Big shout out to independents, conservative Democrats and people who seldom vote!!!

[cthulu2016]

While liberal and progressive Democrats sat at home in 2010, whining about how Obama had disappointed them, Reagan Democrats and independents and people who voted for the first time in 2008 but don't really care about politics all turned out in huge numbers to elect Democrats.

It wasn't enough—nothing can overcome the perfidy of liberals so we got hammered in 2010 anyway—but at least they tried.

Does any of that preceding scenario sound accurate? Or even plausible?

Since it is obviously a fucking lie, perhaps folks should stop fucking saying it.

Lying is not cute in the best of cases. Lying for the purpose of sowing division is a grotesque character defect.

[LondonReign2]

1. Good luck getting a retraction

from that one: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024822121

Because, you know, we're just throwing itsy bitsy hissy fits according to her.

[SwampG8r]

2. yup its a lie...no make it a damned lie and they should get ppr'ed for pushing that tired tripe

scumbag authoritarian assbags

[lillypaddle]

9. Wow

hyperbole much?

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Actually the data shows that it was those liberal democrats who showed up

I won't bother with the link anymore, or links, since confirmation bias is at play here, and any facts do not matter.

Or at least not for you...since facts do not matter

Once again, liberals made up 20% of the electorate, but only voted 87% for Democrats. Between 2006 and 2010, liberals made up the same proportion of the electorate, and yet actually voted even more strongly Democratic in 2010 than their historical norm. This is remarkable given that 2006 was actually a Democratic wave, and 2010 a Republican one - and 2010 actually had higher overall turnout, 41% versus 36% in 2006. It's not even that the same liberals from 2006 showed up, but in fact some new ones came out too. But they weren't enough.

If you insist on using 2008 as the baseline (debatable since it was a Presidential election), then you'd find that liberals were 22% of the electorate and voted 87% Democratic. So there were a few more liberals, but they were slightly less Democratic. Probably a wash. Even if you want to say this cost the House D's 1-2% of popular vote (a real stretch), you'd still need to account for the other 7-8% of popular vote they lost between 2008 and 2010. That would ignore the problems of comparing Presidential to off years, where some of the more liberal groups like the young are just historically less likely to vote anyway.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/06/1003805/-Did-liberals-really-stay-home-and-cause-the-2010-rout

Now here is one group that actually failed to show up (and will stay home in 2014 from historic records as well.

In 2008, polls showed that young people were overwhelmingly supportive of Obama and the Democrats. And they turned out in droves. According to the research group CIRCLE—The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement—which tracks civic engagement among young voters, 51 percent of 18- to-19-year-olds voted that year.

In 2010, polls showed that young people were still supportive of Obama and the Democrats. But only 20.9 percent of them bothered to vote.

http://www.thenation.com/blog/156470/young-voter-turnout-fell-60-2008-2010-dems-wont-win-2012-if-trend-continues

Oh and Indies, who you are celebrating, favored Republicans in 2010

http://www.gallup.com/poll/141086/independent-voters-favor-gop-2010-election-tracking.aspx

And here from Arizona, which also matches a national trend

Those who believe that independents hold the key to Arizona political results they would find more agreeable should warm up the vocal cords some more. In reality, independent participation in general elections, particularly off-presidential ones, is also anemic.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/robertrobb/2014/03/21/independents/6714951/

Not that facts matter, I don't expect them to matter. It is hippy punching time.

[cthulu2016]

5. Meh. Data is for heretics

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. I know, why I really did not post it for you

really

[cthulu2016]

12. I think you for posting it. It can't be said enough.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Ok

[LondonReign2]

8. I'm thinking you might not have read the OP in its entirety

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. I did and I am so damn tired of the hippie punching it is not even funny

[LondonReign2]

13. Place a "sarcasm" tag after the 2nd paragraph

and read it again. The OP, if I am not mistaken, is in complete agreement with you.

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Ok

[AleksS]

22. I've been thinking a lot about

I've been thinking a lot about the young voter bump (2008) and disappear (2010).

A lot of people seem to tie it to a lack of excitement about policy, or of a disillusionment. Could it be something simpler--like Obama was cool, and many local candidates just are not? I have nothing to back that up. It's just something tickling the back of my brain. It's easy to get excited about President Obama--he's got rock stars endorsing him and stadium shows, and he just radiates "cool." It's harder to get excited about Joe Assemblyman with a $20,000 campaign chest, and the endorsement of the local plumbers' union. It's certainly harder to get excited enough to justify spending time and effort dealing with people you'd rather not deal with in order to vote for Joe Assemblyman. Is that Joe Assemblyman's fault? Of course not. Should "being cool" be a requirement for office? Of course not! But I have to imagine it helps get that young voter out. (Not that there aren't young voters for whom civic responsibility, and a drive to affect public policy aren't enough, it's just that statistically, those young folks are in the minority.)

