The Sink Loss in Florida Tells Us One Thing

[MineralMan]

It tells us that the Republicans got the vote out better than the Democrats did. And make no mistake, they'll be working equally hard to get as many people to the polls as possible all across the country in November.

Are we going to let them outvote us? If we do, we make an enormous mistake. I suggest we pay attention and work our asses off in 2014, leading up to this year's crucial elections.

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. Yes, Repukes get the vote out better. Like roaches, or SS officers, they can overwhelm an area

and mobilize very nicely. I don't know why Democrats dreamed there could be a Democrat elected in a state where the governor is the biggest Medicare fraud crook in the history of the U.S., and of course, a Republican.

[riqster]

3. Actually, they weren't that badly beaten. Only a few points.

Turnout is everything.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

5. Turnout is VERY important considering the evil scum we're opposing. nt

[MineralMan]

8. Yes. If only a small group of additional Democratic voters

had gone to the polls, the result would have been different. We should treat every election the same way we treat a presidential election. Every election matters.

[riqster]

10. 4 votes in the last election gave Ohio Repubes total control of the state.

Think about it. Five lazy "dem" voters didn't bother to vote.

Five. Goddamn. Voters.

Turnout is EVERYTHING.

[MineralMan]

25. +1000

[TheNutcracker]

79. Special elections are known to bring out more republicans. With a normal dem turnout she'd win

[Bandit]

11. I bet if we had "Vote By Mail" the media would be telling a different story

Florida in particular has been cutting voting rolls and doing everything they can to stymie Democratic voters. Vote By Mail would solve pretty much all the voter suppression efforts of the Republicans. Democrats need to wake up and start advocating for it ASAP..

[riqster]

17. That kind of thing can work FOR us.

In 2012, voter suppression efforts so enraged the populace, turnout actually went UP.

But it takes people pushing to make it happen.

[Sancho]

35. Most of the vote here was vote by mail...

the registered democrats simply didn't vote.

[DrDan]

18. would have been much worse if that libertarian had not also been in the race

[riqster]

19. Indeed. That made this a very winnable election.

And too many lazy f***wits on our side sat it out.

[flpoljunkie]

60. Heard this morning Jolly beat Sink by 12 points on election day votes

Last edited Thu Mar 13, 2014, 08:02 AM - Edit history (1)

A Dem strategist just told Joy Reid on MSNBC that the Dems failed to come out and vote on election day. Too many Dems do not vote in special elections or mid-terms. Democrats, including the President, need to work on this this and educate Democrats on how crucial it is to vote in every election.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/13/us/health-law-tied-to-gop-victory-in-florida-race.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0

[riqster]

62. The Prexy is doing his bit. Some others are actively working against increasing turnout.

A couple reared their heads here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024649921

[riqster]

63. The actual numbers are nowhere near 12 points:

Jolly got 48.43
Sink got 46.56
Overby got 4.83

http://www.wtsp.com/news/breaking/article/360007/20/Republican-David-Jolly-wins-FL-13-special-election

[flpoljunkie]

73. Election day vote, not total votes. Jolly got 28,345 election day to Sink's 21,900.

REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS DISTRICT 13 (Vote for 1)
Choice Election Day Polls Absentee Votes Early Votes Provisional Total Percent
David W. Jolly 28,345 58,734 2,020 0 89,099 48.43%
Alex Sink 21,900 60,667 3,075 0 85,642 46.55%
Lucas Overby 2,171 6,597 125 0 8,893 4.83%
WRITE-IN 63 261 4 0 328 0.18%

http://enr.votepinellas.com/FL/Pinellas/50891/125083/en/vts.html?cid=0103

[riqster]

77. Yes, but that gives a false impression of the actual margin.

It makes it sound like the actual margin is much higher than it actually was.

[TheNutcracker]

86. It tells you just how many dems to repubs stayed HOME ON VOTING DAY

If the dems don't learn from this...and only want to see the TOTAL loss of only 1.5 points, then we will continue to lose. Election day is part of the game, and usually dems come out in bigger numbers. They did not here. There was also a history here in this race that did not help. Something else the dem party of fla refuses to learn.

[riqster]

87. Ah, now I see your point.

I was thinking that the absentee participation was a good number, but you are looking at election day turnout.

Good point, thanks!

