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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsGame Over, Man - GAME OVER!!!
Reading some of the posts here last night, it was all I could do to keep from slapping myself upside the head with a brick.
OMG! Game over! Were DOOMED!!! We cant win anything!
So we lost two special elections to Republicans in GOP strongholds what a shocker! We lost seats vacated by Republicans who were chosen for presidential appointments BECAUSE their seats were considered beyond safe. But according to some here, the sky fell with a resounding thud and it was time for everyone on our side of the aisle to pack up and go home in shame, forever defeated.
The fact that in all special elections thus far, the Republicans have won by much smaller margins than they did the last time a GOPer ran for the same seat was dismissed as unimportant. The only thing that counts is winning a sentiment that completely ignores the gains that Democrats are making, gains that can be turned into victories down the road.
To take the position that Democrats losing to Republicans in Republican strongholds is somehow a sign of overwhelming defeat is beyond ludicrous in the same way a Democrat winning in a Democratic stronghold is never a sign that Democrats will win everywhere. Most people understand that but apparently, this is late-breaking news to others.
Politics is a long game. Winning requires effort, hard work, patience, and a slow-but-steady whittling away of the GOPs hold on voters they have achieved only by lying to them and promising changes they know will never come to be.
Victories are won by inches, not miles; they are won by persistence, not by throwing your hands in the air and walking away. They are also not won by blaming Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and one has to wonder exactly WHO some of the perpetually disgruntled think could lead the party to win-after-win in Republican districts, which they seem to believe is possible.
Lets remember that when we lose any election due to Republican voters, we are losing to people who think global warming doesnt exist because it still snows in the wintertime, people who believe that Trump will bring the coal industry back to its former glory (and reinstating those FotoMart and Blockbuster Video jobs wont be far behind), people who believe that the Earth is 6,000 years old and that the retirement age should be raised because Noah built the ark after celebrating his 600th birthday.
The fact that Republicans are joyously publicizing their great victory for winning elections they KNEW they would win speaks for itself and yet the fact that they won those elections by smaller margins than they did a few months ago goes unacknowledged.
If youre ready to take your ball and go home over last nights Republican victories, perhaps politics is just not for you. Perhaps youre more comfortable with checkers, because chess is simply beyond your ken. Or maybe youd just rather discourage your fellow party members because well, Ill leave it to those who attempted to discourage their fellow Democrats to explain exactly how helpful they were trying to be.
Im sure its a great story. And I, for one, would like to hear the tale.
Motownman78
(491 posts)Except for me and a few others who understand the long game and that we didn't win any Special Elections in 2005 either.
RIP~Bill Paxton
Gravitycollapse
(8,155 posts)Someone reading them without context might think we'd lost the war against an alien invasion.
JHan
(10,173 posts)Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)shenmue
(38,506 posts)I'm losing sleep already. Fuck this.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)shenmue
(38,506 posts)onit2day
(1,201 posts)To even be this competitive in republican strongholds. The nation as a whole, according to all the polls, is not conservative but is progressive and agree on caring for each other, saving the planet, regulating pollution, and making sure people have a job, housing and food and medical care. That is what a democracy and democratic socialism is the only form of government which both ensures our freedom and our survival. Selfish greedy cons are in the minority but win due to voter suppression and election fraud. I say voting should be easy and mandatory, and elections funded by the state should have a season of 3 months only.
Demsrule86
(68,667 posts)and pounce on every indication that it is happening...they are overplaying their hands.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)What a total & obvious joke !
annabanana
(52,791 posts)trollskies and botskies
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)Igel
(35,356 posts)Modern Americans lacks a certain set of characteristics. Makes for a brittle kind of ambush politics.
Now, *that* is depressing.
Stuart G
(38,445 posts)...The fact that in all special elections thus far, the Republicans have won by much smaller margins than they did the last time a GOPer ran for the same seat was dismissed as unimportant. The only thing that counts is winning a sentiment that completely ignores the gains that Democrats are making, gains that can be turned into victories down the road. .....
