If the options consist of running as Progressives and getting our asses kicked

[Jackpine Radical]

and running as appeasers and getting our asses kicked, the choice is pretty clear to me.

[Dont call me Shirley]

1. The progressives won reelection in NM. Tom Udall, Ben Ray Lujan, Michele Lujan Grisham.

But not the governorship. The NM legislature results are not in yet. But we have a R SOS (who won reelection) pulling the kobach shenanigans. I pray to the election god our legislature remains solidly D.

[billhicks76]

31. Grayson Won Because He Stood For Something

Last edited Thu Nov 6, 2014, 04:33 AM - Edit history (1)

This ejection...oops...I mean election was a referendum not just on Obama by Republicans and so-called independents. It was also a referendum on Centrist, Moderate Democrats by Democrats. I personally think there was election fraud and voter suppression that affected things but ignoring the true message of Progressives which is all Democrats really have is what happened here. Acting like Republicans doesn't inspire anyone. You can blame whoever but this is a reality. We better find someone better defined than a personality only like Hillary or Obama who suck up to Republicans and get nowhere for it. We had 6 years to at least change the conversation but leaders on our side played to the 1% and many good Senators like Udall lost because of mistakes by Obama and Clinton.

[Dont call me Shirley]

33. The NM progressives that won ran on progressive policies. TV ads were progressive, positive.

[DeSwiss]

34. !

- Be careful. Honesty can be hard for some here to interpret as anything but an insult.

[grahamhgreen]

53. +1 he got my money:)

[billhicks76]

65. Progressives Should Be Put In Charge Now

Centrists lost. "I feel bad for the people Democrats are supposed to represent, not the Democratic candidates. They remind me of the Iraqi Army - running when they should fight."
- Bill Maher

You are right about cowards but I'm sorry Obama is the biggest one. He's always capitulating to corporations and republicans. It's gotten so bad I thought he wasn't a spineless coward but actually one of them. The worst is his defense of NSA, the Drug War racket and torture... Even worse than putting all lobbyists in regulatory positions and secrecy.

[2naSalit]

2. Indeed.

Have to beat them at their own game.

[Ed Suspicious]

42. They're quite skilled at their game. I say we make

them play our game.

[appal_jack]

3. Protective ass-pads? nt

[Kablooie]

4. Getting your ass kicked while kissing someone's ass makes you an ass.

But maybe we couldn't help is since our mascot is an ass anyway.

[Autumn]

5. Crystal clear.

Rec

[workinclasszero]

6. Almost all progressive issues passed

All the pot liberalization laws passed. Raising the minimum wage passed in a couple of states.

Progressive issues were victorious last night!

What failed was democrats acting like damned right wing republicans!

[cascadiance]

8. In Oregon, Merkley smashed Wehby and was the first senator to support legalization of pot...

... which ultimately was made legal last night, and it still looks like they haven't called the ballot race on labeling GMOs yet, even though it is still behind now. Rural votes could help it as well as Multnomah County in Portland, as there are a lot of organic farmers in this state who have already succeeded in banning GMO foods in two counties in the May primaries this year. If it ultimately does pass, it will be the first time a state has passed such a measure through state ballot initiative rather than through the state legislature. That despite this measure being the most expensive ballot measure in Oregon election history, and having just about every commercial break from local television stations having the last commercial be an anti-92 ad.

We actually also gained a seat in the State Senate that will make it harder for the few "crossover" (aka corporatist) Democrats to play games with the Republicans in the next elective sessions. We might actually get another seat, as my old Republican State Senator Bruce Starr, who I just got when I moved here last November, is within a 100 or less votes of being beaten by the Democrat Chuck Riley. Could be just a few of us who moved in to this district like myself that ultimately might make the difference in who gets elected this time around.

[CrispyQ]

9. Just mentioned in another thread was how the dreadful personhood bill in CO

was defeated, again, for the third time, but somehow Cory Gardner trounced Mark Udall.

[cascadiance]

11. Perhaps if Udall had campaigned more heavily on his stances on privacy rights and the NSA...

... he might have picked up more independent and Libertarian votes. He's been a good senator in taking a stance on keeping our rights to privacy, which unfortunately our president and other members of his administration have NOT shown good leadership on and have probably split popular support on such issues away from our party too.

[CrispyQ]

13. Money in politics, our biggest problem.

http://www.fairshareonline.org/truth-gardner-koch

Here’s what we know:
1) The Koch Brothers are spending millions to back Cory Gardner.

