2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumWhy I Think Democrats Lost So Many Elections
Many want to know why? Why did we lose so many elections this mid-term voting cycle? I believe I have some answers to these questions, by actually posing questions for answers....
1. Where was the Democrat leadership during this voting cycle......absent... Reid, Pelosi, Hoyer, where were they?
2. Where and who is/was the Democrat Governor Association leader.... The Republican's had Chris Christy.... come on CHRIS CHRISTY.... He was everywhere, he was matching through state after state.... He was in my state, Maryland 3 times, and our new governor is now a republican. Did anyone see our parties Governor Association Leader stomping for the democratic governors?
3. Where was Debbie Wasserman-Schultz... She was absent.... everywhere you looked you saw Reince Priebus... NBC, Fox, CNN.... but where was Wasserman-Schultz? running her own campaign... which leads me to this.. should the DNCC be an elected official needed to be re-elected, or perhaps a past official concentrating on all democrat elections, not just his/hers.
4. Where was the fight, the fight for the causes?
As I mentioned earlier this week... my feelings have not changed....We, as Democrats are not fighting hard enough for our own causes. Health care for all, education for all, seniors, Latinos, women rights, equal pay for equal work, gay, lesbian and transgender causes, ..... I heard very little about these issues this election, only mudslinging and money laundering.... Why would any democrat not support a president that took a 10% unemployment rate to just above 5%, reduced the deficit, had 40ish months of job growth, heath care ACA that IS working, saving lives and money. Ended two costly wars, and has the balls to keep our soldiers boots out of this ISIS and Ukrainian civil wars.....and countless other things that is improving our nation. We not sit here on the day of a Republican takeover of the congress. I see a stalemate for another 2 years, until 2016. Our jobs now....staring now is to begin new GOTV campaigns. First thing I want to call for is the replacement of Debbie Wasserman-Schultz as DNCC. She was an absent chair. We need someone that will represent ALL the Democrat Party. Next, I want to call for better candidates to run for office. Younger, progressive, liberal strong candidates that will bring our causes front and center. I want a unified party behind our presidential candidate, whomever it may be. Lets primary the best candidate for president, not just the popular choice, but the choice for our causes, for our country. Let's call for a national democrat party that will reduce taxes on all, not just a select few. Let's get away from being known as the "Tax and Spend" party. Let's continue to support ALL Americans, of ALL races, all sexual orientations. Let's begin to embrace our younger voters, they are the future of our party, and many of the youth are very progressive, and many were missing last night. Finally I want to say to the many hard-working, loyal democrats that took time to vote, poll watch, GOTV efforts, drive votes to polls, etc.... we have hit a setback, but we will again be the voice of our country.
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Hoyt
(54,770 posts)For example, I don't think it would have helped Michelle Nunn a bit to have any of those folks campaigning for her. The right winger Purdue painted her as being supported by Obama, Pelosi, etc. Sadly, I don't think their showing up would have helped. It just would have riled up the right/white wingers that control the red state of Georgia.
doc03
(35,372 posts)Take Ohio, Governor Kasich took credit for and ran on the Obama economic recovery and got 64% of the vote! Why in the hell were Democrats scared
to take credit? At this time in the Reagan administration the unemployment was 7%, he had quadrupled the deficit and the stock market was up
around 180%. In the Obama abministration the unemployment has dropped to 5.9%, he has cut the deficit by almost 2/3 and the stock market has went up
over 220%. Instead of Democrats taking credit, they would play down the economy always saying "in this bad economy" . Instead of taking credit for the ACA they let
the Republicans beat them up with it.
rtracey
(2,062 posts)otohara
(24,135 posts)Not one word was said about POTUS - as if he didn't exist.
The only reason people showed up was to hear Warren - who we know more about than Mark Udall or Michael Bennet.
In that 20 minutes it was the most I've heard from Udall and Bennet in the years they've been in office.
Sad but true.
somebody-else
(14 posts)stay positive, it's a HUGE hill to climb
rtracey
(2,062 posts)Sorry, disagree, its NOT a huge hill and these sentiments are what got us here in the first place.
Sugarcoated
(7,728 posts)now that they think they have a mandate. They always overreach, they can't help themselves! 
Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)1. Where was the Democrat leadership during this voting cycle......absent... Reid, Pelosi, Hoyer, where were they?
