I can't stand this...I think I am leaving here, but for a good reason...

[Sulawesi]

Following the polls and the latest news day by day is getting me down. The choice is clear to me, and it seems, even the media, but if the current poll trends are to be trusted, the country is dumbing down in a dangerous way. It stresses me out...I want Americans to do he right thing. I am not angry, or pessimistic, but getting a bit tired of it all, and afraid of what it means if we lose this time, against these opponents.

So what to do. I plan on following the election comings and goings less closely, and checking in on DU only rarely. I am contributing the limit of my federal campaign contributions to Obama/Biden and am making calls and canvassing in Virginia today. I plan to work locally, and will try to ignore the trends. I'll do what I can to make the right thing happen in November, and deal with it later, when it becomes necessary, if we fail.

Many of here say to me, relax, we will win this. I hope they are right, but I am tired of hoping and will go out and do something.

Keep up the good work all...I do believe internet stories percolate up and can make a difference. I will be on the ground. Yours, Sulawesi

[Warren Stupidity]

1. I understand how you feel.

I heard the same "relax we are going to win this" four years ago too. I am horrified that the public appears to be once again buying into the stupid.

I pulled into my local gas station this morning to fill up. Another 50-something pulled in a few minutes after me, on a early wet sunday in suburban new hampshire, and he started up a conversation about gas prices and the need for change and how he heard about all of this 40 years ago in college and about how we have done nothing to prepare and how sick and tired we were about politicians doing nothing. And I had a small bit of hope that maybe, just maybe, we are not as stupid as the polls suggest we are.

[BlueManDude]

2. Bottom line - the GOP ALWAYS has the advantage in Prez Elections

the electoral college favors them and the vote for president is the least "rational" vote that people make.

I've expected McCain to win this thing for 2 years and he probably will.

Don't stress it get on with your life - and stop watching and listening to political talk shows. You can't control what idiots say and do and you shouldn't let it affect your mood and health. I stopped watching all the BS talk shows years ago.

[joefree1]

3. The good news

Obama raised a record $66 Million in August. The Republicans will loose congress in a big way.

I think Palin has peaked and the real news about her will soon catch up in the Polls. But you get out there and work locally. We got your back here on the "internets."

[HughMoran]

4. Seeing her pic in your sig makes me want to vomit

It's as if we're running against her - ugggh!

[merh]

16. We are running against her

Dispute it, hate it, reject it, but it is what it is - McCain has no appeal - a ticket has to have appeal and they got it when they put Palin on the ticket.

So we run against her and we hold the press' feet to the fire about vetting her and exposing her for what she is - a crook, a corrupt opportunist that abuses her office for personal reasons and that surrounds herself with only yes folks that are also corrupt.

We campaign against the two of them - we campaign for Obama/Biden and their true change and we work like hell to beat the other guys.

[joefree1]

23. We're running against her ilk

But let me change my graphic for you. This better?

[BlooInBloo]

5. The DU Doom And Gloom Brigade really does fucking suck.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. I Have Always Felt DU Should Have A Special Section For Vanity Posts

~

[rucky]

21. You should start a thread about that.

:evilgrin:

[grantcart]

6. I understand your point completely - everybody is going to contribute in a different way

I hope that you will give us regular updates - someday these will be looked back as the 'good old days' rich with stories about all of the crazy things that happened on the ground.

[Kdillard]

8. Thanks for all the ground work and I believe that is most important to get the

right people in office. Remember that the polls are very often wrong. I believe they will all be proven wrong.

[salonghorn70]

9. I Respectfully Disagree About Dumbing Down

In politics one should always have a great deal of respect for the voters.One may disagree with them and and fail to understand the basis for their opinions, but one must always respect them. As Democrats, if we think voters who disagree with us are dumb, then we will lose for sure. The key to winning is to identify with the concerns of those voters. One must have respect for them to do that.