That is it..thank you for the entire post...
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)New the Media was hyping a race for ratings. Would have been nice to see a Rookie pop one,but it did not happen. Our new Campaign starts this October and we have to be ready to hammer the Rethugs big time.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)go around's and I will do what ever it takes to help our State Party get Democratic Senator and keep our Democratic Congress People. Heller is a weak Rethug,but he has Sheldon Adelson and Steve Wynn behind him. This Health Care Bill will make or break the Rethugs.
Xolodno
(6,401 posts)Then the explosion of Pelosi threads....didn't read those either. I'm guessing they were trying blame her on the narrow losses in districts that are heavily republican? Or are moderates using this opportunity to give her the boot in the case 2018 goes blue for the House?
Either way, no, just no. Pelosi has shown strong leadership and the last thing we need is someone inexperienced while Trump is at the helm.
world wide wally
(21,754 posts)I support her 100%
Demsrule86
(68,667 posts)by supposed Democrats...I don't get it. There have to be Trump supporters hiding out here.
brer cat
(24,605 posts)I had given up on DU after last night, but you made it worthwhile again.
worstexever
(265 posts)A win is a win and Democrats lost in GA and SC, plain and simple. Disappointing!
NanceGreggs
(27,818 posts)... in Democratic strongholds.
Welcome to the real world - where Republicans vote for Republicans and Democrats vote for Democrats. Except that in the two races last night, FEWER Republicans voted for their own than they did a matter of months ago.
I apologize if you're new to politics, and therefore didn't quite understand the obvious.
Plucketeer
(12,882 posts)to the fact that I'll never have a chance to get tired of winning?
Demsrule86
(68,667 posts)two decades that it is a complete failure of the Democratic Party and all hope is lost. It seems to me that this loss provided an opportunity for some here to attack the Democratic party and effective party leaders. One wonders why they feel the need to do this...and no I am not talking about you.
niyad
(113,552 posts)George II
(67,782 posts)....republican for decades.
Now if they were Democratic seats and we lost them, that would be a problem.
MedusaX
(1,129 posts)Which also means that KGOP did not truly Gain any ground....
they simply maintained a seat they already had.
Effectively it was a draw.
bdamomma
(63,922 posts)you again are on target.
Omaha Steve
(99,711 posts)Oh the outrage.
Isn't a Mello better than a Bacon from NE?
OS
Demsrule86
(68,667 posts)record was divisive. He should not have been endorsed by any party leader. Mello voted for restrictions on a woman's right to choose...abortion coverage is not allowed in Nebraska by private insurers because of the bill he voted for and he also voted for pipelines...dangerously close to a sources for drinking water. Maybe that is the best Nebraska can do..and if I lived there I might have voted for him over the GOP...always vote Democratic. However, he does not reflect views held by Democrats...and should never have been endorsed by anyone on our side. It feels like an all out war on women by some. Well we are boots on the ground...and such attacks are bound to fail.
PubliusEnigma
(1,583 posts)NYResister
(164 posts)Thank you!
lame54
(35,321 posts)Allowing a person a night or two to vent
Even if its screaming chicken little
Give the people a little space - they'll come back around
Demsrule86
(68,667 posts)opinions they always held.
Grown2Hate
(2,013 posts)already made up, and with the party machine having about a year to get some really good candidates out there, with crafted messaging for each district (and with Trump having another good year or so to fuck shit up for his own party), it's 100% doable to take the House. And I'm ready to work.
Demsrule86
(68,667 posts)as before...please God we need state houses to stop another gerrymander (2020 census coming ) and a constitutional convention where the GOP could amend the constitution...terrifying.
Initech
(100,102 posts)You're never going to get it on the first try. You have to rock it back and forth a few times, then it drops.
still_one
(92,395 posts)Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)the marathon, maybe the first year you run you finish in the last half, then you gain every year until you win. Your post was well stated, if we can get some help from SC (I dont put money on it) on gerrymandering things would change. We also have people who vote for candidates because they think the republicans are going to win in some districts so they like to be on the winning side. I want middle class to win, I will still work for Democrats.
