We are looking into the abyss

[DemocratSinceBirth]

The Democrats are one lost presidential election away from being irrelevant and its lower point since the advent of the New Deal.

-The Republicans control the House of Representatives

-The Republicans control the Senate

-The Republicans control the Supreme Court

-The Republicans control the state legislatures.In fact the Republicans now controls 68 out of 98 partisan state legislative chambers

-The Republicans control a majority of state's governorships. In fact there are currently 31 Republicans, 18 Democrats, and one independent that hold the office of governor in the states.

We are one election away from total defeat.

I don't care if you're a yellow dog Democrat, a Mickey Mouse Democrat, a New Democrat, a Third Way Democrat, a social Democrat, a progressive Democrat, whatever, that reality should scare you.

I don't know how we got here. I don't give a rat's ass about who is to blame. But I want to see it fixed, not necessarily for me, I'm in Los Angeles, my mayor is a Democrat, my governor is a Democrat, my congressperson is a Democrat, and my state assemblyperson and senator are Democrats. I am as insulated from Republican tyranny as an American be.

I want to see it fixed for those that depend on government; for the glbtq person who wants the same rights as his fellow Americans, the working man and woman who want a living wage, health care, and a safe and clean environment to raise their children, the retiree who wants to retire at an age where he or she can enjoy their golden years free of want and need, the graduating college student who wants a good paying job upon graduation.

I am an unhyphenated Democrat and those are my concerns.

[deutsey]

1. The 21st Century is not turning out to be the future we imagined it'd be n/t

[olegramps]

46. The Republicans launched a brilliant campaign that began at the grass roots.

It began with organization the local level most often with the enthusiastic support of fundamentalists and evangelical congregations. Their leadership concentrated on issues their leaders preached were a threat to basic Christian morality. Heading this list was homosexuality, sex education, same sex marriage as undermining fundamental Christian Family values.

Democrats were denounced as liberal ungodly evil purveyors of everything indecent. While the protectors of everything decent concentrated their efforts on local control of school boards and elected positions, there was little or no opposition to their campaign. This was subsequently expanded to state government and then national offices. As has been pointed out the results prove just how effective their tactics have been.

Meanwhile the capitalists waged a campaign to destroy their most powerful enemy. The unions. This campaign has met with the same success as unions membership when from a high of thirty six percent range to six percent. The fatal coup d'etat campaign has been expanded to the majority of states with the passage of Right-to-work laws with the Republicans intent to make it a federal law.

While this was taking place, what was the reaction of the Democratic leadership. In reality it was next to nothing. The belated interest in the decimation of unions that is now emerging may be a case of too damn little, too damn late. Rightfully the unions are reacting and have stated that they will not endorse or contribute and longer to candidates whose only interest in the working class is when they are looking for handouts.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

49. Yes...

... I recall that Pat Robertson had an endeavor/PAC that would give school board candidates money for campaign posters, etc...

It was gradual, as I mentioned in another post in this thread, "chipping", at the secular virtues that existed. Hello, "groupthink".

Now, to watch for more, "chips", to fall out.

[deutsey]

50. Yeah, I think the rebellions of the '60s and '70s

scared the hell out of all the traditional circles of power you mention here.

From around the mid-'70s (after Vietnam and Watergate left them reeling), they've waged an all-out reaction against all the gains made from that time and the New Deal in the '30s.

They've been wildly successful and they are determined to make certain what happened in the '30s, '60s, and '70s never happens again.

[Art_from_Ark]

60. It's actually kind of like what I imagined it would be

after watching "The 21st Century with Walter Cronkite" in the '60s and "Max Headroom" in the '80s.

[Major Hogwash]

62. Bush's 2 unnecessary wars didn't help.

And Dick Cheney saying he would torture people again doesn't help either.

[still_one]

2. Absolutely right on.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. Things change "fast" in politics

To the Chinese America is a nascent republic. That being said these next ten years are setting up to really suck.

[still_one]

4. I hope not. I have more faith in Democrats than what is sometimes expressed on DU

Last edited Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:05 AM - Edit history (1)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. All I will say is I don't want my thread to be divisive and that my concerns are more plebeian...

All I will say is I don't want my thread to be divisive and that my concerns are more plebeian than some of my friends on this board.

[jwirr]

54. I don't think the post is suggesting that we do not have faith in Democrats. What we as Democrats

do not have is time. The Rs already have control of a lot of the government. They have 2 years to continue their obstructive ways and if they should win in 2016 they will have 4 more years.

In that time they can do untold damage to safety net programs we will have a hard time getting going again.

