Democrats Look For Expert Help

February 17, 2005

By Erin P. Billings and Mark Preston,
Roll Call Staff

Message Gurus Asked for Input

Democratic Congressional leaders, hoping to solve their party’s image problem, have launched a major internal effort to craft a new party “brand” that will help them better connect with the electorate.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), Senate Policy Committee Chairman Byron Dorgan (N.D.) and House Steering Committee Chairman George Miller (Calif.) are spearheading the initiative.

The leaders have turned to a group of outside advisers led by former Internet executive and marketing guru Richard Yanowitch, who will spend the coming weeks developing ideas.

“These days it is not just about where you stand but it is also the words you use to describe where you stand and the impact those words have on people,” said Dorgan, the point person in the Senate on the project. “Frankly, I think we have got some catching up to do in language.”

“We’ve got to get out there and frame the debate, and show that this is what Democrats stand for and this is what we are,” added a Democratic staffer familiar with the effort.

The aide said Democrats are hoping to find a better way to package themselves beyond being “the party of change, party of progress and the party that helps everyday Americans.” The source noted that Democrats are looking for a concise party slogan, along the lines of the “compassionate conservative” brand used effectively by President Bush in the 2000 campaign.

Yanowitch has counseled Senate Democrats in the past. In the 108th Congress he worked with then-Minority Leader Tom Daschle (S.D.) and Dorgan to help Democrats find better ways to frame and talk about issues.

Congressional Democrats have begun talking to a slew of outside experts, including George Lakoff, a University of California at Berkeley professor, David Brock, journalist turned liberal activist, and Rob Stein, former Clinton aide turned strategist, to get their advice heading into the next cycle, trying to move beyond the Beltway as they negotiate an increasingly tough political landscape.

“He is a very able person,” Reid said of Yanowitch. “I think it is good he is willing to spend time with us and he has spent a lot of time with Pelosi’s staff and my staff.”

Part of the new Senate Minority Leader’s goal is to reach out to voters in Middle America, a constituency that has largely moved to Republicans.

Reid has ramped up his internal communications shop, dubbed the “war room,” and said Democrats would block legislation and nominees they consider politically extreme. In the meantime, Pelosi has been trying to add teeth to the House Democratic message and on Wednesday began a rollout of the Caucus’ agenda for the current Congress, part of her “New Partnership for America’s Future” message platform.

The New Partnership was the result of a year’s worth of work by Pelosi and designed, in part, to help define House Democrats before the opposition was able to do so. The Minority Leader said Wednesday that Democrats are tying legislative proposals to the broadly themed message structure to continue their “constant drumbeat.”

Dorgan and other Democrats said the problem in recent years has been that the party has failed to effectively convey its legislative goals beyond the Beltway.

“We are a little more wonkish than is useful when we describe what we are for,” said Dorgan. “I think we need to sharpen our language some.”

Democrats are now taking a page from the Republican playbook by trying to perfect a message that is easier for people to understand.

“The Republicans have been working on framing and sharpening their message for a long, long time,” Dorgan added. “I can tell you what the Republicans are for in eight words: family values, strong defense, lower taxes and less government.”

Several knowledgeable sources said Democrats have no set timeline for coming up with their new brand, but that it will be sooner rather than later. Yanowitch met this week with Pelosi and Miller.

“We are optimistic,” an aide familiar with the efforts said. “We are more united than we have ever been as a party, and there is unanimity in the idea that we need to have a message that resonates.”

Sources said that once a simple message is settled on, the leaders will work with other Members to rally support for it and promote it broadly within the party. They said the leaders also will work with newly elected Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean to ensure all segments of the Democratic Party share the same theme.

“To have a brand is fine, but it’s meaningless if people don’t use it,” said a well-placed Democratic source.

Copyright 2005 © Roll Call Inc. All rights reserved.

