Huff Po: Democrats Are Flawlessly Executing A 10 Point Plan to Lose the GE

[amborin]

The Democrats Are Flawlessly Executing a 10-Point Plan to Lose the 2016 Presidential Election

04/03/2016 05:41

By Seth Abramson


One needn’t speculate about how the Democrats could end up losing the 2016 presidential election. In fact, a subtly complex, multi-part plan to do just that is exactly what the Democrats have been up to over the last six months.

Here’s a detailed report on the ten steps the Democrats are now taking to ensure they lose the White House to the Republicans in 2016:

1. Assume that Donald Trump will be the Republicans’ 2016 nominee, though it’s now clear he won’t be.

Republican pundits agree: Trump will come up short of the 1,237 delegates he needs to clinch the Republican nomination prior to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

Trump will come up short for several reasons: (a) neither Ted Cruz nor John Kasich has any reason to leave the race before Cleveland, and the entirety of their ambition in remaining candidates is to deny delegates to Trump pre-Cleveland; (b) delegates Trump thought he had earned — in Louisiana, in Tennessee, in South Carolina, and soon enough elsewhere — are being and will be taken from him pre-Convention via shenanigans coordinated by Ted Cruz’s ground operation; (c) Trump is about to lose Wisconsin, and will continue to lose certain smaller and more rural states to Cruz and large pockets of delegates to Kasich in Midwestern and Northeastern states; and (d) there are just too few states left for Trump to clinch before Cleveland, now that his “win %” is well over 50% (that is, he has to win well over 50% of the remaining delegates to clinch the nomination pre-convention, and in a three-candidate primary he’s clearly not been able to do that).

snip

2. Nominate the only person who can reunite the Republican Party once Trump failing to get the nomination has fractured it beyond repair.

Hillary Clinton is one of the least popular major-party politicians in America, and her disapproval rating is not just sky-high among Republicans — we already knew that — but is in fact a long-time institutional motivator for the entire Republican Party.

Nothing unites Republicans quite like hatred of the Clintons. If Trump’s supporters are denied seeing their favored candidate win the nomination despite his lead in delegates earned through primaries and caucuses — and make no mistake, they will be so denied — their impulse to bolt the Republican Party completely will (and can) only be stopped by a Clinton candidacy.

Hillary Clinton is, in short, the only savior the Republican Party has left.

So the Democrats are working as hard as they can to nominate her, of course.

3. Fracture the Democratic Party by broadly supporting the Clinton camp’s attempts to smear Bernie Sanders and his supporters.

Three weeks ago, no one was talking about the Democratic race being “negative.”

Then Bernie Sanders starting winning more Election Day votes than Clinton, started cutting into her delegate lead, and started developing the sort of momentum that could lead to catastrophic electoral results for Clinton in the latter half of the election season. After winning 60% of the delegates in February, Clinton won only 51% of them in March, and is now set to lose the first two votes on April (Wisconsin and Wyoming). The frustration in her camp is palpable, and recently was seen on the face of the candidate herself while reprimanding a Sanders supporter during a public rally.

So the Clinton camp — with the help of the media and cable-news interviews (as well as newspaper editorials) by Party elites — changed the narrative.

Clinton campaign staff put out the conspiracy theory that Sanders was planning (I paraphrase) “a massive negative attack campaign” in New York, based solely on internal polls taken by Sanders to determine which issues New York voters are most interested in hearing the candidates discuss. Clinton supporters Barney Frank and Bakari Sellers accused Sanders of being a “McCarthyite” — comparison to the late Senator Joe McCarthy being one of the most damning slanders in American politics — for noting that oil lobbyists were bundling money for the Clinton campaign and for her super-PAC. The Clinton camp accused the Sanders campaign of “playing games” with the scheduling of a primary debate in New York.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/seth-abramson/the-democrats-10-point-plan-lose-election_b_9605608.html

[Ned_Devine]

2. I read this earlier and almost posted it

Thanks for doing so

[Autumn]

3. That's a whole lotta truth right there. Anybody listening???

[wendylaroux]

26. Can they hear us now!!??

[Autumn]

27. They will hear us. It's no longer business as usual and they are going to find that out

[wendylaroux]

28. Oh I agree! nt

[grasswire]

4. So are the Republicans.

I don't think Cruz will be the nominee even though Trump may be falling badly.

