Watching the Dem surrogates over the past few weeks I have become rankled by their lack of preparation in taking on the Machine.  Had they been better prepared, the message would resonate much more powerfully.  I actually think they have done a better job recently, its a rigged format and our surrogates are rarely given a fair shake in most media formats today, putting us on defense, and engendering hurried speech before we are cut off. Still, refining the discussion will help the message reach many more voters.

So, I am adopting the following practices in my discussions and debates with right wingers, and welcome any surrogates to add these/ invest more in the following:

1.  Plan for the Bob and Weave.  Expect your counterpart to change the argument once they feel pinned down.  Begala nailed the GOP on the Palin Bridge Lie, and Castellanos then tried to justify that earmarks were OK.  Greg Sargeant wrote on this yesterday, that isnt the debate.  The importance is that we are being sold an inexperienced DC outsider as a great solution, largely due to her mavericky ways, the most central proof of which is a lie.

So prepare for some self effacing repositioning and call it out as such, then drive your initial point home.   "Her story on The Bridge has nothing to do with whether earmarks are inherently always good or bad, and you know it.  Its sad you must change the subject in order to continue the lie to America.  But we won't let you disrespect our people.  

This has everything to do with McCain logic-defying claim to Change.  Earmarks are his most cited reform.  This Bridge lie seems a total washout to justify her maverickness, but a home run in demonstrating, again, that McCain's campaign will say anything- even dishonor the American people with bold face lies- to get elected.   Shame on John McCain, and shame on you." 

2.  Draw Them Out.  Make them tell you what they are saying and dispense devil's advocate attacks.  Force them to state it as opinion they cant substantiate it is an accepted fact. 

For example, Obama wants sex ed outcomes that are not included in the four corners of the bill enacted?  What makes you think that?  Who are these "some people" who say there may be other motives and what exactly have they claimed?  If that bill isnt about protecting kids from pedophiles, what is your more reasonable explanation, and why is it important enough to spend national TV type money to discuss? 

And once they are drawn out-Attack (man, Begala was so right)!.  How is this better service for our country (country first right?) talking about sex ed-  instead of the economic plan to revive our economy?  Clarify position, legsweep.  Shame them.  Use simple strong words to do damage, not deference.   

3.  Framing.  Show the audience the impact it will have on their lives.  Show them the injustice of the issues they support and its contrast to the generally accepted American way of life.  We don’t lie, we don’t steal, we don’t bullshit.  We work hard, give freedom to our neighbor to pursue happyness, and make our way. 

As a specific example, I have a problem with “can’t win on the issues.  Its not "issues" versus "character."  Too bland, too hazy.  But issues become Wars,a nd We dont do Bad Wars, plus , they become Biggest Financial Bailouts in History, and We arent about free rides, or Financial Failure.  The issues mean one more car for the CEO's garage while his worker's child's, perhaps yoru niece or nephew, another sickness goes untreated. 

So what is America to you?  What should goverment do to pretect it.  Stand up to prevent Oil Wars for your grandsons to fight, or American Idol?  Issues= the fight for the Future.  Character= distracting us from the American fight, to fight one another instead.  Frame those issues with the moral compass of America.  Both the right and the left have parts of the American story to use, but the left sometimes forgets to remind us of its part in our American DNA

4.  Attach Specific Benefit or Pain to a Characteristic.  Thats why the 3am call and finger on the button comments are always so game changing, right?.  It internalizes the issue, causes a personal reaction, a feeling is owned, and that message stands out in a hectic day.

The Pain of Lying Example.  OK, so they misspoke, the stretched the truth, all politicians do that right?  Hey, lies got us into trillions of dollars of wasted money in the Iraq war, money which could have been used here to help our economy.  Lies start wars.  Lies kill our brave soldiers.  Lies take money out of the working man's pocket and into the billionaire's, when the opposite was promised.  Government lies mortgage American honor.  Lies steal from America’s future prosperity. 

Finally a question:  In the Ad "still," they have McCain with glasses, it reminds me of his Keating Five days.  Perhaps purposeful?  Why no talk of the Keating Five scandal to date?  Is it time for surrogates to attack?

So, W is at it again.  And McSame agrees.

Looks like the rest of the Dems, Obama supporters or not, have is back.  Thanks Begala.  Sure, the criticism is safe- partisanship on foreign soil is bad, and unprecedented if Rahm is right.

But the premise of the argument still stinks.  Diplomacy= bad?  OK, terrorist groups who kidnap and extort, I can understand not using diplomatic relations with them I guess.  It seems risky to set the expectation of negotiation.  And terrorist groups are formed mainly around terrorist means- that is to say they are not governments with non-combatant citizens, social giving, world acceptance etc.

