2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumJust a reminder that, according to research, only 31% of Americans identify themselves as Democrats.
42% identify themselves as Independents. In other words, Democrats need Independents.
I would also wager Democrats need Independents more than Independents need Democrats.
So, please keep that in mind while employing the "loyalty oaths" and "who is a true Democrat" demagoguery around here. A lot of Independents that you really need to keep on your side don't really like the imperial attitude.
In no way, however, does this suggest any of us do anything that would get Donald Trump elected. What he is appealing to these days is a cancer, or worse, on America's soul.
However, pay heed to the unrest he is appealing to. Acting like it's a big nothingburger is very dangerous. This isn't 1930's Germany but there's something going on in America that is way beyond the usual political cycle.
No matter who wins the nomination, we have a tough situation going forward. The political elites from both parties have sold us all out and there will be a reckoning unless things get better. If the neo-fascist tendencies on the Right prevail, it will be worse than the Bush years by a mile.
revbones
(3,660 posts)Then I will rethink my membership in the party. I may keep it to vote in primaries, but Hillary is so distasteful that it will make it hard to remain in the party.
Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)This election has little to do with political parties.
revbones
(3,660 posts)Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)There may be no political parties left to worry about if we are not careful.
revbones
(3,660 posts)That's rather ignorance to say "Hey you're focused on something of no importance" but look at me focus on the same sort of thing. It's also fairly insulting.
Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)This has nothing to do with political parties.
If you dont see what it does have to do with, even after all that has transpired, then I cant help you.
revbones
(3,660 posts)and insult me and then say you can't help me? You're awfully sure of yourself there.
Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)I am not.
I am concerned about the survival of the nation, and if someone like Cruz or Rubio were elected, maybe even Trump, the survival of all life on Planet Earth.
There is a phrase for that.
revbones
(3,660 posts)Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)My concern is elsewhere.
revbones
(3,660 posts)Obviously you aren't. First coherent thing you're stated in this subthread. Thanks.
Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)a Wall Street shill or how Hillary is bad for doing something with emails or Hillary is bad because of
blah, blah or blah,
I wonder if that plays into this problem you outline.
revbones
(3,660 posts)That constant ignoring of anything that might be negative about Hillary by her supporters, or lumping anything negative and true in with the stuff that isn't.
Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)it on all forms of the media constantly.
Aside from her cheerleaders like Chris Matthews and a couple others, she is on the receiving end of criticism constantly.
revbones
(3,660 posts)Otherwise, it would either indicate they just don't care or worse, quite severe things about their own beliefs.
djean111
(14,255 posts)yourpaljoey
(2,166 posts)None whatever. I suspect the great majority of the Independents for Bernie will write
him in for the General. I hope she starts reaching out.
DemocraticWing
(1,290 posts)Unfortunately we don't have a process that allows independents to make up 40% of the electorate which chooses our candidate.
LonePirate
(13,435 posts)If voters think otherwise, they will start realizing the error of their judgment in January, if not sooner.
revbones
(3,660 posts)LonePirate
(13,435 posts)Every single Repub candidate is horrible for America. Anyone who thinks differently is colossally wrong, not to mention being lost if they are posting here.
revbones
(3,660 posts)But don't demand a loyalty oath from me expecting me to go against my principles.
LonePirate
(13,435 posts)You seem to be dancing around the probability that you are voting third party or Independent in November. That's no different than voting for the Republican candidate as your vote is not helping the Dem candidate.
So how exactly will President Trump or President Cruz sit with your principles?
revbones
(3,660 posts)results in the response you think it will. This is your opinion you're trying to force on me.
1. I didn't say who I would vote for, I only said I wasn't voting for a Republican.
2. I did however compare your statement to all the loyalty posts from Hillary supporters.
You seem to think only general elections have consequences. Well primaries do as well. Some people will have issues voting for the was is supposedly the lesser of two evils simply because of the letter in the parenthesis after their name, or their team color. It seems to me that projecting your views on others because of your own fear about what might result in the future, does not constitute a valid argument. I get that you see it that way, but you should understand that not everyone does and attempting to guilt or play some weird future blame game on them, won't coerce them to your side.
