‘Together, We Can Do Better’

October 25, 2005

As part of the ongoing drive to nationalize next year’s elections, and prepare the party for a consistent, positive message for congressional candidates, Dems have been toying around with a new slogan.

House Democratic leaders are holding a closed-door meeting with members of their caucus this afternoon to discuss a new slogan for the 2006 midterm elections: “Together, We Can Do Better” or “Together, America Can Do Better,” according to Democratic sources.

Although aides say the slogan has yet to be finalized and is still up for debate, it has already been in frequent use by Democratic leaders on both sides of the Capitol for several weeks.

Apparently, it’s been subtly making the rounds. Nancy Pelosi has used the phrase at press conferences on the Hill, Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) used it in the Democratic radio address on Saturday, and Harry Reid plastered it, not so subtly, across the backdrop of an event held last week.

For what it’s worth, I kind of like it. Polls show that a strong majority of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track. By emphasizing that we “can do better,” Dems are reminding voters that a) Republicans are in control; b) they’re screwing up badly; and c) Democrats represent the voice of change and progress. It’s positive and forward-looking. Republicans run the show and think this is the best we can do, but Dems believe that “together, we can do better.”

Granted, it’s just a catchphrase, and the number of voters who’ll base their decision on a five-word slogan is probably pretty low (I think). Still, as catchphrases go, it’s not bad. (It’s also an improvement on Gephardt ambiguous two-word rubric: “Families First.”)

What do you think?

“Together, We Can Do Better”

It’s a safe statement.
After all, it’d be hard as hell to do worse.

  • Never underestimate the number of people who can be swayed by simple slogans. Many more than you think

  • I don’t know. slogans are slogans, great, but the democrats really need to show that they can stand up to business issues — sure, they’ve outlined their (nominal, at least) support for social issues like gay rights and abortion, but on the business front, esp. w/r/t unions, housing, and so forth, they’ve been pretty remiss. if they actually were able to accomplish some gains on this front, i think the debate over the slogan would be superfluous.

  • I told Reid and Pelosi to go with “Republicans Suck.” For some reason, they didn’t get back to me. Some people.

  • Did you know that slogans can’t be trademarked?

    Nevertheless, I prefer: “A New Deal for a New Century.” Also know as: 21CND (21st Century New Deal)

  • I dunno – it seems tailor made for one of those back-and-forths at the convention – throw in any line about the economy, war, torture, etc. and the crowd responds “Together we can do better”. Like Jesse Jackson’s “Keep hope alive” line.. Maybe I’m just cynical, but I really don’t like those things…

  • I think it’s fine, as far as it goes. But “We Can Do Better” sounds a lot like “Not As Bad As”, which lets the “centrists” in the party dodge the hard questions about what the Democrats are really going to stand for. It’s not enough, over the long term, to just be NABA the Republicans. They need to actually stand for something.

    To date, they have refused to do so, and have actively attacked anyone who has the temerity to suggest that it might be a good idea.

  • What do you guys think about Walter Cronkite’s idea for a Midterm Convention? Personally, I think it’s one of the smartest ideas that been thrown out in a long time. It’d be a re-grouping session, where the Democrats can make sure that they have a clear message to fight the the Rove Machine.

    You can read about it here (couldn’t get the original letter because of TimesSelect. God, I hate that)
    http://www.mydd.com/story/2005/10/14/16367/267

  • Back in the days when I sometimes felt that only Paul Krugman, Howard Dean and I realized that something was terribly wrong with our government, I seem to recall the good doctor punctuating a lot of his speeches with “We can do better.” It’s shorter and I think more effective.

  • Kind of wimpy and obvious. A stronger slogan would be one that keys off the negativity, like “throw the bums out” or “Wrong track? Time to get on a different train.” or “We tried it with Alfred E Neumann. Next!” etc. (Actually, I think just plain “Next!” would be a good slogan. It conveys impatience, contempt for the opposition, and just enough arrogance to resonate with today’s pissed-off voters. And it reminds the audience that they’re the ones in charge.) This phony positive stuff just sounds anodyne.

