If Senator Clinton is elected President, she will dismantle Dean's 50-state strategy

[dpbrown]

That's what someone told me last night at the post-caucus party.

I know there's no love lost between the Clintons, Terry McAuliffe, James Carville, and Raum Emanuel on one hand and Howard Dean on the other, but this struck me as extreme.

Would we be looking at going back to a failed Democratic strategy of "big states" and beltway only, should Senator Clinton be elected President?

[Renew Deal]

1. You're seeing the failed McAwful strategy in Hillary's campaign

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4433122&mesg_id=4433122

[Cosmocat]

13. They are clearly running the ...

51% gambit ...

[blogslut]

2. Man, I hope not

I hope whoever told you that was blowing smoke up yer butt.

[thunder rising]

3. Yes, I do firmly believe that Dean would have built his own gallows if Hillary is elected

The DLC WILL demand the ownership of the party and those lazy asshats WILL split this party.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

33. me thinks some people don't know what the DLC is

or how much damage it has done.

[dpbrown]

34. Some people would prefer we don't pay attention to the damage

Hijacking the party for the corporate elite.

[Kittycat]

4. Yes.

And Dean would even be able to pack his bags before they threw him out on to the curb.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

5. What's the 50-state strategy? nt

[thunder rising]

7. Google it!

[whistle]

25. The 50-state strategy gives no room for error and decent

How Democrats can and will win in every state, every county, and every precinct.

The Democratic Party is committed to winning elections at every level in every region of the country, and we're getting started right now with a massive effort to fund organizers on the ground in every state.

The ultimate goal? An active, effective group of Democrats organized in every single precinct in the country. Here's what we're doing to get there:

1) The Democratic Party is hiring organizers chosen by the state parties in every state -- experienced local activists who know their communities.

2) We bring those organizers together for summits where they can learn from each other the best practices for getting organized to win elections.

3) Armed with the knowledge they've shared with each other, Democratic organizers return to the states and recruit and train leaders at the local level.

4) Those local leaders recruit more leaders and volunteers until every single precinct in their area has a trained, effective organization of Democrats dedicated to winning votes for Democrats.

http://www.democrats.org/a/party/a_50_state_strategy/

Does losing Florida and Michigan support the idea of the 50-state strategy?

<snip>
Sunday, September 24, 2006
50-State Strategy
One of the truly new directions that the Democratic Party has taken in the past two years is Howard Dean's 50-state strategy. Dean is often caricatured as very partisan (which he is) and very liberal (which he is not). But as a party leader, one special talent he has is the ability to recognize a good idea and run with it, full speed. This happened in 2003 with internet-based grassroots-building and fund-raising, and has happened again this year with the 50-state strategy.
The 50-state strategy doesn't mean doling out the same money to more candidates, a bigger cash machine. That was party's approach over the past several decades, and it has failed badly:

It put power in the hands of people who weren't especially good at picking candidates, and couldn't possibly know all the districts and candidates well enough to be good at it;
It tended to throw good money after bad politicians, often focusing on one seat that deserved to be lost, at the expense of a dozen seats that might be won;
It was unable to take advantage of political change, focusing instead on the status quo, a defensive rather than offensive posture that was able to lose ground but never to gain it;
It had no economies of scale: each dollar that went in got a cut taken off the top for overhead and then went out a bit smaller, without creating anything of value in the process;
It encouraged grassroots apathy, low interest and turnout, by denying power or resources to volunteers, and failing to engage people in the political process.
The 50-state strategy takes the party out of the business of being an unnecessary middleman, and instead puts it in the position of creating something new and valuable, an infrastructure that no campaign can create on its own, but that every campaign can exploit.
Political campaigns are by nature transitory things. They rise up as a candidate comes forward, spend a few months raising money, then a few weeks spending it all, then they disappear. The same candidate might or might not try again in two or four years, so nothing of lasting value is ever retained.

