A MUST read about a winning Democratic strategy

[The Zug]

http://www.thestranger.com/current/feature.html

[9119495]

1. Well the problem is that while it is a good idea

the presence of the Electoral College makes it impossible to win. Urban areas get the shaft in the EC because the votes are concentrated in CA, NY, PA, etc. Until the EC is gone I don't see this working, even though I've been saying this should be our plan for years.

Keep in mind that our environmental message, as well as our support for a government safety net and minimum wage will still pull in a few country folk to keep some votes coming in from rural areas.

[klook]

2. Urban Power

This is definitely the way to go. The key is the "Blue" cities and counties in the "Red" states. That's where the money is, and where the population is, in a number of states that went for Bush in 2004--Georgia, Florida, Ohio, and Colorado, for example.

To quote from the article:

In cities all over America, distressed liberals are talking about fleeing to Canada or, better yet, seceding from the Union. We can't literally secede and, let's admit it, we don't really want to live in Canada. It's too cold up there and in our heart-of-hearts we hate hockey. We can secede emotionally, however, by turning our backs on the heartland. We can focus on our issues, our urban issues, and promote our shared urban values. We can create a new identity politics, one that transcends class, race, sexual orientation, and religion, one that unites people living in cities with each other and with other urbanites in other cities. The Republicans have the federal government--for now. But we've got Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, New York City (Bloomberg is a Republican in name only), and every college town in the country. We're everywhere any sane person wants to be. Let them have the shitholes, the Oklahomas, Wyomings, and Alabamas. We'll take Manhattan.

[Meritaten1]

3. Respectfully disagree with you

The article generalizes about rural voters in a way that does not reflect reality, in my opinion. It also suggests that urban areas and rural areas can live apart (in separate worlds) and that is unrealistic.

Liberals and progressives live in rural areas too. This political outlook is not the monopoly of urbanites.

The Democratic Party has apparently not expended a lot of attention on rural voters in recent decades, and the local party structures in many states may reflect the neglect. Whose fault is that? The rural voters, who sometimes live in a de facto one party system at the local level?

Asserting that rural dwellers are "rubes" etc.,... does not address the real problems faced by people living in rural areas. It also distracts attention from the very real voting integrity issues apparent in the 2004 general election at the national level. I.e. The counting of every vote.

[Hamlette]

4. I disagree too, what we need to do is explain we are the party with morals

the whole "values" thing has always bugged me as it is a moving target. Part of the GOP effort to reframe the debate. We should shift the word back to morals and tell it like it is.

It is not moral to kill innocent people in an unjust war.

It is not moral to pollute the earth.

It is not moral to leave a huge debt to our children.

Tolerance, charity, forgivness, compassion are moral virtues. Greed, intolerance, hate radio and worshiping the almighty dollar are not Christ's or America's moral code.

[klook]

5. Where are the votes?

As long as we have the electoral college system, it's a winner-take-all strategy for each state. And one large city contains more voters than a thousand small towns and rural areas.

[The Zug]

6. You're right, BUT

It's a strategy. Nothing more. It doesn't necessarily reflect the truth. It's just a suggested way to win.

Of course there are liberals and progressives in rural areas. Of course all rural dwellers are not rubes. There are rightwing conservatives in the cities as well. But the Republican party has been playing to the rural areas, and with great success.

We need to stop this namby-pamby, try-to-please-everybody baloney. It ain't working.

We need to WIN.