BRIEF NOTE ON LOSING THE LANGUAGE BATTLE TO REPUBLICANS- TALK RADIIO

We are beginning to think we need some Democratic answer to Ann Coulter. It should be easier to demonize these Bush Republicans. We could actually have some truth behind our harsh verbal attacks.

Part of our problem is just being nice when nice does not win.

The complete failure of the 527's to back the many local progressive, Democratic, pro-labor or anti-Corporate talk radio shows around the nation has denied us a way to get our message out to the public. We badly need Air America talents like Mike Malloy, Sam Seder, Al Franken and Janeane Garofalo, Mark Riley, Robert Kennedy, Jr., Randi Rhodes, Steve Earle, Marty Kaplan, Laura Flanders, Lizz Winstead, Chuck D, Rachel Madon, Betsy Rosenberg, Kyle Jackson and Mike Papantonio to match Rush, Hannity, Boortz, Liddy and other national Right-Wing talkers. We have other nationally known talents like Jim Hightower, Bernie Ward, Peter Werbe, Thom Hartmann, Ed Schultz, Ray Taliferro, Peter B. Collins, Doug Stephen, Diane Rehm and many more.

However, the radio dial nationally has hundreds of LOCAL Right Wing Republican talk shows. We need to support LOCAL Democratic talkers even when they are not local to our home community.

Unions, 527's and Democratic donors everywhere should be seeking out these programs to fund. Instead, these Democratic entities are putting almost all their money in short TV ads during elections. The language battle is being lost between elections. Talk radio works by repeating phrases and themes over and over again. Opinions are developed over time. Last minute TV ads will not work in changing these deeply held opinions developed over time. We can compete in this arena community by community with just a very small financial commitment!

As a Party, we are not making this commitment. Corporate interests (Republicans) will not buy advertising on these programs no matter how high their ratings. It is up to our grassroots and organizations to fight back program by program.

We have the talkers who are often funding their own programs at great personal costs. Why have we left these Radio Heroes for Democracy to bear this burden alone? It is not in our own interests!!!!!

Many of these shows are located in the Red States. We have Democratic Talk Radio, on the Tennessee-Alabama border, which was off the air most of the last year before the election for lack of under $3,000. In Florida, we have many local shows like Neil Rogers in Miami, The Guy James Show and Andy Johnson's Down to Business. We have former Congressman Mike Ward on the air in Kentucky. Lynn Cullen knocks them dead in Pennsylvania. Duke Skorich and Shawn Prebil both have popular shows in Wisconsin. Mike Webb and Erin Hart both have shows in Washington state. Arnie Arnesen played a key role in Kerry winning in New Hampshire.

Our talkers are from all over the nation. Glenn Urbach is on the air in Texas. Nate Clay has a great show in Illinois. Sam Greenfield is on the air with our message in New York. KGO in San Francisco runs many different excellent programs. Including the Internet shows, the list runs into the hundreds including Meria Heller, Outrage Radio and Radio Left to mention just a few. 

We need to support all these programs... especially the small ones in the Red States. We cannot surrender the airwaves or the language anywhere in the nation!

Written by Stephen Crockett and Al Lawrence (co-hosts of Democratic Talk Radio http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com ). Mail: 7A Planville Drive, Fayetteville, TN 37334. Phone: 443-421-0287. Feel free to post on your website, publish as Guest Editorial, Democratic Voices column or Letter to the Editor.