Don't just Vote Blue, BUY Blue

The Buy Blue website couldn't have a more fitting description: In today's America there is a more powerful act than voting blue...and that's BUYING BLUE.

This site is a real keeper, with names of companies that you and I and everyone else buy from on a regular basis. They're graded from 100% Blue to 0% Blue, based on political donations from their top executives. For instance:

• Barnes & Noble: 100% Blue -- in this past election cycle, executives not only contributed heavily, but "exclusively" to Democrats -- to the tune of over $78K.
• Apple Computer: 99% Blue
• eBay Inc.: 57% Blue (their Chair contributed heavily to Democrats, their CEO to Republicans)
• Best Buy: 0% Blue -- 100% of their contributions went to Republicans

You can see where I'm going with this. You'll have a tough time thinking of any major corporation that's not listed here, from Starbucks to Costco to Fruit of the Loom to PetsMart. I know I'll be checking this list from now on before I make my purchases.

Yes, we do have a say. Do you want to put money in Best Buy's pocket, knowing where it's going? Neither do I.

Jody (who is So very thankful she can keep her Macintosh computer)

Give 'Em Hell, Harry

Planning for the May 7 "Give 'Em Hell, Harry" fund-raiser dinner has begun, with invitations to some of the VIP speakers and a search for the right location.

Today, I inspected the WinnaVegas Casino food and catering operation. WinnaVegas is located just 3 miles off I-29 near Sloan, Iowa and is opperated by the Winnebago Tribe. It is a small, friendly casino with a nearby motel that could meet our needs for a great Saturday night event. Their bingo hall is comfortable and quiet, and could easily handle a meal for anything from a smaller group up to 400 persons. We can have a set menu, or have a hot buffet set up in the room. There is a large stage area for speakers, and there will be a small dance floor. They are even going to have a small orchestra, The Board of Directors, available for our event and for later in the evening for the public. We can have a cash bar as well.

It appears to me to be an attractive location for our fundraiser that would appeal to many across the district. We can get a good deal on the meals, and the WinnaVegas Inn can offer us some very affordable rates.

What do you think? Would this be a nice weekend you would attend? Leave a comment and let us hear from you.

The Truth Be Told

George W. Bush recently visited Omaha to promote his Social Security proposal. I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at a fact-check on what he has been saying so I read the January 11th CBS MarketWatch article “Fact-checking Bush on Social Security: President exaggerates problems in retirement system” (http://www.marketwatch.com/). The article points out another of Bush’s mishandling of information important to every American. The article illustrates Bush’s fast and loose handling of the truth in regard to important dates, what benefits actually will be available to younger people, the projected cash flow problem, impact of changes in life expectancy, and the real and positive impact on Social Security of women working outside the home.

An important lesson from the presidential election is that moral values were said to be on voters’ minds and that they played a role in electing George W. Bush. However, the definition of moral values put forth by the Bush camp was a narrow and divisively constructed one. It is we who will need to broaden that discussion of moral values, to include values like honesty and integrity in our government, and we can start with advocating the basic moral value of telling the truth and ask that our President do that when talking about the financial future of our nations’ retired workers.

Social Security very definitely will be on the political agenda and the direction it takes and where it ends up must be determined not by special interests and the Bush administration’s propaganda machine but by a knowledgeable and vocal citizenry. As this critical political drama plays out we can fight for an updated and just Social Security system, and at the same time further our efforts to broaden the definition and dialogue on moral values. In the weeks ahead we of The Left Coast of Iowa can all look carefully at what is said about the condition of Social Security and the proposals that are made, and contact our Congressional delegation; Senator Chuck Grassley, Senator Tom Harkin and Representative Steve King to express our views on how best to strengthen and maintain our Social Security program and let them know that we value, and will settle for nothing less than, the truth and facts in achieving that aim.