They will continue to obstruct the voting rights and gerrymandering will finish the job. Many of us will be lucky if we are ever allowed to vote again. And they will outspend us in every election.

They will most likely have an opportunity to pack the Supreme Court and lower courts to further cement their control for years to come.

They will do nothing about income inequality. The TPP will get passed, etc. Nor will they do anything about climate change.

How exactly are we ever going to repair that kind of damage?

[DonCoquixote]

61. possibly, though

China is far from immune to all the change, if anything, they are havign to scrap Millenia of tradtion fast. The whole "one child" policy in a cuklture that damnded large families that worked together has not hit yet, though there are signs of it when people complain about the "sea turtles" or "little emperors" western edcuated only children that mis the worst of Chinese and American culutre to be narcisstic little fucks. Remember that whole "Tiger Mother" bs...? A lot of Chinese were HORRIFIED at that, because they knew that their culture hadf been reinterpeted and westernized.

The fact is, MONEY has become a state in and of itself, enough to make the last nominally Marxist nation the last bastion of sweatshop labor, all for "creative" types like Steve Jobs. Even if Global warming destorys the cities, the power strcuture may roll on, because it feeds on deseration, something that all the "lets not vote, let the GOP in, and then people will listen to us" types never understood.

[randr]

5. One important item

Elected Democrats across this land represent a far larger number of people. Democrats control Districts and States with populations far
greater than their Republican cousins. We have the numbers and the Republicans know it; that is why they are so hell bent on voter suppression.
Last night John Steward offered an accurate analysis of the "Faux is the most trusted network" myth.
In a survey that offers one conservative network and a dozen "liberal" networks as choices and the conservative network garners 27% of the sample, they are not the majority!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. You make some good points

1) Land doesn't equal people
2) The House of Representatives is gerrymandered to favor Republicans
3) The Senate magnifies people's votes because a big state has as many senators as a little one.

The Republicans have a smaller constituency that is more likely to vote than our larger constituency that is more likely to vote.

[TheKentuckian]

7. I think you better care how and who or fixing is about impossible

You can't "fix" by having the same wrongheaded people doing the same foolish things that made it broken.

[Rex]

20. Nah we are doomed to repeat all mistakes, because people don't have the time to care

or pay attention. I am afraid the OP is more typically found in society than atypical.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

21. The woman or man in Post Four seems to be interested in assigning blame.

I like him or her and I'm not doing it to call him or her out. just pointing out there is someone for you to debate.

I assume you will come up with very different culprits but why you do that my poor country will burn.

[Rex]

22. Your poor country will burn? Exaggerate much?

Not my issue if you don't give a shit about the huge problems we face today, you just go ahead and cry about Rome burning while never giving a single thought as to why.

Sad, but you are very typical of the people I meet that want to complain and never ask why. Have fun with that.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

24. if Julio in Montebello needs dialysis and can't afford it that's an existential problem to Julio./NT

[TheKentuckian]

25. It sets up a framing that allows the person to embrace more of the problem and ignore solutions

while being able to acknowledge some parts of reality.

[Rex]

29. A strange way to live imo.

Never worrying about the source of all your problems, just wanting a quick fix. That is not healthy imo.

[FSogol]

8. GOTV. No time for waffle-making, GOTV, DU.

[HereSince1628]

10. Having lived under tea-party controlled government, yes,

there is not doubt that all minority party's would be ignored as they go about securing their hold and shoving deform down our throats.

That is a part of the Wisconsin experience.

At the same time I have to say, there is a need to be honest about the significant difficulty of winning a third consecutive term for the presidency.

We need to push on all fronts, so the approach really must be bigger than that single race.

Dems really must have a bigger plan than just the presidency. It has to include a fight for control of at least one house of Congress.

The senate looks to be the best chance for that, but the challenge also goes to the struggle for the House.

The end of a two-term presidency, looking at no control in congress is a time to regroup, to assess disappointments and make course corrections to catch the wind of voter support.

We saw in WI how lack of such correction fails, even with pretty impressive GOTV (WI had 2nd hhighest voter turnout in the nation last Nov) and -that's- other side of the Wisconsin experience holds lessons, too.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

13. We will benefit in every race at every level in 016 just because it's a presidential election

We will benefit in every race at every level in 016 just because it's a presidential election and our coalition is more likely to vote. I haven't looked closely lately but I know the Republicans will be defending a lot more seats than the Democrats and some are them are in traditionally Democratic states.

I lived in a one party state, Florida, and I didn't like it.

[HereSince1628]

16. Yes, we certainly will pick up a small percentage in the general

that's been the pattern for decades, during which time third consecutive terms for dems hasn't happened.