Political parties are different. They have officers that are elected for two-year terms, who are actually more active during the off-season than during the campaign season. They recruit new candidates, volunteers, and donors; build up knowledge and training programs for candidates; develop information systems and media strategies; get to know their voters and build goodwill in the community; educate voters, especially young people, on issues and process; resolve compliance and election process issues; create and rehearse plans for maximizing voter turnout; contribute to the betterment of their locale; and build a lasting social network of friends and co-workers who care about their community and can see and appreciate the fruits of their work.

Party-building is far less expensive than campaigning, and values the people and organization more than the money. But its value is multiplied by being reused by many candidates, and by continuous improvement over time. Campaign money is useful mainly in close races, but the people and organization of an effective Democratic party are just as useful in Colorado as in Massachusetts. The new volunteers and donors developed by the party in Colorado have exactly the same value to a presidential campaign as those developed in Massachusetts. Moreover, having an effective party in place in Colorado puts it in position to take advantage of constant changes in demographics, voter attitudes, and the political environment. If the party loses the south, it can pick up the mountain west to replace it.

Building infrastructure is what we should have done all along, but now we know and now we're doing it.

[dpbrown]

35. Amongst all the cut-and-paste stuff, I couldn't figure out what your point was

:shrug:

[Kittycat]

8. What Obama is doing.

[blogslut]

15. Here you go

50-state strategy

"After Dean became Chairman of the DNC, he pledged to bring reform to the Party. Rather than focusing just on 'swing states,' Dean proposed what has come to be known as the 50-State Strategy. The goal, the DNC says, is for the Democratic Party to be committed to winning elections at every level in every region of the country, with Democrats organized in every single voting precinct in the country. State party chairs have lauded Dean with praise for raising money directly for the individual state parties.

Dean’s strategy uses a post-Watergate model taken from the Republicans of the mid-seventies. Working at the local, state and national level, the GOP built the party from the ground up. Dean's plan is to seed the local level with young and committed candidates, building them into state candidates in future races. Dean has traveled extensively throughout the country with the plan, including places like Utah, Mississippi, and Texas, states in which Republicans have dominated the political landscape.

Further changes have been made in attempting to make the stated platform of the Democratic Party more coherent and compact. Overhauling the website, the official platform of the 2004 campaign, which was largely criticized as avoiding key issues and being the product of party insiders, was replaced with a simplified, though comprehensive categorizing of positions on a wide range of issues. This strategy paid off in a historic victory as the Democrats took over control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2006 mid-term elections. While it is likely this is also attributable to the shortcomings of the Republican Party in their dealings with the Iraq War and the scandals that occurred shortly before the election, Dean's emphasis on connecting with socially conservative, economic moderates in previous Republican states appears to have made some impact. Indeed, Democratic candidates won elections in such red states as Kansas, Indiana, and Montana.

The 50-state strategy relies on the idea that building the Democratic Party is at once an incremental election by election process as well as a long-term vision in party building. Democrats cannot compete in counties in which they do not field candidates. Therefore, candidate recruitment has emerged as a component element of the 50-state strategy."

more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Dean#50-state_strategy

[Sarah Ibarruri]

17. I LOVE THE 50-STATE STRATEGY! It sounds great! nt

[gateley]

21. Here you go, Sara -- I didn't know either.

How Democrats can and will win in every state, every county, and every precinct.

Every State
We're investing in every single state party, a few at a time. Learn more about where we've invested so far.

June 3, 2005
South Dakota
Maryland
Arkansas
Colorado

May 31, 2005
Wyoming
Nevada
Nebraska
Mississippi
Kansas

April 8, 2005
Missouri
North Dakota
North Carolina
West Virginia

The Democratic Party is committed to winning elections at every level in every region of the country, and we're getting started right now with a massive effort to fund organizers on the ground in every state.

