Posted on 02/18/2014 2:21:40 AM PST by Libloather
For nearly three years, the Democratic approach to the political unpopularity of President Obama's health care law was denial. Deny it played a significant role in the party's historic midterm losses in 2010. Insist, in the face of contradictory evidence, that as more voters experienced the benefits of the law, the more popular it would become. Deny it would be a major issue at all in the 2014 midterms.
The latest version of the argument points to polling showing that voters don't want to repeal the law but prefer to see it fixed—perfectly in line with the newly adopted positions of vulnerable Democratic officeholders. In a memo leaked to the press, Democrats argue they can neutralize their health care vulnerabilities by promoting their desire to fix the law and blaming Republicans for intransigence in seeking a full repeal. But dig a bit deeper past the talking points, and it's unclear what they want to fix—beyond their broken poll numbers.
Indeed, in a sign that Democrats are stuck in neutral on their Obamacare messaging, the "news" from the memo is months old. The strategy devised by the sharpest party operatives has already been in effect in numerous ads across the country and was promoted by the party's top strategists two months ago. In those targeted races, public polling has shown Democratic standing worsening where the on-air Obamacare debate has already begun. (See: Landrieu, Mary; Hagan, Kay.)
(Excerpt) Read more at nationaljournal.com ...
<>Republican campaigns can’t take winning for granted.<>
Agree, although that is what they are doing. “Not Rat” is an insufficient reason to vote pubbie. The GOP likes Obamacare more than the rats, for it is a perpetual weapon, a club the rats gave to them for nothing in return.
Meanwhile, our nation suffers, when the GOP could have cut off funding.
Maybe, but maybe not. Depends upon what the voter's priorities are and who the specific Republican candidate is.
If, for example, there is an incumbent 'Rat in the particular race and you are teed off about Obamacare and other 'Rat policies which you have reason to think will wreck you future, your children's future, and the country as we know it, your only practical alternative is to vote Republican, even if you have some problems with the GOP candidate.
At this point in time, voting third party or not voting at all in a general election will only help the 'Rat, because the opposition vote will be split. Supposedly about three million Republicans didn't vote in the past presidential election. A Romney administration wouldn't necessarily have been good, but you can be assured that many of the ugly things we're seeing now would have been prevented.
That doesn't mean that ineffective RINO incumbents shouldn't be defeated in primaries, and that's a timely message with the primary season fast approaching.
“Not Rat” IS sufficient reason to vote Pubbie, so long as it’s not a straw man — the Demagogic Party has been caught recruiting and financing campaigns by political newcomers who run under the Republican label. Straw candidates should not survive the primary campaign, in the figurative sense of course, and once they’ve been exposed as frauds, should be prosecuted on civil as well as criminal charges as a lesson to anyone tempted to try this crap in the future. Ultimately, if our support of Voter ID and other clean election measures proves insufficient, it means we will have to fight for our lives against the Party of the Single Party State. Anyone who gives them a pass, pretending that it’s all about how there is a “uniparty” is just a CINO, LINO, FINO, and TPINO.
Udall is very vulnerable but doesn’t face any world-beater opponent. Ken Buck, who blew it in 2010, is the frontrunner for the GOP nomination.
Or under a third party label, as exemplified by the "Libertarian" who played spoiler in last November's Virginia gubernatorial election!!
“It would be very helpful to the 2014 election if Republicans developed three or four points (free market based) on how to improve health insurance and delivery and pound those points home in a nationally unified way. If they don’t pound the points day in and day out, the DBM won’t allow their message to get through.”
I suggest the Republicans need an updated “Contract for America” to run on. Have 8 to 10 very specific things they would promise to pass if elected. Give the American people something to vote “for” instead of just asking the American people to vote “against”.
On healthcare - Replace Obamacare with a true market based system with a government safety net for the poorest.
On trade - Withdraw from the trade agreements that have destroyed American manufacturing and the middle class. Raise tariffs and encourage investment in US manufacturing by eliminating taxes on profits realized by manufacturing in the US.
On education - Return education to the local level. End federal subsidies of the education industry, forcing it to become more efficient and responsive to market forces.
On race relations - Voice a commitment to “equality of opportunity” not government mandate special privileges.
On immigration - Enforce existing laws. Require illegals to register and get at the back of the line. Make all immigrants ineligible for government funded social services.
On defense - Return to the founding principles. Stay out of foreign “adventures”. Bring the troops home and maintain a strong defense of the homeland. Harden the grid and other infrastructure against EMP. Build an effective missile defense system. Respond in kind to cyberwarfare attacks.
On campaign finance - Reaffirm a commitment to freedom of speech. Allow unlimited campaign contributions by individuals or domestic entities (no foreign contributions allowed) but require immediate and full disclosure on a public website at the time the contribution is made whether the contribution is $1.00 or millions of dollars.
On government - Reaffirm the principle of limited government. Voice a commitment to eliminating bloat in the federal bureaucracy as well as abuses against citizens by agencies (EPA, NSA, IRS, FBI). Commit to eliminating politics from these agencies and restoring a professional federal workforce committed to serving citizens, not political agendas. Eliminate duplicate and obsolete programs and agencies. Identify examples of significant waste and pledge to eliminate them (i.e. subsidies to Solyndra, foreign aid, grants to study aborigines, construction of useless buildings and bridges).
On jobs — Convert Americorps from a politicized make work program to a real work program for the poor similar to the CCC. Put the unemployed to work building roads, buildings, parks, etc.
Propose specific Constitutional Amendments to restrict federal judges from willy nilly rewriting the Constitution, tighten the definition of the equal protection and commerce clauses, and protect property.
Promote real financial and budgetary reform. Take control of the Federal Reserve from Wall Street. Return control of the currency to Congress and reestablish a sound currency backed by gold and other precious metals. Eliminate the principle of “too big to fail”. Establish a very specific plan and timetable to eliminate deficit spending and pay down the national debt.
On energy - reign in the EPA allowing more domestic petroleum production and the construction of refineries. Loosen the restrictions on use of coal.
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