that the tea party is a bigger force in Southern politics than it is elsewhere in the country. In fact, the opposite is the case. If we can fight the tea party in its stronghold, we can destroy its power everywhere.

the ones in denial (not the clear-eyed hard workers) stop whining about being 'victimized' by those damnYankee bullies. Cuts both ways, I'm sayin'. Some of that abandonment has been for good cause. Nobody can walk up and throw the chamber pot at somebody, then demand support from that person. Life doesn't work that way and it shouldn't.

Maybe Bernie Sanders can do something with them.

That said, kudos to the true champions of liberalism in the South, the ones who don't look down their noses at allegedly limo libs just because of where WE come from.

Glad this is coming out.. thanks Sen Sanders

. . .which includes every county, every district, etc.

. . .and no longer in a position to meddle with local elections nationwide.

Which many liberal DUers don't want to admit, is that for it to function, non-liberal Democrats probably have to succeed in conservative states. We badmouth DINOs and yet, 2006 saw a wave of success because of them (or in part). The 50 state strategy works - if you're willing to embrace moderates and semi-conservatives that are the only viable candidates in many parts of the country.

times better than the best Republican.

I'd take giving Pelosi back her gavel if it meant we got some DINOs. Look at all the shit we accomplished from 2009-2011. Now compare that to 2011-2013. Yeah.

The less progressive of our party will balance US out keep things level headed.

Just shut out the reThugs in all 50 so we can get some work done.

But in the state Houses.

Don't have time to look for link here, but DFA is apparently going after state races to fix the F'd up districts that were gerrymandered to hell and back.

Dean even said so.

Howard and Bernie both "get" it. When Dean's strategy was in effect, not only did Dems win the WH but also BOTH Houses of Congress.

Dean believed in building up the Dem networks in ALL states. Until that happens consistently, mediocrity will reign because mediocrity is VERY well financed by RW organizations.

He told me at the beginning of the year that his (and DFA's) first and foremost top priority was making sure Ken Koochicrazy did NOT become governor of Virginia. He and Jim both said they would dedicate a huge effort on the ground to recapture the Virginia governorship, and so far, it looks like things are turning out well. I can't say to what extent this is DFA's doing, but Virginia was a high priority.

You can all guess which governor's mansion is the next priority in their purple-to-blue campaign. If it's not clear, just think of the most prominent abortion rights speech in a southern legislature in recent memory.

and also people like the Wellstones, who keep Paul's memory alive in their information and training efforts!

They all understand that it's not just election years that count, nor simply national offices and officeholders, but the constant and consistent building up of grassroots organizations at local and state levels such as those that evangelical churches have been intentionally building upon since the 1960s - at least. All under the cover of the First Amendment.

All that people like the Kochs have had to do is simply to provide funding for already-existent groups.

Once the corporate MSM and mainstream Republicans started embracing the most radical groups that - to their credit - mainstream Republicans had not really embraced before the Raygun years, that gave the wackos the credibility they had been seeking. As we have all seen since, there is no limit to their wacko-ishness!

The 50 state stratigy...do not abandon the south.

When Rahm Emmanuel shut him out of the Obama administration, I asked Howard what he would do. He said he'd lend his name to some firm for some steady income and spend the rest of his time raising hell for causes he believed in. From human slavery trafficking in Thailand to the governor's race in Virginia, he has been true to his word.

He still does the occasional talk show, and he is still, after all this time, the straightest talker on any of the talk shows, but that is mainly because he remains one of the most articulate people they can get, AND he has nothing to lose. He's not running for anything, so no one can play "gotcha" with Howard. He knows this, and is having a great time. Any Republican ammunition used on him is wasted on shooting at a ghost. But in the background, Howard and his brother Jim have been transforming DFA into a serious on-the-ground force of dedicated campaign workers who go out into areas where dedicated ground staff can make a big difference. They call their movement "purple-to-blue," and it does good work.

Bernie Sanders tells Ed Schultz: Southern Democrats are tired of being abandoned by the party

- /fixed

Discussing meaningless graphs and charts that few people can relate to turns people off.

Talking about economic trends in terms of how they affect the stock market is premised on supply side (trickle down) economics.

The real economy is driven by demand which depends on the number of jobs (a high employment rate), and the general level of wages.

