The Old Obama Coalition

[nadinbrzezinski]

so yesterday we spent some time with a bunch of local political activists, and as I read the reaction to Sanders getting closer in the polls at Iowa here, the predictable red baiting is starting (again).

Some of these local activists have no reason to fear them dang commies. They came off age well after the Wall fell and never grew fearing them dang commies. They also voted for Obama, in some cases for the first time in 2008 and '12, and make no bones about it, they are voting for... Sanders. They are part of the coalition that is starting to take shape.

Yes it is anecdotal, but national polling is showing that indeed they do not fear commies as much as oh lets say a 70 year old, even a 50 year old. These are also the people who radically changed their views with Occupy and the 2008 crash.

Here an older post concurrent with Occupy, which incidentally it is not dead

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/29/young-people-socialism_n_1175218.html

Here a more recent poll

http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/3csd07d2dd/tabs_OPI_socialism_20150508.pdf

These polls are not done often by the way.

And here from PEW as well

http://www.people-press.org/2010/05/04/socialism-not-so-negative-capitalism-not-so-positive/

So to see red baiting... not surprised. To see people posting about a social democrat as if he was a hard core Marxist Leninist (a world of difference, which shows your ignorance by the way), is kind of cute. But that part of the Obama coalition will actually not like this rad baiting and will not take kindly to it. And no, not all of them were white millennial with I-Things on them either ok.

What I love to see though is that we are seeing far more activation among MINORITIES who are now also getting involved full force in LOCAL politics. Hey, I prefer to see real primaries, not coronations, and we were expecting to see one for that District until 2 months ago.

I raise this for a simple reason. Yes, I get a chuckle when I see what I predicted a few months ago. I expect this to get much uglier as well. I would prefer to see POLICY discussions, but at this point I really no longer expect it. But I do expect the red baiting and worst as polls start to show a damn competitive primary. People should be pleased in a democracy that we have a competitive primary nationally, but I guess some people would prefer we did not. But those kids... they are already pretty open to Socialism, they are also Sanders voters. They simply are tired of the Bullshit

On the other hand, the OLDER activists were still more for Clinton... but that is also predictable and breaks down by predictable age groups, They are the kind that cannot see Sanders winning, but are honest and will tell you they did not expect Obama to be competitive early on in 2008 either. Chew on that ok. I just take notes of this, because even those older voters are starting to see the parallels to 2008 and are now OPEN to Sanders, which they were not 2 weeks ago. And to the rest... O'Malley who? Don't get me started on Webb or Chaffee.

Of course I live in a state that will have zero say with the primaries because by the time it comes, this will be decided. I find that to be a problem... but that is another story.

(I posted this at Politics, but of course got no biters, why? Well facts or something I think)

[Hydra]

1. The Red baiting is entirely predictable

But the roots are deeper than just an attempt to defeat Sanders. The Status Quo is failing MISERABLY. Socialism is getting play among normal voters now, and that curiosity will turn to support when it's clear that it can do things to help us.

The best I've seen in the last few years as arguments against leaving Capitalism is "It's the best we can do" and "Socialism takes things from you!"

If this is truly the best we can do...then we're doomed. Luckily, I know better- outside the bubble, people have done and will do other things for their economy that work. We need to do that now.

[artislife]

2. Yep

I got an email from one of my more activist friends yesterday.

And it was full of Bernie logos and items to down load. I thought he would be to right for her. But no.


She is a part of the old OWS so this is getting interesting.

I have aging boomer friends who posted Ready for Hillary back in the early part of the year, now posting Bernie quotes and this from the left.

I feel excitement in the air!

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. We were invited by a friend to a campaing launch

which of course we cannot contribute, but attended as friends. And it was striking to me how the method of running is now going down to city council races.

Yes, there is something happening here.

[LiberalElite]

4. Speaking as an aging Boomer

I never wanted Hillary, not then, not now, not ever.

[SoapBox]

5. Ditto.