The Koch Brothers have built a network of front groups to advance their agenda, and those groups have paid for a slew of ads against Sen. Mark Udall. They’ve also donated directly to the Gardner campaign.

Koch Backed Group Generation Opportunity Spent $900,000 On Ad That Criticized Udall. Denver Post, 6/28/14

Koch Backed Americans For Prosperity And American Energy Alliance Spent $550,000 On Ads That Supported Gardner. Denver Post, 5/14/14.

Koch Backed Freedom Partners Spent $1.1 Million On Senate Ads In Colorado And Iowa. Wall Street Journal, Washington Wire, 4/8/14.

Koch Backed Americans For Prosperity Spent $1 Million On Campaign Ads That Attacked Udall. Washington times, 3/17/14.

Koch Family Donated $10,400 To Gardner For Senate. CQ Political MoneyLine, Cory Gardner Individual Contributions, accessed 8/4/14.

KochPAC Donated $5,000 To Gardner For Senate. CQ Political MoneyLine, Cory Gardner Detailed PAC Money, accessed 8/4/14.

There's more at the link. Not saying Udall couldn't have run a better campaign, but it is very depressing to see how money = speech.

[cascadiance]

15. Karl Rove and Crosspoints GPS also focused their money on Udall in Colorado too...

http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2014/11/05/in-colorado-karl-rove-gardner-beats-tom-steyer-udall/

We definitely need a grass roots campaign for movetoamend to pick up steam the next two years and perhaps serve as some organizing roots for progressive campaigns around the country too.

[CrispyQ]

16. From your link, this just makes me sick:

The closely watched $94 million Colorado Senate race

[grasswire]

30. Cory Gardner's speech scared the hell out of me.

This is a dangerous man. Ambitious, slick, and Koch backed.

[fizzgig]

50. i saw nothing but koch money in co this year

very, very few pro-udall or pro-hick ads.

[cascadiance]

51. I'm curious if the anti-Udall ads were always the last in a segment of ads on television shows...

I think there's a strategy there that makes that the most valuable ad in an advertising segment in today's media landscape.

We were CONSTANTLY seeing the anti measure 92 ads that was setting records here in Oregon in terms of ad spending (that unfortunately looks like it just went down despite the close results with a percentage point or two) as the last commercial in a commercial segment.

When you think about how many people use their DVRs these days to record programs and then skip through the ads on playback, what ad do you think people will mostly like to see at least the last 10-15 seconds of if they watch television content in this fashion. The last one, since people would mostly likely let that part play through before watching their program they want again from the start of the next segment.

That is why I'm curious if you had the same strategy being played out there. If that was happening throughout the country, then I think it might help us to make sure that in the future we try to get that last ad spot too if we can in many markets to help us in the same way.

[Jackpine Radical]

52. There is also the Recency Effect in psychological learning theory.

You tend to remember the first (primacy) and last (recency) things on a list. It's been scientifically established and known for generations.

[alp227]

29. The NSA was an afterthought for Udall

http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/mark-udall-touts-nsa-reform-and-dings-obama-in-bid-to-save-senate-seat-20141015

[sadoldgirl]

12. Yes, and this was in some way

well deserved.

Udall ran a terrible campaign imo. No spark, nothing positive, almost grim. Never really pointing out that

Gardner is a teapublicon, one of the most conservative in the House. Sorry, but even I was turned off by

his steady "war on women" ads. Lousy.

[whopis01]

20. Not all the pot liberlization laws passed.

The medical marijuana initiative in Florida only received 58% of the vote - not the 60% it needed to pass.

It did have a majority of support - but that wasn't quite enough.

[truedelphi]

55. The cannabis initiative I upported here in Lake County Calif. also did not pass.

But the good news is that just about two weeks back, a Federal Judge said that those poor folks whose lives were turned upside down when the local police came in and tashed their properties' gates, ran off their dogs, and also made the homeowners destroy their plants, which Prop 215 was supposed to allow them to grow, those homeowners have to be compensated.

Right now the lawsuits demanidng compensation are asking for about $ 650,000.

This is a rather poor county and I think it will stop law enforcement Nazis from destroying people's lives.

And BTW, the most plants that were being grown were 14 in number!!

So it shows you the police tend to be in league with the big growers, and that is a fact.

[Scuba]

7. Indeed.

[mythology]

10. Please explain how you intend to get an Elizabeth Warren

Through the primary in Georgia. I'm pretty sure that isn't happening. It's all well and good to say we should only run progressives, but in some state or districts that isn't feasible.