LonePirate
(13,435 posts)I'm not sure why that simple logic fails to resonate with you. Then again, with all of the posts lately that prove people are bad at math because of their inability to understand the 538 model, I guess Inshould not be surprised by how people refuse to understand things nowadays. Thus, I can only surmise you want a Repub elected in November if you refuse to vote Dem in the GE.
revbones
(3,660 posts)if Bernie doesn't get the nomination, and I vote for Hillary I'm A-OK, but alternatively I've helped elect a Republican simply by not voting for Hillary in that scenario?
Where does it end? What if I voted for her and she lost? Is it my fault for not donating? Or not donating enough? Am I to blame for not canvassing or phonebanking?
No, your logic is flawed and has no end of blame for me in that scenario if she doesn't win. Loyalty oaths are bogus and you shouldn't try to enforce your version of future-events and future-blame on others.
LonePirate
(13,435 posts)I guess I learned something on DU today - that some DUers have problems with these things. Thanks for opening my eyes!
revbones
(3,660 posts)But I'm glad to have helped.
LonePirate
(13,435 posts)It's evident that math is a challenge for you. Let me help.
Let's say you live in a state where the Repub candidate receives 500 votes and the Dem candidate received 500 votes. However, you and your principles voted for some third party candidate instead of voting Dem. The courts or state government or US House now decides that your state grants all of its electoral votes to the Repub candidate and we now have President Trump or President Cruz. If you had voted Dem instead, the Dem candidate would have won 501-500 and we would not have a Repub president. However, you would still have your principles as the Repub president packed the Supreme Court will new Scalia clones and the all Repub Congress passed every law imaginable that is in complete lets contrast to Bernie's agenda. Of course your principles will insulate you from all of this misery as you remain oblivious to reality.
Welcome to my ignore list!
revbones
(3,660 posts)Even though I got ignored, since this is public I'll respond.
If voter A does not vote for Hillary then Hillary gets 0 votes from that transaction
If voter A also does not vote for Trump, then Trump gets 0 votes from that transaction
Unless there are now magic votes, Trump did not gain a vote in that scenario. So the whole thing LonePirate presented before insulting and running away was a false narrative.
R. Daneel Olivaw
(12,606 posts)You really can't include under voting age.
litlbilly
(2,227 posts)doing amazing. The more the M$M etc push back against Bernie the more people who will get on board.
Zorra
(27,670 posts)will be registering as an Independent after the Democratic National Convention.
TheDormouse
(1,168 posts)Maedhros
(10,007 posts)I bet they can get it down to below 25% by the time the election is over!
Bread and Circus
(9,454 posts)Maedhros
(10,007 posts)They will not continue to support a Party that is so nakedly corrupt.
kiva
(4,373 posts)The only reason I am currently registered as a Democrat is because I'm going to my county caucus next month as a Sanders delegate and suspect I need to be registered as a Dem to caucus (I'm lazy and haven't looked up the rules to confirm this, so might be wrong).
As soon as I caucus I'm changing my affiliation for the first time in my life to "unaffiliated" because of the actions of the Democratic Party.
apnu
(8,759 posts)This is true of the Republicans also. Every election is mostly about who can get the most independents and how to get them to the polls. Secondary to that, each election, is about how to motivate actual party members to show up too.
pdsimdars
(6,007 posts)Stallion
(6,476 posts)numbers always go up for parties as General Election nears
http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/party-identification
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Hell Hath No Fury
(16,327 posts)(or DUer) that says their campaign doesn't "need" Independents to win an election if flat-out delusional or has zero knowledge of the electoral make-up.
Saying "Independents don't matter" is akin to claiming the earth is flat. Seriously.