Sigh…plans for the future?
From the Smirking Chimp:
The Republicans will never be beaten in a close election. Perhaps they stole this one by tricking the Democrats into spending all their time lining up lawyers to rebuff the supposed voter challenges, meanwhile the dirty work was done on the inside with the help of the no paper trail electronic machines. It was like watching a slight of hand magician, he has you looking at one hand while he palms the coin with the other. All it took was to do this in two states.
I beleive that in order to defeat Jeb Bush in 2008(unless the Constitution is amended to once again allow for more than one term…and don’t think they aren’t thinking about this) it will have to be done by winning state such as Missouri, Arizona, New Mexico, Maryland, and others who aren’t part of the Deep South or western central states (ie Texas to Montana). Combine these states with northern Ohio (forget about Florida or Texas with their big electoral counts) and the Republicans will have their hands full.
How do you do this by building a government in exile. When Newt’s Contract came into being it was the start of an identification of the Republican Party. Every bill, every vote, every message was about building a consistent theme. This is why Bush could simplify his message. He didn’t have to talk guns, gay marriage, military, or anything else to any great extent. The party position was known to all and never varied. That way he could spend his entire time going after Kerry and painting him and the Democrats as being out of touch with each Republican principle.
The Democrats now need to begin to build their identity. With each bill, vote, or national debate they need to begin to not just oppose it, but also offer a concrete alternative just as if they were in power and were putting these up for vote. Don’t just point fingers, give the country a different vision. I would even go so far as to suggest that they do it with the least amount of rhetoric/anger as possible. Calmly show America there is a different way and when the Bush way fails (and it will) point out just how different it would have been if the Democratic way had been taken.
Basically this would brand the Democratic Party so that people in the swing states will have a clear picture of what the Party and its nominee (whoever that may be) stands for well before the election process starts.