In 2016 my County went 57.4% for Trump. In 2020 it was

[Ron Green]

over 60%. This is not in Arkansas, it’s in Oregon. I don’t know what is so toxic about the Democratic brand, but something needs to change.

[Timewas]

1. I don't know

My county went 67% for t-rump but that is expected of this bunch around here.

[Ron Green]

6. I can't just write off 60% of my neighbors and community members as morons.

There’s no way forward in that. What is the winning message for the future?

[Timewas]

12. the local town

rarely enforces the mask rule and in one case someone pulled a gun on a person for wearing a mask....I don't shop there anymore...I have no problem at all ignoring the entire bunch

One of my neighbors was a registered Dem. until Obama was elected..sort of tells you where he stands

[Squinch]

21. They voted for Trump. A second time. How can you NOT think they're morons?

[Kaleva]

25. I believe Biden won Oregon easily so he must have had a winning message.

And Trump had a losing one. It appears to me that the Repubs in your state might need to work on their message if they want a chance at victory.

[Squinch]

2. We have to change because there are a lot of dumbasses

in your neighborhood?

[OneBro]

17. Right on the money.

[SidDithers]

35. Nailed it...

Sid

[TwilightZone]

3. You might want to look at election results outside of your county.

It's not representative of anything but your county. There's nothing "toxic" about the Democratic brand. Biden is going to win the election and has done pretty well, all things considered.

Maybe instead of taking shots at the Democratic Party, you should have worked harder to get out the D vote in your area. That would be a little more productive.

[Ron Green]

34. Worked a little harder?

To shrink a 60% number down to a minority? The issue here is that Trump and his gang have hoodwinked nearly half of American voters, and people on DU are telling me I live in the wrong town.

My point is simply that whatever is the overarching message of the Democratic Party is not doing the job in much of the country. People need to be moved, and somehow, unbelievably, Trump does that.

So we need to suppress the low-information votes, is that it?

[NurseJackie]

39. Oh, look! A voice of reason! (Thank you, TZ!)

[JI7]

4. maybe the liberals are leaving when they can like they have done

in iowa and ohio.

[LisaL]

5. Maybe it's your county that's the problem.

My county went for Clinton and Biden by ~30 points.

[marylandblue]

8. I think I know, but liberals get angry when I talk about such things.

So I mostly don't say it. But basically, your neighbors are easily frightened and lack critical thinking skills. Republicans play up their fears and offer protection in exchange for votes. Democrats are painted as nogey monsters and we unwittingly play the part, therefore your neighbors hate us. We have to calm their fears somehow. I think we can, but I am not sure.

[meadowlander]

23. Nobody ever taught them how to admit that they are wrong

so even the slightest criticism or correction becomes "this person is bashing me!" and then their brain clamps down and they can't accept the message.

Instead of saying "hey, maybe what I said was a little ignorant or insensitive and I should be glad someone pointed it out because it gives me the opportunity to correct it" they go straight to "I can say whatever I want to. This is America."

What I do think we do too often is jump straight to "You're a racist and you need to go away" when sometimes the person is just ignorant or wasn't thinking about what they were saying. We need to take the time with some people to show them why what they said was wrong without making them feel like their identity is being attacked. You know, the sugar and spice version of "you said a very stupid thing, but I don't believe that you fundamentally are a bad or mean person."

[marylandblue]

28. The problem is that they have conservative authoritarian mindsets.

They were taught how to behave with strict rules to follow. They fear to go outside those rules and they also fear to think for themselves. As long as they are within the bounds of their own authorities, they think they are right. It's very hard for them to see outside of all that. So I don't think they are ever really going to change much. But if they aren't afraid, they will be less angry and defensive.

[Ron Green]

30. I agree that they're not likely to change. But this is where I live, and where I

work to try to make a better community. So many in this thread (and on this board) want to write off fearful people; and while it’s exasperating to consider the electoral damage they do, we still need to be in community with them.

[marylandblue]

33. Good for you. We need to do it. Read "What is Populism" by Jan Werner-Muller

Talks about these issues and gives some ideas about how to handle. Also read "The Authoritarians" by Bob Altemeyer to give you some ideas about how the mindset works. He suggests that the mindset is permanent once people reach adulthood, but later research suggests that it does change depending on external conditions.

My view is that social change brings an authoritarian backlash in people who fear change. America is changing rapidly, so of course they are frightened by it. Such people need to be either made comfortable with change or insulated from it. Liberals are scary because we always want to change things. Maybe we need to compromise and accomomodate their needs to move slower?

[LonePirate]

10. There may be some of that but 45 turned out almost every possible white voter ...

particularly those who seldom vote in elections. Republicans are never going to see that level of voter engagement ever again. That 60% support will drop enormously in four years, probably back down to around 50%.

