DLC in a Nutshell

[babylonsister]

DLC in a Nutshell
by: GlennWSmith
Sat Aug 11, 2007 at 19:22:52 PM EDT

(Glenn managed Ann Richards' first campaign for governor, so he knows his stuff. - promoted by Matt Stoller)

For three decades the DLC and other "centrist" advocates used their money to monopolize the Democratic message. And leave the progressive base out in the cold, not spoken to.

They could do this because the Democratic message was delivered almost exclusively via paid ads in the last eight weeks of election cycles. The centrists, fronting for their business backers -- financial, oil and gas, insurance -- paid their money and took no chances.

Their campaign model intentionally inverted the logical plan, in which you would maximize your base vote and get just enough votes from outside the base to win. The centrists want to win with just enough base voters and the largest possible number of votes from outside the base. I talked about this briefly in comments to Chris Bower's post on 2006 as a Dem base victory.

With the centrist strategy, the base got a little mail and a few GOTV phone calls, the "swing voters" got messaged.

One interesting note. A former business associate of mine was Matthew Dowd, before he joined Bush, when we both worked for Democrats. As a Dem, Matthew was a loud advocate for the swing programs at the expense of base messaging. As Bush's consultant, he shared credit with Rove for focusing on the GOP base at the expense of so-called swings. He could do this because the GOP base is no direct threat to the centrist's financial interests.

The development of "coordinated campaigns" grew out of and advanced this strategy. The centrists used the efficiency excuse. Candidates could share resources on base voter door hangers, for instance. But those hangers were all GOTV, and no message.

It's also why there was such a meek response on GOP voter suppression. A growing progressive base was ultimately a threat to centrists for the same reason it threatens the GOP.

Why? Because a rise in the progressive base ultimately threatens their backers.

more...

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=721

[Jackpine Radical]

1. ...another reason why it's so hard to get the big money out of politics

is that the DLC wants it in.

Learned helplessness on the left, disenfranchisement of the poor--Who cares? Those people don't have money. You just don't make the big bucks by stepping out of that elected position & becoming a consultant for the poor.

[Kurovski]

2. K&R#5

Yep.

[havocmom]

3. K & R

:kick:

[Kurovski]

4. Kick. (nt)

[ulysses]

5. follow the money.

Happy to be #17.

[Usrename]

6. It's not a question of political parties anymore.

The same folks, with their unseen hands firmly gripping the levers of power, control both parties.

There is no longer any real discernable difference between organized crime, or corporations, or political parties.

Too many of the same folks are involved in all three.

[polichick]

7. I've heard a lot of talk about a real REVOLUTION...

Maybe that's what it'll take.

[Raster]

8. DLC = Corporate Shills. It IS that simple.

Wake up America!:kick:

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The River]

10. So DLC Really Stands for:

Democrats Love Corporations?

[Hawkowl]

11. HA!

I like it and will use it. Dems love corporations. Ha!

[Raster]

12. Touche! Yes. It. Does!

Initial appearance may indicate two political parties, but closer examination reveals they feed at the same trough. The corporate-controlled big money trough.

Wake up America!:kick: