After the defeat of Hillary Clinton, what should the US left do next?

[portlander23]

After the defeat of Hillary Clinton, what should the US left do next?
Abi Wilkinson
New Statesman

Hindsight is 20/20, but many now feel they took their eye off the ball. Leslie Lee III, a writer from Louisiana currently residing just outside Washington DC, argues that people “got so worn down by the polls that we forgot our message, that Clinton was the worst possible candidate to put against Trump”. For him, identifying what went wrong is simple: “Trump promised people something, the establishment candidate was telling people America was already great. It doesn’t matter if he was doing it in a dishonest, con-artist, racist, xenophobic, sexist way – he said he’d fix people’s problems, while Clinton said they didn’t have problems”.

Leslie isn’t alone in believing that a wonkish focus on polls and data distracted from what was really going on. Everyone I speak to feels that the supposed ‘experts’ from the liberal mainstream aren’t equipped to understand the current political landscape. “We are witnessing a global phenomenon,” suggests writer Amber A’Lee Frost, who first got involved with the Democrats to support the Sanders campaign but voted Obama in 2008. “The UK offers the most clear parallel to the US. Nationalism, racism and xenophobia are festering.” Student and Democratic Socialists of America activist Emily Robinson agrees: “All across the world we’ve seen massive right-wing upswells, from Trump, LePen and May in the West to Modi and Erdogan in the East.” Whatever differences exist between these respective politicians, it’s hard to argue with the contention there’s been a widespread shift to the right.

US left-wingers argue that liberals fail to understand their own role in the current situation. From a British perspective, it’s hard to disagree. Repeatedly, I’ve seen discussions shut down with the claim that even acknowledging economy policy may have contributed to the resurgence of ethno-nationalist ideology amounts to apologism. Nor can faulty data be held entirely responsible for any complacency. In the run-up to the Brexit vote, polls suggested that the result would be too close to call; nonetheless, within the liberal bubble almost everyone assumed we’d vote to remain. The fact the value of the pound rose on the eve of the referendum was seen as evidence for this belief, as if currency traders have some sort of special insight into the mind of the average UK voter. Looking back, the whole thing is laughable.

One left-leaning activist, who prefers to be identified by his blogging pseudonym Cato of Utica, campaigned door-to-door for Clinton. He explains in visceral detail his disillusionment with the party he’d worked within for roughly a decade: “I was heavily involved in North Carolina in places where the recovery never even touched. These were working poor people, and the doorbells didn’t work. If the doorbells are broken, what else is broken inside the house? What else isn’t the landlord taking care of? I looked at our candidates and none of the people I was pushing were going to address the problems in these people’s lives.”

[Uniquitous]

1. Start focusing on the working person again.

The decision to abandon unions and blue-collar workers in favor of corporate dollars has yielded its result. If the party is to be worth anything to anyone again, it has to focus on workers, not CEO's.

[Exilednight]

2. Two things.

1. develop a plan.

2. develop a message.

[killbotfactory]

13. 3. Don't pave the way for a well-known candidate with high negatives. nt

[Demsrule86]

15. If you win the primary, you are the nominee...

so what does it say that the other candidate could not beat the candidate with high negatives...which were higher by the way after the primary...but what does it say about said candidate chances to win the general? I would say zero to none is reasonable.

[budkin]

33. Not really the case this time

Bernie was much more popular outside of the Democratic party, which would have translated well in the general. In the primary however, he was at a serious disadvantage. He would have wiped the floor with Trump.

[LanternWaste]

56. Creative prophecy...

Creative prophecy... but little substance.

[Exilednight]

36. Plenty of horses don't come in first in the qualifying race but go on

to win the main event.

I believe Bernie was at a disadvantage, especially the way superdelegates announced so early.

With that being said, Bernie's loss was on Bernie. He had a major flaw in his strategy when it came to the south.

Hillary's loss is on Hillary. She had a major flaw in her strategy when it came to the rust-belt.

[Demsrule86]

43. It doesn't matter.

You have to win a primary. I don't think Bernie would have won anyway...but you have to work within the system. Personally, I think he should have run as an independent...it would have been less damaging to the party and we might have won the election.

[GummyBearz]

44. Wow

If he ran as an independent he would have sucked away millions of hillary's votes

[Demsrule86]

45. The primary hurt her anyway.

He also hurt the Democratic Party and his refusal to join the party sends a message.

