The idea here is sound. I agree 100%.
It can really be reduced to simplicity:
We didn't give them a reason to vote FOR us. We only gave them a reason to vote AGAINST the other side.
That is an argument that rarely works. It is the argument that Kerry's crowd used to try and elect him and it's why he lost. If you have nothing positive to offer and are only telling people 'the other guy sucks more', you're bankrupt and you are going to lose.
We all saw it going in, and we all held our heads up in spite of it, but it wasn't good enough to get the job done.
We need positive, proactive LEADERS who are able to EXPLAIN our positions and our beliefs and FIGHT FOR THEM.
This milquetoast, weak kneed, lilylivered crap isn't going to cut it anymore.
I mean, for the love of God, what the hell were we doing? We were protecting Chafee because we wanted to KEEP A SEAT for a majority? Why? What good was it going to do us?
When all your majority is about is keeping the majority, the time has come for you to go back to being a minority to reprioritize. That's where we are now. And we can emerge stronger for it.