There's a need to be both realistic and honest. Protecting the nation from further radicalization isn't impossible but it's going to require a broad effort across as many races as possible.

[CrispyQ]

30. Too bad the dems ditched Dean's 50 State Strategy. -nt

[HereSince1628]

56. IMO one of the problem with insider clubs...they tend to protect the insiders

The 50 state strategy required spending money on places where the is no incumbent.

To incumbents and their campaign crew, that looks like not at all as important as holding seats.

I'm not sure it would be different if there were a lot more money for dems, I think it's a bit inherent in the nature of elected politicians. More money is always better, so there can never be enough.

[William769]

11. Very well said.

[Rex]

12. "I don't know how we got here. I don't give a rat's ass about who is to blame."

SMH

[Oilwellian]

39. I know, right? My head hurts. n/t

[bigwillq]

14. I never bought into these panic posts.

The recent trend in politics doesn't really allow for one party to dominate long-term. That's just how it is under the two-party system these days.

After 2006 and 2008, some here said Rs would not be in power for a long, long time.
But just a few short years later, here we are.

When America gets sick of one party, they vote them out and vote the other one in. Then, when America gets sick of the party they voted in, they vote them out and vote the other in again. Rinse, wash, repeat.

America will get sick of these current Rs and will vote them out. They will vote Ds in until they are sick of them and then they will vote them out again.

Under the two-party system, this seems to be the cycle we're in of late.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

18. The Republicans have controlled the Supreme Court going on fifty years.

So at least when it comes to the courts it doesn't take one party with control to inflict lasting damage and many state courts follow the same model of lifetime tenure with a few adjustments like up or down , unopposed elections.

[randome]

15. Yet with all this power, they are falling to pieces before our eyes.

At least on the national stage they are. I think we'll see a trickle-down effect from that, soon.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[TheKentuckian]

26. I'm not seeing any practical falling apart. Their failed worldview is now dominant.

[randome]

38. They're floundering. Three major unforced errors in a row.

Trying to shut down DHS. Secretly inviting Netanyahu and now the back door letter to Iran.

I agree, there isn't anything substantive right now but I think a perfect storm is brewing. Their weakness and ineptness has never been on fuller display than it is now.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]TECT in the name of the Representative approves of this post.[/center][/font][hr]

[TheKentuckian]

40. I hope so but they've done far worse with minimal cost, no cost, or even been rewarded.

People have been claiming the coming demise since Watergate and every topic stop since and they have been wrong over and over.

[Doctor_J]

57. Is the water warm in denial?

One excellent way to help the repukes is to claim that they're falling apart.

[brooklynite]

17. I have a feeling someone posted the same message back in 2011...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

19. Yeah, we avoided a bullet.

But we incurred more damage in the 014 mid-terms.

[Rex]

23. Well at least your OP is not trying to divide up posters in GD.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

32. I hope you aren't being sarcastic because I was offered the bait in post 4 and summarily rejected it

NT

[Rex]

33. Not at all.

I'm sick of seeing divisive threads, at least you are telling people to 'get their shit together' ASAP. And NOT just one small group. Everyone. At least I think you are talking to everyone in your OP.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

34. Thank you.

[Rex]

35. I promise you if I mean something like that, you will know it.

However, please, please, Please DO consider how we got into this situation. You asked me once if I thought we are both smart men. YES I do. And part of being smart, is questioning how we got here. I can see the despair in your OP (I re-read it) sorry for being so snarky. Also sorry you feel this depressed.

[leveymg]

27. We should be looking for other candidates. n/t

[tblue37]

28. KnR. nt

[Myrina]

31. We need "Liberal Koch Brothers" to buy elections and select candidates to represent OUR issues

.... money is the only thing that talks in politics anymore.

If there is ever going to be a rebirth of progressivism / liberal democracy in the US, it's going to have to come from a well-monied interest like the Kochs (but with a left-er perspective) framing the arguments/policies and buying candidates & the pulpit.

It's going to come down to a few extremely wealthy interests on either side, that shape our fate. Sadly.

[whereisjustice]

36. good luck - the DNC/3rd way candidate has been chosen by birthright, pushing voters

even farther outside the process of representative government. Hillary is about as mainstream and status quo as it gets. Things will continue to get worse before they get better.

We've had enough of business as usual. You better start picking sides. The 3rd way has monopolized Democratic Party policy for decades. If we want to fix what's broken, we have to stop our reliance on the kindness of Wall Street.