Response: No one knows. They did what they did in 2010--cowered in the corner somewhere, not saying a word; allowing this president to take all the hits and the blame instead of getting out there and defending his record. They were nowhere to be found...oh, other than sending emails asking for money. That's it. They threw this president under the bus. Even when Bill Clinton was being impeached, these guys stood up to Republicans. These same people won't stand up for Obama at all. They are cowards. Useless. And still I see DUers blaming Obama and giving these guys a complete pass.
Please: It's the DemocraTIC Party, not Democrat Party.
2. Where and who is/was the Democrat(?) Governor Association leader.... The Republican's had Chris Christy.... come on CHRIS CHRISTY.... He was everywhere, he was matching through state after state.... He was in my state, Maryland 3 times, and our new governor is now a republican. Did anyone see our parties Governor Association Leader stomping for the democratic governors?
Response: You're going to laugh at this. If you're from Maryland, you should know who the DGA leader is...why, it's dear Martin O'Malley. He was stomping for his weak-ass candidate Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown. When you run weak candidates, this is the result. Ask Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. Yes, remember her?
3. Where was Debbie Wasserman-Schultz... She was absent.... everywhere you looked you saw Reince Priebus... NBC, Fox, CNN.... but where was Wasserman-Schultz? running her own campaign... which leads me to this.. should the DNCC be an elected official needed to be re-elected, or perhaps a past official concentrating on all democrat elections, not just his/hers.
Response: Apart from the fact that Republicans and the corporate media are practically married, Wasserman-Schultz, like the rest of the Democratic Party establishment threw the president under the bus. They sat back and watched it all unfold. Why should they care? All of them hail from very safe districts. None of them have to worry about reelection. They don't care at all about what happened to Democrats last night. Not at all. As long as they still have a job, they're fine.
4. Where was the fight, the fight for the causes?
Response: See my answers above. There was no fight. There was a positive record to stand on, but the Democrats decided that they'd throw the president and the entire Democratic base under the bus. Those constituencies that have been most loyal to the party--blacks and women--don't matter. For some reason, Democrats are convinced that if they send Bill Clinton to these Red State enclaves, somehow the disaffected white Reagan Democrat and working class Republican who have been voting against their best interests for decades now, will suddenly return home. Meanwhile, the Clintons have a losing record. None of those Democrats who distanced themselves from Obama in a failed effort to capture the white male vote won. Why? It's a losing strategy. The Democrats have lost older white males, aged 50 and up. Nothing they do will change that, and sending Bill Clinton rather than the "black Muslim from Kenya" will not work! That strategy has failed and yet, Democrats continue to play that losing card!
As I mentioned earlier this week... my feelings have not changed....We, as Democrats are not fighting hard enough for our own causes. Health care for all, education for all, seniors, Latinos, women rights, equal pay for equal work, gay, lesbian and transgender causes, ..... I heard very little about these issues this election, only mudslinging and money laundering.... Why would any democrat not support a president that took a 10% unemployment rate to just above 5%, reduced the deficit, had 40ish months of job growth, heath care ACA that IS working, saving lives and money. Ended two costly wars, and has the balls to keep our soldiers boots out of this ISIS and Ukrainian civil wars.....and countless other things that is improving our nation.
Response: Because it's easier to shift the blame to the black Muslim from Kenya than to be strong. Again, Pelosi, Reid, Hoyer, Wasserman-Schultz...they all just sat back and watched the massacre. They didn't come to the aid of their leader. They allowed him to take the fall; they allowed him to be labeled the failure. And the fact is that if they truly believe that this strategy will elect Hillary Rodham Clinton, they are sadly mistaken. There is a reason why blacks and Hispanics stayed home last night. There is a reason why many women either stayed home or voted Republican--the Democrats were straight up cowards!
We not sit here on the day of a Republican takeover of the congress. I see a stalemate for another 2 years, until 2016. Our jobs now....staring now is to begin new GOTV campaigns. First thing I want to call for is the replacement of Debbie Wasserman-Schultz as DNCC. She was an absent chair. We need someone that will represent ALL the Democrat Party (?).
Response: I'd be interested in hearing your ideas on who should replace her, underlying fully the consequences of the 50 State Strategy. The 50 State Strategy means that we may get Democrats who represent very red states. And therefore, Democrats can't get angry if there aren't enough liberal Democrats to pull the party to the left.
And just one pet peeve that really rakes my nerves because it's a pejorative that Republicans label us and something that all Democratic MUST correct:
It is the DemocraTIC Party, not the DemoCRAT party.
Next, I want to call for better candidates to run for office. Younger, progressive, liberal strong candidates that will bring our causes front and center. I want a unified party behind our presidential candidate, whomever it may be. Lets primary the best candidate for president, not just the popular choice, but the choice for our causes, for our country.