BUDGET CUTS OFTEN SHIFT TAX BURDEN OR ELIMINATES SERVICE

With the soaring deficit, tough budget decisions await the 109th congress. President Bush will propose harsh budget cuts that include Agriculture, Medicare/Medicaid, Education, Law Enforcement and a host of others.
While our nation needs to address the growing deficit, we also need to monitor those cuts mandated by law that not only will shift funding to state and local levels, but also could create additional economic hardships on working families or elderly on fixed incomes and that could easily damage the initial progress made for beginning farmers and new business.
Effects of Budget Cuts
Budget reductions in agriculture could easily jeopardize progress made over recent years and threaten critical farm, rural development, conservation, crop insurance and other initiatives. Depending on the business and their equity ratios, a host of small business owners may be forced to downsize, eliminate services, or simply close their doors without the continued support of federal programs and critical long-term backing from banks and lenders.
A large number of rural head start programs substitute as after school day care facilities for young rural working families. While the majority of jobs in rural communities often pay lower hourly rates, those same working families are limited in after school programs for their children due to cost and availability.
Health insurance is an important factor in the welfare of our nation. With a large percentage of people without health insurance growing, cuts in Medicaid will shift funding to state and local governments. Once again, those hardest hit are rural communities with lower income levels.
Local law enforcement agencies have made great strides fighting the war on drugs and keeping our rural communities crime free. Federal programs have given counties the ability to address the infrastructure and equipment needs to continue the war on drugs, lowering the crime rate and addressing Homeland Security.
Alternatives
In many cases, local communities – through their families, church and neighbors – will overcome the problems by joining together. When after-school day care is needed, we find solutions. When our neighbors get sick, we lend a helping hand. When our local schools need better buildings, equipment or supplies -- we pitch in.
Opening up discussions with local community leaders also can lead to alternative solutions.
Making a Difference
Joining together, we can make a difference. Finding workable solutions to the problems we face, trimming wasted spending at all levels and building the strong economic base for everyone makes good sense. Problems need not be compounded by poor legislation and hindsight, nor do we simply want to shift the tax burden. Write your congressman and senators today to voice your concerns and make a difference.

Eyes Wide Open

All too often, we forget that innocent Americans aren't the only ones losing their lives in Iraq.

Eyes Wide Open - the American Friends Service Committee's widely-acclaimed exhibition on the human cost of the Iraqi War - is a short video (2 minutes) well-worth watching. A pair of boots honors each U.S. military casualty, and a multimedia display explores the history, cost and consequences of the war.

If you want to sign a petition to end the war, it's included there as well.

Another interesting AFSC page is just The Facts, which includes graphs, charts, photos, timelines and even an ongoing counter that's tallying the war's cost on a state by state basis.

Eyes Wide Open is a real wake up call. Unfortunately, the numbers keep rolling and there's no snooze button.

Rally Against Bush on Friday

Democrats in congress are standing united against George W. Bush's plan to cut benefits in order to pay for private accounts, and Bush is getting nervous. So after his State of the Union address, the President will launch a divide and conquer approach by trying to break Democratic ranks through a five state PR tour of red states with Democratic Senators.

This week we must show that the people of Nebraska will not be divided, and will not be deceived by the President's plan to jeopardize Social Security. Please join with MoveOn and other progressive organizations for a rally in Omaha to counter Bush's visits.

The details for the rally are below.

WHEN:
Friday, February 4
7AM

WHERE:
Rally outside Qwest Convention Center in Omaha.
Meet at 10 th & Capitol at Qwest Center.
Look for signs and stage by Convention Center. 

Welcome to the new blog of the 5th District Democrats. We decided to call it "The Left Coast of Iowa" because, well, we're the left coast of Iowa (and there are a bunch of left-leaning liberal types out here in western Iowa.)

Several good writers have been invited to write regular features for this blog, and if you want to become a regular contributor, just write webmaster@idp5.org and tell us why you should be given 'author status.'

And of cours, anybody can leave comments (even anonymous comments) about any posting on the blog.

Hope to see YOUR writing on our blog soon.