How Do We Win The West?

[Dave Sund]

The growing sentiment from progressive communities seems to be that we can't win in the South without abandoning core Democratic principles. That in order to regain an electoral majority, we need to make significant gains in the Western and Midwestern states. The goal seems to be clearly stated. The avenues through which we can achieve that goal are less clear.

This isn't meant to be a discussion of candidates (though certainly that discussion is welcome), more than the issues needed to make the west ours, and fundamentally change the electoral math. The seeds seem to be there, in Montana, in Colorado, New Mexico, and other states, to build an electoral majority in the west. How can we make that a reality?

[MollyStark]

1. Western states appear to be Libertarian in spirit

One thing we might consider is reworking our party's idea about gun control. Make it a states rights issue, which is what it really should be.

[cheezus]

7. and change environmentalism to conservation

you can really get the hunters in on this one. frame this issue not as environmental protection, but rather "don't your grandchildren deserve pristine habitat to go kill animals in?"

Also look at all of the agriculture/electricity/communications co-ops out here... just don't use the word "socialism" (even if that's what it is)

[MollyStark]

9. Good ideas

I like both of your ideas.

[formernaderite]

24. absolutely....

As a pacifist, I happen to love my personal fire arms...one has nothing to do with the other. This is an issue where we remain very weak, and it sounds elitist to those out in the hinter lands.

[cap]

2. although keep touching the South

'cause the demographics are changing...

A lot of Northerners and non-whites are moving in. Organize key districts and wait for the tipping point.

[Dave Sund]

3. Oh, no doubt

We shouldn't neglect the South, but as far as national politics go, state parties in the West and Midwest are much, much stronger. Building up the strength of the state party is the first thing we have to do to make a state competitive on the national level. I've already determined that my goal immediately after I graduate college in a couple years is to work with the Nebraska Democratic Party, to see if we can't work towards change in this state. The plains are almost as far gone as the South, but I think they share more in common with the West.

My experience with Omaha is something that I see as a symptom of a larger problem. Omaha has a fairly large Catholic population, and was quite Democratic compared to the rest of the state. Somewhere along the line, on the national level, the Democratic Party lost Catholics. A group that once overwhelmingly supported Democrats now votes "pro-life" most of the time, particularly in red states like Nebraska.

It's certainly something that we need to be concerned about. How do we win back Catholics?

[cap]

23. start flushing out the links that the evangelicals have with Dominionism

and Christian Reconstructionism. There's nothing like a little schism ... yup, playing a little wedge politics... turn about is fair play.

Even the Catholic Right does not go as far as those weirdos. The majority of Catholics dont espouse fundamentalism and would be shocked by the agenda of the right wing.

I dont know about Omaha... But the Catholics arent lost to the Democratic Party. This is just PR... All the Republicans need to do is to split the Catholic vote and take a piece out of it.... Liberal and middle of the road Catholics have no public voice these days but we are most definitely in the pews.

[Clark2008]

4. I'm of the opinion that we can win the South

We just need to inspire more blacks to vote, for one thing.
And, for another, we need to get more media in the rural areas.
I don't know how to accomplish the second goal without someone either purchasing radio stations and airing AAR and/or encouraging more people to get their news online instead of watching Faux.
As a Southern city-dweller, I can tell you that, just like in the North, most cities lean blue down here. My own city went blue, even though our county went red (causing the whole county to go red) - it's just that there are more and larger cities in the Northeast and on the west coast.
And, I can point directly to rightwing talk radio as the causal effect of this: most commuters from rural to city-area employment are only treated to rightwing radio. This has caused the red/blue split we see between rural and urban areas - because it's not really a north/south thing.

[MollyStark]

10. Of course we have to run in the south

It is important to support southern democrats. We do have a chance to take some southern states and wound the republicans in popular vote numbers at the very least.

[kentuck]

5. Honesty and direct talk...

Do not be so "politically correct" that you sound wobbly or like a flip-flopper... Do not couch the truth in the most diplomatic way.

