THIS IS NOT ->Delawareliberal

Here 's a good summary of the issue.

Personally, I trust the Democrats to react to events in a more rational, empirical, and technocratic way (i.e., Rubinomics) rather than the ideological GOP reaction (tax cuts will cure everything, deficits don't matter). But I think if Dems don't publish a platform, the GOP accusations of having "no ideas" will stick.

Also note that the GOP published the Contract With America very late in the election season, after months of being accused of having no ideas.

jason, those things you listed are slogans, not proposals. I want to know what the proposed implementations are. That said, Democrats are right to hold off until later; why give the opposition more time to shoot at it?
 

What are "tax cuts work" and "deficits don't matter" if not slogans. They sure are not prescriptions for a healthy economy.

I hear Democrats, even people like Joe Biden saying things like, "we need a clear message." So stop talking about needing a clear message, Joe - and say what we are FOR, and (for the most of us) we are for the things I listed. Don't even preface the things we are for, just start listing them. Don't say, "We do too have a clear message.." just start delivering the message.

Democrats need to stop buying into the premise of the accusation.
 

People accused Kerry of this, in spite of the fact that he put out a several hundred page book that called "Our Plan for America." Part of the problem is that the Democratic ideas are complex and not easily trimmed down to bullet points are slogans, which is how the Republicans win elections. "Protect traditional marriage" "Culture of life" - what the hell do those mean? Not much really, but people will vote for them because they understand them without having to work too hard.
 

Health care:
Are Democrats for universal healthcare or not? If so, what's the plan and how will it be funded? Or are they for simply shoring up the status quo with incremental adjustments?

Fixing Social Security:
OK, Democrats are against privatization - good. But Social Security still needs to be fixed. Whose taxes will be raised, and whose benefits will be cut?

Tax cuts:
OK, Democrats want to roll back the Bush tax cuts. That's a good idea, at least until deficits start shrinking. But where are the Democratic tax cuts, the middle-class tax cuts Clinton campaigned on?

I'm tired of always being against tax cuts, I want a tax cut package I can support (note: I am not holding Clinton responsible for not delivering; he had to deal with massive deficits and he did the right thing).

A good model is Ed Rendell: As Philly mayor, he proposed and won a microscopic cut in the city wage tax every year, and he was therefore able to campaign as a tax-cutter.

National security:
Democrats need to make it clear they are not in favor of an immediate pullout in Iraq. They also need to make it clear they will continue the parts of the War On Terror that have been successful (financial sanctions, prosecutions, diplomacy) while mitigating the parts that have been disastrous.

... what are the other big issues the Democrats need to be more clear on?
 

Rendell is a big time sleaze ball. I guess it is the Philly in him.