Should Obama Face a Challenge in the Democratic Primary?
How to win in 2012
We need to remind Democrats that in the past they won not because they had the most money but because they represented the working middle-class. The Most People. The number-one reason I hear for not voting or for not voting for Democrats is, “There is no difference between Democrats and Republicans.” So why vote? So if Democrats want to win, then they have to start talking differently and voting differently. Then clearly pointing out the difference.
Democrats need to point out that Republican economy policies have worked to destroy the middle class. Pointing out which policies, when, how and who. Pointing out how the taxes now favor the rich. That corporations pay less taxes now than at any time in the last fifty years. That in 1955 the corporate share of federal taxes made up 25 percent of all tax revenue and that now it makes up less than 10 percent. That the top tax rate is the lowest it has been in thirty years. I am sure you can add to my list.
We need to work with college students—Young Democrats and other groups of young supporters—to keep them engaged and to maintain their support. Now and in the future we need/want their support.
Seniors and the Christians make up the single largest voting block, a group that always votes. The religious right is the single largest group of motivated Republican voters. We have to take these voters back, or at least some of them. We have to start pointing out that Republican policies do not represent the teaching of Christ, or the New Testament. We have to have priests, rabbis and preachers on TV and radio every chance we can, to educate voters of our responsibly as Christians to fight for social justice.
We cannot continue to push guns, gays and abortion as lead issues. There is just too much headwind. Just as the Tea Party has pushed the Republican Party, we need to push the Democratic Party by supporting financial progressives in every primary. We must start running real financial progressives in every primary if we are to be taken seriously. We must start now.
In my opinion we need to run someone against Obama in 2012. Here are a few of my reasons. We need to start getting our message out in a broader, smarter way. By running someone against Obama, the press will pay attention—they would love to see the Democrats split. By getting our message out, we keep the base engaged. As we get out the message, we unite progressives and push Obama and the Democratic party to the left. By keeping the message on the financial goals of the progressives and not going negative, we could strength the base and be in a position of shifting that support to Obama.
However, if Obama keeps selling us out, then we have a candidate in place with a united engaged, motivated base.
This message could weaken the Tea Party voter. Giving them a party that is protecting the middle class, that is protecting American jobs.
Don Webb
St Peters, MO
Oct 7 2011 - 1:51pm










