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Some realistic things to expect early in the Obama Administration
self | 11/6/08 | self

Posted on 11/06/2008 5:12:56 AM PST by howardl

Memo to Rahm Emmanuel

Structural Changes to Ensure a Permanent Democratic Majority for the Next Quarter Century.

The following actions can and should be taken quickly. Many of them do not require legislation.

1. Expanding the rolls of reliably Democratic voters:

a. Hispanic immigrants

b. Convicted Felons

2. Increasing participation by reliably Democratic registered voters:

a. Increased opportunity for early voting.

b. Increased opportunity for absentee voting.

c. Outlaw use of photo ID and other voter intimidation techniques for voting in Federal elections. These are areas where the grassroots advantages of our party should translate into more votes, for example by assisted voting in nursing homes and assisted living facilities and by increased voter turnout in inner cities.

3. Give poor people some concrete reason to believe that the Democratic party “works for us.”

a. For example, any small liberalization of the existing food stamp program will allow us to refer to “Obama’s new food stamp program.”

b. Explore opportunities to redirect by executive action funds toward anti-poverty community groups with strong grassroots political programs. The huge fund of Wall Street bailout money should be an excellent source of funds for this purpose.

4. Shoring up future financial support by reaffirming mutual interests between the Democratic party and organized “special interests” that will provide continued financial support for the party. Here we need to focus on policy actions that have tightly focused high impact and that have substantial symbolic value for our supporters in these groups.

a. Employee Free Choice Act.

b. Rescind the Bush executive order banning employee unions for certain Department of Homeland Security offices.

c. Freedom of Choice Act ending state restrictions on abortions.

d. High profile endangered species protection cases.

e. Appointing Federal Prosecutors who will take a fresh look at a very small number of politically motivated prosecutions begun under the Bush administration targeting Democratic contributors.

5. Reducing the influence of conservative talk radio by adopting some form of revised Fairness Doctrine (under a different name).

6. Strengthening or relaxing enforcement of the ban against political activity by churches and non-profits. The ban is legislation, but the degree to which the ban is vigorously enforced is a matter of executive branch policy. Would more or less vigorous enforcement help Democrats relative to Republicans? (We need some research on this before making any changes.)

7. DC statehood. This will provide two more reliably Democratic Senate seats for the foreseeable future.

8. End the filibuster rules in the Senate, restoring strict majority voting. If our progressive agenda is adopted and it works, nobody will care about the filibuster. If we have to water down our proposals in order to make them filibuster proof, and if those watered-down initiatives then fail, we will be held accountable.



TOPICS: Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: imaginarymemo
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1 posted on 11/06/2008 5:12:56 AM PST by howardl
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To: howardl

Yep, all of that will happen.


2 posted on 11/06/2008 5:14:14 AM PST by caver (Yes, I did crawl out of a hole in the ground.)
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Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: howardl

You forgot increased firearms regulation/legislation. Expect it before the end of February ‘09.


4 posted on 11/06/2008 5:16:22 AM PST by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: howardl
This is what I would say to Rahm "Twinkle toes" Emanuel:
Photobucket
5 posted on 11/06/2008 5:16:35 AM PST by MAD-AS-HELL (How does one win over terrorists? KILL them with UNKINDNESS)
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To: howardl

You forgot:

9. Tell 55 Million people they can go “F-— themselves”


6 posted on 11/06/2008 5:16:56 AM PST by RangerM (You're damn right I'm still a Conservative.)
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To: jrd

Not good. Not good at all, jrd.


7 posted on 11/06/2008 5:17:36 AM PST by RangerM (You're damn right I'm still a Conservative.)
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To: howardl

We need the fourty something seantors with an R next to their name to grow a set and stand tough and stop every peice of legislatation that comes down the pike.


8 posted on 11/06/2008 5:17:50 AM PST by Billg64 (LOL ROFL Senator Mccain for what????)
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To: howardl
1. Expanding the rolls of reliably Democratic voters: a. Hispanic immigrants

a* Illegal Hispanic Immigrants

9 posted on 11/06/2008 5:18:45 AM PST by johnny7 ("Duck I says... ")
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To: howardl

Yes... march to socialism step by step. Creeping subversion of our foundations. With Obama America has not reached the bottom yet, it just decided to jump over the cliff. Let them have at it. Let America fully experience Liberals without control. All parts of Government and the media are theirs now. They can no longer blame this on Republicans or a “vast right-wing conspiracy”. After two years, but certainly after four years, a lot of deluded people will wake up.


10 posted on 11/06/2008 5:19:59 AM PST by SolidWood (Sarah Palin - Everything that is Sweetness and Light)
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To: howardl

memo forgot to mention having more programs for blacks...all in the name of “leveling the playing field” doncha know.


11 posted on 11/06/2008 5:20:17 AM PST by STONEWALLS
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To: howardl

Rahm Emanuel will not smile once.


12 posted on 11/06/2008 5:22:07 AM PST by relictele
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To: howardl

I would agree with most of this agenda. However, it is likely that DC statehood would not be a front burner issue, as that would require a Constitutional amendment requiring three fourths approval by the state legislature, which is unlikely to happen. Most Southern and Plains states legislatures would defeat it. Additionally, overturning state level bans on partial birth abortions would also not be a high priority from the legislative side. Liberal and moderate Catholic and black evangelical voters would be uncomfortable with such a law. It would be more effective to flip the Supreme Court leftward and handle it that way.


13 posted on 11/06/2008 5:23:58 AM PST by Wallace T.
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To: All

14 posted on 11/06/2008 5:24:27 AM PST by Eye of Unk (Aleutica, the new name of Free Alaska)
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To: Billg64
We need the fourty something seantors with an R next to their name to grow a set and stand tough and stop every peice of legislatation that comes down the pike.

Don't bet the family farm on such an event occurring. The RINO contingent, especially the surviving Senators from the Northeast and Upper Midwest, will not be obstacles to the liberal agenda.

15 posted on 11/06/2008 5:27:07 AM PST by Wallace T.
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To: RangerM

I can’t believe that with all the real fears we have, people are stupid enough to say things like that.


16 posted on 11/06/2008 5:27:44 AM PST by netmilsmom (Welcome to Obamunism)
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To: jrd

that surely gives us a good name...not


17 posted on 11/06/2008 5:32:16 AM PST by Protect the Bill of Rights (Stand Up Chuck!)
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To: Joe 6-pack

I didn’t forget gun control. I was trying for a list of things that would help Democrats and would not drive much of a wedge between the Democratic party and those who voted for Obama. For example, union leadership cares deeply about the union voting rules, but most others — even those opposed — don’t really feel so strongly on the matter that it would drive them from the Obama coalition. People who oppose the Freedom of Choice Act DO feel strongly, but probably are already voting against Obama/Democrats. Gun control legislation on the other hand might cause a large number of Obama supporters to sit up and say WTF? So the Democrats might take this up, but first they will consolidate their future voting and financial blocks.


18 posted on 11/06/2008 5:33:09 AM PST by howardl
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To: Wallace T.

I thought DC statehood could be done legislatively. If it does require a constitutional amendment, then I agree with you: forget about it.


19 posted on 11/06/2008 5:35:44 AM PST by howardl
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To: netmilsmom

It happens on both sides. It’s just that we (for some reason) seem to be the ones called out for it.


20 posted on 11/06/2008 5:36:45 AM PST by RangerM (You're damn right I'm still a Conservative.)
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