Three Reasons...

[Blue Idaho]

1. Gutting of the voting rights act.

2. New Voter ID Laws.

3. Running away from the President and true Democratic principles and policies.

By ignoring the Teapublican attacks on our President and his agenda we let them control the narrative. Where did that advice come from? We need new party leadership.

[upaloopa]

1. 4. Our side stayed home again.

That is what I am hearing while driving to work today. If true it shows again that logic and reason cannot trump apathy.
I'm beginning to wonder if there will ever be a progressive legacy.
At 68 I am beginning to think that our ideals will die with us. What is there to keep hope alive if our message is not heard?
In high school in the 60's I had social studies class with a text book titled "The Common Good." Social justice was taught to us. Martin Sheen (Ramon Esrevez) was a school mate of mine. He was in my older brother's class I was in Martin's brother's class. But today is social justice taught in school any more?

[Blue Idaho]

4. I'm not so sure...

Seems like every time a poll is run on program specifics - Social Security, Affordable Care Act, minimum wage, immigration reform, jobs programs, you name it - people are overwhelmingly in favor of progressive policies. But if you change the questions, demonize those policies, and attach them to a person you have invested millions in painting as "evil" the outcomes suddenly change.

As Democrats we need to be smarter about winning elections. We also need to own our agenda and stop ignoring the Republican's most used tactic - the politics of personal destruction. Instead of running away from our President and our policies we need to push back. If we don't offer a counter argument to the Republican blame game - if we don't point out their role in creating gridlock, their blatant attempts restrict voting, and their ties to corporate fat cats, then they are controlling the message - and they say and do anything to get what they want. It's time to fight back.

Exit polls showed many who voted feel America is rigged against them and tilted towards the 1% - yet they voted to put Republicans in charge. Ladies and gentlemen - we obviously have a messaging problem.

[LiberalEsto]

2. 4. Campaign financing

5. Koch bros.

[cali]

3. nix number three and add a lot more.

and sorry, when will you guys get it? The president is deeply unpopular and as someone pointed out in another thread, Presidents always get blame for the bad stuff and little credit for the good. Not only that but this was a midterm election with a lot of vulnerable dem Senate seats.

[Blue Idaho]

5. I get all that...

But why is the President "deeply unpopular." Is he a lousy President? Is it second term fatigue? Is it because of what he has not done? Or is it in part the constant drumbeat of personal attacks on him broadcast 24/7 from Fox Noise, a network of right wing radio stations spanning the country, and every Republican invited onto every Sunday morning talk show? Is it because there was no competing argument about advances made over the last six years?

I fail to see how candidates supporting the President and Democratic progress during his terms in office could have led to a worse result.

[cali]

6. Lots of reasons: 2nd term fatigue, racism, an economy that hasn't helped most people

the MSM, etc.

[Blue Idaho]

7. What's the remedy?

How do Democrats get the ear of the American people?