Repeating my rant about USING wedge issues for Dem victory

[Inland]

Here's what I said before:
"If its true that the democrats have a more popular position on the moral issues which used to be called wedge issues, and before that, social issues, how come we fail to exploit them?

"Example: the Alabama referendum that asks for the state constitution to be amended to remove the language requiring segregated schools.
It might not have passed.

"The dems could have asked every republican around the country asked if he is for segregation. Why not? Why not find out if Rudy Giuliani ever spoke to a group in Alabama and ask him if the subject came up and how he felt about it.

"Instead of winning, we are defined as being out of step with the majority on these wedge issues. We can't win by pretending they aren't divisive--they certainly are, but we can make sure that the the far right wing is on the small side of a divide or two."

Now there is a thread on how a Republican Alabama legislator has proposed a law to ban all speech regarding or representations of gay life in any institution receiving state funds.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1036839&mesg_id=1037199

We all know the particular pride of Alabama is that there ARE no state funds, and it is just one crackpot, but note when there is one school in the country refuses to celebrate Easter, the righties talk about it for days to mobilize their base. Why not make the pubs defend each other? Why not make Giuliani choose between, well, mentioning the fact there ARE gays (although mostly in Europe and California, natch) and the religious right that now runs the Alabama republicans? What's the worst that could happen? Giuliani chooses free speech, and we use it to beat on the rest of the party: "ey, even Giuliani thinks you religious people are going to far!"

[depakid]

1. The Democratic Leadership isn't smart enough to do this

They had a timid little play going with the Saudi Royal family thing- and that could have worked- had they hammered it harder. Bottom line is Dems are unwilling (and perhaps incapable) of doing what it takes to win. I don't see them changing.

[OnionPatch]

2. I was thinking this earlier!

There are so many little ways that the right wing pit the non-elite against each other. Surely there are ways we can use a different set of wedge issues to our advantage.

I don't like to stoop to their level, though, so the wedge issues we use need to be real issues. (As opposed to the nonsense they dig up to use as wedge issues.)

[Inland]

4. Who picked the issue? Who decided to divide those who can stand the

thought of homosexual's existence and those who can't?

Not us.

I didn't make this Alabama legislator up, and its not MY fault if normal people hear about it, and not MY fault is some right wing christians take offense if Giuliani or McCain don't like the idea.

They are dividing the country, and we in the majority. It isn't stooping to their level to point it out.

[gottaB]

3. Giuliani hates West Side Story

Giuliani believes that public school students in Alabama shouldn't be allowed to perform West Side Story because gay speech ("I feel pretty...") is destroying the culture. Giuliani believes that the only way to promote culture is to outlaw cultural expression. The row with the Brooklyn Museum was a harbinger of the coming New Republican Order. What started with Times Square will end with Broadway.

Giuliani is an enemy of freedom.

"Freedom is not a concept in which people can do anything they want," Giuliani said in a 1994 speech. "Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do and how you do it."

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=8815&pg=2&printer-friendly=y

What does that mean for Giuliani? It means no more West Side Story. Tennesse Williams? Not even if your a Southerner. If you love the freedom to perform theatrical works, and see them performed, Giuliani hates you for your freedom.

Giuliani hates art. Giuliani hates drama. Giuliani hates New York. I don't know why anybody would consider voting for such a conflicted, mean-spirited person. Perhaps it has something to do with his upstanding moral values so evident in the conduct of his personal life--uh, maybe not. Giuliani loves being bound by authority, law, convention, and his word, unless he wants to get jiggy with a younger woman, in which case his freedom is paramount and besides, wives are cruel. In the parlance New York is famous for, Giuliani is one seriously fucked up motherfucker. And he hates West Side Story. Go figure.

[KnowerOfLogic]

5. It's true. I swear sometimes it seems like dems *want* to lose. n/t