    “Together, we can do better” is a faithful reflection of the risk-averse Democratic hierachy. And of why the electorate doesn’t feel they’re tough enough to handle things.

  • Really like the idea of a catchphrase that all the Dems use — it’s been very effective for the Repubs and is likely to make us seem like we “stand” for something to those who don’t follow these things.

    “Together, we can do better” sounds a bit weak to me. Are we emphasizing that at the moment we’re not doing things together? Are we just talking about ourselves as a party who is “at least better” than the other one, as opposed to having a stand of our own. The better of two evils?

    But this is just for a single election cycle, 2006, and definitely better with a slogan than without.

  • I actually like it–fits in perfectly with the obvious “time for a change” theme for 2006. It allows us to portray ourselves as the government in waiting.

  • How about something like “Let’s rebuild America’s greatness”– that looks forward and also levels an accusation at the bozos-in-charge. And when they say we’re implying that America isn’t great, we can come back with the pathetic and callous Katrina response, diminished international prestige, deficits, scandals … and say that we’re about tearing all that away and restoring America as the greatest nation in history of the world.

  • I hate to say it, but it sounds wimpy to
    me, befitting the Democratic leadership,
    and begging the question – How?

    Dammit, they just don’t and won’t
    stand for anything.

  • How about “Let’s Clean Up the Mess in Washington” (with little broom lapel pins)?

    I must admit I stole that idea. It was the theme of the GOP 1952 campaign, specifically from Nixon’s famous Checkers Speech: “And so I say, Eisenhower, who owes nothing to Truman, nothing to the big city bosses, he is the man that can clean up the mess in Washington.”

  • If they had a clue they would go with

    “Screw the Fucking Republicans and their corporate fat cat cronies!”

  • “Together we can” was a Bush slogan in the Texas governor’s race in 98. He used it in Spanish in Houston. “Juntos puedemos.”(Together we can) On purpose or accidently, a typo in a Houston newspaper changed it to “Juntos pedemos” which means “together we fart.” And unfortunately, that sounds like something the Dems have been doing for the last five years.

  • “Let’s get business out of government before the government is out of business”
    I know it’s long…

  • ok, so its a bit non sequiter, but after the Swift Boat fiasco proved people will believe anything a negative ad suggests, I proposed that pro K/E 527s run ads with the tag line “John Kerry. At least HE doesn’t f**k goats.” There may still be a way we can recycle that one. . .

  • I think Howard Dean hit the perfect note a while back when he said, “How’s that working out for ya?” or something similar. You get people actually thinking about the question, “How’s Bush Working Out For Ya?” and the conclusion would have to be, “Not Too Well, Actually.”

    And maybe something from the guys who made those hilarious new milk ads spoofing baseball’s steroid troubles. When your enemies become a laughing stock, they’ve already lost the battle.

  • a responsible, forward-thinking, unifying, principled politician with brains, guts and know-how.

    I pulled this out of the WaPo endorsement of Tim Kaine. THIS statement resonates with me. I’m a left leaning independent, who does not tow a party line. One third of the country is independent. Republicans won many elections spouting catchy phrases that basically amounted to lying. Beyond a theme that resonates, the party needs to find a small army of people who can communicate and deliver verbally ala Barak Obama. Maybe not all running for office, but shit, Democrats need new spokespeople. All the same old faces have all been labeled, voters are not going to relabel them now.

  • Sounds wishy washy…too Up With People…will end up as grist for late night comedy routines.

    Comments # 10 and 16 are more on the right track – throw the bums out, time for a change, change the tracks, etc..

    In my humble opinion, of course.

  • Here are my election night 2008 talking points:

    ·Tomorrow morning America is getting back to work – working for all Americans, not just the privileged few…

    ·The permanent vacation in Washington of the last 8 years is over…because we have ____ on the job starting tomorrow.