But not negotiate with anyone, such as Terrorist States (queue sinister music while W pauses for effect, squints, leans forward...) who disagrees with us?  Because everyone who seems to not see things W's way is a "terrorist state."  Pretty broad strokes and a lot of paint needed for that brush.  Id like a definition, please?  And please try to avoid the use of rationale such as "when its done to U.S.."  A worldwide definition, thanks.

But to my point, who are we supposed to negotiate with, our allies?  Those who only do conventional or cold wars (or does McSame not want to talk to Russia too, and the reason why he wants them ousted from the G8, or the league of democracies, because democracies only matter?). 

And with all this non-talking going on, how the heck are we supposed to know who we dont agree with?  Im not sure assuming we know an entire peoples' motivations is necessarily bankable truism, but that may just me trying to make a sarcastic understatement of incredulity.  Should we trust McCain that he can just "see KGB" in someone's souls?

Sorry, not gonna follow you down that rabbit hole again.  War first?  Well, its a succinct slogan, but I'll pass for now, had my fill.  Talking sounds like a fresh idea.  Gathering intelligence- you know, the real kind, that whole thing.  Heck Im not only going to try it, Im going to dive in to this whole "fact" and "talk" and "intelligence" pile and see if  cant find peace along with non-inflated threats. 

If not, hey, I will fully support action before action is put upon us.  At the very least, it'd be nice to try to not start a third simultaneous war, the troops are tired men!  And our economy could use $4 trillion spent at home!

Be careful GOP, the more you talk, the more your warmonger undergarments show to the world.  Even your truest red followers see the the reality of their marriage.  The honeymoon is over.  Its true, just ask Mr. Childers in MI-01. 

Its not foreign policy minutia.  Its a question of Diplomacy first, or War.

So who makes an ATM with a paper receipt but forgets that function when building voting machines?  It makes sense that I would want a receipt of my deposit/ withdrawals, but I would trust my vote wasn't tampered with? 

Anyway, audit trails are a good idea even when you trust people.  Yet we wont have that unless we do something.  I recommend calling your congressman to help get this BILL BACK ON THE FLOOR!

This bill provides funding to ensure an audit trail exists and can be executed and paid for.  Although a house majority voted yes, it was defeated 4/15/8.

Why?  Well, there was no opposition, so it was put on the calendar on suspended rules and expected to pass with a 2/3 vote, which is required if rules are suspended.  Well, W waited in the weeds, and when it was on the calendar, he issues "a concern" on the bill, citing overinflated numbers that $650 million would be the tab, even though we spent more than that in Iraq just today, before lunch.

I talked to the sponsor's, Rush Holt, office and they told me that its "not officially" dead.   This needs help or it will never get passed, and its probably too late for any other legislation to make it through before November

After this gets to the floor you will need to pressure your state/ district to opt in, but with free money, its great pressure to make them justify why not. 

And speaking of justification, there are a lot of published reports as to the why, RFK Jr. in Rolling Stone post-2004, uncounted the Movie, anything written by Greg Palast or his speeches on YouTube, Hacking Democracy Youtube/ HBO, Black Box Voting.  2006 was less concerning than 2004, mainly because the voices were loud enough to catch the medias attention.  Not now, and  as before, without controls or scrutiny, we got issues.  We  safeguard our money,  lets help protect our democratic rights.  Whether we believe thieves exist or not, we lock the door, why not do the same for your vote?

Summary of the Bill:
H.R.5036
Title: To direct the Administrator of General Services to reimburse certain jurisdictions for the costs of obtaining paper ballot voting systems for the general elections for Federal office to be held in November 2008, to reimburse jurisdictions for the costs incurred in conducting audits or hand counting of the results of the general elections for Federal office to be held in November 2008, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] (introduced 1/17/2008)      Cosponsors (92)
Latest Major Action: 4/15/2008 Failed of passage/not agreed to in House. Status: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 239 - 178 (Roll no. 188).
House Reports: 110-582 Part 1MAJOR ACTIONS: 1/17/2008 Introduced in House 4/14/2008 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on House Administration. H. Rept. 110-582, Part I. 4/14/2008 Committee on Science and Technology discharged. 4/15/2008 Failed of passage/not agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 239 - 178 (Roll no. 188).

http://progressillinois.com/2008/05/11/features/obama-over-the-top

"Poblano," the secret poll/ stat hobbyist, was more accurate than anyone May 6.  His site, 538.com, is worth checking out.

