Some of former Sen. Feingold's opinion, quoted by Hujo in the last thread:

"It is a dumb approach," Feingold said in a phone interview with The Huffington Post. "It will lead to scandal and there are going to be a lot of people having corrupt conversations about huge amounts of money that will one day regret that they went down the route of what is effectively a legalized Abramoff system."

"I also think it guts the president's message and the Democratic Party's message," Feingold added. "We are doing very well right now. The president is doing brilliantly. This is no time to blunt that message by starting to play this game. I think people will see it as phony that Democrats start playing by Republican rules. People will see us as weak and not being a true alternative and just being the same as the other guy. And as I have said before, to me this is dancing with the devil."

Of course, as noted, the person advising is not a current officeholder.  Coincidence?

http://www.thenation.com/blog/166114/what-we-learned-planned-parenthood-fighting-back-works

The attacks on Planned Parenthood—and the way the organization fought back—made me think back to the battle that progressives lost over ACORN. It seems worthwhile revisiting a few lessons learned from that devastating loss.

In ACORN’s case, the right’s plan of attack involved playing distorted video footage over and over again on Fox, and then steamrolling an unconstitutional de-funding of the organization through Congress as too many feckless Democrats—even some normally good allies—capitulated. Only later did the public learn that the “shocking” videos were fabricated, and at least forty-six federal, state, and local investigations cleared ACORN of wrongdoing. (Much too late for ACORN to survive, though new groups are emerging to try to fill its void.)

In the aftermath, it was clear that when the right strikes, retreat and capitulation lead to tougher attacks. Instead, standing up for our principles and taking our own side in an argument seem to work time and again.

Ah, the righeousness continues.  Only voices from "the liberal wilderness abhor war, indefinite detention", and so on.  That means, of course, everyone else approves.  What kind of mentality is so locked into slogans, black and white thinking that no reality intrudes?  Forget human nature, complexity, systems, consequences, individuality, degrees of, and by all means adhere to prejudices and labeling, name calling, and summary judgments.

How is it that we Americans who have so much access to information can be so stunted in our thinking, can be so rigid, so dogmatic, so utterly unable to look at an issue, any issue, from a variety of perspectives, discuss consequences, find options that do the least harm and the most good?  No, we'd rather make condemnations, congratulate ourselves on our moral superiority, and take no responsiblity for participating and offering our best thinking.

We've been called an adolescent culture.  Maybe?

And Howard Dean is first.  It was his analysis, his commitment, and his clear articulations that drew so many of us to him.  Thanks, Howard.

from the Nation.  Yes, indeed, pushback against dogmatism is necessary, and I'd agree that the democrats have not done that well enough.

Feingold: "We are doing very well right now. The president is doing brilliantly.

Was interested to note that the Goobey did *NOT* get himself under the porch yesterday, with 8 hours of non-supervision. . . . (And I can't figure out how to block his last entry endeavor.) Maybe he's aware that getting under without mama around to rescue you is a very bad idear?

reading, Tom.  Yes, guns, privatized prisons, with more than any other country incarcerated except for China, a cowboy culture, and a fundamentalist religious dogmatism.

Rick Santorum's win is also very disturbing.  While many of us grew up Catholic, we did not until later in life see the dogmatism, exclusionary attitudes, and the represssion that is so distructive.  My upbringing was benevolent and moderate, in my opinon, but what I see from Santorum and other dogmatics, is chilling.

I don't think it matters so much what people believe or even say; it's what they do.  Santorum, as I recall, made lots of money as a Senator.  His views are rigid and oppressive when it comes to individuals, particularly women.  That he won three primiaries tells me that the evangelicals are the ones who came out.

I don't know.  I get discouraged because the moderates, the educated and thoughtful ones, those who care about community and contribute aren't heard.  Yet, independents make a huge difference in elections.  I hope they are listening and evaluating.  When the Democratic and Republican Parties were not so ideologically divided, they could balance each other out.  Not so much now, I think.  Obama is doing his best to bring about that balance and responsibility again, but I do think the American public has been so propagandized, so dumbed down, that we have real cause for concern.

Thanks for the dog stories, Puddle.

he has a pretty good bead on the economic message that resonates with blue collar democrats and the working lower middle class that always seem most susceptible to the culture wars language.

they make up a large enough group that they win in districts where "Nancy Pelosi" is their code word for godless liberals

if democrats can't deliver jobs they lose that slice of "swing voters" (nothing "moderate" about many of them) 

the last electoral pulse of the nation swept them into control of the House because the butt voters stayed home

Use it to counter Rove, and no other purpose, and hit up your rich friends for big bucks, don't co-mingle my $20 "buck in the kitty" donations

use the little donations to facilitate volunteers

The emo-progs have done more damage than the practical middle ever has. Look for President Santorum coming to a nearby country.

You need to get out in the real world a little more. The losses and capitulations of the Democratic Party have been delivered due to the "practical middle" gettings its way in all things. "Emo Progs" (ie liberals of true conscience) have virtually no influence over anything that the party does.

As for a 'President Santorum" he's just the latest Palin-Bachmann-Cain-Perry-Gingrich pretender to the precidency that Democratic cowards have elevated beyond reality. So you can come out from under the bed and stop trying to frighten others into party-line subservience.

It’s deja vu as Congress tackles payroll tax cut extension again