[MineralMan]

4. Then we need to outperform them

It's one thing to go to the polls and vote, and another far more important thing to make sure you help many others do the same. If we make one mistake, it is in believing that people will take the time to vote without strong encouragement. Democratic activists need to be active in GOTV efforts in every election, not just presidential elections.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

6. Yes, but that requires work, and the yappers and whiners attacking Obama (and holding the hands

of right wingers, of course) are merely yapping and whining.

[MineralMan]

7. Yes, exactly.

There's work to do right now. 2016 will take care of itself in 2016. There's an election this year, and none of those erstwhile presidential candidates are running for President this year.

DU's great, but the voters in my congressional district aren't reading DU. I have to go out, knock on doors, and convince them to go to the polls and vote in 2014.

[Fumesucker]

49. Yes it's the fault of *anyone* *except* the Democrats

The Democrats who fail to attract sufficient voters.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

98. Oh you're SO RIGHT! GW Bush was a Democrat, so was Cheney, etc.

I'd prefer it if you not even bother to post a response.

[BlueCaliDem]

53. Well, it looks as if they did their jobs. By distracting from a very important House race

by attacking Obama 24/7, it helped carry forward the narrative propagated by corporate media that "Obama (and by default, Democrats) is BAD, unpopular, weak, can't govern, etc., etc., - so why bother? Just stay home!"

Its a clever psychological operations tactic that's wielded high dividends. Mission Accomplished.

[msanthrope]

54. It's called ratfucking. nt

[Skidmore]

88. There are some on DU who are doing just that

and they aren't as suble or skilled as they think.

[msanthrope]

90. Ratfucking has meant, historically, concerns raised from the "Left" and presented as

issues one should care about if one is truly "Left." This is a method of attack on a viable candidate that eliminates a consensus-building Democratic front-runner.

It also allows the conservative in the race to position themselves, message-wise, more advantageously..they are not the extreme one....the ratfucker is.

Look for purity tests, concerns that oddly mirror RW memes (Benghazi), and dismissal of Democratic gains and accomplishments, large and small.

[Skidmore]

92. Yep. Occurs with regularity on DU.

Attacking the candidate through attacking their potential voters accomplishes just that.

[riqster]

2. K&R & GOTFV!

[Laelth]

9. Turnout will be better in November.

In an election in any month other than November, Republicans have a distinct advantage (because, imho, most Democrats work for a living). That's not an excuse for failure to participate, but it is the truth.

-Laelth

[MineralMan]

13. Better isn't good enough.

Truly. Turnout needs to be spectacular. And just donating money to campaigns doesn't produce spectacular turnouts. That takes feet on the ground, phone banking, and social media campaigns. We can all help with that, even if we can't afford to donate. If we do that, we will regain control of the House in November. If we don't, we won't. It is, remarkably, that simple.

[riqster]

14. Yeah, but 2010.

We have to get people to the polls.

[Bluenorthwest]

67. In 2010, my State either met or broke midterm turn out records depending

on which method of counting you use. Our turn out increases each year. This is the case in several States actually. The problem is, instead of learning from the States that have election success stories, folks like to wallow in the blame game, further alienating the apathetic voters who are already not responding to the rhetoric being offered them.
You can not get people to the polls by scowling and sneering at them, nor with mediocre candidates muttering about bipartisanship.
Of course here we don't get anyone to 'the polls' at all, we don't have any to get to, we cast paper ballots and send them in when we wish.
Step one is: Make voting really easy.
Step two is: Make the ballot full of goodness.

[riqster]

70. Bollocks. Coming from a deep Blue state, and act as though everyone else does too.

Until you learn that not everyone is as lucky as you are, you'll never have anything constructive to add to this discussion. Lots of us are in Purple or Red States and your smug declarations are based on a highly localized set of advantages that do not exist in our states.

Many of your arguments are based on the condescension that springs from your comfort.

[CTyankee]

85. I am also from a deep blue state and I think you have lots more difficulties than we have.

I have thought about this a lot, tho. It would help if you had greater assistance from the national Dem Party to organize and train local volunteers in states such as yours to get information and encouragement to voters (and potential voters, to get them to register to vote). I know I would give money to get this to happen and move the needle in lots of states/districts in our direction. Do you think that would help?

