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NYT: Democrats: ‘Our Brand Is Worse Than Trump’

Gorillaz

Member
Dems should have honestly been looking for their next obama for awhile. I"m talking like before his 2nd term. Party desperately needed a new face for awhile and it's honestly scary they let it get to this. Peloski is a good anchor right now in terms of old guards but that won't last forever.

They need to get this shit together and have a unified platform before the end of the year tho. GOP is already gearing up to make Kamela Harris into a boogyman so they need to be ready for that.
 
People need to understand that identity politics and civil rights are NOT the same thing.

The Democrats must protect the civil rights of all citizens. Unequivocally.

What they shouldn't do is take the losing side in the waging of an unnecessary and divisive culture war. They cannot allow the hardline radical social activists to stage a hostile takeover of the national party.

This is not entirely about policy. It is about language. It is about America's relationship with its history, its relationship with its iconography, and its sense of confidence and cohesion in its own identity. Throughout the western world the left-wing elite are getting these things very badly wrong. There are many areas where the public agrees with left-wing stances, but can't swallow the attitude and rhetoric of the parties that are advancing those stances.

Democrats must embrace ONE universal message, rather than trying to pander separately to every interest group. They have to be a big-tent party that speaks to the dignity and dreams of every American, without sowing the seeds of division and separatism. All the double-speak does is make every faction feel suspicious and betrayed, leading to constant internal self-cannibalization. This happened under the surface in 2016, and the populist/union element of the party quietly defected to Trump. Meanwhile the party continues to devour itself in infighting and paralysis while Republicans continue to win.

Remember, Hillary actually thought it was a good idea to tie her image to that of Lena Dunham and the stars of Broad City. Is she insane, or just hopelessly out of touch? All of this while failing to show up in Wisconsin and Michigan.

Breathtaking cluelessness.
There is no such thing as one universal message that appeals to everyone
 
She didnt convince blue dog Democrats back in 2008. Don't hold your breathe.

She got the public option that the Blue Dog Senate later killed.

The House, by virtue of its structure, tends to see far more extreme partisan swings. When Democrats control, it's more liberal than the Senate; when Republicans control, it's more conservative than the Senate.
 

NervousXtian

Thought Emoji Movie was good. Take that as you will.
Majority of Americans are pro stricter gun laws/background checks.

..and the majority of Americans voted for Hillary Clinton.


If you want to win elections, you have to do something to cater to the people you need to win.

Gun control is a losing strategy.
 
D

Deleted member 231381

Unconfirmed Member
No disrespect, but you again ignore the specific political and societal context that defines American politics.

Democrats have been demonized as the party of "the other" - of gays, of blacks, of immigrants, of Muslims, of women who get abortions on their way to the club. Fox News et al. have convinced rural Pennsylvania voters that Democrats will steal their hard-earned money and give it to those people. Democrats could utter nary a peep about civil rights during an election, and right-wing media would still peddle those lies to credulous rural white people. Your hypothetical voter (poor white man victimized by circumstance... except all those times he voted against his own interests) will never support Democrats. In his mind Republican = "stand up for the WHITE MAN."

If what you say is true, then the Democrats will never win. If you add up every non-white, every non-straight, every non-cissexual, every immigrant, and every woman who is predominantly concerned with women's rights, you don't have a majority of the electorate. You barely even break 30%. So if the other 70% will never support the Democrats, we may as well all go home and watch Trump rule for a thousand years.

Instead, sometimes, Democrats manage to persuade a large enough number of white people not to either a) not hate black people (rare) or b) put aside their racism towards black people for some other issue. Clinton failed to do that, because she didn't have any other issue. She had nothing to say to these people. (Well, that's perhaps a little unfair. She had a few things to say, but she rarely said them, rarely explained, rarely made them feel relevant to those communities).

You don't have to get these people to stop being racist. That's an incredibly slow process that will take generations. You just have to persuade them that, okay, there's something in this for them too. Tell them about their prospects and why you'll improve them. Tell them about the opportunities they'll have for the children. Tell them how you're going to make America great again.
 

Balphon

Member
She literally said those words. I know that she was talking about the complexity of the bill in relation to the public, but most voters don't. I don't buy that the right can take down anyone. Hell, they couldn't fucking touch Obama and they were basically dedicated to smearing him for years.