[GummyBearz]

47. The primary hurts everyone

Its the point of a primary. Do you think trump was not hurt in the primary? The republicans had their previous presidential nominee give an hour long speech pointing out how shitty trump was... yet he still beat the other republicans and HRC. In 2008 HRC attacked Obama intensely. But Obama beat HRC and won the general.

If its your honest opinion that she only lost because of what came up in a primary, maybe she should not have been running. Because primary's are part of the process.

[Demsrule86]

50. This was not like other primaries...

the person who could not win held out long past the time he should have gotten out of the primary race, never conceded and sent protestors to the convention. The primary was divisive and brutal...the other candidate ran against both Hillary and the Democratic party ...causing divisions that I hope we can heal...and in time to try to fight back in 18 and 20...but the real losers are the American people. Decades of progressive policy will most likely be lost and the courts for a generation. In my state Kasich and his minions have already outlawed abortion past six weeks... elections and primaries in this case have consequences.

[Exilednight]

57. I can say the same thing about 2008.

Hillary stayed in past her winnable window, and she hit Obama a lot worse than Bernie hit her.


People seem to have selective memories to the lows Hillary sunk to in '08.

[Demsrule86]

60. You can say it but it is not true.

She conceded and did not screw up the convention either...she worked her heart out for Obama...and Clinton (Bill) the explainer in chief really helped re-elect Obama in 12...tough election.

[lapucelle]

52. Especially if that person was polled by Gallup to be the most admired woman in December 2015.

Last edited Wed Dec 7, 2016, 02:10 PM - Edit history (2)

Hillary has been the most admired (of any man or woman) a record number of times in the 20+ years of the Gallup "Most Admired" poll.

Smear campaigns apparently work, especially when enabled and promulgated by a compliant media..

[killbotfactory]

63. polls also had Hillary winning in a landslide.

Prominent people within her own campaign were raising the alarm about the wall street speeches, the email bullshit, the Clinton foundation appearance of corruption, etc. Early on they were worried they were going to lose if they ran against someone like Bush or Kasich. Their plan to counteract these negatives was to tell the media to promote the nutjobs in the GOP like Trump and hope they run against them so that they wouldn't have to address them.

They got their wish and the election coverage just turned into a giant shitshow, and depressed voter turnout where it mattered.

[lapucelle]

65. And your point is?

Clinton lost because of a toxic element of one faction of sorta Democrats.

They could have been heroes; they chose to be spoilers. No matter how much people spin, 65,000,000 people know exactly who is responsible for insuring a Trump victory. Clinton, Obama, and even even Sanders begged them not to do it. They did it anyway. They need to learn to live with the contempt that they will be facing for at least the next four years.

[jonno99]

34. 4. Rethink the whole 'super-delegate' scheme. nt

[nil desperandum]

37. This makes good sense...

for all their flaws on the other side they had no such delegate "scheme" (I like how you put that) and their guy was nominated without (or in spite of) the party hierarchy's interference.

[ucrdem]

3. 1. Ignore the pundits

2. Focus on voting rights and election integrity.

Problem solved.

[apcalc]

4. Get rid of the electoral college. Period!

What happened this year and with Bush/Gore is only going to happen over and over again. We HAVE THE VOTES.
Densely populated states get screwed.
Wyoming has one elector for every 194 K people, CA has one elector for every 705 K people.

Wy could have a population of 10 people and still get 3 electors.

Is ours a govt by , of and for the People? No, right now , it is a govt of arbitrary land divisions assigned electors .

[EL34x4]

14. Not going to happen. Period!

The smaller states, most of whom saw their guy win, aren't going to allow this.

[MichMary]

32. It would take a Constitutional amendment

to eliminate the EC. Do you know the process for amending the Constitution? It's just not going to happen.

[jonno99]

35. Like it or not, the US is a republic - of 50 individual states. We need to face the fact

that the EC is going to be here for awhile (and grousing about it is unattractive).

See this wiki for a little of the thinking behind the EC:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyranny_of_the_majority

And more:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-electoral-college-is-anti-democraticand-thats-a-good-thing-2016-09-12

[apcalc]

40. The US is an oligarchy.

[jonno99]

41. If true, then we should strive as much as possible to decentralize the rulling class

- pushing back as much power as we can to the individual states - agreed?

Or do we strive for more & more federal power - hoping our side eventually takes control?

[apcalc]

58. Consider this from Daily Kos

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2014/4/14/1292085/-DINO-New-Scientific-Study-Says-Yes-But-It-s-Not-What-You-Think

[jonno99]

59. Well, the DK article starts with a false premise:

"the United States of America is no longer a democracy"
Again, we're a representative republic. We've never been a "democracy".

