This is a grassroots deal, so feel free to co-opt this idea, post it yourself and add to it--just send me note and I'll link to yours too.
Instead of carping about what Kerry should do or say, let's start concentrating on what we can do.
I just read Tim Grieves Salon article, and one of the points he made was that Kerry simply won't reduce his points to bite size pieces (as well as his unwillingness to repeat the same point ad nauseum). And why should he? His tremendous strength is his intelligence and complexity. Instead, his supporters and surrogates should be carrying this water for him.
(Liberal Oasis points out once again--and this is probably the most frustrating point of all for me--that Dems tend to spend far too much time analyzing their own campaigns faults than doing some of Kerry's heavy lifting.)
How about we start a "Six Words For Kerry" campaign?
Step 1. Come up with a six-word statement--pro-Kerry or anti-Bush--that sums up one particular issue (Grieve cites the Bush line "Because we acted, our economy is growing", which is lame but pithy). Ideally they should have substantiveness (as opposed to "Bush is a Chimp").Not being one of those creative types, I don't have much to contribute yet (except the comment that I've always thought "Bush Lied, People Died" to be annoyingly simplistic and wholly ineffective). The best I can achieve is:
Step 2. Post your ideas to sites like this one (Eschaton) so those of us less creative types can pick one we like!
Step 3. Plaster those six words everywhere you can think of. In your email sigs, on your websites. Use magic markers and cardboard if you have to, but make signs and stick 'em up in your windows and on your cars. Get a t-shirt made up. Pool together with others and buy ad space in your neighborhood rags. Print them on envelopes when you pay your bills. Emulate the freeway blogger and commit a misdemeanor or two.
Step 4. Party on Nov. 2.
"Because Bush acted, our economy is tanking."
Thoughts?
Slogans
(see comments for more slogans)
Kerry talks plans for the future. Bush points fingers.
Bush proud: Worst economic recovery in 30 years!
Bush created millions of new jobs, just not here! (Warren Terra)
Elect a leader you can be proud of. Elect Kerry.
Elect a leader you don't have to be ashamed of. Elect Kerry.
Bush isn't an effective war leader--he just plays one on TV. (stolen from Paul Krugman)
Kerry: Get the same health plan Congress enjoys.
Bush believes frightened people can be controlled. Prove him wrong.
Bush's fiscal policy? Borrow and Squander. (bbigelow)
Arrogance, corruption and incompetence are no way to run a country. (four legs good)
BIGGEST DEFICIT IN US HISTORY--THANKS BUSH!!
Is Flag-Burning YOUR top priority?
VOTE KERRY FOR DESIGNATED DRIVER (jb)
9/11 happened on Bush's watch (travc)
A photo-op on a mass grave isn't leadership (travc)
Making people side with terrorists isn't a good idea (travc)
Every orphan we create is a terrorist in training (travc)
Deficits matter to our children (travc)
Losing $8 Billion for Iraq is Unacceptable! [Money that went "missing" in Iraq] (travc)
Get Less, Work More: Vote Bush-'04 (hoary cripple)
Work More, Get Less (rorshach)
For (Bush atrocity of your choice), I BLAME BUSH. (Mengele's Barking Dogs--he's gathering donations for a second bumper sticker printing)
MORE US soldiers killed AFTER the capture of Saddam Hussein than BEFORE (Lynn--see all her talking points)
MORE US soldiers killed in Iraq than in the first 4 years of Vietnam (Lynn)
MORE US soldiers killed in 2004 than in 2003 (Lynn)
IRAQ: # (Pennsylvanians) not coming home, # (Pennsylvanians) coming home wounded (get numbers for your state) (Bugsbee)
Bush Is My Pet Goat (bad Jim)
My child reads My Pet Goat too! (bad Jim)
Because Bush acted, our economy is tanking
Use 'Em
add to email sigs
add to web site banners, etc.
make signs for home or car
make a t-shirts
Pool together and buy ad space in neighborhood newspapers
Print them on envelopes when you pay your bills
Freeway Blogger