She said those words more or less, but devoid of context they lose all meaning. And she wasn't talking about the complexity of the bill. She was talking about the misinformation campaign surrounding it. The fact that no one remembers that is fairly telling given this topic.

They couldn't defeat Obama himself electorally but they certainly damaged him.

If Joe Kennedy were named House Minority Leader tomorrow his unfavorables would spike by next week.
 

mashoutposse

Ante Up
Am I off base with the layman perception that the Democrats are simply hoping the Republicans self-destruct versus going on offense with a compelling agenda/message?
 

Ogodei

Member
Special like John McCain?

If you're not party leadership, you can hang around forever. Incumbency rates are sky-high because any halfway competent pol does a good job at gladhanding in their home district. Nancy Pelosi is beloved in San Francisco, she's just either distrusted or hated everywhere else.

Same with Paul Ryan. Southeast Wisconsin loves him but other conservatives mistrust him and liberals hate him.

Basically it's nationally relevant politicians who have a shelf life, because attack ads work over the long term even if you don't think they do.
 
She didnt convince blue dog Democrats back in 2008. Don't hold your breathe.
Do you know how governments works? It was in the House bill. She got it done in the House.

The Senate is the body that failed. And like others posted, that's on Reid/Obama more. I'm not sure if I'll blame them for the filibuster issue. Hindsight is 20/20. Had they known them what is known now about the GOP, is hope they would have moved to nuke the filibuster.

GOP gives fuck all about it obviously.
 
There are people in the US right now that could be evicted because they share their home with someone of the same sex.

Right now.

Yeah.

This idea that we should focus on the economy because everyone will benefit makes me think the people who are pushing it think the people who are constantly being screwed over by the system have it good enough already.
 

Mahadev

Member
Saying stuff like this isn't exactly helping your case, considering it's not true.

OK, see you guys in 2018 to tell you I told you so when the DNC loses again. The fact is that the DNC base feels betrayed by both corporate Democrats and the lord of savior of many in this forum, Obama.

The fact is that you'll never manage to pick up the pieces of the fractured DNC base until you have a populist leftist unite the party, a leftist that presents a clear and completely different path than the one the Republicans are offering. Just talking about "jobs" is the most boring and predictable strategy ever.
 
OK, see you guys in 2018 to tell you I told you so when the DNC loses again. The fact is that the DNC base feels betrayed by both corporate Democrats and the lord of savior of many in this forum, Obama.

The fact is that you'll never manage to pick up the pieces of the fractured DNC base until you have a populist leftist unite the party, a leftist that presents a clear and completely different path than the one the Republicans are offering. Just talking about "jobs" is the most boring and predictable strategy ever.

Yep. Only happy when the Dems lose.
 

kirblar

Member
Am I off base with the layman perception that the Democrats are simply hoping the Republicans self-destruct versus going on offense with a compelling agenda/message?
Historically that's what it's taken to get (brief) periods of Democratic rule post-LBJ, yes. Unfortunately.
OK, see you guys in 2018 to tell you I told you so when the DNC loses again. The fact is that the DNC base feels betrayed by both corporate Democrats and the lord of savior of many in this forum, Obama.

The fact is that you'll never manage to pick up the pieces of the fractured DNC base until you have a populist leftist unite the party, a leftist that presents a clear and completely different path than the one the Republicans are offering. Just talking about "jobs" is the most boring and predictable strategy ever.
Who do you think the base of the Dems is? Because it's not leftists.
 

Not

Banned
Everything is fucked.

The rational side has to pretend to not be rational to appease the irrational and hope to maybe compromise with absolute monsters in order to MAYBE pass some semi-rational legislation.

Everything is fucked.
 

Rayis

Member
Wanting Pelosi out means that Democrats have already lost, why even try? Republicans can be racist, homophobic, assholes all they want and it won't affect them. Democrats just mention important social issues that need focus and it affects them greatly, sad day for minorities in this country, our leadership won't do jackshit for us because it won't get them "votes" (meaning it upsets white people)
 
Yep. Only happy when the Dems lose.

Agreed.

My hot take: last year, starting with Bernie, a group of young white heterosexual malcontents decided that a party focused on women and minorities should change itself to accommodate them. (Whom do you think "economic issues" benefit most?) They've been taught from birth that they should control everything and everything should be about them, so why not the Democratic Party?