In Ferguson, like Wall Street, we have a mountain of evidence showing fraud and abuse. Yet once again, no prosecutions for the perpetrators. This creates a vacuum of justice that cannot be maintained indefinitely.

The 3rd way deference to authority, power and wealth is creating a danger to us all. It's time to flush the money grubbers out of the Democratic Party and let principals guide our policies once again.

[KansDem]

37. -The Republicans...

[stillwaiting]

41. If the Democratic Party hadn't sold out to Big Business and Wall Street

this would not be the case.

We're here after how HORRIBLE the Republican Party was throughout the Bush Administration. The Democrats COMPLETELY squandered an opportunity to demolish the Republican Party by passing good legislation that would greatly benefit average Americans. They didn't do that, and they have failed to effectively communicate to America the many, many, MANY horrible things that Republicans have done (and continue to do).

Of course, it's important to keep Republicans out of power. It becomes very, very difficult to do that when elected Democrats behave (the things they do and DON'T do) the way they have (especially when they continue to prop up the Republicans by pursuing "bipartisan" solutions).

The Republicans are fucking nuts and are horrible for our country. If Democrats can't expose that to Americans in a way that resonates they simply don't want to.

[GitRDun]

45. They needed the courage and foresight to change filibuster rules in 2008.

That is the only way they could have passed a meaningful progressive agenda.

The 60 vote rule in the Senate not only stops a lot of legislation, it waters down what does get passed.

[stillwaiting]

48. Even if they couldn't pass meaningful progressive legislation....

.... they could have built support for legislation they WANTED to pass.

They could have made the Republicans pay for their supposed obstruction of legislation that would actually help average Americans. They could have GROWN their movement, and they could have made the Republicans pay a political price for their obstruction.

They didn't come close to doing anything of the sort. And, they could have done it if the Party organized and rallied to push their agenda.
Americans would have seen Democrats FIGHTING to pass legislation that would benefit them, and they would have seen the Republicans obstructing it (if the Democrats made sure they collectively exposed the Republicans for their obstruction since the media itself would never help that agenda).

It would take work and effort, but that work and effort was not made. I was desperately looking for it at the time.

[Doctor_J]

58. slight correction

they could have built support for legislation they WANTED to pass.

They could have built support for legislation the american people wanted to pass. Minimum wage, medicare for all, stronger labor unions, growth of SS and Medicare and Medicaid...

They actually DID pass the legislation they wanted - for-profit health insurance mandates, extension of the Bush tax cuts, more wars, etc.

[Cosmic Dancer]

42. These thugs are much better funded,

they always have each others back and they are willing to fight for their ideals. Corporate media is totally on their side. I couldn't agree more, if we lose this next election cycle, turn out the lights and go home.

[AlbertCat]

43. The USA died in 2000

Didn't you notice?

[Enthusiast]

44. We need to move to the right! Then Republicans will vote for us and we can win.

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[Maedhros]

52. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

That seems to be the strategy these days...

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

47. I know how we got here...

... money was allowed to find it's way far too deeply into our governance. They chipped and chipped and sometimes chipped in the middle of the night using a, "plumber's van". By then, a whole core of corrupt in and out government officials who had no care for fair elections were allowed to walk the streets and take money under the table.

I don't want to get, too, wordy, so I will stop here. I am sure something will click.

[upaloopa]

51. Well republicans vote we don't

We aren't going to vote for Hilllary
We are going to vote for Warren or Sanders even though they aren't running. Yep those nasty Repubs run everything but unless I get my ideal candidate they can keep on controlling things.
I vote on principle

[Doctor_J]

59. Republican politicians give their voters what they want. Dem pols don't

and their campaign lies don't fool many people any more.

[upaloopa]

65. Yea sure they do. Mittens told the truth every word!

[jwirr]

53. Thank you.

[Martin Eden]

55. "I don't know how we got here."

This will NEVER get fixed if we don't have a good understanding of exactly how we got to the edge of the abyss.

[geek tragedy]

64. the answer is pretty simple, and mundane:

1) our base doesn't vote in off-year elections; old white people do vote in off-year elections, unfortunately they are disproportionately rightwing

2) our voters are concentrated in urban congressional districts, whereas Republicans are more efficiently distributed--gerrymandering helps them, but they have an advantage even without gerrymandering

3) money, money, money, money. Democrats have two options when campaigning against Republicans--compromise themselves in order to stand a fighting chance, or get buried under an avalanche of Koch brothers cash;

4) the lack of persuadeable voters. people who lean republican now tune into fox news and get their lean solidified. the silos of media consumption mean that their base and our base live in two different realities, literally