Dems would be fine if Hillary would just take the advice to step aside for the good of the Party and country.

[bvf]

5. I've said for a while

that another Clinton in the White House is just fine, as far as the Republican establishment is concerned.

To anyone about to scream, "SCOTUS":

Do you honestly think the Koch Brothers, or Wall Street, really gives a rat's ass about anything they say?

[Raster]

6. Absolutely freakin' amazing analysis.

This is something I will send and circulate. All of my Dem family and friends are freakin' terrified that HRC will abscond with the nomination and signal the end of the Democratic Party as we know it.

Hillary Clinton doesn’t share the values or vision for America of the generation that will steer the Democratic Party for the next half-century, and shows no interest in doing so. That spells doom for the Party long-term — possibly even its devolution or dissolution in the next few election cycles, as we’re seeing with the Republican Party now. And it’s entirely avoidable. In fact, Bernie Sanders is not so much what the Clintons see him as — a pest — as the writing on the wall telling the Democratic Leadership Council and its ilk that their days are numbered, and that if they don’t pivot into the America we all live in, rather than merely the America they and their friends inhabit, the Democratic Party will ultimately cease to exist.

In sum, the Democrats are flawlessly executing a complex plan to lose the 2016 presidential election, slowly dismantle their own party apparatus, and become irrelevant in the next ten years.

[JDPriestly]

7. Insightful article. Insight is what the Democratic Party needs but totally lacks right now.

Hillary is a voice from the past. Sanders is the future. He just is the future.

Republicans hate Hillary. Whether it is fair or not it is a fact. The DNC ignores that fact to its peril.

I totally agree with this article.

[Hydra]

8. This is a great article

Sad to see it all coming to pass, but most of us saw it coming last year.

[stillwaiting]

11. Yes. These points were being made here last year. It is painfully obvious the truths within. nt

[brush]

32. Not gonna happen

Once the repug party is split at their convention, what in the world makes anyone think that party will win the general election?

Who are they going to run — Cruz whose name is on the DC Madam's client list and is rumored to have had 5 affairs; Kasich, who only won one primary, the one in his home state; Trump with more negatives than anybody? Nah, he'll try to run 3rd party after his supporters make the 1968 Dem convention in Chicago look like a love-in as they run wild at the upcoming repug convention; Ryan, yeah right, the loser who Joe Biden embarrassed in that VP debate in 2012 like he was a junior high school kid.

Maybe they'll bring back Carson or Christie — hah, two more losers.

Rubio you say. Who? Has anyone even thought about him since he lost horribly in his home state?

Which of those clowns with an ineffective, tattered party in disarray behind him, is going to beat Clinton, or Sanders for that matter?

None of them.

[DemocracyDirect]

34. It's going to be Paul Ryan.

Yes I know he said he wasn't interested.

But it's not the first time he said that.

[bvar22]

40. The Republicans could run a chimpanzee,

and The Republicans will STILL turn out in swarms to keep Hillary from being president.

[brush]

41. Yeah, well, everybody has opinions . . .

they're not always right though.

[Raster]

42. Absolutely! The GOP faithful will crawl through fire and across broken glass...

...to vote against Hillary Clinton.

[zalinda]

9. An amazingly good opinion piece

I commend him for writing something that is so simple to understand.

Z

[highprincipleswork]

10. We are not going to beat Republican by being like them or slightly better. Bernie!!!

[riderinthestorm]

12. Must read article! Excellent analysis. Anyone who considers themselves a Democrat must read this

Bookmarking

[Nonhlanhla]

13. Abramson...the new Goodman. nt.

[Armstead]

15. How insightful of you

Your refutation of his specific points are intellectually spot on.

[Nonhlanhla]

21. The piece is not worthy of intellectually rigorous response. nt

[Armstead]

22. Of course it isn't. It has a lot of those factey things.

Hey, if you disagree with the analysis and conclusions fine. Refute them on the merits.

[Nonhlanhla]

23. There are no merits to refute them on.

Just like Abramson's other pieces. And those of Goodman.