Response: Democrats used to dominate at recruiting good candidates for office and grooming them for political careers. We have now ceded this gift to Republicans and KKKarl Rove who have perfected the art of finding very young, charismatic, and incredibly conservative Republicans for office. They now dominate at all levels of government.
rtracey
(2,062 posts)Thank you for correcting my DemocraTIC vs DemoCRAT party...
doc03
(35,372 posts)to back the President and he wasn't even a Democrat. Bernie Sanders was on Ed's show and MSNBC every day fighting for Democratic principles, where the hell were the Democrats?
johnlucas
(1,250 posts)I can't stand this party but I gotta work with it to have a chance for a fairer world legally.
What needs to happen is a purging.
All the weak wimpy milquetoast sop-mouth MFers. GONE.
No compromises. All of 'em. GTFO. GONE. TODAY.
It's time for the UNDERGROUND to supersede the DEMOCRATIC.
Those who don't like that? GTFO.
Take over this 100% NOW before we lose any more ground.
And that also means no fair fights with the Republicans.
Time to fight dirty. By Any Means Necessary. By EVERY Means Necessary.
The Democratic Party's goal should be nothing else but the ENTIRE ANNIHILATION of the Republican Party.
It's time to kill that party or you won't have a chance on getting lasting progress made.
The nerve center of that party resides in the Southern Confederacy.
Yes, that ol' South. Go right for the nerve center.
Obama's done.
His weakness wouldn't allow the Democrat Party to become strong.
He wasted his chance.
This strategy has to go beyond 2016.
This is to be an entire redefinition of the Democratic Party.
People like image over substance in general.
So you must promote an image of strength.
Get rid of the weaklings now & more strong people can be the symbol of this political faction.
Weakness should be no longer tolerated.
Stand up for something & stand fearlessly.
John Lucas
ChiciB1
(15,435 posts)Thank You, it's well past time that we GOST (Get Our S--t Together) again! I'm sick of feeling like a flattened tire after too many elections! So we win the Presidency, hows THAT working out?? Obama has a good heart and a kindly man IMO... he's gotten some legislation passed ALL BY HIMSELF mostly. But think of what we could have gotten if our leader showed some FANGS!
Won't go for the grow a pair analogy, it's over used. What I DON'T know right now is what he intends to do in his last 2 years! I HONESTLY don't know, and can't even speculate! Don't like feeling this way... AT ALL!
I'm a Democrat who signed up as part of the DEMOCRATIC PARTY! Not the Democrat Party! What a slap in the face, and calling America "The Homeland" sounds kind like something from WWII! Hail To The Chief, not Heil Hitler!
So there, I'm mad and letting everyone know... time to DOUBLE DOWN!
johnlucas
(1,250 posts)I don't care about the Democratic label. It really doesn't matter.
It stopped mattering in the 1800s. Read A long story about the Southern Strategy to see why.
Screw the Democratic label. Who cares about it?
The label is just an organizing banner.
It's time for people who want a fairer world & are AGGRESSIVE in making that world happen to represent that banner.
The coalition needs a purging. Needs a remodeling. IMMEDIATELY.
There is no reason why 2014 ended up like it did.
The name of this site is DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND.
I have long said that the DEMOCRATIC part stands for the rah-rah party cheerleaders who don't question the team.
And that the UNDERGROUND part stands for the lone wolf contrarians who challenge the party authority.
The problem with the DEMOCRATIC cheerleaders is while they do provide the bulk of the numbers, they also follow that team player mindset even as the team goes off the cliff.
The problem with the UNDERGROUND contrarians is while they keep the party honest, they're not cohesive enough to get any team to a win.
We have operated more as a DEMOCRATIC Underground in 2014 but the team was going off a cliff so being a team player was useless.
Now is the time to operate as an UNDERGROUND Democratic.
The UNDERGROUND has to repair this machine so the DEMOCRATIC team players have a worthwhile team to work under.
That means the lone wolves eat the hides of this crappy team leadership.
Once the UNDERGROUND restores this team, then the DEMOCRATIC can operate the repaired machine.
So for the time being, the ones who belittle & dismiss those who break rank & challenge the President, Congresspeople, & Party Bosses...
...those guys need to get in the back seat & shutup.
It's not the time for Rah-Rah & President picture worship.
It's time to make sure we can salvage something for 2016 before the whole damn thing is lost.
That means a whole new direction in how the Democratic Party operates.
A nastier rougher ruthless set of people who are committed to ABSOLUTELY DESTROYING the Republican Party.
