Reply #36: I (largely) agree [View All]

[baltodemvet]

My disagreement is a "half full/half empty" quibble. I very much agree with your assessment in terms of what we need to do but I emphatically disagree that the party is on the verge of extinction.

I think the Democratic Party is on the right track and is more coherent and united than it has been in years. We need to strengthen and build on that. In my view it's not a matter of "splinter or die" but "strengthen and win"

I absolutely agree that we need to focus on reaching 'middle america'. I think we're on the right track in terms of policy and principles but we need to focus on how we relate these to 'middle americans'.

For these purposes, we should assume that we failed to effectively reach at least 25% of the folks who voted for Bush but share many of our concerns. We need to reach out to them and listen to them figure out how to connect with them.

To do this, we have to proceed on the premise that they voted for Bush because WE failed to reach them, not because they're idiots or fascists.