I don't even know how you would do the math to try to figure out if that were the case. Or how that information could be used.

And either way, regardless of the "why"--the answer is GOTV! GOTV! GOTV! GOTV!

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. Part of the reason

but I heard it with my focus group, my nieces. They were extremely let down with policy and expected a turn to the left. When it did not happen.

As to GOTV, you also need to give your voters a reason to go vote. It is not just making calls and all that.

My locals SEEM to have finally figured it out. Have something that the base will come out for every damn election. (General they are trying to get a minimum wage increase for the November ballot)

The right figured out this a generation ago.

Second lesson I am hoping my locals learn before another generation passes, RUN FOR LOCAL OFFICE. The Right figured this out a generation ago. Why they have utter and complete control of boards. City Councils in coastal areas the Dems are starting to dominate, but inland...

And we cover local politics, local races are not really that important to the local party. The Republicans on the other hand... the Lincoln Club knows how critical is that control... we simply don't.

I said in a post earlier, people live this fantasy that change will come from the top, when in reality change will come from local planning groups, school boards, city councils and boards of supers, to mention a few.

[1StrongBlackMan]

26. I think you are really on to something here ...

it's funny how we ascribe our sentiments and motives to other populations. Those of us on DU seem to think that others do things based on the reasons we would do them.

As you mention, the "civic-minded youth voter with a desire to affect policy", is in the vast minority of the youth population, even among those that voted in 2008 ... just as the civic-minded voter with a desire to affect policy of any age grouping, is in the minority.

Good catch, better explanation.

I know that many will buck against this; but, I think if people are honest (with themselves), unless they were born during the Vietnam Era, the first vote they cast was far less policy-driven, then "Hey, that guy (woman) seems competent and cooler than the other guy (woman)."

I know that was the basis of my writing in Jesse Jackson; but, the 1SBM of the early/mid-80s, is not the 1SBM of today.

[1000words]

27. I engage scores of 20-somethings on a daily basis

For what it's worth, they are disillusioned and deeply disappointed in the Obama presidency.

[1000words]

4. The tea leaves suggest trouble, a goat is needed.

Time for some hippie punching ...

[agbdf]

7. Are there any Reagan Democrats still around?

I'm active in Democratic politics and I have encountered everything from far left to moderate Democrats but I have never met a conservative Democrat. Perhaps they are mostly in the Southern states?

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Oh they exist

even in California. My Member of the US Congress, while too young to vote for Reagan, is the textbook example of one.

[agbdf]

16. I hope you throw him out of office!

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Well the guy running against him makes him

look like a boy scout. Truly a lesser of two evils. The other guy is a Walker wannabee

[agbdf]

19. Maybe the evil of two lessors

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. Also my delegation shows the problem with Congress at heart

we have number one in net worth in Congress (R- he is "loved" round these parts) and number six: This guy.

The other three are in the lower tier of net worth, but these two exemplify the problem, They are not there to make laws for the People, and lord knows it.

[LondonReign2]

18. They are around

But after they read on a message that some pony-wishing lib pouragers believe Obama could have done better they gave up and didn't vote in 2010. True story.

[progressoid]

24. Yes, but worse yet,

many of those policies have be embraced by our party.

[IronLionZion]

28. There are all types of Democrats

there are some who are social conservative and economic liberal, mainly in the south and midwest.

Then there are some who are very liberal on social issues but support corporate interests.

There are libertarian Dems who want less restrictions on all types of personal freedoms while still supporting mostly liberal programs that benefit people. Many of these are out west.

Individuals can have differing stances on the issues that matter to them, especially if the effects are personal or local.

[Rex]

20. Nah let them keep lying, the rest of us see it as plain as day.

Their narrative is weak and getting weaker by the day.

[Fumesucker]

25. I've been arguing for a while now the Reagan Democrats are the base of the party

Indeed, you can't know what it means to be liberal unless you have mistakenly voted for a conservative, taken in by the devil's cunning lies.

[LondonReign2]

29. Still no correction from the latest person to spin this lie?

What a surprise