It does NOT matter what dems do or say--GOP will put worst possible spin on it

[bobbieinok]

In 08, one of the reasons I didn't support HRC was because I knew the GOP were totally ready to attack her. Then Obama was nominated, and they lied and screamed and did everything to destroy him.

I then decided that we should NEVER base our actions/responses on how the GOP will spin it. They will ALWAYS put the worst possible interpretation on it, no matter what we do or say.

If we measure our response by how it will be depicted by media/pundits primed by the GOP machine, we will never do anything.

The basic fact of our political culture is (as set forth by the GOP) "The democrats can never do or say anything that 'Real Americans' can accept."

[rufus dog]

1. Correct

Many Dems fall into this trap in the Bernie/Clinton debate by saying Sanders would have won easily as the nominee.

Bull Fucking Shit. The Repubs would have gone full blown socialist on Sanders and the media would have obediently followed.

To win people need to know the enemy:

1. Republicans
2. The media will follow the republican lead and push the daily meme.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

9. Actually, early on all of the polling showed Sanders beating Trump.

Trump beating Hillary.

Unfortunately, there was too strong a thread of wide-eyed wistful thinking that now that we've had a black President, next up is a woman. It doesn't work that way. I knew it then, remember it now.

[rufus dog]

12. Too fucking funny

And all the polling had Clinton beating tRump.

Think back, what critical reporting did they do on Sanders? What negative Sanders stories did they focus on?

I voted for Bernie in the primary, but I'm not delusional. If you think the media wouldn't have gone full scale against Sanders you need to really understand the enemy.

[procon]

2. Lie. Cheat. Steal. That's how Republicans operate.Check

They can't win elections without using those tactics. We can't follow in their footsteps and throw out everything we stand for to become as immoral as they are. We can be smarter, fearless, and united in how we counter their predictable responses.

[LBM20]

3. So let's put the SPIN on them and GO VOTE IN NOVEMBER AND WIPE THEM OFF THE MAP!

[Thekaspervote]

4. We can do better AND still beat them at their own game.. time to put this out there again

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142172139#post12

[VOX]

5. It's no longer politics -- it's now a war for democracy.

Republicans are winning because they play an ugly, dirty game, against which taking the high road does NOT offset.

That means Democrats have to play tougher, louder, harder. It means dealing some dirt. It means full contact and getting into their faces. It means fighting without the advantage of a 24/7 cable propaganda network; without the advantage of Russian voter manipulation; without the advantage of gerrymandering and voter supression; without the advantage of a bully pulpit; and without the advantage of billions of dollars in dark money, or corporate billions.
The deck is highly stacked against the left gaining any ground, which only means Democrats and progressives will have to be cranking on all cylinders, and pushing harder than ever before.

And the “purity” of X candidate” cannot be a factor (beyond any blatantly obvious issue). If Democrats get into another “my candidate or nothing” tug of war, then that’s how EVERYTHING ends.

If Democrats want to win, they’re going to have to be willing to “draw blood” as needed. Does anyone think Republicans would not hesitate to do so? They are the lowest mthrfkrs on the planet, and they’re now in full possession of all major federal government bodies (not to mention 30+ states top-to-bottom) and they not only intend to keep it all, they intend to tear it apart and reassemble it into a heartless, mindless right-wing monster.

FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY!

[Garrett78]

8. We have to engage in procedural war and be more blunt about the opposition.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vox.com/platform/amp/2018/5/1/17258866/democratic-party-republicans-trump-election

[VOX]

10. Precisely! Excellent read. With one objection.

Thank you!

On edit: my one disagreement regards the idea of breaking up California into six or seven states.

In fact, right-wing billionaires (Tim Draper, in particular) have been advocating this for some time, and with good reason: rather than automatically creating more Democratic senators and reps, a move like that would put possibly 5 of the smaller Californias into play, and within reach of Republicans (which is precisely why they advocate for it).

My lone objection. Keep California as the liberal bulwark that it is now.

[In It to Win It]

6. Does our side do that?

I don't care for spin. I hate it.

HOWEVER!!! We can't be the only party having rules and playing by them when the other side is shameless!

[In It to Win It]

7. How do we play the game when the other side is shameless?

[Andy823]

11. You are right

They will always spin it their way. Of course they are playing to their base, the KKK, white nationalists, nazi's, racists, and the phony "religious" voters who only want to see the end of times come to be.

Democrats will never be courting those kinds of people. They can spin all they want, their diehard base is not that big. Remember 46% of registered voters didn't even bother to vote, and Hillary had 3 million more votes than trump. The trumpers are less than 30%. They are the ones that will come out no matter what to vote for their fearless leader. A lot of main stream republicans can't stand trump either and many will just sit things out since they got what they really wanted, control of the Supreme Court.

If we can get the voters out to vote, we win, and republicans know that. Why do you think so many trolls show up here every election year? It's not to help us get out the vote, that's for sure.