[Ishoutandscream]

6. Well, our starting pitching needs to be consistent

and our middle relief has to perform like it did last year.

Oh, we're not talking baseball and the Texas Rangers, are we?

[Dave Sund]

15. Nah...

And judging from what we saw of each other's teams in the past three days, I don't know if either of us has the pitching to win, anyway.

[cestpaspossible]

8. Showing up would be a good start

[Nashyra]

11. Bingo

Get some of these people out to rural counties, Nevada is ripe for the picking. Northern Nevada is just as important as Las Vegas, I hope the powers that be see that EARLY

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WI_DEM]

14. I know many Mormons who are not racist

and who repudiate what the church used to teach.

[R. A. Fuqua]

18. hey watch it!

I used to date a Mormom girl, and have been friends with several other Mormons--to a person all the Mormons that I have personally known have ALL been extremely good and highly moral people.

I am sure there are probably some racists etc among their numbers (as in any group) but I do not think it is appropriate to paint them all with the same brush.

BTW, my girl was a Democrat--a fairly moderate Democrat--but a Democrat nonetheless.

[LDS Jock]

19. Bigotry and Broad-Brush Smears.. from the rules section

Do not post messages that are bigoted against (or grossly insensitive toward) any person or group of people based on their race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, lack of religion, disability, physical characteristics, or region of residence.

we expect members to make an extra effort to be sensitive to different religious beliefs, and to show respect to members who hold different religious beliefs.

members should avoid posting broad-brush bigoted statements about people who hold specific religious beliefs.

[WI_DEM]

13. We already are making great strides

We seem to have a lock (so far) on California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii. Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and even Montana have shown great momentum towards the Dems and away from the GOP.

[Dave Sund]

16. I'd worry about Hawaii

The GOP has made gains there recently. It could slip away if we're not careful.

[GOPBasher]

17. Paint Republicans as the religious extremists they are. n/t

[AliceWonderland]

20. From my observations

It seems like the myth that the Republican party is libertarian in its values is a problem. It's hard to make generalizations, but I've noticed there is a Western, libertarian-leaning theme at least in Colorado. There's also a theme of not wanting to be dictated to by Washington or the coasts in general -- not in a hick way, but in a "don't step on my toes" way. The most successful conversations I've had with Republican types I've met (and I hardly ever meet any in Boulder; it's more left than NYC was in my experience) is to point out how interventionist, corrupt, and liberty-despising that party is.

More populist Democratic candidates might also have more of a chance in the West -- and the embattled sections of the Midwest, for that matter.

[napi21]

21. I read all the posts in this thread, and there are some good ideas,

but it seems to me that we're missing the BIG PICTURE. The Dems are letting the very vocal Pub extremists go almost unchallenged.

I know some tried, but there wasn't a real strong fight against the Swift Boat guys last year. Sure the media helped them, but the media will cover almost any position that creates controversy. All the Dems did was keep saying they were wrong. That's not a big story!

I live in Ga. and almost ALL the incumbant Pubs on the ballot, EVERY TIME, run upopposed! This is where I agree with Dean. He said we have to start getting people elected to the lowest level local positions first! I am active, I went to monthly & bi-monthly meetings all last year. I sent letters, wrote LTTE's, even sent the little $$ I could afford to support a few candidates. I have to admit though, the few Dem candidates that existed just didn't have the desire to fight for the job like the Pubs did.

I guess I understand why so few people want to get involved with serious politics. It was always a blood sport, but it's gotten worse. I constantly ask why would ANYBODY want to run for POTUS? Maybe that's why we have the scum that are in office now. None of the really good, capable people want the job!

[Radical Activist]

22. We need to appeal to rural voters

That will help us in the west, Midwest and the south. Giving up on rural voters to chase suburban soccer mom's was one of the biggest mistakes this party ever made. We need more strategists and message crafters who don't live in New York or DC and know how to appeal to rural voters on their issue. They should be on our side, but they vote Republican because republicans are the only ones making a concerted effort to talk to them.