General Discussion

kentuck

(111,104 posts) Tue Apr 17, 2018, 02:37 PM Apr 2018

Is it easier to get Democrats to vote or to get Republicans not to vote?

Are they of equal value?

Is a non-vote by a Republican equal to vote for the Democrat?

Which should be the strategy for the Democrats? To try and convince Republicans not to vote or to try and persuade Democrats to vote?

This seems to have been the strategy for Republicans for many years. They have done it with every Democratic candidate of recent memory. They did it with Hillary in spades.

Democrats have tried to do the same with Republicans but it never seems to work. It's just not in their nature. They believe in democracy and the right of every person to vote. In the end, their choice is always to get more Democrats to vote and not concern themselves that much with how many Republicans do not vote. Is that the best strategy?

4 replies

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Is it easier to get Democrats to vote or to get Republicans not to vote? (Original Post) kentuck Apr 2018 OP

Typically, it's easier to inspire someone to the polls than to scare them. bearsfootball516 Apr 2018 #1

In a true democracy, everyone should vote. Binkie The Clown Apr 2018 #2

better azureblue Apr 2018 #3

Democrats are incompetent at understanding how Republicans think Awsi Dooger Apr 2018 #4

bearsfootball516

(6,377 posts)

1. Typically, it's easier to inspire someone to the polls than to scare them.

Reply to kentuck (Original post)

Tue Apr 17, 2018, 02:39 PM

Apr 2018

Binkie The Clown

(7,911 posts)

2. In a true democracy, everyone should vote.

Reply to kentuck (Original post)

Tue Apr 17, 2018, 02:41 PM

Apr 2018

If everyone voted the Dems would win every time. Our programs and policies have always been more popular. The real challenge is to combat apathy among eligible non-voters.

azureblue

(2,148 posts)

3. better

Reply to kentuck (Original post)

Tue Apr 17, 2018, 02:50 PM

Apr 2018

is it easier to stop Repubs from gerrymandering, hacking voting machines, or other types of election fraud?

Awsi Dooger

(14,565 posts)

4. Democrats are incompetent at understanding how Republicans think

Reply to kentuck (Original post)

Tue Apr 17, 2018, 03:30 PM

Apr 2018

And therefore our related advertising is mostly a waste. Until a few months ago I still had DVR tapes of the Rio Olympics. Hillary had that period all to herself. Yet the commercials were a joke. It was nothing but negativity toward Trump instead of boosting herself and her plans. Meanwhile Trump had already told her he could shoot someone in the middle of 5th Avenue.

The right wing relies on fear. It is successful beyond all logic. The birther notion should have disqualified Trump as a wacko and likewise any candidate who pushed it. Yet Trump used it as a springboard. I don't know how we pretend to keep Republicans from voting when all that side has to do is keep the same handful of fear-based themes front and center and the base will swallow whole and march to the polls.

I like to keep it simple. Register youth for the first time. Then take your chances on how they'll vote or whether they'll vote. That block favors our side to considerable margin and is not impressed with fear.

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