My 80 yr old mother living in senior housing, is very worried about Nov for Dems

[merbex]

My mother is a life long Democrat who discusses politics every single day - and because she has macular degeneration she calls me to find out "what's on the internet" because she has trouble reading because of her eyesight and she distrusts the MSM.

I picked her up today for the weekly food shop trip that we both do at the same time as she can't drive, and she told me that nearly every senior ( mostly women living at the housing complex in MA) have recently told her that they will either not vote in Nov or that they are starting to consider McCain because they hate what they are hearing recently from both the Clinton and Obama campaigns.

My mother and her neighbors are FDR Democrats - Depression babies - my mother graduated from high school in 1945 and these seniors have seen it all. I am on the Democratic Town Committee in this town and one of our members lives at this complex as well - one of the "youngsters" at around 70-75. My mother and that fellow Committee member were reporting strong John Edwards support right up until he dropped out.

It's a scary thing to hear these "Depression babies" compare the economic conditions that we are seeing now to what they remember - going without, making hard choices; the general consensus seems to be that the race at this point has sunk into being about those 2 as individuals and that the serious situation we have right in front of us is getting short shrift. And they resent it.

Consider this post a heads up from a state that was won by Hillary and is pretty reliably Democratic..... we Democrats can take nothing for granted.

The Democratic Convention in Denver better be more than whining about delegate numbers - people who will be making speeches at the Convention should start working on them now and they should address the reality that Americans are facing AND how it has been the policies of Republicans that have gotten us to this point.

Here's some more advice - the bi-partisan rhetoric that Obama relies on in his stump speeches? It isn't working with this group. This is the group that remembers FDR chanting "Martin, Barton, and Fish" and getting things done. They aren't in the mood to make nice.

[AX10]

1. Kick!

It's about getting things done alright!

[Levgreee]

2. nowadays is hardly like the great depression

most people would disagree with your mother

[ElsewheresDaughter]

5. several top economists have said that what is about to fall on America "will.......

make the 1929-33 (the great depression) look like a walk in the park"


http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/ten-resolutions-help-you-survive/story.aspx?guid=%7BEEE93E28-3F7B-432E-9312-315D2F92FC12%7D

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/12/23/cccrisis123.xml

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2008/012308b.html

[merbex]

7. Thanks for the links that support what the seniors are saying

While I hope that the "threat" they use - not voting or voting for McCain is just that - a threat, I can't help but be nervous because these people want to see a "strong" response to a serious economic situation and the last 10 days seem to be about "process"

The focus of both campaigns needs to shift back to what concerns the average American IMHO

[roguevalley]

12. its coming. listen to your elders. they know.

[Olney Blue]

3. I have heard enough people in my circle threatening to vote for McCain

if one or the other Dems is the candidate- enough to make me nervous too.

[LisaM]

4. Yup! I am in no mood to go across the aisle either.

If you lie down with dogs, you wake up with fleas (well, not my dogs, but you get the idea!)

[emilyg]

6. kick

[flyarm]

8. i run a pretty big internet group in Fla..and i will tell you ..your mother is not far off!!

and i hear it each and every day..that if our delegates are not seated..and their votes not counted..don't count on people down here either voting ..or voting for the dem in Nov..count on that.

and the dislike for Dean is now bordering on Hate!

AND THE PEOPLE HERE ARE IN NO MOOD FOR EXPLAINATIONS..

property values are dropping through the bottom..and it has been a recession here prob longer than anywhere else in the country..people are losing homes..so many many many homes on the market..that can't be sold..and forcing people into forclosure..

its a mess..and people are in a real shitty mood right now with the DNC.

I am even hearing it from people who are die hard ..working and donating dems..they have had it.

Many are saying..ok just let them see if they can win without us..many say they will stay home..but i am hearing some say they will vote McCain..out of frustration and anger at Dean!

and save screaming at me..i am merely the messenger..ignore it to all our peril!

fly

[Usrename]

11. What are they mad at Dean about?

That doesn't even make any sense.

All he did was win back the House.

[cali]

9. My 87 year old mother, not just a life long dem but life long

dem activist and delegate to 4 conventions supports Obama. So do several of her friends.

[merbex]

13. I'm an activist and what I've noticed is that sometimes we activists

sometimes are in an echo chamber.

My mother and where she lives is a good "barometer" because she isn't an activist and neither are her friends and neighbors - they are just regular Americans who are moderately informed, vote, but they don't go door to door, and they seldom if ever contribute to any campaign.... the tenor of the past 10 days is getting to them

[bluerum]

10. That will change when people see McCrank and the dem nominee on

the campaign trail and in debates.