NanceGreggs
(27,818 posts)Thank you!
blue-wave
(4,363 posts)We can never give up!!!
"The price of liberty is eternal vigilance." Attributed by many to Thomas Jefferson.
We will win in the end. "It always appears darkest before the dawn." I will fight until my last breath.
As General Anthony McAuliffe replied to the Nazi surrender ultimatum during the Battle of the Bulge in WWII, I say the same to the repukes: "NUTS!"
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)I agree there are reasons to be concerned, and that those elections should be studied to figure out why the Dem didn't win.
GA District 6, while dark red, did give HRC 48% in the election. Ossoff got 47%, so that's close. But that's concerning, what with what's been going on with the administration. The investigations, possible corruption, possible traitorous behavior, the lies, not draining the swamp but doing the opposite, failure to accomplish much, alienating our allies, etc.
So this election was not about Trump at all. Does that mean 2018 will not be about Trump? That should be considered. If true, the the message will need to be different. It won't be messaging about Trump or the direction of the country. The Republicans' miserable and cruel approach to governing won't matter. Trump's lies and corruption won't matter.
I guess it's true that all politics is local. That's not a game over, but it is a possible game CHANGER for 2018.
Demsrule86
(68,667 posts)The voters there are Romney Republicans...and quite loyal to the party...they don't like Trump but Handel is one of them. The fact we came close gives me hope for the future. There is no 'cause' for concern...and this is not a Democratic failure either...it is a Republican winning a seat held for more than two decades as usual...but by way less than usual.
Demsrule86
(68,667 posts)them. If there is a lesson to be learned, our side should consider how much party loyalty helps a party to win and advance their agenda. Perhaps if our voters showed such loyalty and showed up in off years as well, we would be in a better position today. The endless carping does the Democratic cause no good.
Hekate
(90,793 posts)Mike Niendorff
(3,462 posts)I personally did not expect Ossoff to win (yet ... although I'm really REALLY looking forward to the rematch : which is NEXT YEAR).
But the big lesson here is that we forced Trump & Co to defend on turf they NEVER expected to have to defend. And we came DAMN close to beating them. They literally had to pull out all the stops and pull in ALL their reserve forces to hold on.
This is the warmup round, people. We're not even 5 minutes into the real game yet. And in every district they're trying to get us to cry over, the Dems closed the gap by about 75% of the Republicans' headstart.
That's stunning.
And this was only Round 1.
Anyone who calls this a "defeat" is delusional.
MDN
NanceGreggs
(27,818 posts)... is delusional."
Exactly.
bresue
(1,007 posts)We need to concentrate on our achievements and less on our weaknesses! Yes, we do need to frequently analyze our weaknesses and improve, but overall we have to believe what is in our hearts..and how we can better our country for everyone, not just a few!
mcar
(42,372 posts)Yes! We are making progress, but some insist we take our A team out of the game after the first quarter because we don't have a winning score yet.
Demsrule86
(68,667 posts)Gothmog
(145,554 posts)Bettie
(16,125 posts)"She's got this".
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,036 posts)okieinpain
(9,397 posts)pirateshipdude
(967 posts)Only to be ignored because it did not work with the story being told. I find this fascinating in the obvious. Facts ignored.
FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)Where?
maddiemom
(5,106 posts)Are you dissing Howard Dean or agreeing that he was right and being ignored and dissing the whole party? Any post citing "the far left" automatically sounds "TROLLISH."
pirateshipdude
(967 posts)The whole point is the support of Dean and the Democratic Party.
What I am discussing is those that claim to be the furthest left, while using Progressive or Liberal are neither Progressive or Liberal.
How would you define the Dean supporters of the past? I am trying to be respectful in the words I choose. They claim and define themselves as the furthest left.
FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)Calling Dean or his supporters extreme is some RW talking point BS.
pirateshipdude
(967 posts)Dean is a solid Democrat yet his people considered him far left. He isn't but that was the perception. Sanders is not a Liberal, per his own words.
It is mostly these voters that are demanding Pelosi step down. Ignoring the facts of Georgia. Dean, tells them to stand down and look at fact. He should be respected by this group. This group listens to him when they want, and ignore him when they want to promote a certain agenda. That is my point and what I am discussing. Not the conversation you are having.
Gothmog
(145,554 posts)This makes me smile https://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/6/21/1673820/-Ossoff-Moved-The-Bar-19-6-Toward-The-Blue-Here-Are-The-Republican-Seats-Within-That-Range
Sure it hurts, but keep in mind the following Republican house seats that were won last Nov. and are within that 19.6% range.
Florida District 16 Republican Party Vern Buchanan 19.5
Washington District 5 Republican Party Cathy McMorris Rodgers 19.3
Texas District 6 Republican Party Joe Barton 19.3
Illinois District 13 Republican Party Rodney Davis 19.3
New Jersey District 11 Republican Party Rodney Frelinghuysen 19.1
Texas District 22 Republican Party Pete Olson 19
Texas District 10 Republican Party Michael McCaul 18.9
Pennsylvania District 7 Republican Party Patrick Meehan 18.9
Illinois District 14 Republican Party Randy Hultgren 18.6
North Carolina District 6 Republican Party Mark Walker 18.5
Illinois District 6 Republican Party Peter Roskam 18.4
Ohio District 1 Republican Party Steve Chabot 18.4
California District 1 Republican Party Doug LaMalfa 18.1
New York District 1 Republican Party Lee Zeldin 17.9
California District 42 Republican Party Ken Calvert 17.6
North Carolina District 8 Republican Party Richard Hudson 17.5
California District 45 Republican Party Mimi Walters 17.1
Florida District 6 Republican Party Ron DeSantis 17.1
Texas District 24 Republican Party Kenny Marchant 16.9
Michigan District 8 Republican Party Mike Bishop 16.9
Florida District 3 Republican Party Ted Yoho 16.8
North Carolina District 5 Republican Party Virginia Foxx 16.8
Virginia District 5 Republican Party Tom Garrett 16.7
California District 48 Republican Party Dana Rohrabacher 16.6
West Virginia District 2 Republican Party Alexander Mooney 16.4
North Carolina District 9 Republican Party Robert Pittenger 16.4
Montanas At-Large District Republican Party Ryan Zinke 15.6
Washington District 4 Republican Party Dan Newhouse 15.3
Virginia District 7 Republican Party David Brat 15.3
New York District 23 Republican Party Tom Reed 15.2
Michigan District 7 Republican Party Tim Walberg 15
Florida District 15 Republican Party Dennis Ross 14.9
Michigan District 1 Republican Party Jack Bergman 14.8
Illinois District 12 Republican Party Mike Bost 14.6
California District 39 Republican Party Edward Royce 14.5
Pennsylvania District 6 Republican Party Ryan Costello 14.5
Alaskas At-Large District Republican Party Don Young 14.3
Colorado District 3 Republican Party Scott Tipton 14.3
Arizona District 2 Republican Party Martha McSally 13.9
Iowa District 3 Republican Party David Young 13.7
Minnesota District 3 Republican Party Erik Paulsen 13.7
Indiana District 9 Republican Party Trey Hollingsworth 13.7
California District 21 Republican Party David Valadao 13.5
North Carolina District 2 Republican Party George Holding 13.4
Michigan District 11 Republican Party David Trott 12.8
Utah District 4 Republican Party Mia Love 12.5
Texas District 7 Republican Party John Culberson 12.3
Louisiana District 3 Republican Party Clay Higgins 12.2
North Carolina District 13 Republican Party Ted Budd 12.2
Florida District 26 Republican Party Carlos Curbelo 11.8
New Jersey District 7 Republican Party Leonard Lance 11
Pennsylvania District 16 Republican Party Lloyd Smucker 10.9
Kansas District 3 Republican Party Kevin Yoder 10.7
Florida District 18 Republican Party Brian Mast 10.5
Florida District 27 Republican Party Ileana Ros-Lehtinen 9.8
Maine District 2 Republican Party Bruce Poliquin 9.6
Pennsylvania District 8 Republican Party Brian Fitzpatrick 8.9
New York District 19 Republican Party John Faso 8.6
Colorado District 6 Republican Party Mike Coffman 8.3
Alabama District 2 Republican Party Martha Roby 8.2
Iowa District 1 Republican Party Rod Blum 7.7
California District 25 Republican Party Stephen Knight 6.3
Virginia District 10 Republican Party Barbara Comstock 5.8
New York District 22 Republican Party Claudia Tenney 5.5
California District 10 Republican Party Jeff Denham 3.4
Minnesota District 2 Republican Party Jason Lewis 1.8
Texas District 23 Republican Party Will Hurd 1.3
Nebraska District 2 Republican Party Don Bacon 1.2
California District 49 Republican Party Darrell Issa 0.5
Of course were not going to win all these seats, but thanks to what Ossoff did yesterday, these Republicans are going to be looking over their shoulders. We need 24 out of these 68.
