Our Ten Words
by Scott Shields, Fri Apr 14, 2006 at 08:56:00 AM EST

When I first saw Tom Vilsack's campaign at his Heartland PAC to put out an open call for suggestions for "the ten words that can define the Democratic Party's message," my eyes rolled a bit. They still do, to be honest. While I get the good intentions behind what Vilsack's doing, there's an even bigger part of me that finds it annoying that, at a time when Democrats are calling out for leadership from the party, our would-be leaders are holding open casting calls for ideas. There's certainly value to both Vilsack's project and the SEIU's 'Since Sliced Bread' campaign, in that they democratize the process, but there's still something to be said for straight up leadership on the issues as well.

Now, all of that said, I've had a chance to look at some of the competitors. Hotline On Call was good enough to re-post the top ten finalists, and I'm happy to report that they're not bad at all.

"The Democratic Party: People are our only 'Special Interest.' "
Stacy, Iverness, FL

"Effective, honest government, serving the needs of all its citizens."
Matt, O Fallon, MO

"Working for millions of people, not millions of dollars."
Matt, Santa Monica, CA

"A Strong Nation and Economy through Fairness, Reason, and Community."
Drew, Blairsburg, IA

"Government led by people who believe good government is possible."
Cathy, Columbus, OH

"Equal opportunities, better lives, and honest government for all Americans."
Rob, Decorah, IA

"The Democratic Party- Tackling problems and finding practical solutions."
Don, Letts, IA

"Leadership that will restore the American Dream to all Americans."
Bill, Stewartstown, PA

"Common sense for the common good."
Jason, Chicago, IL, Brenda, Wakefield, RI, and Robert, Timonium, MD

"The Democrats highest ideal: Help people achieve their full potential."
Gary, Tulsa OK

One of my favorites of this bunch, "common sense for the common good," I believe originally comes from New York gubernatorial hopeful Tom Suozzi, who uses it specifically in reference to reproductive rights. However, it's a slogan that can easily be applied to so many Democratic principles, and may have been in use since before Suozzi began using it. Nearing the end of the Dubya era, I think the idea of bringing "common sense" back into government is one with a pretty wide appeal. And personally, I love the idea that it includes a call to community and solidarity. That's something we've gotten away from in America and I think most people wish that it wasn't so. From the Bush tax laws to the attempted gutting of Social Security and the current campaign to smash traditional risk-pooled health insurance, the Bush Republicans are a selfish party of every-man-for-himself-ism. I really don't buy that this is how people want to live.

It's going to take a bit more than a ten word slogan to win back Congress and then the White House. But I'd much rather see an establishment figure like Vilsack support a project like this than join in with some of his fellow 2008 hopefuls who would rather talk about the need to summarize the Democratic message than actually try to formulate that message themselves. It's good to see that, if any message has been carried from the netroots to the establishment, it's that the barriers to participation for grassroots Democrats must be lowered if the party wants to ultimately succeed.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/4/14/25422/8445

Do Democrats have an image problem or an action problem?

As the out of power Party and as the Party devoted to growing a Constitutional Democracy based on the values of Person, Family, Community, Nation and
Humanity, the Democratic Party, at the national, state and county level must
act as a "Shadow Goverment" to evaluate current programs and propose improvements.

TRUTH instead of LIES

or 100 percent truth instead of 100 percent lies

Both

Which derive from Incompetent Leadership which derives from Insufficient
and Ineffective Citizen participation which derived from centuries of
being enslaved in debilitating class and caste systems. Good goverment
liberates and facilitates individual persons' Self-in-Situation adaptation in
ways that are additive to the on-going social system. The Democratic
Party could promote a great deal Mutual Self-help Groups and other
"peer-helper network approach.

Democrats and liberals have no problem

It is the schumucks who are passing themselves off as democrats
the last six years who have the problem
The Joe Lieberman's and the Bill Clintons and the Terry McAuliffe's and the Harry (who???) Reid who love the corporation.

They are the destroyers of the democratic party.
They are the reason the the democrats can't in the past step forward


However, the revolution started Tuesday night at 11edt with Howard Dean and Al Gore and Ned Lamont. There is no looking back now, and the other democrats who really are republicans, are toast.

