I was contemplating things today as I often do and it occurred to me the Democrats are suckers for wedge issues. In the 2004 election John Kerry had some good ideas. One thing he mentioned during the convention was commenting on OPECs ability to manipulate the U.S. economy. A great wedge issue that could've earned some great traction. The problem is they can never get their wedges to pick up traction yet the Republicans almost always are quick to identify and either plug or squash those issues.

Case in point is Ohio. The Democrats were doing quite well on Ohio, despite the strong Republican presence upto and include Bob Taft. The jobless rate is up, the war in Iraq is going on and things are looking good for the president. Then someone whispers QUEERS WANNA GET MARRIED and all hell breaks loose. "Damn those queers don't need to get married" or "them queers is gonna take us all to hell." The whole place sounds like the Westboro Baptist Church, Topeka, KS. It's insane. Then groups of people who'd never voted before, in 200 years of statehood voted in the election because George Bush is against queers/fags/lesbians etc. The liberals get ticked off because how dare anyone use religion to dictate terms on who should be able to get married and then how could anyone who's a Christian be a Democrat?

The Democrats get suckered into this arguements and it's absolutely ridiculous because we get eaten alive on them. In all honesty, Democrats need to try and avoid these hotbutton issues. Stay away from them for the moment. Concentrate on issues people understand, like gas prices and jobless rates. Talk about the national deficit. Ask why people in New Orleans died and why does the mouthpieces of the GOP spin it in another direction? The Iraqi war we have to be careful with because no one wants to be seen as being disloyal and not supporting the soldier but at the same time, Cindy Sheehan has the a voice and others like her should continue to hammer the administration because it's tough to argue against a mother who's son was killed.

If we keep on these issues, I think the Dems can do better, it's just a matter of hitting the other side in the jimmy and keeping them reeling. It's tough but it's possible.

posted by Stithmeister @ 6:46 PM
 
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At 3:56 PM,  Rachael Clark said...

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At 7:40 PM,  Anonymous said...

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