I mean, if the "populist" glass slipper fits...
 
Well I wish you guys luck. I'm still waiting for those "shifting demographics" to kick in. Supposedly that's the Democrats strength yet they have less federal control now then in any other time in my entire 43 years.

I will be happy to vote again when the left has control of the supreme court. You guys just do that and I will be right out there again voting with you!

So you don't even vote?

For someone who H8s memes you are really good at being one.
 

dramatis

Member
Dems should have honestly been looking for their next obama for awhile. I"m talking like before his 2nd term. Party desperately needed a new face for awhile and it's honestly scary they let it get to this. Peloski is a good anchor right now in terms of old guards but that won't last forever.
This is wishful thinking. You cannot hope to get a Barack Obama every single time there is a presidential election. A better way of going about it is educating and training voters to look beyond personality cults.

OK, see you guys in 2018 to tell you I told you so when the DNC loses again. The fact is that the DNC base feels betrayed by both corporate Democrats and the lord of savior of many in this forum, Obama.

The fact is that you'll never manage to pick up the pieces of the fractured DNC base until you have a populist leftist unite the party, a leftist that presents a clear and completely different path than the one the Republicans are offering. Just talking about "jobs" is the most boring and predictable strategy ever.
Isn't your point that you're all about policy, but you don't actually know anything about Pelosi, you don't actually know anything about policy, and you don't actually know what the positions or policy of Democrats are in general because you don't bother to research? Moreover, is it really the case that you are about policy, or are you more about trust than policy, because by now I think it is quite clear that Democrats and Republicans are not the same in policy prescriptions at all, but somehow, there is still a contingent of people like you claiming that Democrats are terrible?

If you personally cannot trust the Democrats, then say so, rather than pretend you are basing your assessments on policy, which you are not. I think it is rather obvious between Democrats and Republicans whose policies I would support.

Moreover, you are not about policy if you need elections to be exciting and unpredictable to motivate you to vote.
 
Came close in deep red areas

Party immediately assumes a close loss like this means everything is on fire

Seems like a totally legit response and in no way an overreaction







/s obviously


My fav is folks saying these loses are why the Dems need to change everything and learn from Corbyn you know the guy who also lost a much closer race than expected
 

Nista

Member
They need to get this shit together and have a unified platform before the end of the year tho. GOP is already gearing up to make Kamala Harris into a boogyman so they need to be ready for that.

Seeing some of the "hysterical" BS they throw at her on Fox News etc. pisses me off. Wish they could be sued for slander sometimes.
Our senator actually cares about doing her job, unlike half the R senators out there who just coast along, showing no spine whatsoever. I hope Harris ends up lasting as long as Mikulski, if she doesn't end up as president.

I'm really tired of male voters throwing women and other minorities off a cliff because they might actually have to sacrifice something in their lives to help others. Thank god my SO isn't one of them! (though he needs to stop slacking about voting in Germany)
 
You realize that they don't have any workplace protections in 17 states, right? And that 8 more states only offer protection for government jobs? So how are they going to benefit from an improving economy if they're discriminated against?
You know that thing Republicans do where they run on racial resentment while quietly pursuing their real objective is creating a Ruusian style oligarchy where a handful of megaweathy dictate all public policy? You do the opposite of that.

You run on the fact that the megawealthy are stealing wealth on masse from everyone else in the country while quietly making a more just and progressive society.

Democrats could absolutely win nationally with an economically populist message. But the party is run by the same people stealing wealth from the 99%. They care more about their fancy cocktail parties and their donors than protecting minority rights. They're happy going down with the titanic as long as they have first class seats.

People in this country are deservedly angry. It's about directing the anger in the right place rather than trying to ignore it.

Oddly enough, the district Ossif was running was probably the one district where running as a corporate democrat would be the better strategy.
 

SpartanN92

Banned
I'm sure Republicans would love Pelosi to be outed.


No they wouldn't. They might enjoy the look on her face but republicans laughed out loud the last time Pelosi was chosen House Minority leader. They prefer winning over the satisfaction they'd get from her career being over.
 

jackal27

Banned
Yuuuuup. I work in branding and marketing right now and that's all I can seem to think about when it comes to last year's election. The story and the brand behind the Democrats was awful.
 