Ditto for the study (we're not a democracy):

What do our findings say about democracy in
America? They certainly constitute troubling news for
advocates of “populistic” democracy, who want governments
to respond primarily or exclusively to the policy
preferences of their citizens.

My response (the solution) in my previous post (#41) stands.

[potone]

67. Why would you think that that is a solution?

We got into this state because of trickle-down economics, the consolidation of media, the abolition of the fairness doctrine, and Citizen's United. While local and state elections are important, it is national policy to a large extent that has to change.

The only hope that I can see is that Trump's decisions will prove to be so atrocious that there will be an uprising against them.

[Dems to Win]

5. "he said he'd fix peoples problems, while Clinton said they didnt have problems"

I was ready to throw my shoe at the TV when I heard that "America is Greater Than It's Ever Been" line from the convention.

Like poking a stick in the eye to young people drowning in student loan debt. A slap in the face to everyone who had lost their homes to foreclosure fraud by the big banks while Obama stood by and watched. A smug putdown to everyone in economic despair. A tone deaf statement to Rust Belt families living among empty factories, where they can remember earning a living wage.

Democrats were so focused on how awful Trump was, they felt they had to say the opposite of anything Trump said. They let Trump set the agenda, in a negative way. I just wonder how they could not have thought this through.

[Demsrule86]

17. How much chance of a 'living wage' happening do you think we have now?

If it were only about those issues ...we would have won with enough votes that the evil GOP could not steal the election.The media let Trump set the agenda...and guess what it will only be worse next time.

[malchickiwick]

6. We need a lefty "Tea Party"

After the disastrous 2008 election for the GOP, the right came together in a grass roots endeavor that got them back the Congress in 2010. Sure, the TP was fueled by good old fashioned racism, but it was also a product of economic distress, and for a time it was a legit political force, and remains so in some states (sorry Kansans).

We need a similar movement that operates from our traditional vision of inclusion and multi-culturalism but also speaks to the real-life economic issues faced by actual people, a/k/a voters. I think Senator Warren is well positioned to lead this new movement. If we come together, we can flip both houses in 2018, but we need to offer a message with broad appeal.

We can do this people!!

[Demsrule86]

18. Actually, the GOP wins because they vote for the candidate with the 'R' next to their name.

And until we do that...vote for the guy with a 'D; next to his name(the primary is where we try to get the candidate we want)...and stop sitting out midterm elections because we can't get our hearts desires in less than two years and pouting, we will not win, and the progressive agenda will become a 'might have been'.

[GummyBearz]

46. I've been told

I've been told that HRC got nearly as many votes as Obama. So apparently we are voting D. There must be something else we need to do as well, such as exciting those without a party affiliation who may need social safety nets or just good union jobs

[Demsrule86]

51. Well those who were not 'excited' enough to vote for

Hillary can enjoy Trump for four years or more...I am sure he will do much to improve social safety nets and give people good union jobs...sarcasm. I would say the loss of Feingold negates your argument also...again...until all progressives stop trying to play independent and join the party...and vote for the person with a "D" next to his/her name, the GOP will continue to spread their policy...voting in midterms would help too.

[NRQ891]

7. work on it's 'tone-deafness'

with all this talk of 'we won the popular vote', and 'we were right, the voters were wrong', what do you think Vince Lombardi would say to that?

[Garrett78]

8. "...while Clinton said they didn't have problems."

What revisionist bullshit. She lost because she was hated. And the FBI. And voter suppression. And so on. But if you simply replace her with someone else, while keeping everything else the same, Trump wouldn't be President-Elect. Of course Clinton pointed out that the Obama Administration was helping to get the US back on track. But to suggest that Clinton ignored problems is too silly to comment on any further. Peace.

[gejohnston]

9. this Canadian liberal academic puts it best

While he calls out both parties, his suggestions to Democrats start at 2:50

[hueymahl]

24. That is a pretty damn good analysis

Wish there was a transcript of it so more people could get the message. I almost did not take time to listen to the whole thing.

[GummyBearz]

48. That was excellent

The ridiculous postmortem board should be replaced with this video and no comments allowed

[triron]

10. Fire Comey, demand release of classiified

intel on russian interference in US election and work like hell to clean up the fucked up election laws

[Hekate]

12. "The Left" has no power to fire the FBI Director

Next idea

[Hekate]

11. Constitutional Amendment to abolish EC. Federalize national elections with appropriate....

....audits, oversight, equipment..