[riqster]

89. Sounds great. We could learn a lot!

[CTyankee]

91. Then why the hell isn't this happening NOW!

It's not that we're so smart here, it is because liberals like to live here...my husband is a poll worker on election days and he says our district has very, very few registered republicans. It's almost a joke. We simply overwhelm them. We have an extremely diverse ward. Black/white, Christian/Jewish/atheist and other, gay/straight, old/young. We tend to have higher education levels but even that is not true across the board.

My next door neighbor is a republican who registered as a Dem so he could vote in the Dem primaries. His 19 year old son is also registered as a Dem but I like to believe he is a "real" one, unlike his dad.

[frazzled]

15. No ... not in midterms

We Democrats are REALLY bad at getting people--especially young voters and minority voters--to get out in off-year elections. Do not sit back and expect that twenty-somethings even know that there is a House or Senate race going on.

[MineralMan]

20. You're right. We need to talk to every voter and show them

why their vote is crucial in 2014. Young voters. Diverse voters. Every voter. That should be obvious to everyone who is an election activist. Every vote matters, and every election matters to every voter. It's our job to convince all voters of those facts.

[Blanks]

111. I don't know what it was like in Florida on Tuesday...

But you can tell people (especially young people) that they need to vote on Tuesday for weeks to come and unless you're right up in their face on Tuesday - they've forgotten because they have other priorities. That's human nature.

I've been getting emails asking for support for Sink for weeks. I believe one of the things that they were asking for volunteers was to make phone calls.

I think the problem in this particular election was that the candidate was difficult to get enthused about.

So we need two things:

1) candidates that inspire.
2) reminders that it is Election Day.

If we really expect that it's going to be minorities and young people that are going to give us a majority in the house - we need to understand that they might be doing something else on Election Day. Push them to the polls anyway.

[frazzled]

12. If young people and minorities don't come out ...

we lose. It's that simple. When they vote, typically only in presidential election years, we win. It's up to all of us to get out the vote among these demographics in our own districts. Well, my district is so safe it's got a member for life (Danny Davis). So if your district is not in question, contact Organizing for Action or Move On or any other advocacy group that does GOTV work, and volunteer to phone bank near election date this fall in another district with a competitive race to get this important part of the Democratic majority to the polls to exercise their vote.

[MineralMan]

16. My district is not in question, although we need a high turnout in it

to assure reelection of Senator Franken and our Governor, both of whom won in recounts. Aside from that, I'll be working on my neighboring district, the one where Michele Bachmann is currently the representative.

But even in secure districts, turnouts matter for statewide races. We can't just rest on our laurels and accept a low turnout in any district.

[frazzled]

24. Of course, there are other races here too

For which I will be working, especially the Illinois governor's race (I don't think Dick Durbin is much trouble, but it never hurts). Hell, we have Democratic primaries on March 18, and even though many races are unopposed, there are others that are not--for instance, for Cook County Board, and it will make a big difference to Toni Preckwinkel's agenda which Democrats get on the ballot. I know the turnout for these primaries will be 20% or less. People honestly and truly don't give a hoot. And even when they do come, they often don't know what they're voting for or against.

I think the Governor's race here, which is high profile and in doubt, will make November a higher turnout election than in some states. But you have to convince people who come to vote down ballot, too. It doesn't help to have turnout if people go just to vote for one or two races at the top and skip the rest.

[cascadiance]

28. Young people need more guidance to help them know libertarians are NOT their party!

Even though libertarians are strong on good issues like legalization of marijuana, ending war spending, and getting rid of domestic spying, all of which I share libertarian's approach on, they need to understand the total picture of what libertarians want and how it's going to screw them in areas like funding for education, etc. that they are still getting screwed on. They also need to understand that until we get something like instant runoff voting in place, even if we have a party like the greens, that even people like me support perhaps moreso at times than what a democratic party would offer in a given election, that third parties are made out to be spoilers to allow Republicans to win without instant runoff voting in place. If young people feel that neither major party are addressing their concerns, which there is a very good case to be made in many instances, that this that much more of a reason for them to make a big issue they push to tell the major parties that newer generations want instant runoff voting to be in place, and that this is the coming majority view of America as the voting populace ages and adds more young people and loses older people. It sounds like in this one election there was a lot of libertarian party support that might have been had by the Democrats if instant runoff voting were in place, much like Gore might have won Florida in 2008 if it had been in place there then too.

[Fumesucker]

50. If you spend the entire time viciously attacking libertarians

Then why would young voters think those libertarian issues they care about are also issues of the Democrats?

[cascadiance]

65. I'm not "viciously" attacking libertarians... I agree with them on many of the visible issues too...

... that attract young voters that I highlighted here. But if you take away those issues and had young people look at the other areas, like wanting to abolish the minimum wage altogether, etc. then perhaps they might have second thoughts.

And even if they'd like to give some libertarians more voice who actually do emphasize the better issues that they and I support, I'm more attacking our voting system NOT having instant runoff voting than I'm attacking the libertarians per se, which FORCES us to pick between the least objectionable choice of the two major parties rather than a third party which might be more aligned with our views, if you want to have any kind of real voice over who gets elected.

I also dislike heavily many issues that some Democrats have that serve more their corporate backers than party constituents as well, which many times we blindly ignore as well when we support them. Another example of why instant runoff voting would help us weed out those that wouldn't serve our interests from the Democrats, not just other candidates like Libertarians who I also have some concerns about too.

[Fumesucker]

66. Not you in particular but the loathing for anything remotely "libertarian" on DU is epic

[cascadiance]

68. Yes, I run in to that frequently when I defend Snowden's actions in many threads...

They focus on just the negative aspects of Libertarian philosophy that I might share, but ignore the invaluable service that Snowden has provided with trying to help us regain our rights of privacy, etc.

Quite frankly, I think it would be kind of cool that a progressive president in 2016 (like an Elizabeth Warren) might nominate someone like Ron Paul in a cabinet position for something like Homeland Security, where he could help bring decent Libertarian views to keep good transparency, etc. over our security operations, though hopefully he wouldn't continue the privatization of them as much that has happened so far which has also been damaging.

[MineralMan]

76. Well, Dennis Kucinich was considering Ron Paul as a

running mate in 2012. Really. That didn't work out too well for him, I think.

Ron Paul is not a progressive. Ron Paul is an racist asshole. Fuck Ron Paul.

[Fumesucker]

97. That's hardly an answer which young people would understand

When they indicate they agree with some libertarian issues.

It's hard to tell them the Democrats agree with Dennis Kucinich on the drug war when it's obvious they don't.

[cascadiance]

102. I was speaking more of him as a libertarian and how he stands there than his personal qualities

Yes, some would argue that both he and his son have demonstrated racist tendencies that I don't support. That too might exclude him from being considered as well. But I don't think racism is necessarily part of what libertarians as a party preaches, unlike some other areas where I don't agree with the party as well. What I was trying to propose is that you select a Libertarian like Ron Paul, or perhaps another prominent one that doesn't have what you are arguing are racist tendencies and put them in a position in homeland security. That way you confine that libertarian's job to working on issues in areas where progressive Democrats agree with Libertarians (like protecting privacy rights, etc. from an aggressive security state). A move like that would help move many young people in the right direction if they see a segment of the Democratic Party moving in the same direction in areas like that where they support the Libertarians for their leadership in these areas now. Because ultimately as they mature, I think these young people will find that other areas they aren't looking at overlap with progressive views of certain Democrats (and other parties like Green Party) more than the other views of the Libertarian party.

[magical thyme]

21. it's a great wakeup call. better to get that lesson down now

while there's still time to respond.

[antiquie]

22. Florida Democrats have a lot to overcome.

Imagine That, Florida's Gov. Rick Scott and SoS Ken Detzner Are Still Trying to Suppress the Vote

Republicans Expand Renewed 'Block the Vote' Strategy in Florida

[MineralMan]

23. And that should inspire election activists even more.

That's a reason for it being difficult. It is not an excuse.

[antiquie]

31. Activism is the only way to stop their crap. ~ nt

[MineralMan]

32. +100

[warrior1]

26. this area was carried by the repuke for the last 32 years

it was a long shot to begin with

[MineralMan]

27. Yes, I know that. But this election was close.

That same area voted for Obama. We should have won. That we didn't is a failure of Democratic GOTV efforts there.

[warrior1]

29. we could have won

if there was a magical way of getting democratic voters to the voting booth.

Either they aren't as democratic as we would like. They don't marinate in politics like we do. They should vote like their lives depend on it. They aren't paying attention.

Not sure if Ms. Sink was a strong enough candidate.

Of course Koch brothers spent a lot of $$$ to scare those did vote.

Sad really.

[MineralMan]

33. There's no magical way. You have to convince

people to go and vote. I'm guessing that my precinct walking for every election gets an extra 100 or so voters to the polling place. I'm pretty good at convincing people who think there's no reason they should go vote to actually go. I find their pain points and tell them why voting can help.

I talk to people. That's my election activism. I ask them questions and give them information. It works.

[steve2470]

30. k&r& GOTV 2014 !!! nt

[MindMover]

34. It says we need a candidate that does not want to sell austerity, cuts in SS and fixing Obamacare ..

[840high]

36. It also tells us

we need better candidates.

[Sancho]

37. Here's my take from voting here over 20 years....

1.) both candidates were mediocre, so there was little energy for most voters despite the crazy tv ads and phone calls. Most of the Democratic base was simply not interested: teachers, unions, minorities, college students, women...none were really mobilized by this race and Sink didn't mean anything to them. I'm in a union - Sink didn't talk to us. Sink had lots of people walking and calling, but they were going after the suburbs where most folks already were voting for Jolly. There was no "issue" like women's rights or "stand your ground" or ANYTHING that Sink put forward to attack Jolly. All she said was that she would "work with the other side". That's not an issue.

2.) The repubs can count on the retired base who have lots of time and vote straight GOP no matter who is running.

3.) In 2004, I saw a DRE cast a vote for Buchanan when you pushed Castor. We've had reports for a decade of absentee ballots found in the trash, mailed ballots whose signatures were rejected (by GOP volunteers who do the checking; old folks again), and you name it. You get no help here from election supervisors. ID's are "checked" at the polls. If it's close, the nod goes to the GOP.

4.) The district is gerrymandered, but there are still more Democrats registered. Even when registered, there are a some hurdles getting ballots by mail, voting early etc. Registration is much more difficult under Rick Scott.

5.) Jolly benefitted from a lot of local veterans and military people who came out to protect their health care and retirement. They heard a lot of false reports that Jolly would help them and Sink would do them in...

6.) The senior citizens did not buy into the "Jolly will get rid of SS" message. They already have SS and they know they are safe...they would react if Jolly went after medicare, but all his ads said that the ACA was cutting medicare. We all know it's not true, but I could not convince the retired neighbors on both sides of me.

[HockeyMom]

46. I got my card to request absentee ballot for November

and sent it in yesterday. I will never, ever vote at the polls in Tea Bagger Naples again. Absentee ballot and bring it myself to the Board of Elections and WATCH them record as I did in the Presidential election.

I do not trust them where I live, even if they "allow" me to vote.

[Scuba]

38. So when we get our asses collectively kicked in November ...

... it won't because we have no national platform that inspires people to vote, it'll be because too few of us worked the GOTV lines. Got it.

Seem like calling people is one thing, having something to say is another. At least in California, volunteers will be able to say they stand for legalizing pot. I guess that's something.

[Octafish]

40. Exactly: Message

"Demsneedastory."

Which is about all the time one gets to tell it before the Koch Machine goes into overdrive full effect and the opportunity for money is free speech kicks in 20:1.

[treestar]

42. Yep. Sitting back expecting inspiration

is not going to work and has not worked. GOTV. Most people don't care whether they are inspired, they just need to do their civic duty.

[hfojvt]

74. rather than trying to win with some sort of a minority

how about sending out a message that actually gets a majority of the voters to vote for us?

Or is that too much work?

[treestar]

93. Well would not that be abounding principle?

Just saying what a majority want to hear?

It is too much to ask. No one has mesmerizing persuasive capability and most people think they know it all. Sitting back and waiting for others to do it is just complaining. If you have the message and really believe it's the one, start talking.

[Fumesucker]

99. Steps on too many wealthy, powerful and connected toes

It would probably be easier to have a good message than one that was bad enough to just barely lose.

[Fumesucker]

51. This is an exercise in setting up a scapegoat for late November, that's all

When voters decide that "not quite as bad as the Republicans" isn't a message they're all that thrilled by and stay away from the polls in droves.

[Cali_Democrat]

56. Yes...

...creating an OP imploring Dems to GOTV 2014 is nothing more than "an exercise in setting up a scapegoat for late November".

I am in awe of your brilliance.

[Fumesucker]

59. I wonder if the OP ever urged GOTV at Free Republic?

[Rex]

94. Now now...we must look and move forward and forget about the recent past

why do you hate freedumbs!?

[msanthrope]

55. Midterms aren't about national platform. They are about GOTV and almost nothing else. Having

worked many mids, I can tell you that message isn't as important as bodies. Why? National message plays best in the Presidential.

[Scuba]

61. Sure worked well in 2010, eh?

[msanthrope]

75. We didn't GOTV. nt

[Rex]

95. Not really, moderates stayed home in droves.

nt.

[bluestate10]

103. Why so negative. It's always bash Democrats and Obama. Never any ideas. But always the

BS about voting one's conscience. What gives? True Democrats KNOW that we must fight like hell to win the House and hold the Senate in 2016, if we fail on both, the future beyond 2014 is difficult.

[Scuba]

107. I seem to be getting more cynical in my old age. No idea why. I'll try to rein it in.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

108. If Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC) loses it will be because of Obamacare.

A majority in this state hate it and they will vote. Last I checked, Hagan was statistically tied with her top R challenger. Obama and the DNC need to get their collective asses down here and inspire those bodies to vote. The state Democratic Party is a mess, and Occupy, the NC NAACP, et al. can't do it all. The Kochsuckers are funneling millions to this race.

[Iliyah]

39. Close is still a loss . . .

But I think this seat is winnable in November. Of course corporate media is spouting total bullshit.

[treestar]

41. [phone]

and we keep getting taught that lesson over and over and still refuse to learn it. We blame the media, money, the corporations, the Third Way, the President, anything but admit local elections need work too and we can't just sit back and expect the President's coattails to deliver them.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

43. Get more women to the polls.

[MineralMan]

44. Just get more Democrats to the polls.

Men and women alike.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

47. Need the demographics data....

Also, you can BET the Republican was running tons of negative radio and TV ads.

[Fumesucker]

52. Eh, recall a bunch of Democratic politicians endorsed Christie..

What you want is not Democrats, you want people who will vote Democratic.

Evidently there is considerable difference.

[ErikJ]

45. SOCIAL MEDIA is only way Dems will win.

I go to Twitter and the very conservative #tcot is TOP TRENDING 24/7. No liberal hastags to be seen. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE DEMS??

[ancianita]

48. They also pay off "independent" voters better. We think voters will get up and vote on the issueS.

Party complacency is fomented by GOP media drama, which lulls Dems into thinking that being on the right side of the issues wins elections whether they show up or not.

[msanthrope]

57. That's why we shouldn't be fighting the 2016 primary wars now.....and why we should be suspicious

of those who insist on doing so.

[MineralMan]

71. I agree, and have an OP on that very subject still on the GD

front page.

[TheKentuckian]

78. The Clintonistas started the inevitable shit prior to the last inauguration and were huffing that

it would be too late for anyone else, if it wasn't already. It created and continues to draw a response.

[msanthrope]

81. Funny..what current thread is started by a 'Clintonista?' I'm not talking about a year ago..I'm

talking about right now.

[TheKentuckian]

112. A year ago was cool but now it is a problem.I think the 2016 problem is only a problem if

Madam Inevitable isn't being pushed. Why? Because only the response is an issue that and the only thing the 2014 only set has to say about is 2014!!! No talk of good liberals that need help in coming primaries, no talk of districts that can be flipped and need help. Far as it goes is a little Grimes talk (which is appreciated) and some seemingly fading support for Wendy Davis. I think this is because they are women and not particularly liberal.

No real talk of ideas or policy. No message or agenda at all except 2014!, accusations of folks not voting, circling the wagons around the security state, defenses of capitalism/shut and learn to love the oligarchy, pissing on whistle blowers, shitting on liberals, Red scaremongering, and chasing independents but only with policy pursuits that they don't seem to be particularly attracted to and when they don't come rather than to face that the tactics and strategies aren't having the expected results the left is blamed reflexively.

Shit, this time I think the foundation is being laid to deflect from a fuck load of fail coming down the pipe because certain folks know absolutely no effort is going to be made to actually convince or inspire voters and the blame must be laid and excuses must be made for going more corporate reactionary because that is the actual agenda, not a side effect.

[OldBoss]

58. Amen, MN 6th Congressional District ...

is my focus even though I live in Betty's district. We need a huge DFL win in 6! Graves lost by less than 600 votes, 6 is ready to turn!

