And Common Dreams Speaks

[MineralMan]

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/08/09/survey-our-readers-417-hillary-clinton-334-jill-stein-134-would-write-bernie

Here are the results of a survey of some 11,000+ members of that unusual website that has often been quoted on DU. Click the link to read more, if you must:

[grossproffit]

1. I'll take your word for it. I wouldn't click on that website if you paid me. eom

[MineralMan]

3. I've followed many links to that website in the past.

These days, though, I'm not seeing people linking to it so often. However, it's heartening to see that Hillary has the most votes in that survey, despite not getting a majority. All votes matter, so the 5000 or so votes for Hillary from that site's readers will be welcome. It's good to know that she has some support from that front. I think they're called the Popular People's Front or something.

[BlueStreak]

2. Do you have a point?

Perhaps you can have a word of appreciation for those who are keeping the pressure on Hillary to not do the usual "center-right pivot step". Her chances of winning are much greater if she can draw the sharpest possible contrast with Trump.

[MineralMan]

5. Why, yes, I do have a point.

The point is that almost half of those surveyed will be voting for Hillary. I expected fewer than that from readers of that website. I like charts like that one that show me what one faction is planning to do.

Every vote matters, so I welcome those Common Dreams readers to the Clinton fold. They show good sense.

[KitSileya]

8. I think that's funny.

I mean, why should she try to appeal to those who claim to be dead set against her, choosing to vote Jill Stein or throw their vote away to write in Bernie Sanders, when there's a ton of moderate people in the center who will not vote for Donald Trump, and are therefore interested in seeing what she stands for?

The Green Party/BoBers won't listen to her, they've made that clear. They've refused to acknowledge that she isn't a hell demon let loose on earth, let alone see that she is a progressive. She might as well try to appeal to the tea partiers. The moderate Republicans near the center, however; those who see that Trump is a disaster, and who feels that he is the final nail in the coffin for the Republican party they once supported? They are movable, they can be convinced, their support is within grasp.

[misterhighwasted]

10. Umm. There is absolutely Zero comparison between Hillary & Trump.

Lets compare their resume's.

Hillary is center. Extreme left & extreme right are going to have to lean toward her.
She will always however, lean in favor of a strong America with its people functiong together for the better of our society.
No more lopsided division of one before the other. She will ask for compromise.
Her platform, laid out in early 2015 says exactly that.

And that is the only successful way to govern a nation the size & diversity of the USA in a World of extremes.
Her priorities have always been for equality.

[NurseJackie]

19. That's where more votes are to be found. That's how to win elections.

Why go after 5 fringe voters when she can have 50 moderate voters?

[BobbyDrake]

22. Exactly. And with moderates, there's no having to guard your back from an inevitable knife stab

like there is with "some" elements who demand that Clinton cater to them despite their open and obvious hatred of her.

[BlueStreak]

23. Why go after 5 right wing voters when there are 100 center-left voters who need reassurance

this isn't just another case of bait and switch?

The right wingers aren't going to vote for Hillary anyway.

And please understand, I think Hillary is standing her ground basically in the middle, and I appreciate that. But my point is that it is the strong voices from the left that allow/compel/remind her to not head of into the normal "junior Republican" land. We all benefit from the strong voices on the left.

[NurseJackie]

24. Bait and switch? So you're suggesting that her "normal" state is to be "junior republican".

GMAFB! Go! Get away from me! That's a disgusting thing to say about Hillary! I can't even look at you! There's just no having a reasonable discussion with people who think that way about Hillary.

[Squinch]

29. But Jackie, he thinks you should be giving him a word of appreciation! Does this mean

you're not going to give him a word of appreciation?

I think he'll be hurt.

After all, he's participating!

[BlueStreak]

32. What have you done this month to help the cause?

Please share.

(Typing on your keyboard doesn't count as an accomplishment.)

[Squinch]

35. Did I not give you enough appreciation?

[BlueStreak]

36. The premise of this thread seems to be that there is something wrong with people

who align with Common Dreams.

My point is simply that this tone of superiority that comes from some of the Hillary crowd is neither helpful nor justified.

I bet you would find that the people who align with Bernie, Common Dreams and any of the other taboo things out there are, on average a lot more active -- in useful ways -- than the average people that does a lot of chatting on a website.

Hillary is not my first choice, but I am going to work to get her elected -- not just talk about it. And I will never apologize for believing in the things that Bernie has brought to the forefront. I did get to meet the local Hillary staff today and we're starting discussions about how we can plan rallies, registration drives, etc in a state where it is unlikely the candidate herself will be able to prioritize.