[bullwinkle428]

11. Iowa went from 800,000 Trumpers in 2016 to 890,000 in 2020. I am genuinely terrified for

the state of democracy in general as we move forward.

[PatSeg]

13. Its not the Democratic brand that is the problem

It is the right-wing branding of Democrats.

[niyad]

20. EXACTLY!!!!!!

[misanthrope]

14. Maybe the answer is in the GOP platform they adopted this year

Their policy positions therein must seem more persuasive. Have you studied it to see?

[Laelth]

18. LOL. You're funny.

The GOP doesn’t even HAVE a platform this year.

-Laelth

[misanthrope]

22. BINGO!

So if they have no policies, then what is the draw?

It's the politics of fear and cult following.

[liberalmuse]

15. Right wing propaganda is toxic. Right Wing Social Media is toxic.

Not the Democrats. There are a couple generations of Americans who've essentially had digital lobotomies courtesy of Fox Propaganda and other right wing media outlets. The past several years, there's been a frenzy of other countries inserting propaganda into Social Media and the already brainwashed are feeding on it like maggots on a rotting corpse. So don't tell me the Democratic brand is toxic. That is utter and total bullshit. Are there things we can change for the better? Sure! But why is it that people like to point fingers at the responsible adults for other adults fucked up behavior?

[Jim__]

16. Well there were a lot of demonstrations in Oregon. I know - Portland - probably not in your county.

But those demonstrations and the reports about them were probably big news in your county. That could push some people toward Trump. Most of the people who were demonstrating are probably not mainline Democrats. I'm not sure what should change though. If the demonstrations are peaceful, even if they're illegal, democrats should support a reasonable response, and specifically, a non-violent response to non-violent demonstrations.

Sometimes doing the right thing costs you votes. Hopefully, it only costs you votes in the short term; and may gain you votes in the long term. But, whether it costs you votes or not, you should do the right thing.

[SophieJean]

29. What the hell are you talking about?!

Those "demonstrations," were Black Lives Matter, remember? If people were "pushed towards trump," that most likely has to do with the fact they don't give a crap about POC being murdered by cops. FUX and other right-wing media lied about the protests, including the fact that proud boy, boogaloo, or other assorted right-wing brownshirts were perpetrating the violence. It wasn't blm or antifa, but you would never know that listening to corporate news. For fuck's sake, trump's personal army was "disappearing" blm protesters off the Portland city streets. That's straight up fascism.
There are wingnut majority counties in many blue states, including CA where I live. However, last time I checked Oregon's electoral votes went to Biden because the majority of voters in that state are not right-wing Assholes.
And the original post is asinine to begin with. Too many people can't seem to understand that trump's cult members are racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, etc., morons for the most part. Others are wealthy rightwingers who want to hoard this country's wealth and power via corporate capitalist fascism., including taking over the courts.
It's not the Democrats, or their "message," imperfect as they may be.

[meadowlander]

19. Hmmm...

Kids in cages, bad... check
Refraining from calling soldiers suckers and losers... check
Opposing nepotism, croneyism and self-dealing... check
Not threatening political opponents with legal retribution... check
Rejecting foreign interference in US elections... check
Making it easier for people to vote and insisting that every vote is counted... check
Listening to scientists, trying to make health care workers jobs easier and avoid killing elderly people... check
Nazis aren't very fine people... check

I just don't know. What are we going to do about the "toxic" Democratic brand? Let's get right on that.

[yardwork]

24. It's not the Democrats who are toxic.

[Bettie]

26. For a lot of them there is no winning message

unless our side turns to racism, religion, and guns. We'd have to become them, to jettison any care for civil rights or fairness.

That's the only thing that will resonate with them, for us to become the evil they want.

[Cha]

27. Just Stop trying to Blame the Democrratic

Party who got a Record amount of Votes For Joe Biden & Kamala Harris.

Oregon has Red AREAS too. Just because it's OREGON doesn't mean anything. There's Brainwashed Idiots in Oregon, too.

BLUE Hawaii got more votes for trump this time... do you think I'm going to Blame anyone Except the Stupid Brainwashed Fucking Idiots!!?

[BainsBane]

31. the problem isn't Democrats

It's the immoral and narcissistic Trump voters. You live near horrendous people.

[kcr]

32. My county flipped to Biden

Nothing needs to change just because you live in a shitty county.

[budkin]

36. It's the right wing media machine

It has to be broken up for good.

[SidDithers]

37. Maybe you need to read the history of the formation your state...

to see why some communities in Oregon might vote for a racist POS like Trump.

As the Rude Pundit said in 2016, "The line between voting for a bigot and being a bigot is so thin as to be non-existent."

Sid

[Azathoth]

38. Democrats didn't do themselves any favors in that region of the country this summer

Going full White Fragility woke and proclaiming that arson and property damage weren't "violence" and allowing Defund the Police to become a thing...