Durden77

Member
Dems biggest problem besides strong candidates for leadership is they need to stop freaking out so much on every loss, and keep pushing a message. Ossoff winning that election was a long shot, and the fact that he got as close as he did was a good sign. It's called progress, which is what they're supposed to be about.

But then when the whole party freaks out over it it makes them look weak as fuck and disorganized, and just looking for the next big "thing" or "message" that will give them the win, rather than just continuing to push and work their ass off every chance they can to build a stronger base.

It really makes them look lazy and that they want/expect something handed to them, which will just make the R's chokehold on them much strong and even push some of their own base away because it doesn't give them anything firm to believe in.

Say what you will about R ideals, but that party has certainly given their voters strong ideals that they will unshakably believe and vote for.
 

kirblar

Member
You know that thing Republicans do where they run on racial resentment while quietly pursuing their real objective is creating a Ruusian style oligarchy where a handful of megaweathy dictate all public policy? You do the opposite of that.

You run on the fact that the megawealthy are stealing wealth on masse from everyone else. The country while quietly making a more just and progressive society.

Democrats could absolutely win nationally with an economically populist message. But the party is run by the same people stealing wealth from the 99%. They care more about their fancy cocktail parties and their donors than protecting minority rights. They're happy going down with the titanic as long as they have first class seats.

People in this country are deservedly angry. It's about directing the anger in the right place rather than trying to ignore it.

Oddly enough, the district Ossif was running was probably the one district where running as a corporate democrat would be the better strategy.
This won't work. https://www.voterstudygroup.org/reports/2016-elections/political-divisions-in-2016-and-beyond

People voting because they're racist and scared aren't going to stop voting on those axes!
Yuuuuup. I work in branding and marketing right now and that's all I can seem to think about when it comes to last year's election. The story and the brand behind the Democrats was awful.
Ya, this is the real issue. It's a marketing problem more than anything else.
 
I think it's a good lesson.

Democrats can't win on "NOT TRUMP" alone

They have to offer something positive. People don't vote against, they vote for.

Did anyone actually look at Ossoff's ads and speeches, or did they just determine this was the problem?
 
She said those words more or less, but devoid of context they lose all meaning. And she wasn't talking about the complexity of the bill. She was talking about the misinformation campaign surrounding it. The fact that no one remembers that is fairly telling given this topic.

They couldn't defeat Obama himself electorally but they certainly damaged him.

If Joe Kennedy were named House Minority Leader tomorrow his unfavorables would spike by next week.
That's my entire point. It took her forever to spell out that the bill was too complex to refute every peice of misinformation around it before the vote. I encourage you to watch the video of it again.

They didn't damage Obama. He wrecked his opponents both times and would have won again if able. Are you joking about Kennedy? We need an unknown.

She never actually said that.
She said those words more or less,

Just stop.
 
D

Deleted member 231381

Unconfirmed Member
Oh please. I've canvased and done campaign work every year for 12 years now.

Maybe the Dems should actually earn my vote for once instead of taking it for granted.

I mean, sure. They should earn your vote. They also need to earn the vote of the Obama -> Trump switcher as well. In fact, they need to win a majority of the vote - an electoral college majority of the vote! That's why we're in this thread. So please, do tell: how are we going to do that?
 

antonz

Member
Pelosi is damaged goods in the sense she has underwent the same demonization the last 20 years that Hillary Clinton has. So while I am not saying she has to go I can certainly understand why people feel she needs to go.

Also people are crazy overreacting. Just because they say they need to talk economy and jobs more does not suddenly mean they are going to abandon their social policy stances. You can do both Economic and Social issues while predominately talking about the one that impacts the Majority of people.
 

RaidenZR

Member
She got the public option that the Blue Dog Senate later killed.

The House, by virtue of its structure, tends to see far more extreme partisan swings. When Democrats control, it's more liberal than the Senate; when Republicans control, it's more conservative than the Senate.

Wasn't it screwed by one vote? Memory's hazy but I thought it was Lieberman.
 

Whompa02

Member
Sure, "let it go". I guess this means you're fine with the current President then!

We're starting to get used to losing so what's so bad about giving him a shot at being on top.

He couldn't even get the majority of Dem's to vote for him over the other candidate so let it go.

It's much more nuanced than that. He got screwed over. He also got support from millions of people so maybe don't discount his ability to get a crowd of supporters together.
 
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