An interesting proposal from Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa. He started Heartland PAC last year:
This interactive effort is a call to action for Democrats to regain the
mantle as the Party of ideas and to inspire bold new public policy
around the values of opportunity, security and responsibility.
Thirty-eight governors will be elected across the country in 2005-06
and a myriad of statewide office holders will be selected on the same
ballots. These offices, especially governors, have a dramatic impact on
public policy, influencing people’s lives in dramatic ways and
forecasting the political future for both parties for decades to come.
None of this can be a reality without your ideas and your action. By
electing new leadership at the state and local level, we pave the way
to regain the majority status as a Party.
But to do this, we must close the idea and message gap. We invite you
to become innovators and activists with us at Heartland PAC. Join the
discussion, start your own discussions, and by doing so help us
identify and develop the best ideas to share with candidates who want a
different outcome on Election Day.
I hope you’ll join our effort. Be an activist, start the conversation,
get involved in your community. Expect and demand good ideas from your
leaders and support candidates who promote them.
With this in mind, HPAC is holding a "contest" (for lack of a better word) to see if we can narrow the Democrats' message down to 10 words or fewer - something you could tell someone in an elevator. Or write it on the back of an envelope.
If this were a Repug contest, the phrase would be
"More money for white men."
See? It's that easy.
[slightly edited after 1st posting]