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Do the Democrats need a new strategy?

I have just found out about the poor results for the party in the special elections and it seems obvious that in spite of everything that Trump has done, there is little or no sign that the Dems are about to win big on the back of it.

The Republican base vote shows zero sign of collapsing because of Trump and if that hasn't happened by now then it never will. Trump's approval rating is low but seemingly not low enough for Republican voters to see him as worse than their traditional political opponents. The Democrats - by contrast - have the same old problems motivating their own base to turn up outside of Presidential elections. It seems to me that the Democrats are boxing defensively; attacking Trump over Russia and for being crazy and whatever, but not offering an alternative vision or narrative of their own. Yearning for the old status quo only works when the status que is popular and Trump's victory itself proves that this is not the case in America.

The Bernie wing of the Democrats maintain that the party should offer a more leftward platform in order to win back white working class voters and to increase the youth turnout. Jeremy Corbyn's relative success in the recent UK election seems to back up that theory, though even I have to admit that JC did benefit from some unusually favourable circumstances during ghe campaign, some of which (like the looming Brexit) are not transferable across the Atlantic . Also note that the Sanders backed Rob Quist faild to beat the Republicans in Montana

There is no magic wand for the Democrats but waiting for Trump to implode will not win an election on its own. The Democrats need to connect to people's values and offer change, building loyalty over a long period.

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Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@lacsar: Do you really believe that Russia had nothing to do with the election?

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Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@lacsar: Well the difference in outcome was tiny and you have no way of knowing if Trump was or was not involved.

Northwest · M

We, the party needs a new strategy. Specifically:

1. Stop wasting valuable resources, running LOCAL elections, as if they were national elections. The Georgia district, won by a Republican yesterday, is one of the wealthiest districts in the nation. They were not going to elect a Jewish kid, living with his medical student fiancee, to Congress. Nancy Pelosi doesn't get it. She spent $25M on an election the party could never have won. The locals did not want a wiz kid, with a genius IQ, who understands international finance/economics, they wanted someone who can run interference for them at the local level.

2. Stop setting the party up for failure, by turning LOCAL issues into a referendum on the Trump presidency. The Georgia district did not vote for Trump based on his promise to put coal miners, or auto workers back to work. They don't have those, and they don't have immigrant problems, or I should say that their immigrant problems consist of one of their gardeners or maids not showing up on time. They don't have healthcare or health insurance issues. All Pelosi did, was provide Trump with more ammunition for his fake tweets.

The real test comes tomorrow, when the Republican healthcare plan is unveiled. Several Republicans Senators and Governors have been kept in the dark, because they've accepted Obamacare.

whoowho · 41-45, F

@Northwest: Man, I could not agree with you more. It's shocking how out of touch they are. Pelosi needs to go.

May I also add - WHY didn't the Democrats see this coming? We have been losing seats for awhile. No one had their eye on the "ball". It appears we became complacent and deserve the situation we are in.

Northwest · M

@whoowho: The real problem, is that Trump is now going to believe his own bull, and will think that this is an actual referendum on his presidency :-( things could get worse. I think the party should lean left, especially on issue like single payer healthcare system, and guaranteed education, regardless of income level.

whoowho · 41-45, F

@Northwest: Exactly. They need to start taking their cues from Bernie BUT because they are still "in bed" with big business and lobbyist - they will not.

They are still stuck in the old political structure.

It is such a pity.

RodionRomanovitch · 56-60, M

Like others here , I wouldn't read too much into Republicans holding mega safe states. Strategically speaking though , they need to get their act together before the mid-terms. Whining about how they lost and attacking that asshole clearly isn't a plan.

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bigjohndl · 70-79, M

@Burnley123: And what evidence do they have? Everyone involved has said there is nothing tangible. It is a witch hunt by one party to discredit someone. Has happened ever since the democrats started it with a special counsel so they would not have to get their hands dirty and be accountable to their constituents. Of course they hated it when the Republicans used it against them with Clinton. LOL

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@bigjohndl: You can't start an investigation without something to go on, as you well know.

MasterLee · 56-60, M

@Burnley123: except this time

hunkalove · 61-69, M

If you look at the statistics the Dems did quite well. That was Newt Gingrich turf. The last Republican in that election won by 20%. Yesterday the Reps won by 4%. A change is gonna come!

bigjohndl · 70-79, M

@hunkalove: It has not yet in 5 special elections to replace Republicans that have taken administration jobs. Numbers do not mean a lot because of all the factors. They cannot compare election to elction in todays political climate.

SmartKat · 56-60, F

Those elections were held in some of the ugliest Rep districts in the country, though. And the Dems who ran, did not lose by much. Those elections should have been easier for the Reps to take than they were.

This isn't going to happen overnight. But we're not giving up.

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Northwest · M

@lacsar: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delusion

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Northwest · M

@lacsar: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=26290

MsMontgomery · 51-55, F

It was time for a change in America & those who voted for Trump are happy with what he's done. And remember, the popularity scale really doesn't mean much, as a scale was used to decide how much Hillary was going to beat him in the election. Lol

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puck61

@OggggO: Money don't lie, and the money loves Trump. I knew you would 'poo pooh' any of my sources ' He did more before he took office than Obama did in eight years.