He contends Clinton, not Obama, would beat McCain in FL, OH, AR, WV and Obama, not Clinton, would beat him in MI, WI, IA, CO, NM, NV, WA.

Clinton: WEST VIRGINIA 5, ARIZONA 10, OHIO 20, FLORIDA 27, NEVADA 5 Total=62

Obama:  NEW MEXICO 5, IOWA  7, COLORADO 9 WISCONSIN 10 WASHINGTON 11 MICHIGAN 17 Total=64

Thats a 2 delegate advantage for Obama.  A wash basically, but a debunking wash as it were (Im looking at you Terry "Baghdad Bob" McAuliffe!)

Whats exciting is the downticket prospects of the number of states (3 more) and districts an Obama presidency could help put in play. 

And none of the above takes into account the GOTV campaign underway, which has some complicated calculations on 538, so I leave that analysis to better men, except to say it looks really exciting.  Downtickets  benefit from the additional GOTV efforts-HuffPo posits 1 million new volunteers (count me one)- as do other non-blue states potentially in play.  Virginia, Texas, Im talking to you, you sexy wildcards!

All this adds to my thoughts on VP choices.  Im not a fan of this one, but I had seen Sherrod Brown getting more press.  And several women have been offered the spot, according to a mydd blogger with proclaimed airtight sources.

Thoughts?

Looks like the photo ID requirement is getting more press today that voter purges.  So Im glad the purge isnt creating chaos today, but saddened the voter ID issue is showing its fangs (or is it Mink teeth?).  Anyhoo, even nuns need not apply:

http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/5/6/16128/60589/363/510181

Nuns?  Maiden names?  And Nuns?

Btw, its not unusual 50% of voters promise not to vote for the opponent, then do.  Dean (well Kerry lost- if you beleive Ohio- so maybe thats not a good comparison .  OK McCain 2000 per Markos' front page. 

BO is taking heat today too-

http://www.electionjournal.org

... electioneering in the polling place.  I believe it was a voter rights rep advertising "brought to you by Obama."  Tsk Tsk.  By the way, can HRC supporters claim her reps are at each place too, or are we letting Obama  foot the bill? 

Sec of State purges over 1 million voters, majority from black counties (college students too). 

http://www.bbvforums.org/cgi-bin/forums/board-auth.cgi?file=/1954/73758.html

50% of voters purged? 

The Indiana GOP Sec of State Rokita doing democracy favors, again:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-kall/is-the-scotus-picking-ano_b_99201.html

Hes a leader in voter suppress- I mean voter fraud protection.  Attended the 2006 summit in DC.  Hes been active protecting voter "rights" by prosecuting voter fraud in mainly AA heavy counties (something the Ohio attorney wouldnt do for Rove and Co.)  A true champ.

And now, little (more) help for his friends. 

Could anyone be more idiotic about the most crucial things to Americans?  A read from the Huff Post continues to indicate no:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-romm/mccain-calls-for-700-new_b_100053.html

With the flip flopping on the occupation, screwing up the Shiites, whimsical healthcare claims unknowingly doubling costs, irresponsible foreclosure solutions taken off the table two weeks later.

Experience?  CIC reeady?  Please.

We can beat this guy.  Media bias and all.

Inspired by the awesome debate in Healthcare as Good Business, linked here,

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/05/universal-health-care-is-good.php

I wanted to continue the discussion about liberal ideals as good business.  Moreover, I want not only to market liberal policies as common sense, and appealing to the right, but all liberal values as such.  I want to take “liberal” back, we are much stronger than the current perception.  The Left is stronger on almost all topics, and agrees with the vast majority of American people on important supposedly weak Liberal issues including security, foreign policy and religion, than the Right.  Despite what the media tries to tell us, Liberal values are the real reflection of the majority of Americans.  I will blog on these topics later if people like this post.

But lets talk the economy.  Im a converted republican leaner and CPA, so this is a topic that kept me in chains with the GOP until events called on me to educate myself on realities behind the hype.  Good business is a powerful marketing concept for any Dem platform, as Desidero saw with the well received post. 