[wendylaroux]

29. Your words make you sound smart.

are you smart enough to see the truth?

[Raster]

44. That is EXACTLY what someone posts when they don't have shit...

...which you don't.

This sad devotion to the Cult of Hillary will be the death knell of the Democratic Party as we know it. And further, the GOP, which should be breathing its last, will find a renewed vigor in their hatred of Hillary. Renewed enough to consolidate their power for the next 20 years. Everything good and progressive which so many of us have worked for, bled for, died for will be marginalized because of the oversized ego of one woman and her gullible gaggle.

[Nonhlanhla]

46. Projection much?

"Sad devotion to the Cult of Hillary"?

The only cultists I see around here are some Bernie followers who post stuff about how he's like Jesus.

[Raster]

49. The second thing they usually say is: "Projection much?"

And either an "eye-rolly" gif or a "rofl" gif. So. Fucking. Typical.

[Nonhlanhla]

50. Well, you've convinced me

Now that you've taken my response, claimed it to be the standard response, and called me "FUCKING typical," I have been converted to Bernieism. Your "argument" is just too strong.

[amborin]

38. kill the messenger....

[jonestonesusa]

14. Spot on OP

There are larger unintended consequences when the national party puts all its eggs in the Clinton basket and leaves its other priorities aside, such as appealing to young voters, courting independent voters, and modernizing the platform for today's urgent issues. It's clearly time for the DNC and the Clinton campaign to move beyond the damage control mode that seems to be their perpetual MO.

[NorthCarolina]

16. Pfft: They can streamline that plan greatly

just by electing Hillary as the Dem. candidate. Instant GE loss...guaranteed.

[CalvinballPro]

17. The only thing missing from that steaming pile is an "HA Goodman" byline. nt

[Rebkeh]

18. Great article, thanks for posting it nt

[IdaBriggs]

19. #8: "...Clinton appears to blame everyone but herself..."

In short, Hillary Clinton appears to blame everyone but herself for the lack of trust the American people have in her.

There is some serious "truth to power" in that sentence!

[imagine2015]

20. Kick

[KoKo]

24. Good read from the end of the article:

And on and on.

The problem is that Clinton had so routinely used favorable media coverage as a crutch that it has weakened — if not stopped in its tracks — her ability to improve as a candidate or raise the profile of the Democratic “brand” more generally. Nor has it prepared her to understand how and why so many Democrats are angry at the media right now, and with a fervor usually reserved for Republican ire about “left-wing bias.”

When the media turns on Clinton in the fall — should she be the nominee — it will be entirely predictable, as the media benefits when a general-election race is as close as possible. And Clinton simply won’t be prepared for it. Nor will the Democrats, who will have done insufficient work setting the terms of the national political discourse for the media, rather than the other way around.

10. Ignore the youth vote.

More Millennials have a favorable opinion of socialism than capitalism, and they’re voting for Sanders over Clinton by approximately a 50-point margin. Clinton’s only response is empty political rhetoric: “You may not be supporting me, but I’m supporting you!” That’s not just empty talk — it’s patronizing. Millennials don’t want someone from their grandparents’ generation saying, “I’m supporting you!”, nor do they even just wanted to be listened to — in fact, they want their values to be reflected, and sincerely so, in the politicians for whom they vote.

Hillary Clinton doesn’t share the values or vision for America of the generation that will steer the Democratic Party for the next half-century, and shows no interest in doing so. That spells doom for the Party long-term — possibly even its devolution or dissolution in the next few election cycles, as we’re seeing with the Republican Party now. And it’s entirely avoidable. In fact, Bernie Sanders is not so much what the Clintons see him as — a pest — as the writing on the wall telling the Democratic Leadership Council and its ilk that their days are numbered, and that if they don’t pivot into the America we all live in, rather than merely the America they and their friends inhabit, the Democratic Party will ultimately cease to exist.

[mythology]

25. Because Sanders supporters have never said anything bad about

Clinton or her supporters.

It assumes the general election polls during the primaries are predictive. They aren't.

Point 5 confuses favorability with popularity. It's hard to claim that the candidate with the pledged delegates and popular vote is less popular with voters than the person losing to her.