Hillary can go back to adoring Barry Goldwater, her hero.
Bill can go back to Monica or whatever keeps him happy.

To say that Liberal Decocrats have no problems is to over-state the case. I say
that Liberal Democrats are in the best position to provide the leadership the Country needs, than they've been in since 1992, for helping the Country achieve Peace and Prosperity. As persons, I have a great deal of Respect for Bill and
Hillary Clinton and I like them and admire them. It is also the case that I'm
not looking to either of them, at the present time, to provide the kind of leadershp
the country most needs.

One of the Dem committees sent me a bumper sticker last winter and I have had many positive comments from total strangers in parking lots:

This thread 10 words is very revealing as too what the problem is.
Although Schmuck's is not 4 letters it is not ten words.
There is no difference between radical conservative and radical liberalism. Same coin different sides.
Ten words: Democrat-For the people, by the people, with the people

Less than 100% Graham.

Be fair.

I can think of three truths Bush told:

1. "I am not a nation builder."

2. "We are addicted to oil."

3. "I may be 60, but I don't feel that old."

The Democratic Party has both.

The image problems are "they have no positions" on things that they obviously do have positions on. Also that "they are not resolute" on things that they are resolute on. This comes from the nature of democracy which is more inclusive of differing points of view than the alternatives.

The action problem is the part of the above that is partially true, and the uncertainty of who the democratic base is, corporate power or citizen voters. We all know that it's supposed to be citizen voters. But as in almost every case, money seems to have more of an influence than it should in American politics including the Democratic party.

Is corporate Power why Dem's got so mad at Lieberman?
Is Lieberman a believer in a just war rather then war for oil?

You know I sit here in my Democratic district in my Republican State so most views are some form of compromise.
There is also a difference in income here in Nebraska. 3/4th of the state is agriculture and ranching but the major city is corporate.

So here I sit getting mixed messages even on this site.

What do Democrats believe in today?????????????????

Democrats need to keep their attention on the social system--how it actually operates. "Wall Street" has branch offices on every "Main Street. The problem is
the general tendency for people to hold on to their perceived position in the pecking order. A more adaptative strategy is to focus on making a place for everyone. The Democratic Party will attract enough Leaders and Followers when
we protray a willingness to support:Stop Waging War, Start Reforming Actual Goverment Programs/Management Structures .When we start making this
objective operational, many useful slogans will emerge.

Democrats need to keep their attention on the social system--how it actually operates. "Wall Street" has branch offices on every "Main Street. The problem is
the general tendency for people to hold on to their perceived position in the pecking order. A more adaptative strategy is to focus on making a place for everyone. The Democratic Party will attract enough Leaders and Followers when
we protray a willingness to support:Stop Waging War, Start Reforming Actual Goverment Programs/Management Structures .When we start making this
objective operational, many useful slogans will emerge.

Someone who is on the side of real democrats and not pseudo republican democrats who kiss up to the illegal person sitting in the white house, who should be impeached 100 to 0. There shouldn't even be a doubt, yet Joe Lieberman
is against the impeachment of George Bush.

Democrats want according to the new zogby poll, those firmly against the war.
79 percent are happy Joe lost.

It is a message for 2008.

Democrats want all people to be represented, not just the rich.

And for Joe himself, he thinks he is entitled to a lifetime job? WHY?

What do Democrats believe in? Taking the strategy suggested by the title
of this thread, scan the English language and list the 10 words which are most relevant and potent for conveying the outlook of democrats. This could provide us a data base for constructing a consensus statement. I would start the list thus:

Person
Family
Community
Social networks
nation
Human social system
Human Development
Goverment
Market Ecomy
Technology

In order to add a concept, you must remove one. Please indicate
what you would add and substract.

