Among bloggers, no one is taking more direct action on Social Security than
the esteemed Josh Marshall. Many others are chipping in when we can, including
Atrios with a Wall of Shame, and
Steve Soto with a more comprehensive plan of action. However, as much blog action as we are taking, and as much of a line in the sand our Congressional leaders are threatening to take, the Republican attack is far more comprehensive. We are going to have to step things up. I discuss possible Democratic activism on Social Security in the extended entry.
As Eddie Vale of Ginny Schrader fame
notes in the diaries:
While we talk the Republicans take action
as outlined in the Washington Post:
"White House allies are launching a market-research project to figure out how to sell the plan in the most comprehensible and appealing way, and Republican marketing and public-relations gurus are building teams of consultants to promote it, the strategists said."
While the Republicans act, the Democrats wait:
"Democrats, scrambling to organize in the face of a multimillion-dollar juggernaut, have yet to settle on any particular counterargument but said they believe Bush's rollout of the idea has been rocky and new details will give them more ammunition."
I write this not to knock the Democratic Party, but rather to raise the idea that there might not be as big a crisis as people say. Yes, talking and determining our future is important, but a big part of the Democrats problem is we don't do the nuts and bolts work of organizing as well as the Republicans.
Eddie is right in that we like to talk. We like to be heard and we like to be Democratic. Last DFA Meetup, along with two other members of the steering committee I gave a presentation on how to help people talk like liberals when it came to Social Security. Afterward, we wrote letters to Rendell using these frames, but some people were annoyed that we were using talking point and frames at all, because "that would make us like Republicans." However, while many wanted to debate how to talk about Social Security, Republicans were rolling out TV ads in an attempt to destroy it. More form the Post article:
The campaign will use Bush's campaign-honed techniques of mass repetition, never deviating from the script and using the politics of fear to build support -- contending that a Social Security financial crisis is imminent when even Republican figures show it is decades away.
With resistance hardening among congressional Republicans, the White House is escalating efforts to get Social Security restructured this year. There will be campaign-style events to win support and precision targeting of districts where lawmakers could face reelection difficulties. As Republicans signaled earlier, they have begun hard-hitting television ads to discredit opponents and prop up the Bush plan.
The same architects of Bush's political victories will be masterminding the new campaign, led by political strategists Karl Rove at the White House and Ken Mehlman at the Republican National Committee.
I feel that we are beyond the point of talk now. My suggestion is that whenever a local newspaper talks about Social Security using a Republican frame, like crisis, a local group of Democrats should organize a protest outside the offices of that newspaper. That would be a lot more effective in getting press than just letters to the editor, in my opinion.
Steve Soto has more ideas:
First, the DCCC and DSCC should work together to develop their lists of 2006 targeted GOP representatives and senators so that state-by-state campaigns can be planned now. In those districts or states, the two committees should start organizational activities with the local and state parties and with Democratic governors, to build a presence through press conferences and media events that will pressure GOP representatives and senators by calling attention to the false claims on Social Security and the GOP incumbent's past record of support for other Bush deceptions (Iraq and the tax cuts). These activities need to start now in advance of any Bush or Cheney road shows so that our message is local and seeded before Bush or Cheney or the surrogates get to these districts.
Second, both committees, working with the DNC should make defending and improving Social Security one of the major initiatives of the next two years by expediting the creation of a Truth Squad concept as we proposed almost two years ago here at the Left Coaster. Using a quick response team at each committee and at the DNC, all administration utterances on Social Security would be immediately responded to in the media by the committees and the DNC in the same news cycle.
Steve goes on to suggest some more ideas, but I'd like to throw in one of my own. As soon as we have all of our party members in line, we should release a one point Statement in Defense of Social Security in a huge ad buy. Signed by every Democratic member of Congress, it would simply state something like "Democrats will never allow Republicans to destroy the most successful program in governmental history, a program that is fully funded for many decades according to the trustees of Social Security. Every Democrat stands united in this defense."
Whatever we do, we need to act now. Let me know what ideas for action you have in the comments.
