Sen. Murray: NY-26 shows Dems can play 'offense' in '12

[jefferson_dem]

Sen. Murray: NY-26 shows Dems can play 'offense' in '12
By Sean J. Miller - 05/25/11 08:41 AM ET

Senate Democrats have taken heart from their party's win in the House special election in New York on Tuesday.

Democrat Kathy Hochul won an upset victory in the heavily Republican 26th district, giving party strategists hope they can successfully defend their 23 Senate seats up this cycle.

"The election last night showed that Democrats have the keys to drive the budget debate and play offense in 2012," Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in a statement.

Tuesday's race, she said, had national implications.

"The results provide clear evidence that Democratic senators and Senate candidates will be able to play offense across the country by remaining focused on the Republican effort to end Medicare and force seniors to pay thousands more for healthcare costs," Murray said.

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http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/163135-sen-murray-ny-26-shows-dems-can-play-offense-in-12-?utm_campaign=hillballotbox&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[KingFlorez]

1. Lots of seats are on the table now

Republicans hold so many seats that are less red than NY-26 and will be even more opposed to Republicans plans. We are getting back into the driver's seat.

[OHdem10]

2. Democrats playing offense???????????

[Mr. Jefferson]

3. Nonsense, the 2012 economy will determine the outcome.

[wiggs]

4. Mistake to think this only has to do with Medicare. A picture is

being painted on what the gop is all about. Union busting, deregulation, balancing budget on backs of less fortunate, holding the govt hostage for tax cuts for wealthy and to defund planned parenthood, privatization of everything, etc. It has become clearer what their priorities are and people are repulsed. It has become overwhelmingly obvious what the gop and the corporatists are shooting for.

If we put all our eggs in the medicare basket and the gop suddently backs off their medicare crusade, then we have a weakened position and less illumination on the bigger issue.

Medicare has certainly been the focus of recent discussions, but the same kind of disregard for people and drive to concentrate wealth is evident in many other issues as well and I think more people are getting it...on their own.

I don't credit dems for this. They could have easily made this argument all along (Dems have all the issues, IMO. GOP has only election and messaging tactics...there's no real argument to ignore climate change, to support torture, to send jobs overseas, etc) and have chosen to let issues come and go of their own momentum. That's not offense. That they are now using Medicare as an albatross is only jumping on board with what the public is already taken up as a cause. Dems should EXPAND their public statements to go beyond medicare and say the gop has done the same thing with countless good programs and with jobs and with deregulation and voting, etc. We need to paint an OVERALL case of dems protecting the people and GOP protecting wealthy donors and use the clear evidence of the last 30 years. Too many times we allow a narrowing and reduction of issues down to a fuzzy gray single aspect which is easily confused or sidestepped.