MyDD :: New Dem Platform: 'Six for '06'

New Dem Platform: 'Six for '06' - Say it ain't so!!!

by skeptic06, Fri Jul 28, 2006 at 12:41:55 PM EST

When it comes to flipping control of Congress in November, the polls say yes, yes, yes! and more or less everything the Dem leadership does screams no, no, no!

As witness the latest (final?) version of the (supposed) equivalent to the 1994 GOP Contract with America: New Direction for America (link to PDF at bottom of page).

Or, as it's now more snappily known, Six for '06.

Right from the ghastly design of the title-masthead thingy - looking as if taken from the titles of a late 70s Chevy Chase movie - to the layout (which gives you brainache reading the first graf of #1 of the Six) to the style (dreary and relentless) to the content (don't ask!).

The first graf of the intro is not the worst of it:

Congressional Democrats believe America should work for everyone - not just those at the top - by building opportunity and prosperity for all, and guaranteeing real security at home and around the world. We know that Americans can work together to meet the serious challenges facing our country, create a stronger nation, and build a safer world.

Where's the hook? The fact that the first two words average 11 letters in length can't help either. Nor does the ambiguity of the subject of the participle (or is it a gerund?) building: I'm pretty sure the subject is America - but the fact that the doc is from the Dems saying what the Dems plan to do with the 110th leads one to expect the subject to be - the Dems themselves!

And the substance? Is there any? If you were writing a bit for The Daily Show satirising the platitudes of political prose, what would you change?

The #1 issue is Real Security at Home and Overseas: 115 words in a single graf of six sentences. The first:

Reclaim American leadership with a tough, smart plan to transform failed Bush Administration policies in Iraq, the Middle East and around the world.

A tough, smart plan?

Next sentence:

Require the Iraqis to take responsibility for their country and begin the phased redeployment of US forces from Iraq in 2006.

Let's skirt round the elephant that is they couldn't take over control of Congress till 2007, and of the White House until 2009, so how the fuck... and just admire the honesty with which the doc acknowledges the sheer nothingness that is Dem policy on the issue consistently ranked by voters as their #1 issue!

In all of this, there is at least one truly bright spot: at least almost no voters will read the wretched thing.

Don't say I never do Pollyanna...

Tags: Six for 06, New Direction for America, 'New Direction for America', Democratic Contract with America (all tags)

Permalink :: 9 Comments :: Post a Comment

Disagree Greatly (none / 0)

I think this is phenomenal plan. I think it's so great I may have to write a counter to your diary.

First it starts with what Democrats believe in. "Congressional Democrats believe America should work for everyone ". What does this mean? It means that every congressional democrat when asked what they believe in can repeat this exact line.

The 6 points in the plan don't get mired down in details like democrats to often do. Since there's no details, just an overall vision it makes it harder for Republicans to critisize. (How can a Republican say that he's against, "Better American Jobs".

I won't write more here, I will try to write a counter analysis later, but thank you very much for letting us know about the release of this plan. I am now more hopeful than ever that the Democrats may finally be "coming out of the woods".

by maddogg on Fri Jul 28, 2006 at 01:38:04 PM EST

Re: Disagree Greatly (none / 0)

I think this is phenomenal plan.

What plan? All it says is that we NEED a plan. And you yourself said you like it because it provides no details that Republicans can criticize.

With Democrats Lieberman goes for the jugular. With Republicans he goes for the lips.

by Sitkah on Fri Jul 28, 2006 at 01:46:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Have a Vision (none / 0)

It is not a plan to govern. It's a plan to Campaign on. Look, if you want John Kerry to go out there and campaign about his awesome 8 point plan to improve health care then I don't think you were paying attention in 2004. Democrats have plenty of governing plans(despite what Republicans think), but campaigns are won on vision, not a 6,8 or 12 point plan. The Democrats, I believe, have just laid out a "Vision" not a plan.

by maddogg on Fri Jul 28, 2006 at 01:57:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Have a Vision (none / 0)

I think this is phenomenal plan.....The 6 points in the plan don't get mired down in details like democrats to often do. Since there's no details, just an overall vision it makes it harder for Republicans to critisize. (How can a Republican say that he's against, "Better American Jobs".

A "plan" has to have details. You yourself said it lacks details.

What it is what you also said... a set of talking points for Democratic candidates.

National security
Jobs and wages
Energy independence
Affordable health care
Retirement security
College access for all

What it lacks is any mention of cleaning up corruption and reforming government (as even the Contract on America did).

Whatever happened to "Culture of Corruption"?

With Democrats Lieberman goes for the jugular. With Republicans he goes for the lips.

by Sitkah on Fri Jul 28, 2006 at 05:45:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Have a Vision (none / 0)

[blockquote]
What it lacks is any mention of cleaning up corruption and reforming government (as even the Contract on America did).

Whatever happened to "Culture of Corruption"?
[/blockquote]

That could very well be a fair criticism. Maybe they were trying to create new talking points instead of rehashing old ones.. The "culture of corruption" has already become a common noun in even the Corporate Owned Media(COM). Hopefully as part of their "August blitz" they'll also hammer away at the Republicans with that. The COM and Rethugs are still trying to spin it as a problem on "both sides". I am still enthusiastic about this. I'll be watching if Dem Candidates will start endlessly repeating these talking points.

by maddogg on Fri Jul 28, 2006 at 06:05:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Have a Vision (none / 0)

"Culture of Corruption" is dead. It's because Democrats know it can be turned back upon them and they are also unwilling to propose meaningful reforms.

With Democrats Lieberman goes for the jugular. With Republicans he goes for the lips.

by Sitkah on Tue Aug 01, 2006 at 02:44:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Have a Vision (none / 0)

Whatever happened to "Culture of Corruption"?

It didn't poll well. [eyeroll]

by Lucas O'Connor on Fri Jul 28, 2006 at 06:55:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Six For 06 Sucks (none / 0)

Which DC-NeoDem professional loser thought up this idiotic slogan? Bury it in the trash bin of history as quickly as possible -- and get your money back.

With Democrats Lieberman goes for the jugular. With Republicans he goes for the lips.

by Sitkah on Fri Jul 28, 2006 at 01:40:39 PM EST

Re: New Dem Platform: 'Six for '06' - Say it ain't (none / 0)

Contract With America was issue-specific and talked about exactly how Republicans would run Congress. This is supposed to be the Democrats' answer to CwA, so a few issues or actually stands on anything might be good instead of just platitudes.

I have no idea what a Democrat majority would do in Congress, and I pay pretty close attention. No idea whatsoever. And I'm willing to bet that the reason this plan is short on specific proposals isn't so much that the folks in charge of it don't have the balls, but rather that Democrats have no friggin clue what they'd actually do, if anything, in the majority. Or, more to the point, there are three hundred different ideas of what the majority would do and nobody's gonna cede an inch.

by Lucas O'Connor on Fri Jul 28, 2006 at 02:48:53 PM EST

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