.

[Liberty Belle]

11. Millions of voters massing at the polls, refusing to vote without

paper ballots? Stage a sit-in and bring your own pre-printed ballot, perhaps?

[ProudDad]

12. Read "Don't Think of an Elephant"

The problem is not that the shrub and his handlers are slime, it's the fact that our side isn't framing the issue correctly.

Howard Dean may be able to start changing the frame in our favor -- he's got the money to do it. It's worth supporting his effort as long as he works for that.

It took the repukes 35 years to build the lie machine, it's going to take us a while to defeat it. We're not going to defeat it with "Reason" or rhetoric but by changing the vocabulary of the argument.

[wabranty]

14. It's not the framing

It's more a question of strategy and the Dems message. Dean has the right idea in building a national party and going to a permanent campaign. A frame ain't worth much if the picture isn't there.

[wabranty]

15. Adopt an Election Official

1. Go here and view the roster of state election officials
2. Get your group of activists together and have each member adopt the state official, county officials, local officials.
3. Introduce yourself to the adopted official and let them know you will be watching there performance
4. Ask to view the equipment. Make sure its up-to-date.
5. Send letters asking staff training, compliance with ALL election rules.
6. Start now and send them monthly emails and letters throughout 2005 and up to 2006 making sure that they know you will be watching.
7. Invite the local Republican party to come and help you make sure that the elections are free and open. Talk about appointing a bipartisan election observer effort.
8. Ask to observe proposed ballots to make sure that they are easy to use and easy to understand.
9. Get the media involved in your efforts to insure a free, open, and fair election.

The Republicans want the Dems to desert the process; rather we should become more involved.

[wabranty]

16. Left out the website - sorry!

National Association of State Election Directors
http://www.nased.org/membership.htm

[Phoenixblade444]

17. to the center

I think that our only hope is to keep swinging to the center. Edwards must go.