This is a message to all elected Democratic leaders in this country: The Time Is Now-the people are genuinely disgusted and revolted by the Republicans, minds have been opened, voters are paying attention. Are you ready to seize the day and save this country?
No negative ad buy could accomplish what the Republicans have done to their own credibility. Democrats need to assemble the entire house and senate membership on the steps of our beautiful capitol and ask the American people "Have you had enough"? Enough vote buying and corruption? Enough incompetence and mismanagement? Enough dishonesty about Iraq? Enough of putting politics before the good of the nation, of our children? Have you had enough of leaders dividing us? Have you had enough of feeling like you don't matter to your government? Are you ready to elect leaders who will make decisions based on common, American values? Are you ready for honesty from your representatives, even when the truth isn't pretty? Are you ready to make tough decisions for the good of the country, the way our granparents and their grandparents did-Are you ready for a return of common sense? Are you ready for a change?
Democrats need to keep this real simple. No gassing on about bills and legislation, no grandstanding. Your country needs you to lead now, to put the country first. This is not a time to be calculated, to triangulate or assemble focus groups. Speak honestly to the people, go out on a limb for the truth. Remember that great leaders who are vindicated by history were brave people who understood that Americans will sacrifice and endure any hardship if they trust and believe in their leaders. It's a time to underpromise and overdeliver. Here's what you should say.
Iraq: George Bush and the Republican leadership have not been honest with you about the siuation in Iraq. They have witheld and distorted intelligence to present a picture of progress, when in fact the situation has grown worse. Our finest citizens are in harms way right now in Iraq and it is time to be honest, to assemble our top military and intelligence professionals and arrive at a disengagement policy informed by the truth and reality of the situation, not denial and false optimism.
Terrorism: America can rise to the historic challenge of defeating Al Qaida and those who would emulate them. We must fight them on every front: we must secure the peace in Afghanistan and create an ally in the Afghan people against terror; we must fully implement the 9-11 commission reccomendations by securing our ports and critical infrastructure; we must put competent managers in charge at FEMA and Homeland Security. We must also restore our reputation in the world with our allies and would be allies. We must once again become the nation of laws that has served as a beacon of hope to all the worlds people for 200 years. We are better than our enemy and the surest way to win this struggle is to wage it according to American values.
The Economy: We will restore the fiscal responsibility and leadership that raised wages and balanced the budget in the 1990's. We will represent the average Americans who elected us, and make the hard choices necessary to restore fiscal discipline and fairness to our nations economic policy.
Energy: Our goal as a nation must be to achieve independence from middle east oil. This is our generations challenge and it can be done. Government must provide real leadership on this issue, and if we do, American businesses and universities will lead the way in researching and developing the technology necessary to securing our energy future. By leading on this issue, America will create the technology that the whole world needs, and secure our position as the science and technology leaders of the world.
Honesty: We will level with the American people. Whether it is social security or health care, or any of the other difficult issues we face as a people, the time for playing politics and pretending there are easy answers is over. No challenge has ever been overcome without first admitting there is in fact a challenge, and that the answers won't be easy. There is nothing we can't achieve as a nation because we are a tough, proud and free people, but those who lead must first be honest.
That's it. Be hopeful, be honest and don't play politics. The people are ready for this message, the regular people, the good people of this country. Be brave leaders now, brave enough to tell the truth. It will be first aid for what ails this country.