    ·You know Washington has been calling in with one excuse or another for too long now…In the words of George Bush the presidency is “hard work”…well you know all too well it is…and you also know that the job listing for president was pinned on the bulletin board eight years ago…and you know that somehow that job has never been filled…

    ·You know there are people who badmouth what government can do (I think George Bush calls them his base) while they profit from the contracts of cronyism…they’ve been badmouthing social security and allowing government to shirk its necessary role in rebuilding our devastated countryside and cities…

    ·Tomorrow we’re going to replace the culture of incompetence…with the culture of competence…we’re going to replace the culture of blame with the culture of responsibility, the culture of cupidity with the culture of true compassion, the culture of corrupt government with the culture of clean government…

    (I knew if I waited I’d be able to post these at some point…lol.)

  • I’m fine with the slogan as long at it’s followed by something else.

    “Together we can do better” as a segue into “and here’s how….”

  • I love it. It’a America, Apple Pie, Mom. Can’t disagree with it.

    And, it’s also a great way to slam the Repugs: those who would have us all be apart, separate, competing with one another, “winner-take-all”, the screw-em-before-they-screw-you crowd, Social Darwinism.

    America is only as strong as its weakest link. We must take care of our poor, elderly, and young.

    It’s a great appeal to unity to moderates across party lines, and it has a wonderful subtext to our own base, those in the Democratic party who’ve wasted the last 20 years infighting about some special pet issue or another: Together, We Can Do Better (We Can Actually Win Elections!). So, let’s put our difference aside, brothers and sisters, about race, guns, abortion, Israel/Palestine, gay rights, union rights, etc.. and work together. Together we can do better.

    Plus, it is a FANTASTIC way to balance being reality-based and being upbeat. As we all know, the electorate recoils in horror from negativity, limits, doom and gloom. It wants hope and aspiration. Together We Can Do Better implies the reality that the vast majority of this country agrees with: this country is all fucked up. But it doesn’t say it in such a negative way, instead it focuses on the positive: not how fucked up things are, but how much better we can make them, if we work together.

    I’m thrilled with this slogan. Give whoever thought of this thing a cigar, a beer, a bottle of wine, an organic smoothie, SOMETHING. Better yet, give him or her a Democratic Majority in 2006!

  • By the way, I need to underscore. In order for this to work we have to DRILL IT INTO PEOPLE’S FUCKING HEADS RELENTLESSLY. I’m serious. We have to say it over and over again. Until people get sick of hearing it. And then some more. Repeat, repeat, repeat. That is how advertisign works. That is how marketing works. That is how great speakers work (ever heard an African-American preacher repeat the same phrase over and over again? That’s how you do it. It works.)

    Say it over and over again: Together We Can Do Better. When you poll people, no matter who they are, if they know nothing about Democrats and what we stand for, they should at least have this fucking sloagan drilled into their heads, so that it comes out unconsciously, when anyone asks: “Together We Can Do Better”.

    What’s Coke’s slogan? Pepsi’s? McDonald’s? Microshaft’s? I thought so. You can’t help yourself, you know it because it’s been repeated so much that traces of it are showing up in your urine. That’s what we have to do!!!

    REPEAT REPEAT REPEAT. Over and over again. Just like I am doing? Is it annoying? YOu betcha! Is it effective? You betcha! Keep repeating it.

    At the end of reading my comment, you will have no choice but to have the impression that I want you to repeat the slogan again and again and again, all the time, everywhere. That’s how slogans work. It’s not about the quality of the slogan, it’s about the quantity of its repetition.

  • “Together, We Can Do Better” is one of the most idiotic slogans I’ve ever heard. It says absolutely nothing, and it reeks of the eye-glazing, snore-causing Democratic drivel of the past. I continue to maintain that the Democrats have to finally, at long last, say SOMETHING!

    There are plenty of other choices that could better capture the thoughts of the Democratic faithful and a substantial portion of the confused and frustrated Middle. “Rediscover America!” for example. “Work for America” is another.

    “Four More Minutes of this shit????” is probably a bit strong for folks other than me.

  • Ed Stephan, you are right about “podemos.” I’m illiterate in Spanish, so please forgive. It was actually the headline in a Houston Spanish newspaper. “Bush: Juntos Pedemos”

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