General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Democrats say they now know exactly why Clinton lost [View all]Caliman73
(11,694 posts)Then all of the attacks started. You personally think that many Obama-Trump voters didn't like her? Okay, she was also the only candidate that was targeted almost exclusively for the last 30 years for basically being a female Clinton.
Many people think where there is smoke there is fire, except that there was no fire and the smoke was coming out of machines to create that illusion.
I would think that the fact that someone like Trump could compete should make Americans question the entire political process, not just the Democratic Party. Trump would have never made it as a Democratic Candidate. The problem is that the Democratic Party is the party of government. Democrats think that government, when used properly, can be a force for the average citizen and a shield against powerful single interests or industries.
The problem is that this idea has been under attack since the 1970's beginning with Nixon, but really taking flight with Reagan in the 1980's, the rise of right wing libertarians like the Koch brothers at the same time, and the general idea that government is the problem. Republicans have been systematically dismantling the public faith in government for decades and because Democrats are the defenders of government, the blame has been attributed to the Democratic Party. Our education system has been failing by not teaching critical thinking skills and we as a society have succumbed to a certain extent to emotional advertising. Instead of looking at a politician's voting record, understanding their positions on policy, we have a "gut feeling" about them.
I was excited about Bernie. I voted for him in the primary. I was upset that he was not nominated. I thought that his voting record was most consistent with my opinions on issues. I did not agree with his focus mainly on economics without more attention to racial factors within the economic problems. I don't think Hillary did herself any favors by not just disclosing the transcripts of her speeches, but again, that is the past. Hillary Clinton did not lose because she was a bad candidate. The Democratic Party did not lose because we are "out of touch". We actually got more votes across the board but lost because votes are not tallied on an individual basis. We lost because there has been a concerted plan for the last 30 years to arrange for the actual minority party (the party of the Rich) to maintain electoral competitiveness and win at the local levels.
We as a party can definitely do better at promoting ourselves, but there are inherent obstacles. Our message is one of working together and giving up a little (in taxes, effort, etc...) so that everyone can have enough. We want to take care of the planet by moderating our disposable society (again, sacrifice consumption so that we can all live and breathe clean air and have clean water). We want regulations to stop the excesses in accumulation of wealth and the unfair use of wealth and power to influence others. We are fighting against some of the base instincts that many of us possess, which again, is the correct thing to do, but also a harder sell.
How do you suggest we message the above ideals and have corporate media support our message by giving us air time and a platform from which to tell everyone that we have to work together, that we have to make decisions for the good of everyone, and the like?