2016 Postmortem

Martin Eden

(12,838 posts)

72. Our policies could be better

Sat Dec 31, 2016, 12:33 PM

Dec 2016

But my main point is we lost the battle of public perception. Our D Party is partly to blame and the media overwhelming so, but the media is what it is and we have to navigate that better.

GOTV was a huge key, and it's better when people are inspired to vote FOR rather than AGAINST a candidate. I have some liberal friends who very reluctantly voted for Hillary Clinton. I couldn't support her in the primary but didn't hesitate to vote straight D in the general.

More importantly, this is about what we do going forward. I responded to the OP because BB did indeed ask the wrong question. Democrats need to do a better job of truly representing the people's interests and making that apparent to more voters.

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Where was the sympathy for Bush voters [View all] BainsBane Dec 2016 OP

Because they voted with their penises? I'm just spitballing here. bettyellen Dec 2016 #1

LOL boston bean Dec 2016 #56

First rec! Great question! Squinch Dec 2016 #2

No sympathy here liberal N proud Dec 2016 #3

I'm guessing radical noodle Dec 2016 #4

My guess is it's because BainsBane Dec 2016 #5

Could be... n/t radical noodle Dec 2016 #6

Get back to us when trump starts a war that kills tens and tens of thousands dionysus Dec 2016 #16

Is the sympathy for Trump supporters Lotusflower70 Dec 2016 #7

Democrats have a great message Protalker Dec 2016 #8

True radical noodle Dec 2016 #19

K&R! hrmjustin Dec 2016 #9

After 36 years of losing to unqualified Republicans marylandblue Dec 2016 #10

Erasing Obama and Clinton? Interesting! bettyellen Dec 2016 #12

White voters haven't supported a Democratic president since LBJ. yardwork Dec 2016 #18

I suppose the Democratic Party could denounce the Civil Rights Act. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #20

understood, or submitted to? DonCoquixote Dec 2016 #33

We understand perfectly well. They are racist. Starry Messenger Dec 2016 #44

Writing then off as "racists" is the lazy answer. In truth, that only applies to a small fraction. jack_krass Dec 2016 #62

every trump voter i know is racists to the core. stonecutter357 Dec 2016 #76

All the Trump voters I know are racist. Starry Messenger Jan 2017 #92

So who the fuck are Republicans? susanna Jan 2017 #93

Um, this sub thread is about "Reagen Democrats", so my answer to your question is jack_krass Jan 2017 #95

...and I'm the only one you respond to. OK. n/t susanna Jan 2017 #115

All the Trump supporters I know personally ARE racists redStateBlueHeart Jan 2017 #107

Same here. Just not the overt type, which seem to be the only type some want to recognize. Garrett78 Jan 2017 #113

These people voted for someone who was openly and directly racist. kcr Jan 2017 #116

In 08 we had all branches... Demsrule86 Dec 2016 #63

Because the media and Bernie don't dare talk about their support of racist policies, so... bettyellen Dec 2016 #11

Bernie never supported racist policies - not ever karynnj Dec 2016 #13

Never? brer cat Dec 2016 #21

Those are not policies karynnj Dec 2016 #28

But you just blamed the boogieman Brock for this fictional swiftboating to explain KittyWampus Dec 2016 #30

I'm sure those voters appreciate brer cat Dec 2016 #37

Clinton was always going to win there, so he didn't focus on winning there. killbotfactory Jan 2017 #110

Whether he focused on winning there brer cat Jan 2017 #111

He said: killbotfactory Jan 2017 #112

All the more reason to question brer cat Jan 2017 #114

Sierra Blanca. BainsBane Dec 2016 #25

How DARE you use the term 'swiftboat' in any context with Sanders. KittyWampus Dec 2016 #29

Yes I do karynnj Dec 2016 #42

Wow, how completely out of touch. Sanders' own words R B Garr Dec 2016 #49

So everything David Brock did was ok by you? karynnj Dec 2016 #73

Enough with the Brock conspiracies. It was Bernie's own words. R B Garr Jan 2017 #96

I spoke of what Brock did to Bernie in 2015 -- you are speaking of Sanders comments karynnj Jan 2017 #98

I never said HRC ran a flawless campaign. Quit making things up. R B Garr Jan 2017 #99

Reread your own divisive post karynnj Jan 2017 #103

Bernie's own wife admitted the only reason they stayed in so long R B Garr Jan 2017 #106

Nonsense...Sanders had little understanding of POC and their issues... Demsrule86 Dec 2016 #64

I disagree karynnj Dec 2016 #77

He called her Wall Street's girl amomg other things... Demsrule86 Jan 2017 #108

Never said he did. Said he doesn't like to talk about racism.... bettyellen Dec 2016 #39

