Erin goes to Phoenix, runs down the agenda for us and shares the advice she gave our Chairman:
"1. I mentioned to him that since he embraces Lakoff, that as far as framing the National Security debate goes, I told him that I strongly disagreed with his speech at the Veteran's mtg. where he said we need to be stronger on defense and move to the right on defense. I "requested" that he and the Democratic Party move away from framing the National Security issue within the 'right's frame' (which in action is solely and/or primarily about militarism); and that we need to frame the debate in our own terms/frame, which instead largely encompases diplomacy; cooperation; working with other nations and the UN instead of acting like an Empire; re-engaging important arms control treaties and the international criminal court; and that it is about economic policies; appropriate economic aid; fair trade; human rights; dealing with the depleted uranium issue; etc.
2. My second request was that he no longer referred to the majority progressive base as the "Democratic Wing of the Democrat of Party" as he had done a lot in the past. And, that we (the progressive majority) were the "main house" of the party and that the DLC-type Dem. Establishment were a small "wing" of the party.
He replied amicably that he had stopped using that phrase anyway. He was very attentive to what I was saying and thanked me very much for sharing my thoughts on framing. I think if more and more of us go up to him when the opportunity arises and tell him the same thing about our framing of the debate on National Security, it will have an increasing effect and impact...:)"-from AfterDowningStreet.org.
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