The ultimate goal? An active, effective group of Democrats organized in every single precinct in the country. Here's what we're doing to get there:

The Democratic Party is hiring organizers chosen by the state parties in every state -- experienced local activists who know their communities.
We bring those organizers together for summits where they can learn from each other the best practices for getting organized to win elections.
Armed with the knowledge they've shared with each other, Democratic organizers return to the states and recruit and train leaders at the local level.
Those local leaders recruit more leaders and volunteers until every single precinct in their area has a trained, effective organization of Democrats dedicated to winning votes for Democrats.

(probably easier to read on the site -- here's the link)

http://www.democrats.org/a/2004/06/a_50_state_stra.php

[Sarah Ibarruri]

43. Sounds awesome!! nt

[Auntie Bush]

22. It means the Dem party actively tries to win in ALL 50 states...not just enough big states

to win an electoral vote...something that we used to do before Dean.
He is trying to build up the Dems from the ground up in 50 states.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

45. I love it!! nt

[Recursion]

28. The Obama campaign. And Webb. And the dude from Montana

The "naive" notion that people won't vote for us unless we go to them and try to convince them we're the better choice.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

47. Well, what's wrong with talking to people about what we represent? nt

[Windy]

6. Why? its working quite well for Obama at this point! nt

[Vincardog]

11. That is why. It is giving the People a chance to reclaim their government. The DLC wants us to STFU

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

32. thats right. the DLC wants to keep us lame, they are a tool

seems like the DLC has helped/enabled the repugs alot.

Thats why "democrat" has been a dirty word for so many years!

[blm]

40. Exactly - it controls what years a Dem CAN win, too, and get their votes counted.

It's a game they play with BushInc.

[dpbrown]

12. That would be one of the problems, apparently

I prefer Kucinich, to tell you the truth, but this would kind of put me in the anti-Clinton camp if it were true.

[Adelante]

9. Yes nt

[OzarkDem]

10. I don't think so

Its worked very well and will help her in the GE.

[dpbrown]

14. Don't you think she's kind of doing a "big state" strategy?

I'm from Minnesota and she didn't even have a campaign here, while Senator Obama was running ads.

[mzmolly]

51. Minnesota should be part of any strategy.

We have been in the past? :shrug:

[Avalux]

16. And the DLC wins.

I don't want the DLC to fragment this party. I have faith in Howard Dean.

[LoZoccolo]

18. Everybody take care of their own state and you won't have to worry about that. n/t

[Hippo_Tron]

23. A lot of resources come from the national party and they get to choose where they go

It's difficult for Democrats in red states to get off the ground when they have no finances. Howard Dean's strategy is based on the idea that we can invest money into red states and get a better return on our investment than if we just run a Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania strategy.

[LoZoccolo]

27. So? They can get their own resources together.

When they get to the point where they can almost start to win, they'll gladly give you the resources. Before then, it's dubious. I don't see why people can't do this themselves. You'll pretty much have to in order to have a chance.

[loyalsister]

52. It is that attitude that kept only wealthy people in politics

for many many years in history.

[TeamJordan23]

19. 50 state strategy is what allowed us to win the house back in 2006. nm

[557188]

57. No

The republicans being so awful allowed that to happen.

[krkaufman]

59. How about this... BOTH were contributing factors.

yes, Rethug corruption and incompetence were huge, but MANY people across the country praised Dean's 50 State Strategy for laying the groundwork that enabled Democrats across the country to take advantage of Republican vulnerabilities.

[AX10]

20. That will not happen.

This is just a cheap scare tactic by left wingers to get people to oppose HRC.

[DURHAM D]

50. True - if Hillary wins Dean may keep his job.

If Obama wins he will be out - Rham Emanuel will see to it.

[MaineDem]

24. People please...she has signed an agreement with the State Chairs to support the 50-state strategy

Both she and Obama have agreed to this.

Please remind everyone of this.

[dpbrown]

30. That's reassuring. When is the new DNC Chair to be elected and who will she support?

I would guess that would be the key.

[MaineDem]

37. Next election will be in January.

I have no idea who'll even be running. I bet that Dean will not.