So to begin, we all know the economy has done better under Democratic presidents in recent memory, deficits have grown less fast and stock markets done better.  But even on traditional issues of Liberal concern, Dems have very persuasive arguments for fiscally conservative counterparts that they in fact have the stronger position, one that is more economically beneficial.  Consider:

 
Universal Welfare.  Healthcare makes us more able to work, helping the economy.  Child welfare is important to our economy, up to 25% of our country’s children live in poverty.  
 

http://www.heartsandminds.org/articles/childpov.htm

Your income and neighborhood are some of the biggest determinants of how well you will do in life, so more money invested means more productive future workers.  Yet we invest in children’s financial well being shamefully poorly.  Our poverty rates are among the world’s best for seniors, terrible for children.  Why?  After welfare reform, people got left out, whereas social security is universal coverage and beyond “Liberal” labels.  People feel less angry about senior free rides, after all we will all be less able older citizens someday and will hope to depend on the good nature of younger citizens to care for us, even though we can’t pull our weight as much as before.  But this justification is just marketing.  Considering the amount of a welfare check is hardly enough to live on, much yet to incent people not to get a job, there is much less free riding than there is resentment of the possibility.  But Liberalism has solutions good for business there too- make them work, like in Holland.  They create jobs just to employ people.  Such a program would add another $2 billion to our tax burden, but hey, get out of Iraq and we can fund that in one week.  Plus, don’t forget workers actually contribute stuff…
 

Deregulation.  Oh the burdens of laws.  Sure, they can go overboard and restrict progress, but much of the deregulation we have seen in the past few decades has its most major societal impact not on heightening progress, but restricting it.  Consider the relaxation of ANTITRUST laws.  These laws don’t help foment competition- we can all agree competition helps the economy right?- it helps crush competition, innovation and progress.  Further, relaxing pollution laws doesn’t help the economy overall, it helps owners of corporations make money, and passes on a bigger bill to the public to clean up.  Yes, Big Pharma may benefit from medicine sales to treat those poisoned by pollution and additives (all of us), but the cost we bear has increased as a result, overall bad for business, but good for owners of polluting corporations and other entrenched interests.  And we haven’t even begun to talk about the last three recessions are directly correlated to the Right’s deregulations in housing (2008), financial sector (late 1990s Asian monetary collapse) and the S&L crisis (early 80s).  Of course, if you ask Joe Scarborough, or McCain, it was due to greedy speculators flipping houses.  
 

Environmentalism.  The Right has been blocking solutions to global warming since the day it began.  They claim its bad for business.  No.  Innovative solutions are good for business and help fuel the economy and our economic leadership in the world.  It is bad for Big Oil and The Big 3 automakers though, for example.  Not because they cant make money selling things like the electric car (someday), but because its RISKY.  They have a good thing going with the whole oil thing, they have the market controlled, game theory says milk that until its gone.  Sure, they could jump to making innovative cars running on saltwater (yes someday this could be possible!), but your company isn’t made up of creative Silicon Valley types.  And if they do develop the market and the right technology, the new market will attract competition and making additional profit from the risk over the long haul.  Environmentalism is better business overall, just not for the companies making money killing the planet.  We don’t need to kill whales to have a thriving economy, sorry Dick.

Taxes.  Thanks to the Iraq War, Dems don’t have to defend an increase in taxes to fund many programs, such as infrastructure relief, education et all.  Whether it’s a reduction in the deficit or increase in current taxes, the overall burden on the average American would be lower post war.  Most of the tax controversy has been and will be, war or not, that the richest Americans basically lie about the middle class impact to get the support needed.  See the Death Tax discussion of 2003.  Notice today how the talk about taxes centers on capital gains, yet McCain’s more regressive tax plan is left unfettered.  The truth is the Left’s tax plan has been more fiscally responsible, the Right’s propaganda about tax and spend Liberals more effective.  But we are factually better on this issue that the GOP.  Yes, higher taxes haven’t stimulated the economy since the days of FDR, but Liberals championing rollbacks of tax cuts for the richest Americans is good business, lest we overburden future generations with more irresponsible debt.  Unpopular for Rupert Murdoch, but better overall.  Thank God we can prove that trickle down isn’t good for the economy, but, as George Senior said, it is voodoo economics after all.  

If you liked this discussion please recommend!

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/01/clinton-camp-gas-plan-she_n_99643.html

So, not only does the parallel the Right on campaign tactics, and arguable policy, she borrows their rationalizations.

We know all about presidents who dont listen to experts. 8 years now in fact.  Why would you want to model that?

Her for starts.  Still no apology for the Iraq vote.  Kyl Lieberman salt in the wound.  Her image as a leader comes before honesty and good governance?  Would she overturn an erred decision or is she incapable of admitting a policy mistake.

And the ego.  Would she listen to a cabinet?  Shes smart, but not smart enough to run the country on her own.

Wolfson doesnt even grant the detractors unquestioned "expert" status.  After all, they are questioning HER.  The audacity of knowing more than her.  He calls them (Krugman, Bloomberg, and every economic adviser who has been approached so far) "quote unquote" experts.  I died laughing reading that, fits in well with the is Andrews from Indiana meme.  If I dont vote for her am i aiding terrorsits too?  What a mockery.