Too big a project? Well you asked.

[LaydeeBug]

16. Stop letting them frame the narrative. This helps them do it. nt

[Demsrule86]

19. How do you stop that with our media...seriously

Have a primary...vote for the Democrat...stop all the 'independent' bullshit and support the only candidates that can stop the GOP...Democrats...and quit sitting out midterms and state elections. Stop whining about money...because when Gore lost...the third party pure greens caused it (United) and this ushered in the age of big money...and in order to compete we need money too. Stop the divisions heal this party and go back to fighting Republicans...and anyone who refuses to join the Democratic Party has no say...no open primaries ...they don't have the commitment to winning and should not be listened to either.

[LaydeeBug]

22. Yep...the media showed they are an arm of the KGB/GOP because

where is Melania's fucking speech writer?

They let it *go* on innuendo and a ten year old recollected phone conversation.

[Demsrule86]

25. And we can expect more of the same next time too.

[LaydeeBug]

26. which is why we need to stay disciplined and honest about what they did, instead of giving it a

corporate news life cycle...which is what's happened here

[Demsrule86]

28. Agreed.

[TheBlackAdder]

20. Work to alienate Democrats from Right-Leaning News Networks. There's only so much GOP pie to share.

.


Starve the beasts.

If all news networks want to push are GOP narratives, they will have a diminished market share of revenue.


.

[Demsrule86]

27. All the networks have moved right.

They think the pie is just fine I guess. I no longer watch cable news after the debacle known as the 2016 election...and some of the corporations have an agenda...it is like talk radio which no longer brings in the dollars but continues as an arm of the radical right funded by supporters... the same thing is happening with cable news.

[LexVegas]

21. "that Clinton was the worst possible candidate to put against Trump". Out of the woodwork. nt

[LaydeeBug]

23. I know, right? Do you believe this shit? They're trying divide and conquer.

They are stealing this, plain and simple

[LexVegas]

29. I fully believe it. No surprise at all. nt

[ismnotwasm]

31. Straight out of JPR

[ismnotwasm]

30. What some on the "left" did this election worked so well of course

By all means try more of the same

[mythology]

38. Find a strategy for winning elections at all levels

Fight gerrymandering and voter suppression tactics.

[LaydeeBug]

39. and hold them to account for their CRIMES

We have court orders and shit.

[triron]

42. Contrive ways to disenfranchise Repuke voters?

[Orsino]

49. Focus on more than nostalgia.

We don't have to wait for Chelsea to turn 35. We don't have to run Michelle Obama or Joe Biden.

Concentrate on reversing climate change, ending voter suppression, defeating regressive taxation, ending the wars, forcing media divestiture, banning private campaign financing, guaranteeing health care and incomes. Promote the general welfare.

[Vinca]

53. Exactly. It is never anyone's "turn."

[Orsino]

55. There is a point to electability, as hard as it is to define...

...but the same old party and donor establishment isn't quite getting the job done when we allIow the billionaires to spend freely to lie us out of representation.

We need new candidates who will opt out of the usual momey-grubbing, but Citizens United will still be stacking the deck heavily against us.

[mike_c]

54. become more like republicans

Of all possible alternatives, this is the one most likely to occur. The third way party centrists will continue their rightward transformation of the Democratic party.

[adigal]

61. Win in 2018. I want to find out how to go to local cities and make sure people are registered

And I'm willing to do that next summer, 2017, during my school break, in a swing state or a state with an endangered seat.

I'm also willing to take a week off near Election Day in 2018 and help get people to the polls in places with senate races that we need to win.

And don't get me started about the poor, entitled working white men - men who never even had to graduate from high school to get a great job with good pay and excellent benefits, and now are all pissy that they may need to be flexible or get retraining. I'm going to school two nights a week, an hour and 40 minutes away, after teaching all day, because I want a job I can do for the next ten years. And I'm 55 and want to retire from teaching. I'll need to work because my 23 year pension will suck.

[George II]

62. "Clinton was the worst possible candidate to put against Trump"???

[CK_John]

64. Get real and face up to the real problem of automation and a total collapse of

the middle class.

?quality=90&strip=all&w=780

[Persondem]

68. Another take on what progressives can do

can be found here .... http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512647782

NC Dems just beat an incumbent, GOP governor in the year of Trump. Lessons learned can be found via the above link.