[KittyWampus]

42. she also agreed to abide by the rules concerning MI and FL yet now wants those delegates seated

BTW, it was Clinton crony Terry McAuliffe who implemented that rule and enforced it.

Haven't heard him called out by the Media yet.

[DinahMoeHum]

26. I call bullshit. IIRC, the DNC chair is voted in by all the state Dem party officials

NOT the Beltway folks.

Given what Dean has done for them, I severely doubt they will take kindly to any attempt to starve them of funds needed to build up their parties so they can compete on all local and state levels.

:kick:

[MaineDem]

29. If we remember back to Dean's election...

The Party Chairs endorsed him and the other candidates dropped out.

[DinahMoeHum]

31. Thanks for clarifying. If the individual state Dem Party chairs support

Dean, there's not much the Beltway bigwigs can do about it.

:kick:

[fujiyama]

36. .

.

[Iceburg]

38. BS.just the opposite ...there are alot of Red state women&men ready to pull the lever for Hillary

they too are fed up with incompetence! The moderate Republicans are Hillary's to lose.

[blm]

39. We've been warning about this since 2005 - this is why Carville started trying to push

Dean out right after Nov2006 election.

People need to know that McAuliffe kept the Dem party infrastructures in red and swing states collapsed BECAUSE that way they control what years a Democrat can succeed and what years they cannot.

You think Hillary 2008 started in 2007? Try 2000.

Read what Brinkley said in April 2004:
http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=13354

Notice the timing of Bill's 3week booktour where he defended Bush in every interview:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/06/19/clinton.iraq/

Read what Carville did to Ohio Dem voters on election night:
http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/coffeehouse/2006/oct/07/did_carville_tip_bush_off_to_kerry_strategy_woodward

These people are in it only for THEIR power not for Dem party.

[southern_dem]

49. If Terry McAwful was DNC chair

in 2006, we wouldn't even control Congress.

[robcon]

41. Let's hope somebody dismantles the 50-state strategy.

I don't care if it's Dean's replacement, or the new president. That strategy kept us from having commanding leads in the House and Senate right now.

[LittleClarkie]

44. That's my take as well. Remember right after 2006 how Carville and Emauel were having fits?

Because Dean was spending money in areas they didn't consider viable? That Dean was like Rumsfeld in competency.

Yes, I think they will dismantle it. Wave bye bye to the field organizers.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

46. A divisive and polarized legislature and populace benefits them

With a razor thin 50 + 1 margin, they can pretend that it's impossible to get progressive policies passed. They'll throw us yokels a few watered-down bones and give big bidness everything it wants.

Case in point: Just watch what happens with the Clinton healthcare plan. The good parts (competing government plan, caps on premiums) will be gutted and the mandates will stay. It will be a giant subsidy to the insurance industry. And President Clinton will throw her hands in the air and claim it was the best she could do with all the opposition she got.

I do have to say I did like referring to the President as "her". ;)

[DURHAM D]

48. Rahm Emanuel is an Obama supporter - but in the closet.

Reason: The deal has been brokered between Obama and Rahm for Rahm to get Obama's senate seat.

If Obama is the nominee Rahm will play a major role in who gets to be head of the DNC and he will boot Dean. Surely everyone remembers that Rahm and Dean got into a nasty public battle in 2006 mid-terms.

[Jed Dilligan]

53. Of course, that's been clear all along

The "consensus" candidate wants the People divided.

[Donnachaidh]

54. "someone told me" is the same sort of crap everyone should disregard

Jeez, what a Rovian tactic.

Unless this OP can name the person who said it - it's bullshit.

[DFLforever]

55. That's the second reason I support Obama

the first is Iraq.

The Clintons will be a trip backwards for the Democratic Party. They're principal opponents of reform.

[KittyWampus]

56. it's essentially the FIRST reason for me. Sick of watching the DLC/Clintons shrinking the Dembs

Democratic Party

[krkaufman]

58. No question. And would be sure that Dean is removed from the DNC. n/t