Point 6 is a rehash of 5, but again neglects to mention that if Sanders is popular, then the person ahead of him is more popular. It also invents things like no Sanders allies wouldn't have a place in a theoretical Clinton administration. And claiming that talking about Booker or Castro as VP is a slight to Sanders is silly since they have been talked about in that role for years.

Point 7, Sanders is claiming they weren't competing in Southern states. It's pretty hypocritical for that to be used against Clinton. But let's say it is a good idea. Okay the guy who has pronounced himself a socialist and called the Democratic party ideologically bankrupt isn't likely to turn the tide there. He doesn't gain nearly the same level of support among black and Hispanic voters needed to turn a state like North Carolina. Likewise Clinton lacks the youth vote for that. Neither candidate can stake a good claim to being able to meaningfully expand the map bases on their primary performance.

This article really isn't nearly as good as people are saying. They are viewing it through their own lens on the election rather than looking at it objectively.

[Human101948]

30. Objectivity...Hillary has record high negatives...

whether or not it is from years of rightwing attacks hardly matters. The majority of voters have negative impressions of her.

Poll: Trump, Clinton score historic unfavorable ratings

Washington (CNN)Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton register net negative ratings in double digits, indicating the front-runners for each party's presidential nominations are viewed negatively at historic levels, according to a new CBS/New York Times poll.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/22/politics/2016-election-poll-donald-trump-hillary-clinton/

[Raster]

55. "This article really isn't nearly as good as people are saying. They are viewing it through their...

...own lens on the election rather than looking at it objectively."

Which, of course, YOU'RE not doing.

<insert dripping sarcasm here>

[sadoldgirl]

31. Many of us saw this coming, and

-unless I did not catch it in the article - the
independents will stay home as well, if it
becomes a race between Kasich and HRC.

I also stated months ago that the party
establishment does not care about winning
or losing this time as long as the status quo
is maintained.

I still believe that, because all the HRC supporters
claim that the majority of the Dems love her, even
though over 40% of registered voters are indies,
who don't like her.

[grntuscarora]

33. K/R

[Arkana]

35. Why is it a flawed assumption to think that Trump will be the nominee?

He's going to go into the convention with a wide delegate lead and his supporters will burn the house down if he's not the guy that's chosen.

[Miles Archer]

47. Too many "trial balloons" being sent up for Paul Ryan.

1). 1237 delegates. It's unlikely that he will win Wisconsin, and he'll have the sweep the remaining states to hit that number. A contested convention seems very likely.

2). I agree with you 100% about what will happen if Trump doesn't get the nomination, but I also think that the "republican establishment" doesn't care at all.

So far the "likely suspects" are Ryan, Cruz, and Kasich. Kasich is WAY off on delegates, and the Republicans hate Cruz, and they know we're no fans either, so they're not going to bet the farm on a guy who can't win.

All signs are pointing to Ryan.

[Arkana]

58. Of course they care.

They need to maintain their majorities in both houses of Congress--the best way is to let Trump have what he wants and pour all their efforts into minimizing downticket losses.

[MisterP]

36. but if we lose it's YOUR FAULT!!!1111

we didn't lose 11 Governors, 13 Senators, 69 Reps, and 913 state seats, YOU DID!

we're left with 26% of the electorate? SCREW THOSE PURISTS!

our delegates couldn't even be bothered to show up and now we've lost Nevada? uh, lemme get back to you on that--

[Ferd Berfel]

37. Most here have realized this for many months

[noiretextatique]

39. +1000

Not exactly a revelation.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

43. I was even wondering what this guy username is. Exactly what we've been saying.

[Miles Archer]

45. If Clinton gets the nomination, Republicans are going to go apeshit.

It won't be pretty.

Every single piece of Clinton dirty laundry will go on public display. It's pretty much out there anyway...it's just a matter of who's paying attention to it.

"Nothing unites Republicans quite like hatred of the Clintons"

Truer words were never spoken.

Much of the hatred of Barack Obama that I've seen over the last 8 years is...in my belief...rooted in racism.

But Hillary?

They hate her because she's a Clinton, and I think it's a much deeper level of hate.

