Why do Republicans have so much power?

[Garrett78]

White House, US House, US Senate, majority of governorships, majority of state legislatures.

Is it just gerrymandering and voter suppression? Do those things alone explain why Dems have so little power across the country?

No, I'm not a Russian bot. Yes, I voted for Clinton and have issues with Bernie. And I want desperately for Republicans to be defeated.

I just have a hard time with the idea that it's somehow healthy to ignore what may be problems within our party. To ignore the massive power imbalance or to hope that Trump's awfulness alone will turn the tide.

[guillaumeb]

1. Trump had a clear message. Simple, a lie, but clear.

What is the clear message of the Democratic Party?

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. More than one simple reason - although Russian election theft is devastating

Gerrymandering - yup.
Black and White vs nuanced thinking - certainly favors the right wing noise machine
Empathy vs selfishness
Religion
Authoritarianism - the desire to be led (aka told what to think)
Right Wing noise machine

there's a few - and each one of those is complex.

[virtualobserver]

6. The right wing figured it out

Democrats have been trying to win from the top down...and they have done well with that.....Republicans have only won the popular vote once since Bush won in 1988.

Conservatives won from the bottom up, starting with state legislatures. Then citizens united sealed the deal with practically unlimited funding from Koch brothers and the like.

[NRaleighLiberal]

7. yup - ah, that damn Citizens United decision...indeed.

[ffr]

3. I've given thought to Dems direction. We should always take positions just left of

republicans.

They're for unrestricted guns? We're for much the same, but want some reasonable restrictions
They're for cutting taxes? So are we, but we want to focus our tax cuts on the middle-class.
They're pro-business? So are we, just that let's leave something left of the environment for our children to have too.

What should happen is as they lose election after election and Republican becomes a dirty word, we keep bending.

If we try to save the environment and make the world a safer place, we'll remain out of power and unable to have any say in the direction of this great nation.

[bluestarone]

4. we have a

perfect storm for these bastards control control control

[underthematrix]

5. You keep buying the products of billionaires who support GOP's hate agenda

[msongs]

8. because too many dems sit home on election day esp at the state/local levels? nt

[MiniMe]

9. They are good used car salesmen

[Snake Plissken]

10. Republicans have so much power, because Demcrats don't vote.

If Democrats turned out to vote the Republican party would be irrelevant