I was on 2008 site and through in my concern but realize that although the direction of the party is heading toward withdrawal from Iraq are we standing on the position of antiwar?
Is Our position that since Bush lied war is unjust or Iraq is unjust?
What about Afghanistan? I felt we had failed to the cries of suffering women in Iraq under the Taliban. We responded in the shadow of the towers. Do we leave Iraq also after the girls and women of Iraq are returning to education and careers?
What about the Drug Wars? Do they still exists? Is America supporting the growing of Poppies in Afghanistan?
The United Nations is it still viable to handle the world problems?
How do we feel about the World Bank as Democrats. The news got quiet on that front?
G8 summits. Should eight powers control world policy, productivity, environment and economy?

Now that "WE ARE THE WORLD" "WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS KNOW ___" is what?

I think Joe Lieberman got lost in world politics and failed his state. Connecticut will decide.
Is the message of the Democratic forget the World we will stay home?
Is the message to be domestic first?

Perhaps we need to quite looking at our Senators for local state issues and begin to force our house members to stay domestic?

When we loose to Republicans it is because people think they all have Tigers tattooed on their butts and Democrats all have Doves.

How can Democrats show we may have one soft cheek but when we turn it the other is hard as a rock?

By staying principled in their actions.

I like this statement.
So as Democrates it is our duty to stay principled in our actions.

That answer does me good in my heart.

Thanks. It occured to me that I was taking the thread off topic so I tried to start a spin-off in the Questionaire Section trying to identify the ten most useful concepts
for conveying what Democrats Believe. I never got it formated correctly but I may take another shot at that tomorrow.

This is a good thread. Let's get it back on topic--the top 10 Democratic
Party Slogan winners. I thought most of them were pretty good. An interesting
observation--the concept, "Community" was only used once.

They have both. Dems are caught in a loop. The image problem weakens their ability to act. Inability to act weakens their image.

The only way to break out of the loop is with Democrats cutting their losses, divorcing themselves from their corrupted past, including the ones who are still playing the same game that made them corrupt to begin with.

Nader would have ran as a Democrat if Democrats hadn't been so corrupt. They are not as corrupt as Republicans, but they are corrupt enough to be bought. If they can be bought, they can be paid to lose by the same people who are paying Republicans to win.

We need the DNC to put up a fresh batch of money-resistant democrats.

That's I why like this slogan best from the top ten:

You would think that a group like CGCS that named itself, "common ground,
common sense--sharing common ground and a way of making sense of what is going on--being a big part of what the concept, community means--
would find more utility for the concept of community in its discussion.

As much as people like you and I favor the concept of community, many moderates seem to expect less. Community challenges people to be collaborative instead of compromising.

Common ground can be in the form of compromise. I'm sure the go-along-to-get-along people and the separate but equal advocates of past and present generations believe that either positions are forms of common ground if not the only positions of common ground. I'm sure many moderate conservatives and liberals fall into either category.

With the number of Democrats who voted for Bush's bill to compromise the Geneva convention are we at a new place?

How does the senate and congress monitor the executive when they gave their power away?

What guarantee in this dishonorable state do we have that during elections the Republican executive would act honorably?

I am not ready to give in or give up but I am discouraged by the last two votes in Senate providing the President the tools to control society and not just the terrorist.

Has this administration learned from the Nixon White house how to insulate themselves from query and report?

Assuming common properties of organic systems. what system's principles are pre-potent for organic systems? What set of concepts are most usefull
for making these principles explicit?

This sounds like an important question, but I'm not sure what you are asking. Could you translate with a different analogy or a more detailed example?

I'm still dancing arround the question, "What do Democrats believe?" This
question leads to the question of how to model the Individual Person-in-a-Family-in-a-Community-in-a-Nation-in-a-World. A conceptual model, or theory includes
an interrelated set of concepts--defined relative to each other and to the whole
set, with optimum explanatory and predictive power--for understanding the human behavior and experience of each Person and of the different levels of the human social system. Rather than construct one sample sentence to symbolically represent what Democrats believe (slogan), I'm suggesting that we construct an
outline of what Democrats believe by listing the major concepts to be developed
such as:Person, Familly, Community, System and etc.

The only consistent belief among democrats it the belief in power of bottom-up over top-down systems, or majority rule.

Perhaps set/subset might be a simpler way to look at it.

When trying to appeal to the short attention spans of the average voter, the major political parties want to know if the message will fit on a bumper sticker first.