OggggO · 36-40, M

@puck61: Actually, Trump sucks at money. He's bankrupted multiple times, and generally underperformed the market.
http://fortune.com/2015/08/20/donald-trump-index-funds/

puck61

@OggggO: It's the nature of the game. Ups and downs. The money loves Trump. Trump has a backbone, and he has helped the working man immensely. He will get his travel restrictions and border security is better. MS 13 is on it's way out, companies are staying...etc etc..

bigjohndl · 70-79, M

They have lost over 1200 seats nationwide in the past 8 years. They keep on doing the same old things, thinking the outcome will change. The average Joe is feeling the effects of all these so called "free" things they promote and are staring to realize the costs. They struggle to have a cell phone while others have 20 of them for no cost. They struggle to pay their own way while generation after generation make their "living" on food stamps and giveaway programs. Illegal immigrants get pampered and coddled while those that have been here legally for generations get the bill for it.

Middle America has had enough and they are showing it.

firefall · 61-69, M

That's not really true, I think - the special elections have all been in deeply deeply Red districts (of course, Trump hasn't been quite loony enough to staff his cabinet from marginal electorates); so not winning, is no indication of how things are going at all. Yesterdays GA congressional, for instance, was in Newt Gingrich's old seat, and it is usually +25 or so in favour of the Republicans; getting within 3 or 4% is a pretty good result.

Xuan12 · 31-35, M

I think you're jumping the gun a bit. It's only been a few months. So far every special election has just resulted in the incumbent party holding the seat. Though some by much closer margins than historical averages. Not to mention, that these aren't even midterm elections, which have lower turnout than average, these are special elections, which typically have even lower turnout. Heck, in Georgia their taunting a 39% voter turnout as impressive.

whoowho · 41-45, F

[quote]The Democrats need to connect to people's values and offer change, building loyalty over a long period.[/quote]

I agree.

The DNC made a fatal mistake in screwing over Bernie and they never owned it. Their trust is lost. They never made an attempt to connect with people - who are genuinely hurting.

I'm sorry to say this - Nancy Pelosi needs to go. They need new blood. Kamala Harris needs to step up.

bethsmiles

I'm not a real political wiz-kid, but I'm think'n that, in that vote'n booth, no matter what that person says they believe, they vote with their hearts. They vote for the promise of more food in the pantry, a better car, a job, health care for their babies, and an education that will give em the tools they need to earn a live'n.

OggggO · 36-40, M

@bethsmiles: And yet, the Republican won. The Republican who ran on the exact opposite of those things.

bethsmiles

@OggggO: there is the mystery.

MasterLee · 56-60, M

It turned out fine.

bethsmiles

@MasterLee: We are as strong as our weakest link; and if that weak link has become a public polemic of confusion, distrust, and apathy toward our elected leaders... AND... their opponents... then it's not even a little bit fine.

MasterLee · 56-60, M

@bethsmiles: one corrupt politician at a time

bethsmiles

@MasterLee: laugh'n... that, I agree with:))

puck61

I hope they don't do this, but I bet things would go much better for them if they focused on actual 'issues' instead of 'getting revenge for losing an election.'. I want them to stay the course their on though. The democrats here always remind me of this.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmInkxbvlCs]

SatanBurger · 36-40, F

@puck61: I LOVE Monty Python. Perfect metaphor really lol.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qndx4ixMVW4]

Mert5356 · 41-45, M

The Democrats are being too centrist and still playing to corporate donors. It is going to take a revolution (not literally) of new Democrats to step forward and take control. It has indeed begun and as Corbyn's win in the UK shows, it is possible.

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Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@firefall: That is something we still need to remember. He would certainly favourite to win if there was another election any time soon but it would not be a formality.

He got the youth vote out better than any other Labour person would have done but it is also true that a lot of centre-left people voted Labour in spite of having reservations about Corbyn because they had more reservations about May and hard Brexit. It [i]could[/i] be a different ball game against a different Tory leader and I would be worried in the unlikely event that they get Ruth Davidson to stand. Then again if the Tories fail badly with Brexit negotiations and are blamed for it by the public then they could be out of power for a decade or more.

Its all just really hard to predict. The political centre blows in the wing. Though I want the left to win because I agree with them and that is my guide. ;-)

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@Mert5356: [quote]@firefall: You need to learn more about parliamentary elections[/quote]

TBF he comes from New Zealand and has lived in the UK so he knows full well. I generally agree with you Mert, or at least want to, but this is complex and not an open shut case.

firefall · 61-69, M

@Mert5356: I'm intimately familiar with parliamentary elections.

I agree with Burnley that JC did -much- better than expected, and overcame an incredible amount of media-hatred of him. But it's still not a win, though I hope he'll actually win the next one, in the next 6 months or so.

Niburu · 51-55, M

The Democrats need to stop with the emotional blackmail.
State your case on how you'd like to run things.
Dehumanizing your opponents has blown up in your face, so stop it.
They also need to et a grip on realistic spending, actually everyone in Washington needs to.
Promoting term limits wouldn't hurt either.

MasterLee · 56-60, M

@Niburu: I don't want democrats to change a thing.

Niburu · 51-55, M

@MasterLee: I'd like both parties to think about what they're doing and work on some sort of consensuss

as long as it doesn't cost more money

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