Two
Third Wayers have released a
report that encourages Democrats to abandon what it calls myths that are inhibiting the Party from regaining political power.
A listing of those myths below. Please tell me what you think about them.
The belief Democrats can win if they just do a great job of mobilizing their base. Republicans have improved at mobilizing their own base, so Democrats need to do more than that.
With this I agree whole heartedly. Turnout was historic in the 2004 federal election, with 55.3% of the voting age population turning out. We have to go back to 1968 to find a higher federal election turnout (60.8%) I don't think we should abandon GOTV activities; I think Dems and affiliated groups kicked ass in this regard in 2004. We had a number of challenges once the voters actually got to the polls (Ohio, I'm lookin' at you), but that is the different issue. Notice that the Third Way suggestions do not reference election reform, an issue not essential to the "image" factor that Third Way wants to focus on.
The theory demographic changes over time will make Democrats a majority, a questionable concept with the Hispanic vote increasingly up for grabs.
Again, I have to agree with this one. Historically Democratic voting blocks, like specific racial groups, should not be considered stalwart constituencies. I think the Dems need to focus on issues of economics rather than race. The Hispanic family struggling with access to health care shares common ground with the African American family in the same situation.
The belief Democrats can succeed politically if they simply learn to talk more effectively about their positions.
When faced with the raging storm of right wing propoganda, any statement made be Democrats can be spun ad infinitum and rendered irrelevant. That doesn't mean we shouldn't keep making them. I'm actually pleased with the message discipline exhibited by Democrats in the past year, particularly with regards to issues surrounding torture and the confirmation of Alberto Gonzales. I'm sorely dissappointed that the Dems do not take a stronger stand on Iraq.
The strategy of avoiding cultural issues, playing down national security and changing the subject to domestic issues. National security is too dominant a concern now.
Agreed. National security is the number one issue. Where I disagree with the Third Way is in the interpretation of national security. Attention to domestic issues strengthens national security: investment in education, science and infrastructure projects (energy in particular) can only help us. Third Way believe the projection of strength (John Kerry, reporting for duty!) will help dispel the image of Dems as being soft on security. Bullshit. How much more are we going to spend on weapons production that should be going into domestic investments?
Americans are slipping into poverty:
Since 2000, the ranks of the poor have increased year by year by almost 5.5 million in total.
This is the real threat to national security.
What do you think: does the Third Way have good points?