"Devistating Dem Losses at All Levels"? HERE's why and how to fix this.

Last edited Sun Feb 22, 2015, 10:18 PM - Edit history (2)

First, two years ago after the R's got POUNDED in 2012 everyone was asking if THEY were "all done." No they weren't, because here is the difference: THEIR VOTERS VOTE IN OFF YEAR AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS. WAY TOO MANY OF OURS DON'T. PLAIN AND SIMPLE !

THAT is the problem. Seriously, with 37% of voters voting last November, does that mean ANYONE really WON anything? Hell NO! It just means, and ONLY means, that the R's simply did a better job getting THEIR friendly voters to the polls. They had no great national message. There was no substance. In the last election it was, "We aren't Obama." and THEIR people VOTED. Remember, in 2006, 2008, and 2012, we got OUR friendly voters to the polls and routed THEM. So the REAL issue here is how to get more Dems to the polls in our off year cycles and especially WHEN we also hold the White House and Congressional majorities.

Part of the reason we lost so big in 2010 and 2014 is because of sheer laziness and apathy on the part of so many Dems and, yes, too many "progressives." If they are not being titillated is some way, which happens more often in the Presidential years, they won't get their asses off the couch to go vote and that is just the plain and honest indisputable truth. Obama certainly energized people when he ran, and in 06 so did Howard Dean and the hatred of Bush. Absent that, they wouldn't get off their asses. Couldn't be bothered. No SELF-motivation. And THAT is the pure SHITTY fact. NO EXCUSES for that one.

The second problem has been SHITTY DNC LEADERSHIP. Wasserman may be a good Congresswoman, but she shouldn't be in charge of the DNC. Put someone in charge like Dean who can do it FULL TIME and will do much better activating the grassroots.

The next problem is simple messaging and framing. You can't win by having a muddled, weak, sloppy, narrative and messaging. You don't energize your base by being WEAK. You have to be STRONG, unapologetic, and CLEAR. You win by TALKING TO PEOPLES' GUTS and NOT THEIR "HEADS." Want to know how to do it? Listen to FDR, Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, and Bill Clinton. Listen to Warren too. You need CLARITY, FIGHT, and GUTS. It doesn't so much matter if you are a bit more liberal or centrist, it is if you ARE PRINCIPLED and CLEAR and PRIORITIZED. And do you also FRAME UP THE REPUBLICANS WELL?

Look at Obama in 2012. He and his team DEFINED Romney as "an out of touch millionaire who has no clue about the plights of the middle and working classes." Simple as that, and they HAMMERED THE HELL OUT OF HIM.

In an election, you MESSAGE CLEARLY FROM YOUR GUTS TO his and her GUTS. You don't talk metaphysically and with charts and graphs. You make is PLAIN, CLEAR, SIMPLE, and HARD-HITTING. It goes like this:

"We are the party of the middle class and everyone trying to get into it. We are for low taxes for middle and working class folks. We are for investing in job training and infrastructure which creates jobs. We are for retirement security for our seniors and will never privatize your hard earned benefits. This is how you create a good economy, not just by giving tax cuts to the rich and hoping it will "trickle down" to everyone else. That is a stinking failure that has NEVER worked. We are out to destroy TRICKLE DOWN. While the Republicans go to work for the Koch Brothers and the big oil companies and the big banks, we are out to increase American manufacturing, increase American small business, partner business with colleges and job training schools, and get you a job that can be a well-paying career, and we will work overtime to get the costs of that education and training down so you aren't drowning in debt. We are for MIDDLE CLASS ECONOMICS. They are for FAILED TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS. It is that plain and simple."

Give me ANY issue. The economy, gun ownership, taxes, abortion, whatever, and I will tell you how to MESSAGE it well.

The R's won in 2010, gerrymandered the districts, and that has ALSO helped them win again and hold majorities. Dems need to do the 50 state strategy, get the messaging CLEAR and TO PEOPLES' GUTS, and we WIN. You don't run for election by being wishy woshy, wonky, and SCARED by running away from your party, your president, and away from who the hell you are. That will NOT excite the base. That NEVER works. You win by talking from your GUT to their GUTS and standing by what you believe.

You say, "WE ARE THE PROUD PARTY OF WORKING AMERICANS, THE GREAT AMERICAN MIDDLE CLASS, AND EVERYONE TRYING TO GET INTO IT AND STAY IN IT. Republicans are the party of FAILED VOODOO TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS WHO NEVER SAW A JOB THEY DIDN'T LOVE TO SEND TO CHINA, plain and simple."

SAY WHAT YOU MEAN, MEAN WHAT YOU SAY, BE CRYSTAL CLEAR, SPEAK FROM YOUR GUTS TO THEIR GUTS, BE STRONG DEMOCRATS, AND STAND BY IT !!