Reply #271: Since we're taking a page out of Norquist's book...

[con_o_rama]

Let's also look to two other areas of media action, which are needed not only in the run-up to the immediate election, but also for the campaign ahead, for the next several years, and which will, even if a two-termer, outlast the Kerry presidency.
1) Take back the dictionary of political battles. The right has successfully set out a terminology for every issue, vetted by marketeers, and Republicans who do not use the official terms are literally fined by the RNC. Norquist put this list out every Wednesday for years, but who knows where it comes from now. This is how we were burdened with 'pro-life', 'Partial-birth abortion' and 'tort reform,' to name a few.
A good place to start on this would be to call the media on their echoing of RNC talking points without acknowledging their source. Let's start by e-mailing and lettering every paper, program and journalist (real and so-called) for using the term 'flip-flop,' first only when speaking of John Kerry, and second, without attributing the term to the Republicans, rather than using it as a general term. Recommend a thesaurus if they have to buy the RNC's line.
2) Co-ordinate talking points and issue priorities across interest groups. This'll be a real pain, as it is much easier to co-ordinate a bunch of groups whose vision is a return to a somewhat-existent past, say, 1907. As a counterpoint, every Liberal has his or her own vision of the future, which is why ours is a hopeful but disorganized party. Yet the conservatives were in the same place we are 20+ years ago, they created an infrastructure that remained standing and ever-moving throughout the various elections, and look where it got us: America's government is now the most hated in the world!

So this 'mediacorps' rapid reaction approach is inherently behind the curve, yet necessary, as is my suggestion #1 above. But we MUST also implement #2 if we are to do anything more than continue to play major leagues without any equipment, regardless of the quality of our ideas and abilities.