Message to Democrats

I'm frustrated with Democrats not realizing what it will take to make gains in this mid-term election. Here's a few points I think they need in order to win the votes and get their act together.

1) Offer viable alternatives to Bush policies that you disagree with, particularly the war. Get the entire party behind a reasonable and strategic solution to Bush's tentpole issues and take that to the American people. If I hear one more Democratic Strategist say, "It's not our job to offer alternative solutions, we're the minority party," I'm going to pull my hair out and never vote for another Democratic Candidate again. I'll go completely third party. Saying you don't need to offer solutions because you're the minority party is a good way of saying that you plan on staying the minority party.

2) Don't be afraid to stand on issues like fiscal sanity. I know, spending only what you have is a conservative ideal, but it's also a common sense one. In your campaigns, take Republicans to task about their liberal de-tax-and-spend-more fiscal solvency. Mention that Communist countries are bankrolling that deficit the Republicans just lifted the cap on. This is an issue democrats will win on.

3) Reframe the debate about domestic wire-tapping. This isn't about not using the tools against terrorism. This is about making sure the President stays within the bounds of the law. Get behind Feingold and a censure ("Look Ma, we do have spines!") and reorganize FISA rules to include oversight over any surveillance done by agents of our government. Period. Tell the American people that you would have fixed the rules for Bush but he didn't ask. He broke the law and side-stepped FISA. This is an issue the Democrats can win on if they actually start doing something about it.

4) Distance yourself from Lobby money. Run a campaign like Nader's 2000 presidential bid. Only personal donations. Yeah, you'll have less money, but you can use that in campaign speeches and materials that you're all grassroots and your Republican opponent is in the pockets of lobbyists up the yin-yang. It WILL work.

There's more, perhaps I'll post them a different time, but these are the big ones I see right now.

It's just frustrating to watch the Democrats, this close to an election, not do anything. Yeah, there are pockets of hope here and there, but there's nothing on a national scale that I can see to speak of. I mean, if they lose any more spine, their party symbol can only be properly rendered by the above picture of Eeyore.