Democrats Release Their Plans

Democrats Announce Their Plans, with Theme of "New Direction For America".

Looks like more of the same from the Democrats. Articles from the USA Today, and from the San Jose Mercury.

When will they learn that it's not really about a long list of plans? Democrats have almost always offered a decent plan when compared to Republicans. That's not the problem.

The problem is that Democrats don't have even one major TV or radio network to get their messages out. Almost all of their messages are therefore filtered through the massive Republican or Republican influenced media machine.... including Cable news and talk radio (about 90% Republican dominated). This happens before it reaches the American public. By the time the Democratic message reaches the public, Republicans have changed the message, if they allow anyone to even hear the message at all, lol. Happens almost everytime.

It has little to do with messages or plans.... It's good and important to have them, and as I stated, Democrats have almost always had good messages. It's about getting that message out.... Republicans/Conservatives have usually been able to hijack Democratic ideas, like Bush did against Gore in 2000 (took Gore's ideas & made them his own).... OR they distort the Democrats message.

Republicans have been allowed to control the discussion.... when it should be Democrats controlling the discussion about their own plans. Even on this very issue of Democrats not having a message- Republicans have been allowed to fool Democrats into believing that this was their problem.

The problem has to do with the fact that Progressives don't control their own vast media infrastructure, like Republicans do. Democrats can have the best plans in the world, but without a system of getting the message out, they will have an uphill struggle communicating their plans to the masses. Another problem they have is that their lists of plans are too long and too complicated for most Americans to grasp. Americans tend to respond more to style rather than substance. Let's not forget that In 2004, John Kerry won three political debates, soundly defeating Bush in 2 of those 3, but still lost the election. And Kerry laid out some great detailed plans in those debates. (Another factor here with the system is that debates are held too late in the season when people have already decided who to vote for...debates should happen earlier on).

But it's about keeping it simple. Republicans understand this well, which is why Republicans hire marketing firms.... the same kind of marketing firms that sell you hamburgers.... How does Corporate America sell you these things? Through something called the "soundbite". This is what Americans respond to.... quick encapsulated soundbites or slogans that represent a message, rather than all the details of the plan. Most Americans don't even read the paper or watch the news... and they have been trained over the years to respond to soundbites. They have become accustomed to it. This is one of the big reasons why Republicans are so effective with their marketing...that combined with the heavy Republican/Conservative influence over the media.

Other problems with Democrats, for me as an independent, are that they really don't offer an alternative to Republicans when you really sit down and think about the fundamental problems with this country. Neither Party is addressing the fundamental issues. The two are so much alike, that I can hardly tell the difference.
That's why I don't vote.... I never have a candidate to vote for. Someone running on my platform isn't allowed to run or participate equally in national Presidential debates (because of built in discriminatory election traditions and protocols that are designed to keep other Parties out of the process).

Americans are made to believe that 2 Parties can represent the views & interests of 300 million people. NONSENSE! Especially when we know that most other Democracies of the world have 3, 4, 5, 6 major political Parties (or more). The U.S. is the only country in the World calling itself a Democracy, with what amounts to a one Party system. A corrupt one Party system at that.

Other problems with Democrats......

Democrats have:

--No plan for real political reform. Democrats are still owned & managed by Corporations, just like the Republicans.

--No Plan for voting & election/campaign reform, so that all Americans can vote and all votes count. Currently, elites make the rules for the rest of us.... disinfranchisement of voters has become the rule rather than the exception....when it really should be neither. Disinfranchisement should not be allowed to happen at all.
People are not only disinfranchised at the polls on voting day, but the disinfranchisement of the ordinary citizen begins way before the election when big media is allowed to select front-runners of their choosing, and to set the political table.... when the media should be a neutral player. The people should decide that...not FOX News or CNN. That's just one example. But again...Corporations are able to demonstrate far too much power over campaigns and elections.

--No plan for giving Americans access to Congress & for reaching out to the people on a permanent grassroots basis. If you want to see your Congress person or speak to them, you have to go to a $1000.00 per plate dinner....and even then it's no guarantee you can even get 30 seconds of their attention.

--No plan for fundamental change in U.S. foreign policy/military policy. Will the U.S. continue to be the worlds Police Force, bullying its way into the affairs of other nations, or will it seek a sensible, logical, and sane foreign policy?

Democrats simply put a different face on imperialism and militarism. No difference between the Parties when it comes to their pro-war philosophy.

--No plan for giving Americans national referendum power for important issues.
Both parties are scared to death of the idea of giving Americans referendum power- power that citizens have in real Democracies around the world. Referendum power would essentially mean that Congress could basically be fired and Americans could take matters into their own hands at the ballot box. So the Republicrats aren't having any parts of that idea. But the U.S. is quick to tell other countries how undemocratic they are, lol.

--No plan for creating and retaining good jobs here in the U.S. & for making the U.S. more competitive. The U.S. is falling behind in educating its youth, in technology, manufacturing, and other areas.

All of this adds up to "More of The Same". That's what the new Democratic slogan should be.... and the same goes for Republicans for that matter.

I have said it 10,000 times, and I will keep saying it- We don't need Republicans or Democrats (otherwise known as the Republicrats). The Republicrats are outdated. They are mostly concerned with their own personal or financial interests.

What we need is at least 2 additional major political parties on the national scene.....like what real Democracies have overseas. Some sort of Independent Progressive Party is what the country needs.... even if its just to add some balance between the other two parties. A party with a few seats could leverage the power needed to keep the country centered on sane policies....preventing the wing nuts from destroying the Constitution, and running the country into the ground with extreme ideology.