I don’t know about “agonizing” but I do think the point that the Democrats should not move right on social issues to remain competitive in the South is a solid one.
In general I think Democrats need to focus more on getting non-traditional voters to the polls, instead of tailoring their message to people who probably won’t vote for them anyway.
Moderates still make up the lion’s share of the electorate.
If you go onto the Great Orange Satan, you’ll see a large chorus of progressives claiming that they need to Dem party to give them A REASON to vote. And that we need to reach out to educating those who’ve been brainwashed into voting on certain issues.
Look at how your state is functioning (or not). That is the Dems reason to vote. Against Repubs. If that’s not enough of an incentive regardless of what the Democratic national party is or is not saying to you, then reaching over to garner votes from a group of people who despise you, if for no other reason than you exist, isn’t going to help. And this group of people will always despise you. Period. It’s not an issue of “educating” them. They hate. They need someone to hate. It’s convenient for them and it won’t change.
It’s Time For Democrats To Stop Agonizing. Period.
To that I would respond, bull.
They CLAIM to be "moderates"in polls yet most always pull the lever for Repubs in the voting booth.
I think Dems have a bigger problem than just the south. I think that there is deep resentment in the north–right or wrong–of what the social programs are perceived to have wrought among minorities in the cities too.
A predisposition to anger and racism makes this an easy jump for lots of people, too, for sure, but the pat line among the urban republicans I know is that the government has spoiled the takers. You can see it all over the republican rust belt. And these folks will NOT be easy to win back. The right wing media fans these flames plenty.
Yep. LBJ’s generation taught the subsequent how it’s done.
And as the income equality gets worse, the White Working Class will blame the welfare ‘takers’ - read, people of color - for their inability to live a decent life. And I’ve seen this more and more in the North as well.
Come visit sometime, your stereotypes may be overturned. Still plenty of great music, artist and original thinking “down south”. Just like any place in America we have plenty of troglodytes, but plenty of forward thinking people as well. The real problem is the money in politics, most people with vast sums of money to invest in political candidates and ideals choose the troglodytes, and not just in the south. I could list plenty of tea-baggers that hail from other regions of the country, but I try not to fall for “divide and conquer” stratagems and I certainly don’t trash other regions because I know it is not that simple. Throwing out the baby with the bathwater never, ever works out well.
Essentially it was an attempt to institutionalize the knowledge and tactics that OfA developed for the Obama campaigns via the computer database micro targeting.
Of course, those micro targeting strategies were based upon Presidential elections,so there was always a certain amount of skepticism regarding how successful they would be in turning out Democratic voters in off years.
As it turned out, the skeptics were correct in being skeptical.
But that’s the party’s unifying element. It would be like the GOP saying that it is time for Republicans to stop being angry and fearful.
Now take a look at the electoral map. Nobody’s knocking us as bad people as much as we vote against our best interests.
I agree, votes that aren’t “getable” (yeah, I know, I’m making up words), are just that. And, yep, income inequality will only get worse as time goes on. Therefore, focus on motivating those whose votes are getable to actually VOTE.
How? I don’t know, I don’t have an answer to that. If Millenials are broke, guess what? They’re gonna stay that way until the foreseeable future unless they get motivated from within not without as to what avenues (re:government) can change that.
For purposes of this article, no Texas is not considered “The South”. There are no Democratic senators, obviously and only 12 out of 36 House members. Davis had very little serious chance of winning the gubernatorial race, either.
Texas party membership is a weird thing, though. 30+ years ago everyone was a Democrat. Now everyone is a republican. Same people in office in many cases, too…they just changed party affliation, because apparently, the majority party rules in Texas. Perry was a Democrat for one classic example…his polices haven’t changed, he just switched the letter after his name like everyone else.
Alright, but then don’t ask us any goddamned money.
Fuck the South ( I am a Southerner ). Let is simmer in its own stew. The GOP has blinded the Southerner so the only way to reach them now is via their sense of pain. Just let them rot until it hurts. They’ll come around…it will take some time but it won’t take much effort on the behalf of the Democrats. Let the GOP’ers go about their thing in the South.
In my experience, many of the moderates, particularly the self-proclaimed (even registered) Independents are ex-GOPers who were too embarrassed by W to call themselves Republican any longer. Many are hard-core conservatives and most will never cast a vote for a Dem, regardless who the Dem is.
What do you think that will look like? I can’t see the southern voters ever thinking they could switch teams, even if it made their lives better. So what kind of pain do you think would do that?
Just give up? Hell, no. Why should we condemn first generation families and blacks to poverty by way of poor education, low nutrition, and overt racism. Demi need to get everyone out to vote, and once elected, to make government work— make smart deals, fight battles smartly. The Republicans are winning because they fight every battle everywhere as if it is life or death. If we do not do the same, forget about the Bill of Rights.
Maybe if Dems could figure out a way to get NYC jews to retire on the Redneck Riviera rather than West Palm beach, they can turn Alabama and Mississippi blue?