We whould understand better though, us lowly plebes.  She has 35 years of experience, morons!  What do career economists know?  Take the Nobel Prize and stuff it, shes lived in the White House, been in the eye of the storm, and now knows all.

Well, later on in the article we have our answer why the experts should be conveniently wrong and probably questioned as to their expert status anyway:

  "... in our polling that working people appreciate..." 

It polls well.  Yes,  Clinton leadership ground in the most deep of convictions, the polls.  Pandering to the public, ignoring the evidence, mirroring the Right, in the name of tough, true leadership.  Only in the Bizarro Clinton world.

This will be my last post criticizing HRC, Im turning my energies to McCain, BO policies, and issues common to all Democrats, like voter suppression.  But this was a good not to end on, too rich.

A great post.  Didnt see this here, maybe its well known.  If you dont know about this, you should.  He is not my hero.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/4/29/125350/785

See the last comment for the Tibet comparison.

http://southernstudies.org/facingsouth/2008/04/facing-south-exclusive-dc-nonprofit.asp

Again, HRC has done little to earn the benefit of the doubt, but the GOP may have as good a reason to do this as her.  As the Supreme Court Voter ID  Indiana decision confirmed, the Right want HRC, or at lest they want her to damage Obama before the General. 

All options are not feel good ones for her supporters I know.  Take the main point to heart.  How can you win back our country if the GOP spots themselves a few million votes?

They stole our civil liberties.  They steal our money to kill citizens of a country that never attacked us.  And they steal the only means we have to stop them, the election itself.

I write this because its topical, its real, and I watched Uncounted the Movie last week.  It made me throw up a little bit in my mouth.   So this blog is for anyone not outraged, not doing what they can to take back the vote.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-kall/is-the-scotus-picking-ano_b_99201.html

An story about the primary, but a horror story about the general.  See what your precincts are doing for provisional ballots, numbers of machines, paper trails.  Most of the time you will be outraged at the answer.  There is still time to ensure all votes are counted.  Accurately, without the help of the Supreme Court, please.

 My hope is yes.  Will the media continue to play Wright until October, or is it going to die after this week except snippets.
(tried to paste link but problems?). 

Sure, any issue will be there, but is this a dead horse, like Bosnia  Hillary got Bosnia to die, BO's campaign should take notes-  or maybe the press conference was it.  Clear repudiation, distancing, all questions forward are distracting, the issue sufficiently covered.  Maybe 200 questions and hundreds of articles is enough  (ionly the public wanted to talk about something else, hmmm).

Talking about positive changes and policy differences with McCain should help move the focus we apparently DONT want to hear about:  Iraq withdrawal, torture, FISA, economy, environment, Iran, Israel, tax relief for the poor, healthcare, auditless voting machines, voter caging, subpoenas, war crimes impeachment  (Nah, play the Black Man clapping white, talking Aids conspiracies)

BO said:  You can't attribute what he says to me.  He said multiple times he was angry.  He looked angry.

Not a legitimate topic anymore.  Can the swiftboats properly capitalize, or is it too late to have fatal impact?  Regardless, the Right can't be happy Wright is cast out.  Maybe a renewed talking point:  BO's judgment to have a pastor like him.  I'll take that over the Iraq vote and Kyl Lieberman anyday.

So, did Obama redress the issue well?  Well enough?  Or was Wright's damage this week too deep?  I think with this past few days the biggest loser was Wright.

He went on Fox and didn't fight.  For many in the blogosphere, that was insult to injury. 

He doesn't fight HRC very aggressively, especially in debates.

He wants to reach across the aisle to pass legislation, to build new coalitions of voters.  The claims of "getting along" have watered down Nancy "Off the Table" Pelosi and our Dem congress since they won the majorities. 

How can you partner with Republicans without selling your soul.  Why would we even want to?  They havent tried AT ALL with the left, and it will take an aggressive counter to reverse 8 years of unprecedented harm.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.  I will offer my two cents in the comments also.

Wow.  Im in the Seven Circular Logics of Hell. 

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/04/todays_must_read_325.php

Is this a whole new dimension of legal defense:

- I can cheat on my taxes if I commit to do more good for society than the government (just need to say "commit," not actually do it- torture doesnt need to be effective to be legal), but if Im just plain greedy I will go to jail
- I can beat my child if I truly believe it builds character and not because Im mean or have emotional issues
- I can opt out of my military duties if I believe I am better to serve as Pres (or VP) someday

Ugly.  Is there anything this government will not permit, justify and hold harmless?