I highly recommend reading Arianna Huffington’s Contract for a Better America. Now is the time for big ideas, clearly and simply expressed, and Huffington has some good ones. And yes, her choice of title is deliberately reminiscent of 1994’s Contract With America. There’s evidence in the polls that Democrats are gaining a lead in the generic Congressional ballot, and if so, that could make control of the House a possibility. For sure, clearly articulating a vision of how things could and should be is a necessary step towards that goal.
Via Kos, who talks about brand identity, something I addressed on a smaller scale awhile back for Harris County. The New Democrat Network is also thinking along these lines.
It’s pretty funny, really. I lived in California when Arianna’s husband was running for senator (as a Republican), and Democrats all over the place latched on to her and what a space cadet she was. They lived to discredit him at least in part because of her antics. They absolutely vilified and crucified her in order to defeat her husband.
Now, they’re engaged in a love fest for her. Ah, politics. Such a pure and noble sport. I just love intellectual honesty and consistency.
She’s still a space cadet. Now she’s our space cadet. What can I say? 🙂