[Sulawesi]

10. I respectfully disagree too...I am a scientist and I don't like the trends...

This NRC report, "Is America falling off the flat earth?" is a sobering, data rich assessment.

http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12021

[Warren Stupidity]

13. I'm sorry, but if the people here elect Gramps and Gidget

then they are, in general, as dumb as a stump. Americans are, in my opinion and as reflected in most studies, collectively one of the most ignorant populations among all of the modern industrialized democracies on the planet. Ignoring that fact is one of the reasons why our party loses elections that they should win by landslides.

[salonghorn70]

17. I Understand What You Are Saying

We,as Democrats, just have to be careful we don't come across as elitist. Since the convention, Obama is talking bread and butter issues. The kinds of issues that the average voter talks about over the kitchen table. If you don't show respect for the voter who is listening to your message, then that voter will tune you out.

[Warren Stupidity]

18. Actually we need to grab the elitist issue by the horns.

Rather than running away from their attacks, we need to agree with them that in fact our candidates are smarter than theirs, that Obama and Biden are what america needs: smart people honestly tackling the tough problems we face. Their attacks can be turned on them, rather than having us swigging boiler makers at a bar trying to kill enough brain cells to be just as stupid as their candidates.

[salonghorn70]

20. Well, Warren,

I certainly agree with you that our candidates are smarter than theirs. Thank goodness for that. But Obama and Biden would never run on that. If you run a campaign on "I'm smarter than the other guy" then don't you come across as the class nerd running for class president and getting swamped by the guy with the C average who knows how to win friends?

[Warren Stupidity]

26. No you run it on: "gosh they are stupid."

And you do it indirectly. I agree you don't make the direct claim "we are the smart ones". Instead you indirectly pound on the fact that these two idiots are just that, and they are surrounded by an army of dumb.

Remember the Tip O'Neil Fat Cats ads they ran against the Democrats during the Reagan nightmare? That is the sort of sleazy underhanded revolting crap we need to spew against the moronic republicans. Make them out to be embarrassingly, laughably dumb. Make them start defending against the thesis: the republican party is a boatload of stupid.

People won't vote for the class nerd, but they won't vote for the class idiot either.

[rucky]

11. See you in November!

:thumbsup:

[Sulawesi]

12. ;)

[stillcool]

14. It doesn't take much..

to change my perception.. Things look a whole lot better out there than they do in here. It's kind of sad that we are subjecting ourselves to Mass Weapons of Deception. I myself like spreading the cure rather than the disease.

[TWiley]

15. Those political correct folks cost us the last 2 elections

That is how I feel about it anyway.

Right wing christians have literally declared war on the "secular institutions" of the United States. The politically correct folks ignore this fact and have lead us into two absolute election failures. Both of these elections were very winnable if stupidity did not get in the way.

If a man is savagely beating a child, these arrogant morons will advise:

Just relax and take it young child, the beating will be over soon. Do not stoop to his level by defending yourself. Most of all, do not speak the truth about your experience to anyone because it will upset my glass-house sensibilities.

Then Bill Clinton turns his back on Jimmy Carter and parties with the Bushtapo? ??????? All while blowing major sunshine up your butt because you have the ability to accurately understand the magnatude of reality. It really is crazy-making.

[johnaries]

19. Well, that is a VERY good reason! Go out and DO something!

We are supporting your efforts and everyone's efforts. I haven't done any canvassing (yet) because I have been quite busy with work this year, but I have been working in other ways slowly working on those I know already. Spreading the word in every way I can.

But check back in every now and then and let us know how it's going, OK?

[budkin]

22. Chill out... we're going to win.

[Peacetrain]

24. You know Sulawesi, I don't think we ever had the chance to chat..

but let me just say, the fact that you are committed to the ground is awesome. To be honest with you, that is where we win the election..that and the truth troops who can fight back on the lies on the net.. I have the greatest admiration for them also.

I am an on the ground person, and nothing get my spirits going quicker, than talking to the neighbors and neighborhood about getting our canidate elected..

So I will be looking for you when you do check in, and how the ground troops are doing. Take care!!! :yourock:

[graywarrior]

25. WE ARE NOT GOING TO FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They want you to believe that. DON'T!!!!!!!!!