[MineralMan]

72. Yes. I think it can be flipped in 2014.

We still need a large turnout in CD-4, though, to ensure that Franken and Dayton don't lose for a lack of turnout in strong DFL districts.

[polynomial]

64. This is how the Republicans do it...

By using every skill to persuade the electorate to vote against their interest is the core of the current conservative party. To add to that it is not really a true conservative approach to governing. Actually this party whether you classify it as tea party or regular Republican this is a skill set that is mastered through the art of public relations or marketing, not good old grand old party, the GOP.

The real GOP resides in the old fashion Eisenhower days that have diminished, that understands military concepts, and better realizes the needs in business harmony with the market place sharing rather than profiteering through swindling. From my view bailouts are a Bush Republican Reagan Star wars concept a new economy based with no responsibility to the upper wage earners. Get Hollywood in the action to make a social expression or even a movie. Then work that movie star into politics. From Ronald, Arnold, to a Beauty Queen Palin, face it America loves vanity over brains. One of the most watched channels in south Florida is dancing with the stars. Many older folks just follow a dream.

The mass media approach like buying time in the gerrymandered market place is a skillful application. Ever wonder that this gerrymandering is made for very “sync” spots into the electromagnetic sweet spots? The play on words are done by the masters, the Democratic Party could have expressed Mr. Sink as “Throwing the Sink at congress to get it done right”. The Republicans have a captured market to lie with all the liberalism they need to keep elected and profits pouring in. It’s not too late. Let’s throw the Sink at Congress in 2016!

[NightWatcher]

69. Sink sux and the district went repuke for 44 years

Maybe the states need to pick candidates who are not absolutely horrible and run in districts that might lean blue.

Stop reading into the repuke talking point. This loss doesn't mean anything.

[FarCenter]

80. Sink is a former President of Florida Operations at NationsBank, now Bank of America.

Unusual background for a Dem candidate?

[MineralMan]

83. Is it? I don't know.

I'm not in Florida, and am not involved in selecting candidates for office there. I live in Minnesota, where I am involved in that process. Do you live in Florida? If so, are you involved in the Democratic Party enough to influence candidate selection? If not, why not?

[bluestate10]

105. Some people would rather find fault than roll up their sleeves and bring about change.

I suggest that you don't ask questions that the target may have not thought about in the remotest sense. If people don't like a candidate, they can get other people on the ballot for a primary and fight for that person, I am doing that very thing now in my home state - it's hard and the outcome is uncertain, but at least I am taking the risk instead of going "tsk, tsk, that person is a 1%er and therefore unworthy"

[bluestate10]

104. Not really. The class-ism that a good Democrat is only someone that can barely rub

two dimes together is fetid bullshit, it is high time that the numerous practitioners of that distorted view on DU either learn to think more broadly, or STFU.

[hrmjustin]

82. It is a wake up call about getting our base out.

[MineralMan]

84. Our base and everyone else who will cast their vote

for a Democrat. That's what we need to do.

[Rex]

96. When Dems get their own version of the M$M call me...

nt.

[MineralMan]

100. Nah, I'm too busy trying to turn out voters.

There's an election coming.

[bluestate10]

106. You're doing the right thing, tune out the negative DU members. nt

[politicman]

101. misplaced anger

All this freaking out over the Democrats failing to get off their asses and vote, its the wrong way to think about it.

You need to give democrats the incentive to get off their asses and vote.

When the candidates campaign for progressive ideas. that in of itself will motivate dem voters.

Conservative voters will go to the ends of the earth to vote for their candidates because they see their candidates fighting for their fucked up ideas.

When Democrat candidates decide to motivate their voters by giving those voters a reason to go to the polls, we will win many elections.

So people, direct your anger at the party and its candidates and work to get rid of these useless candidates, that will help way more than attacking fellow voters.

[Doctor_J]

109. That we need to stop running candidates who don't believe in Dem principles

they fair poorly. The most important factor in GOTV is a good candidate running a good campaign. In FL we had neither.

[JackHughes]

110. Delusional Dems

Sink campaigned on "reaching across the aisle to Republicans" and "bipartisan cooperation."

Any liberal or independent who's been paying attention knows that any Democrat holding such views at this late date is either an idiot or delusional and hardly worth the effort of casting a vote.

Democrats wanting to motivate voters need to promise confrontation -- not cooperation.