[jeff47]

19. By voting for her.

I'm pretty sure that isn't happening.

Yes, let's look at all the failed attempts so far:


Well, that was fast.

A "progressive" in Georgia is nowhere near as liberal as a "progressive" in Vermont. Doesn't mean can't try someone who's liberal for a Georgian.

[bvar22]

58. Maybe not Warren, but a Progressive like THIS could sweep the state.

#!

[baldguy]

68. What's next? Pining for the virtues of Tammany Hall?

[sibelian]

23. "in some state or districts that isn't feasible"

Yeah, giving up's such a winning strategy.

[DeSwiss]

35. Then maybe it isn't the candidates that need scraping. :-| n/t

[Volaris]

47. make them remember that the reason parts of Georgia even have ELECTRICITY

is because a progressive FDR said fuck the republicans, I'm building the TVA. You're WELCOME.

For a deeper understanding of not only what were up against, but how real liberals can fight back AND WIN, watch the video posted below.

When we are true to ourselves, NOTHING can stand against us. We Rise, by lifting OTHERS. That is all.

[mmonk]

14. Since we unequivocally no longer run

as Progressives in the historical sense instead of the redefined sense as progressive corporatism since Reagan, we won't know until we try.

[Johonny]

17. I agree totally

[polichick]

18. Problem is, few Dems actually are progressives.

[quakerboy]

25. I would disagree with that

When you start talking issues with people, I find that most Democrats are progressives.

Perhaps you meant that few elected Dems are progressives?

[polichick]

27. Yes, I did mean "leaders." imo the country is dying for...

a true progressive/people's party - but it's not likely to come by way of the Dem party.

[jtuck004]

39. Don't need another party. Bernie Sanders says start getting people together around

a Progressive Agenda in an org, 50 states. Slow and steady, but if it flies, it would be unstoppable. Should be able to garner several million people.

Then we show them how.

[polichick]

40. Dem "powers that be" don't want that, which is why people's movements...

have been squashed (Dean) or preempted (Obama).

[jtuck004]

45. Has nothing to do with Ds or Rs. What they say will be irrelevant. Again. n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

61. Yes, almost universally, the Dems I know are far more progressive

than the politicians and party hacks.

If it's true that you're supposed to get more conservative as you grow older, the people in my circle seem not to have gotten the message.

[alcibiades_mystery]

21. True

[sibelian]

22. THAT'S the truth.

[hedgehog]

24. "The middle of the road is for yellow lines and dead armadillos."

Jim Hightower

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jimhightow135322.html

[mmonk]

28. He does have a way with words.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

26. If spaghetti and graphite are the same thing, why not eat pencil leads? N.T.

[vkkv]

32. I fully blame the ignorant SOUTH for voting for these GOPers year after year.

I'm still waiting for TX, MO, OK, KS, AZ and the ENTIRE South to secede so we can get going on that BORDER FENCE.

The IGNORANT SOUTH must secede! They just might have the votes and enough IGNORANCE to do just that!

[kentauros]

37. 68% of all Latinos that voted in this election in Texas

voted for Wendy Davis.

The white population has dipped below 50% while the Latino population is approaching 40%. If we could run Joaquin or Julian Castro for governor next time, either one would be elected, no problem.

Educate yourself before making such ignorant broad brush statements, okay?

[AleksS]

44. How about OH and WI?

How about OH and WI?

They're not very southern, are they? Yet they went hard red last night. Should we secede too?

[Jackpine Radical]

57. I was about to make that exact point.

Thanks for saving me the trouble.

It's not the South, it's a combination of the unholy forces of Big Money, Big Media, and the stupid Democratic responses to all this. Too damn many Democrats are proving out to be either weasels or chickenshits.

[HereSince1628]

69. Doesn't WI stand for WIssissippi???

That Southern Appalachian yeomanism thing is a state of mind. It works in the northwoods as well as in the piney woods down south as the no-wood great plains.

The crux of the problem is millions of people have decided that 'being in it together' requires being mandated by the federal government into sinful support of the lazy. They reject being required to do anything for the good of all ("all" being tainted by those lazy people who are upsetting the proper social order).

[backscatter712]

36. When given the choice between Republican and Republican Lite,

the voters always go for full-flavor.

Hardly anyone ran as an actual progressive at all - they all got suppressed by the corporate whores and Koch-quislings.

[Martin Eden]

38. Message to Dem politicians:

Stand for something, or stand aside!