I would suggest that you get a better idea of who the real enemy is out there. It is not Jill Stein, Bernie Sanders, or Common Dreams. The enemy is hubris.

[Squinch]

37. You dislike the "tone of superiority" from the Hillary people, but you are sure that the

Bernie and Common Dreams people like yourself are much, much better than they are.

Do you hear yourself?

Poor you. No one understands your greatness.

[BlueStreak]

30. That is the normal posture for ALL Democrats that have run in the past 20 years

Hillary is actually doing better than most. She's handling herself well and staking out solid progressive positions. She will win by standing up to the bully.

[BlueStreak]

31. And sorry I took awhile to reply

I was visiting the newly opened Hillary campaign office in our state to see how I might be able to help. There actually is a world out there beyond our keyboards, you know.

Unfortunately the staff was not in, so I will go back in the morning.

In other words, I am really not likely to take lectures from keyboard warriors very well.

If you want to lecture me, let's start by what you have personally done this month to win any offices that are being contested.

[NurseJackie]

33. How lovely! Good for you! ~~ Yes! GOTV!

I was visiting the newly opened Hillary campaign office in our state to see how I might be able to help.

That's wonderful.

There actually is a world out there beyond our keyboards, you know.

Yes.

In other words, I am really not likely to take lectures from keyboard warriors very well.

That's very amusing.

[Squinch]

38. You're SO much better than the people who post on DU! NO ONE else here has visited

a campaign office like YOU have! Where are my palm fronds to fan you with!

Did you think you invented working on the campaign? Do you really think that we don't work on the campaign? It sounds like you really think that.

[Squinch]

28. Um, son... this thing she's feeling right now? It isn't pressure from you.

[misterhighwasted]

4. Thats pretty good for Common Dreams considering they have'nt exactly

supported Hillary. In fact I can't recall much positive coverage they gave her this entire year.

If that's their readers voting then Hills is in pretty good shape.
Thanks

[MineralMan]

6. That was the conclusion I drew, as well.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that over 40% of that group will vote for Hillary. It's not a lot of voters, of course, but every vote is important.

[DemonGoddess]

25. That was my take on it as well n/t

[Curtland1015]

7. I must be out of the loop, I've never even heard of this group...

...judging by the votes, I'm guessing some sort of far left something or other?

[MineralMan]

9. Well, it's not one of the most popular political websites, really.

Still, it has a following, and I'm interested in the fact that a goodly percentage of its readers will vote for Hillary. I expect that percentage to rise as the election gets closer, of course.

[misterhighwasted]

14. It is interesting. I believe that pattern is showing up more as Nov closes in.

This is actually quite a reassuring chart.
Thanks!

[MineralMan]

16. Yes. That's a pretty hard-core left site,

and one that was very much in favor of someone other than Clinton during the primaries. That so many will be voting for Hillary in November is a good sign. People must be paying attention to what she has been saying since the Convention. I hope even more come to realize that she should be elected.

[LisaM]

26. I think it's rather socialist oriented, but the way they've become the last few years....

Bernie Sanders would be way too far to the right for them. I don't know if they weeded out or drove away their own more moderate faction or if it is just being run by different people than it used to be, but it's a site I enjoyed even five or six years ago (recognizing that it was far left, but I am left of moderate myself) and now it's got that kind of raspy-toned fringe voice to it.

[TwilightZone]

11. Well, we know where half of Jill Stein's 2016 total is coming from.

Pretty impressive.

(Sarcasm, of course.)

Considering some of the vehement anti-Hillary nonsense that was incessantly posted from that site during the primaries, I'm a little surprised at the 41.7%. That's probably 30% higher than that "other" website, though I have no doubt many of the members are the same.

[MineralMan]

13. Yes, 40%+ from that group is pretty good, really.

That's what surprised me and why I posted the chart here.

[TwilightZone]

15. Trump should have convinced nearly everyone by now.

As you noted, I suspect that number will rise when the time comes to vote.

[MineralMan]

17. You can never convince everyone of anything.

Even when it's obvious what the better choice is.

[BobbyDrake]

12. Echo chamber chamber chamber chamber...

[KingCharlemagne]

18. The truly heartening number, imo, is the paltry 2.4% who

plan to vote for Trump. As an occasional reader of CD, I would describe its relationship to the Democratic Party as loosely analogous to that between the Abolitionists and Republican Party in 1858-59.

[oberliner]

20. That's 275 people

Who will vote for Trump from that group.

[oberliner]

21. 77% of respondents are 50 or older

That is kind of surprising.

[geek tragedy]

27. Clinton number is higher than I expected from that crowd nt

[brooklynite]

34. A survey on COMMON DREAMS is a relevant as a survey here...