Dixies skunk in the wood pile here is that though Democrats should certainly not take the mid term elections for granted. It aint like they got an insurmontable task ahead of them, besides, Democrats have an unuasual ally. Republicans!
Strategically here's what Democrats need to focus on.
#1. Keeping control of both houses of congress. Losing either house would place Obama's and the Democrats legislative agenda into the dark hole. By focusing their rescources on key races, Dems can keep both houses.
#2. Polling data from the primaries showed that Democrats are significantly more motivated to turn out then Republicans. There are a number of issues that Democrats are very motivated about, Health Care Reform, Financial Reform, our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, Job, just to name a few. Polling numbers wont' mean a whole lot if more Democrats show up to vote and idications are that Dems are more motivated then Repubs.
#3. Dems cannot allow Republicans to frame the public debate. Democrats need to frame the debate around failed Republican policies of the recent past. That's not exactly a difficult task.
#4. Democrats need to frame debate in populist terms. They need to argue who is on the peoples side. They need to focus voters anger on the people who caused us to be boged down in Iraq, who permited the economic collapse, who ignored the housing bubble. This will be so freaken easy because it's all true. Attacking the air waves about how the recklessness of Wall Street Bankers and their Republican allies cost 7 million Americans their jobs will leave a deep imprint on the American public.
#5. Democrats need to nationalize the election keying in on failed Republican policies and their legacy of being asleep at the wheel.
#6. Democrats have to be consistent. Even if they took unpopular stances, such as in Health Care Reform. They must defend the Presidents agenda or risk being seen as whishy washy.
#7. Dems need to quit being nutless wonders. They need to go on the offensive and paint Republicans into the position of having to defend that they are not pig fuckers.
#9. It's the economy stupid. Job, jobs, jobs, jobs. The more jobs that can be created between now and November, the easier Democrats job becomes.
Now this aint exactly rocket science and is hardly a big up hill struggle. This is eminantly doable.
Given recent Democratic history though, I have a high level of confidence that they can fuck this up! LOL