RESIST!
niyad
(113,552 posts)all in, and hibernate, awaiting nuclear winter.
note to pukes: AIN'T HAPPENING!!!!!
RoBear
(1,188 posts)for this!!!
I live in a community where many are older, and they're totally oblivious of how they're going to get screwed, or in some cases so deep red they might as well be swimming in blood. How long before they WAKE THE HELL UP!!!
George II
(67,782 posts)....elections, going from 258 to 295 seats (more than TWICE the 140 republican seats) and the Senate, 66-34, and Lyndon Johnson carried 44 states and won 486 electoral votes.
Republicans were moaning that their party was dead, it would take generations to recover and win another election. So what happened?
Four years later Richard Nixon was elected.
This isn't the end of the world, people have to get up off their asses and go out and DO something, not sit at their keyboards and whine.
Demsrule86
(68,667 posts)And we ran Humphrey...and later McGovern.
Bill D
(15 posts)I agree with your point.
These election losses showed a great move upward
in extremely strong right wing locations.
One point that I have not heard mentioned.
The people of the religious right may not like Trump.
But they dislike gays and abortion more.
That is why winning in southern Christian areas is so difficult.
But as you said We are closing in.
Bill D
Progressive dog
(6,918 posts)In the House where Nancy Pelosi was minority leader (wikipedia quote)
Every single one of the 2017 special elections was in a district held by Republicans in 2006.
Ernest Partridge
(135 posts)C'mon! Ossoff didn't lose the election, it was stolen from him. Twice!
We 'Muricans are having a collective hissy-fit because the Russkies may have influenced the 2016 election.
All the while, the Repubs have been stealing elections right and left for decades, without a whisper of protest, much less investigation by the MSMT ("the Mainstream Ministry of Truth . If you are a media person and even suggest this, your job is in jeopardy. (Hello, Dan Rather!).
And so, the presidential elections of 2000, 2004, and now 2016. Also more than enough congressional elections to put GOP majorities in the Congress.
Yet the evidence is there -- unreported.
Unless the Democrats confront the GOP election crimes directly, the GOP will win again in 2018 -- and again, and again. Regardless of how many vote against them (or believe they are voting against them).
Read more about it here: http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/44260-focus-jim-crow-gop-steals-another-election-as-brain-dead-democrats-and-media-say-nothing
Ernest Partridge
NastyRiffraff
(12,448 posts)These are the same people who hated the ACA because it wasn't single payer, who demanded breaking up banks without due diligence, who criticized the Clinton Foundation while ignoring Trump's so-called "charity." These are the people who demanded everything NOW, never realizing that what they wanted couldn't possibly pass in the present Congress. But who cares? They got to stamp their tiny feet, and now they're doing so about Nancy Pelosi.
They're the classic examples of rejecting the good because it isn't perfect.