I posted an article earlier today about Charles Koch positioning himself to throw money at Paul Ryan, if he emerges from the contested convention as the nominee.

Sheldon Adelson has some damned deep pockets, too, and between the two of them, expect the unholiest of unholy wars to emerge.

A Clinton victory would hinge on two non-negotiable options:

1). Democrats would have to turn out in record numbers to vote for her, and

2). Every Democrat who's lukewarm to cold on her candidacy right now would have to "rally behind her."

...and I don't see that happening.

Hillary also needs to let go of the George W. Bush level of obstinate behavior, stop snapping at questions and saying things like "I'm not even going to answer that," stop saying things like "I was not aware of that" when discussion something she's keenly aware of, and the list goes on.

...and I don't see that happening either.

It's ugly now.

It's gonna get a lot uglier.

[timmymoff]

48. She has to earn my vote

She has to assure me she won't lurch to the far right. If she convinces me to vote for her(providing she beats Bernie) she will then have to do without my money, door knocking, phone banking or any other form of support, she will get a vote and only a vote. She will be damn lucky to have it.

[Ferd Berfel]

57. glad to hear it

Talk is cheap, make her prove it.

[Raster]

51. Add to the non-negotiable options:

3) Clinton would have to convince the INDEPENDENT block of voters that she is the best candidate to vote for. In this day and age, no Democrat OR Republican wins the White House without the votes from the massive block of Independent voters, which, she is NOT DOING.

[Miles Archer]

52. She's playing to the right, and that's not going to put her in the White House.

I don't think she has a snowball's chance in hell of getting Republican "cross-over" votes...they loathe her, plain and simple.

I read a very interesting article yesterday about how she's freezing out Bernie. She went up against Obama and walked away as Secretary of State. Supposedly...IF she wins...she's considering letting Bernie make a speech at the convention, and that's pretty much it.

So in reality, the "We MUST rally around Hillary crowd" is accomplishing nothing more than inspiring Bernie's supporters to fight harder for him.

The biggest concern I have at this point is the fact that all of the Republican muscle is currently focused on ousting Trump if he doesn't come up with the full 1237 delegates. The confidence and arrogance of Hillary beating Trump's ass in the GE will quickly melt away if it comes down to a Ryan / Clinton battle. He'd have too much money and too many dirty tricksters pulling for him. And if Hillary hasn't "made nice" by then, say hello to President Ryan.

[Raster]

54. You are sooo fucking correct, it hurts.

The High Sheriffs of the GOP liked tRump because of the interest he aroused in their dying party and seemed to make the discussion "lively" - in the "crazy old uncle" kind of way. But now that it looks like tRump could be their new commander and chief... well, that changes things. BIG TIME. The High Sheriffs will do ANYTHING to negate tRump. Anything. The First Law of Raygun "thou shall not speak ill of another republican," has been tossed in the can.

Now add to the mix the ABSOLUTE HATRED of all things Clinton that has been fed and nourished by the reich-wing for years... there are republicans that will postpone dying just to VOTE AGAINST HILLARY CLINTON. Her only chance of ever getting one GOP vote was if the GOP crazy uncle topped the GOP ticket, and I believe, that is NOT going to happen.

And if it does come down to a Hillary vs. tRump battle for POTUS, I am not sure who would walk away with the prize. It could truly go either way. And far too many logical, rational thinking persons on our side assume and believe that all the other logical and rational thinking persons of any political persuasion will realize Hillary is the only rational and logical choice...and, I am afraid, that is not how many of the republican-leaning undecided voters will view this. But, like I said, I think the GOP will do anything possible to make sure tRump is NOT THEIR NOMINEE.

No, the savior of the Party of Lincoln will be Paul Ryan, the zombie-eyed granny starver from the state of Wisconsin. Never know, he might even ask ol' Uncle Mitty to be his Vice President. God/Goddess help us all.

[bvar22]

56. She also needs to stop attacking young girls in public for asking a question.

That would help a lot.

Greenpeace Activist

Hillary OWES this young lady a public apology for her unprovoked attack, and lying about her being with the Sander's campaign.

[TheDormouse]

53. K&R