OMG! Stuart Stevens just now on MSNOW left everyone gasping

[Cirsium]

61. recap

First poster: "We absolutely need an agenda."

You: "If that were true, then why are Democrats destroying Republicans in generic ballot polls without a detailed party agenda?"

Me: "Low bar. Democrats are destroying Republicans in generic ballot polls because of how bad the Republicans are."

Steven's point is that we don't need an agenda because we are winning without one.

The "agenda" - a platform, positions, purposes - is the whole point. Otherwise, why should anyone care about politics at all? People caring about politics is the path to winning, so the idea that winning and having an agenda are separate and discrete is just not accurate. It is just cover for playing it safe and hoping victory falls into our hands. The problem with that strategy - depending upon the Republicans being so bad, and they rarely disappoint on that score, that victory falls into our hands - is that the Republicans do real and lasting damage to the country with each cycle and the task of restoration becomes more and more difficult.

Ultimately, yes, you do need to take a stand to win in any meaningful way. Playing it safe may win kin the short term, but it loses in the long term, catastrophically.

On edit - I guess I need smilies...