Not trying to be a statesman, not trying to uphold fair play, none of that old tired jazz.
Someone who will make the Republicans SCARED. Someone who will make them PANIC.
Someone who will FINISH THAT PARTY OFF ONCE AND FOR ALL.
I don't care if it takes dirty tricks. Whatever it takes, FINISH THEM.
We don't go anywhere as a country until the Republican Party is dismantled.
John Lucas
mbee
(1,140 posts)which would you like OBAMACARE or the Republican COULD-CARE-LESS plan? Also, the lady in Iowa that wants to make them squeel will make even her own party squeel when they try to pass the Ryan Budget which calls for replacing Medicare with a voucher and cutting SS amounts and who knows what else!
I stated in another post, I believe the downfall the right will have in 2016 is the Ryan budget. It will get passed in the house, but it must not get by the democrats in the senate. There needs to be a little push back. Mitch McConnell... you want to put up major GOP agenda bills cutting and slashing....we filibuster, if they get passed with a 51 vote set-up, Mr. President.....you must veto... no 2/3 majority no bill, time to act
ChiciB1
(15,435 posts)I'm sure you believe it will happen, but this theory has no guarantees and "we Democrats" keep getting fooled by what "we think" will happen.
Time to fight now, yesterday in fact and play their kind of ball! Hate to call it "hardball" because I personally think "Tweety" is a stick my finger in the air to see how the winds blows and get on board! I have my drum and it's time to dust it off and form a new band!
hollowdweller
(4,229 posts)All of the above have merit. However here's my thoughts:
First the GOP started out with talk radio, got Fox News and now use the internet and viral emails as propaganda.
Go anywhere on the net where politics are discussed or injected and there's more republicans forwarding emails and forcing their ideas on people than democrats.
The word "conservative" and "republican" because of all this have less negative connotations than "Liberal" or "democrat"
So the republicans are the default party.
It doesn't matter that the deficit has gone down more under democrats than republicans or that businesses seem to do better under them. The PERCEPTION is that dems are fiscally irresponsible.
The republicans even when they are not delivering are at an advantage because they talk a good game where dems have to try twice as hard.
So messaging for sure.
Second there is just a huge amount of money going to republican candidates. Not so much of an issue at the presidential level where there is a lot of coverage but hugely important at the local level.
ChiciB1
(15,435 posts)Democrats AREN'T Democrats anymore. I say this fully understanding that the past is the past and a certain type of "liberalism" doesn't exist today. But also, too many Democrats think LIBERALISM is something bad! IT IS NOT! People like Wasserman-Schultz have done NOTHING but dragged the party to the RIGHT!
WE aren't a right wing Party, but there sure is soooooo much Democratic-Lite talk going on and many who want us to move toward the right! I want to know what going Democratic light has done for us, are we winning yet?? Okay, we win Presidency and then sit back and let the other side do nothing by ATTACK AND OBSTRUCT!
As my father taught me a long time ago, If You Stand For Nothing, You'll Fall For Anything! And falling is where we're at!
Ok, come and get me... as Thom Hartmann says, "tag you're it!" I made my statement and don't intend to get into point counter point arguments here! Of course I will get attacked for not responding vociferously, but this is a statement not bait for arguments!
IggyPops
(13 posts)...to the extent that there is too much election posturing and not enough honesty. Grimes couldn't even answer whether she voted for Obama (and she was a delegate!). Voters will reward authenticity even if they disagree with you on some issues.
ChiciB1
(15,435 posts)And I agree with you too about authenticity! Be who you are, not what you think people want you to be. BTW, she didn't win did she? Many in the MSM kept saying "oh, she needed to say this because of where she lives." Well, hope she learned a lesson. Was a great campaigner, but I would have felt a need to vote for her because of her opponent ONLY! Lost so much respect for her when she said that!
I live in FL and as much as Alan Grayson got attacked here, he had no trouble winning! Not many Democrats won in Florida, but I knew where he stood. Not my district, but I think it was once rather RED. He lost his 2nd run, but has won two times since!
Just think of ALL the R's who have been indicted, had affairs or were caught and accused of many things and got re-elected! The guy Grimm in NYC may still be going to jail, but he had no opponent and won! Not going to spend all day on here, have to get busy but I have a list of names that I can add!
And most people voted for policies that ARE Democratic issues, but voted for a Repub candidate! Time for us to take ownership of our ideas and make it known! In Richmond, CA., Chevron poured millions and millions of $$ to help some Democratic candidates, but every single one of them lost! The other Democrats won! It's a start!