The Republican-Lite candidate will almost always lose to the Republican candidate.

[ReRe]

43. "Lead, or get out of the way." ~~ Lee Iacoca

[valerief]

41. Yep. Move to a progressive country!

[ReRe]

46. Pretty clear to me too.

I would go down kicking and screaming, let me tell you, as a real bona fide Progressive Democrat!

[redruddyred]

48. I think there's more and more evidence that we ought to be speaking to our base.

too much apathy and disillusionment on team D. we need better leaders.

[Douglas Carpenter]

49. Why is it that the Republicans moving farther and farther to the right doesn't seem to hurt them?

Last edited Wed Nov 5, 2014, 08:48 PM - Edit history (1)

Then when Democrats move farther and farther to the right - it doesn't seem to help them?

[Jackpine Radical]

54. I think there are a number of reasons for that.

First, the Establishment media are very right-wing. Second, there's that old Truman thing about running phony Republicans against real ones. People on the Right already have a party; why in God's name would they jump ship?

[Recursion]

60. Because both parties' support is heavily weighted to the right end of their spectrum

The GOP has a few moderates and a lot of conservatives. We have a few liberals and a lot of moderates.

It's not a bell curve.

[MineralMan]

56. The progressives in my districts in Minnesota all won.

In my precinct, they all got 60% of the vote at least. We nominate progressives, endorse them, and then work to get them elected here in Minnesota. From the precinct level to the Senate, that's what we do. I highly recommend that.

[NYC Liberal]

59. Because those are clearly the ONLY two options.

[Number23]

62. I actually agree.

[ZombieHorde]

63. I very much agree. nt

[Recursion]

64. We had precisely two pick-ups, both from blue dogs

Ashford in Nebraska, and Graham in Florida.

[stillwaiting]

66. Republicans WILL fuck things up again.

They WILL govern very, very badly, and the American people will then elect Democrats.

But, if we continue to nominate corporate Dems, things will continue to get worse for 90% of Americans financially and the electorate will send Republicans back to D.C. This. Will. Happen.

We MUST nominate progressives everywhere we can, and they WILL get elected when the Republicans inevitably fuck things up. Progressive Dems must put the blame squarely on conservatives effectively as well in order to continue building support for progressive ideas. Corporate Dems never seem to "understand" this. If only someone would tell them!!

The only way things improve economically for 90% of us is if truly progressive legislation is enacted in many, many different areas. The chances of that happening with Third Way corporatist Dems is zero. So, things will continue to get worse for most of us even when Dems have control, and the Republican Party will continue to reemerge from the ashes to the surprise and bewilderment of some.

[Jackpine Radical]

72. "Corporate Dems never seem to "understand" this."

You have geven me the perfect opening to quote Upton Sinclair once again:

"It is very difficult to get a man to understand something if his income depends on his not understanding it."

[baldguy]

67. .

[Jamastiene]

70. Tell me about it.

The "pragmatics" that took over the party in 2008 won't let us though. They are in charge and getting their way, being abusive to the rest of the Democratic Party, losing elections, and blaming the left/liberals when they are not blaming gays.

Imagine being an average person minding your own business. Then, imagine someone coming to your door to talk to you about voting, then saying some of the things that have been said to liberals here on DU by the "pragmatic" bunch here who constantly insult us, shout us down, abuse us, belittle us, and rub our noses in the fact that they are in charge and how we will never be allowed to have candidates who actually represent the party platform. I doubt very seriously they all of a sudden turn nice when they are going door to door with their version of GOTV. Imagine being that average person and having to listen to them in your own home. How would that make you feel toward the Democratic Party? Warm and fuzzy? I think no.

I'm beyond sick of that "pragmatic" bunch. They are turning people against the party with their insolence and their abusive haughty, hateful rhetoric against progressives.

[Jackpine Radical]

73. And of course their other principal trick is to

make promises like a progressive, then govern like a conservative, and blame the voters when they see themselves as having been had and refuse to come out to be fooled the second time around.

[Jamastiene]

74. Yep,

like when they were talking about this right wing policy or that right wing policy that would never happen, then they happened. It is always some form of belittling and verbal abuse that they aim at those of us who can see the truth. We always turn out to be right, then they throw up claims of racism and/or talk about unicorns and ponies. No, just common sense and we saw it coming. They just change the goal posts to suit their current stage of denial of the facts as they are happening.

[Orsino]

71. "Give up," whisper the forces of corporatism.

Don't give up.