+1 uponit7771 Jan 2017 #94

Sick of this BS that anyone called him a racist. Manny what's his dick started that here.... bettyellen Jan 2017 #100

yeap !!! so true uponit7771 Jan 2017 #101

I agree nt. BainsBane Dec 2016 #14

I understand you are very upset hillary lost to a clown.. but repeating stale primary lies dionysus Dec 2016 #17

straw man, no one ever accused Sanders of supporting racism. Although the man KittyWampus Dec 2016 #32

Well BettyEllen said right up top " and Bernie don't talk about their support of racist policies..." JCanete Jan 2017 #105

Did NOT say that. Said he hates talking about it. bettyellen Dec 2016 #40

You just nailed the new Democratic so called leadership! leftofcool Dec 2016 #31

that's total bullshit. What racist policies has Bernie stood behind? You objecting to his JCanete Jan 2017 #104

Not sympathy, but i recall one howard dean's 50 state strategy to win over as many as we dionysus Dec 2016 #15

Except there never really was a 50 state strategy BainsBane Dec 2016 #27

Right, but what republicans do what we don't is that they have a farm system of dionysus Dec 2016 #34

Bush was an ass MFM008 Dec 2016 #22

Which made his supporters worse? BainsBane Dec 2016 #26

Bush supporters? MFM008 Dec 2016 #45

I think you're confusing "sympathy" with "strategy" Warren DeMontague Dec 2016 #23

I think it would be a good idea BainsBane Dec 2016 #24

plus a million! brer cat Dec 2016 #36

Well we didn't hear it after Reagan because we weren't on the internet. Warren DeMontague Dec 2016 #38

we left 100 times the margin on the damn table. mopinko Dec 2016 #41

Yes! Fight for those whose votes are suppressed those who Cha Dec 2016 #58

What did I not respond to? BainsBane Dec 2016 #54

I thought the thread was about Trump voters. Warren DeMontague Dec 2016 #59

I didn't saw screw anyone who didn't vote for Hillary BainsBane Dec 2016 #85

I don't know, you should ask them. Warren DeMontague Dec 2016 #86

I don't know what Bernie's plans are BainsBane Dec 2016 #87

I'm talking about general messaging and what we, collectively, stand for- or not- as progressives. Warren DeMontague Dec 2016 #88

I don't disagree BainsBane Dec 2016 #89

I think a lot of it is, they're just not old enough to really remember a GOP POTUS Warren DeMontague Dec 2016 #90

Yes, absolutely BainsBane Dec 2016 #91

8 years of insulting Obama makes them uneasy about how we treat them back. Pholus Dec 2016 #35

Some of us think that's a good way to win elections mythology Dec 2016 #43

Yet not in previous losses BainsBane Dec 2016 #52

I don't know if it's "sympathy," but I mentioned here in the past that... Buckeye_Democrat Dec 2016 #46

I know people who fit a similar profile only their big issue is abortion. Willie Pep Dec 2016 #47

People have different priorities and motivations. Buckeye_Democrat Dec 2016 #48

Yes that is a good way of putting it. Willie Pep Dec 2016 #50

You provide a good example too! Buckeye_Democrat Dec 2016 #53

At an even more fundamental level... Buckeye_Democrat Dec 2016 #51

LOL! Ever seen this chart? Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #66

Lol... not until now. Buckeye_Democrat Dec 2016 #67

Very interesting. Willie Pep Dec 2016 #81

Many of these desires will cross party lines. Buckeye_Democrat Dec 2016 #84

Yes! This! hamsterjill Dec 2016 #55

I'm guessing most of those guns and abortion voters prefer the GOP platform for other reasons, too. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #68

And, they're the most brainwashed of them all over the Cha Dec 2016 #57

You're asking the wrong question Martin Eden Dec 2016 #60

"...policies that are unmistakably in the interests of the vast majority of the people..." Garrett78 Dec 2016 #65

Our policies could be better Martin Eden Dec 2016 #72

Do you really think that Bill didn't try to appeal to and get Reagan voters Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #61

Demonize voters, no. But we need to understand them. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #69

I would argue that understanding them implies Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #75

Okay, but let's not pretend like there isn't a lot of data out there that disputes... Garrett78 Dec 2016 #79

I think that the problem is the media and others are painting these people as literally poor and bettyellen Dec 2016 #83

Ask Bernie Sanders. baldguy Dec 2016 #70

Lots of us are afraid to admit to what our neighbors are willing to do. dawg Dec 2016 #71

and others willing to enable it. BainsBane Dec 2016 #82

Intriguing question treestar Dec 2016 #74

K&R Gothmog Dec 2016 #78

I don't have any sympathy for Trump voters underpants Dec 2016 #80

They're special snowflakes who can't stand being called ignorant and/or racist Blue_Tires Jan 2017 #97

It is now and always has been misguided to rail against the products of our society JCanete Jan 2017 #102

The system is failing a vast majority of people. azmom Jan 2017 #109