Progressive unions that actually work to help their members are good for the economy. They keep wages high and protect the workers against unsafe working conditions and economic abuse.

Single payer health insurance reduces costs and allows people to have affordable health care independent of what kind of job they have, and independent of whom they work for.

Explain to people, in terms that they can understand, how health care costs are higher in the U.S. than in countries that have universal health care, and at the same time, even simple medical remedies are denied to millions of Americans because of excessive costs.

Insanity has been defined as doing the same action over and over again and expecting a different result. Democrats are guilty of this same mentality in their politicking just as is the electorate that votes against their own interest.

A charismatic, Populist, Progressive Democrat that sticks to Economic Justice for Working Americans (like Huey Long),
can WIN anywhere.

The Republican Lites in our Party created the MYTH that only a Republican Lite can win in Red States.

Johnson
Clinton
Gore

With VIRGINIA about to flip BLUE this year, and with TEXAS set to flip blue in a few years, this is no time to be abandoning the South.

I understand that it's an effective election strategy to turn moderate voters against the GOP by shining the spotlight on the craziest southerners you can find, like Cruz, Gohmert and Paul. But there is a way you can do this WITHOUT alienating any of the GOOD folks in the south. (You know....the ones who STARTED the Civil Rights Movement?)

While vilifying the crackpot wing of Southern politics, SIMULTANEOUSLY HIGHLIGHT THE POSITIVE SOUTHERN ROLL MODELS like LBJ, CLINTON, GORE, and WES CLARK. Make every Southerner want to emulate THEM, and let them know that they DON'T have to follow the negative southern stereotypes.

Born in Texas, smart, Stanford/Harvard educated, personally engaging, young, politically savvy, worked their way up, single mother, solid left (even liberal) credentials with actual Resumes of political accomplishments and commitments. This all applies to both of them.

Virginia isn't turning blue because we're winning over the votes of people who are culturally southern, it's turning blue because of the DC suburbs and exurbs in northern Virginia that have a lot of northern transplants. Texas is turning blue because of the Latino vote.

So, while I agree that it's great that these places are turning blue, they're not turning blue because we've been successful in our outreach to the type of voters Sanders is talking about. They're turning blue in spite of our failure to reach out to those people.

Look at Alan Grayson's initial district in Deep Red Florida where I live....

It had solid ties to Bill McCullum (One of the Clinton impeachment gurus and a GOP clown if there ever was one).

Ric Keller came next and held that seat throughout the Dubya nightmare years...

Alan Grayson comes into that district and takes it over in 2008 using a mix of blunt liberalism, good campaigning, and steady ads to match the competition. Loses it in 2010 but made such a name for himself in the area that he was able to get elected in a nearby district in 2012 and the rest is history.

None of that happens without Alan Grayson fighting tooth and nail in a "hopeless Red area". We need to give Democrats in similar areas all we got like Grayson did here. To ignite hope that the GOP can be taken down despite the odds.

and we pledge to do our best to rid ourselves of the repugnants.

Except for Oklahoma, which is pretty well f***ed as far as a Democratic party candidate winning in the next election.

In Macon county (where Tuskegee University is located), Obama won by 87%.

Obama / Romney vote map. Notice how much blue and purple in the South. The Reddest areas of the country are actually in the Great Plains and around Utah.

On a trip to California once, my wife and I (both from the Deep South) saw a rare Black couple in a restaurant and she said "I feel at home now."

It's no wonder when you look at the demographics why they deny the vote and jail for trivial things.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_Pilgrimage_for_Freedom

never underestimate the hatred of dirt poor white folks, who despise middle class people of color, because they feel somehow, they're more deserving. Add that to the gay issue, and it's a recipe for teabagger dominance. It's a real and palpable phenomenon, no matter what Bernie thinks.

Drive through any trailer park, and there are signs that they're still fighting the civil war here. Sadly, they're easily exploited by sheisters who insinuate that their lives suck because of black, brown & gay people.

good analysis!

-Laelth

have an opportunity to focus on what we can do as a party that Republicans
will never do. Bring jobs and health care..they need to educate those that
do not agree for social reasons, no one is forced to have an abortion and
no one says you need to agree with gay marriage/equality to vote Democratic Party.

Republicans need a bullet list, pros and cons...voting Republican will get you nothing,
unless you're a fat cat business schmuck seeking to out source more jobs.