Why are Republicans doing well? Why is there an enthusiasm gap?

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

There have been a thousand reasons stated as to why pugs are resurgent, why the bloom is off the2006-2008 rose, why public cynicism is through the roof, why Dems are unenthusiastic...

But, c'mon. How much complex analysis is needed?

1) Unemployment has been around 10% for a long time. It is the issue of the day.

2) The Democratic Party has not proposed any measure in the last year that could plausibly reduce unemployment by more than a fraction of a percent.

It's basic politics. When there is only one issue and we are the party in power and we do not strongly address the one issue people get upset. QED.

If Republicans get their way unemployment will probably go up to 12% or 15%. Their economic proposals are disastrous. But political attitudes are largely reactive, not an intellectual process of parsing subtleties and playing out competing hypotheticals.

If the top issue was swarms of killer bees we wouldn't have spokesmen saying that thanks to market forces the bees will abate in an orderly fashion over the next five years and meanwhile he have set aside $25 million dollars for a tax-credit for bee-sting ointment.

When there is only one issue one everyone's mind then get 100% behind policies that plausibly address the issue. If the pugs block those policies then at least you have something to run on.

[Ozymanithrax]

1. So this is an, It's the economy, stupid, moment.

That James Carvile...still correct after all these years...about one thing.

[andym]

2. Conservatives don't like the large quantity of "change" they've seen

from this administration and are leading the charge. They'll be voting to "conserve." It's visceral for them, the tea party is the symptom.
The economy just makes it easier for them to convince others that something needs to be done against whatever we're doing now.

Moderates are usually not enthusiastic.

Liberals, representing about 1/2 of the conservative voting population are not enthusiastic either because at the moment the Democrats represent the status quo. It's difficult for many to get excited about the status quo, even if they generally support it. Also, many liberals believe have not seen significant change.

[BootinUp]

3. And the number 1 & 1/2 issue is the deficit

and the deficit was hammered on by enough pundits, so-called economists, and repiglets that it froze economic policy.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

4. The deficit issue wouldn't have cut the same way if there was a compelling alternative.

If we had had a proposal to put 20 million Americans to work right-fucking-now and it increased the deficit a lot then there would be a sharp-edged decision to make.

The deficit thing gains strength from the *perception* of waste and futility... the alternatives have been framed as deficit versus status quo, not deficit versus dramatic improvement in something.

Hard to win that argument, politically.

[BootinUp]

5. On this very progressive board people argued against

any additional stimulus in the 2nd qtr, I was ridiculed, Krugman was ridiculed, and anyone else that suggested it.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

6. True. And if the WH had sought to educate and persuade

these progressives and every one else as to why that beef was counter-factual and destructive then maybe some of the knee-jerk Dem deficit hawks would have some reason to maybe think otherwise.

But since the WH played footsie with the cancerous anti-Keynesian view there was no coherent argument made for the right course of action.

Hence http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9330450

[BootinUp]

8. Politics is the art of the possible.

and Obama is not Superman. I tire of people blaming Democratic Presidents who lead a nation of undereducated incompetent fools.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

9. The counter argument is that the world as it is today is

the result of doing everything right.

That doesn't seem plausible.

[BootinUp]

10. The world is as it is and we will never fully understand

all the causes and effects. We certainly can't determine with any certainty what "right" is when it comes to political tactics.

[xchrom]

7. recommend

[OHdem10]

11. This requires a multi-faceted answer. Why are the Republicans

doing well? First, the Republicans Party is much better organized.
Their structure is always in place. They value and use their
Activists. Activists are an itegral part of the Republican Party.
This puts the party a a very high advantage. With a stroke of a
key they can start to get their activists together. Right Wing
Talk Radio is very active within the party. Republicans on the
Hill, RNC, are frequently in touch with Hate Talkers who create
buzz and push the issues the Hill wants pushed. They all work
together along with RW Think Tanks. Use Radio to stir the pot
and get people interested.

Republicans know and understand that you win on emotion most of
the time. So get people stirred up and emotional, pretend this
is the outpouring from the grassroots. For example, Beck started
with a few emotional programs which grew grew and grew while
the people became more and more riled up. They were riled up
over what they told to be riled up over. It was GOP Congressme
who put the Deficit in their head and cutting spending. When
people are emotional they do not think through the consequences.
You have Palin and Co. Bachman and others making appearances
and keeping them in fighting angry mood to do something about
it.

The Republicans are prepared when they run for office to go on
TV. It is expected you will be prepared. If you notice, there
is never a program without Republican Representation and it is
not the same Republicans. They do have talking points but to
the public this makes them look organized and know what they are
doing. They come across as Leaders. Why do you think they
are always asking where is the Leadership referring to Democrats???

I do not agree with Republicans but I give them credit for
their organization. This has convinced the Media even that
Republicans are better leaders than Democrats. At the root
of this the Republicans do believe , truly believe in their
Right Wing Ideology. They believe in something. This inspires
people and makes them think the GOP is trustworthy. Not me.

When anyone acts self-confidence and exudes this giving some
principle, you will get followers. They may discover buyers
remorse later, but they will get followers.
Republican speak in generalities but sound specific and firm
Often a thinking person will think--now what did he just say??
They are after the masses. and they get them because the
Democratic Party has become Republican light. Cannot express
their principles. Two similar parties over time and one will
fail. There is no effeort to contrast. There is not stomach
to go for the jugular on the part of our Democrats.

This is not meant to bash our party. I voted for them.

Sometimes we must take an honest look at both parties.

The GOP are wrong on the Issues but organzation, preparation
and being in constanr campaign mode working with activists
they do well.

[newspeak]

12. yes, I believe the repugs knew they were in "hot" water

over the economy and the bogus war and letting all their little greedy friends have carte blanche to the treasury and deregulation. They had to re-brand themselves, and that's where the teabaggers come into the picture. The teabaggers are an artificial "grassroots" group funded mainly by corporate interest groups and some repugs. Of course, you got those who have fallen into the trap and the media talking heads like O'llielly, beck and limpballs are major agenda pushers.

Looking at my state, Nevada, Angle is up there with Reid, a pro-corporate, cut entitlements when people are down, batshite crazy ideological beliefs-and we got Nevadans going to vote for her over Reid. These people are "cutting off their nose to spite their face", even though, it has been reported that she enjoys health insurance on her spouse's account and he's retired from one of those "damned" government departments. Someone who believes in total deregulation (what got us in this mess in the first place) and "government is evil while corporations are good." She mentions "free market" as if there isn't any global behemoth corporations influencing our government or who's interest takes precedence over the American people. But, especially, in the rural towns, I see Angle signs everywhere.

I told hubby if I was younger, I'd move to another country, because the people in this country are going into "serfdom" mode and will still believe shite because the MSM will tell them it's cake. All hail our new overlords-the corportocracy of America.

[kentuck]

13. This is why?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9330987

[emulatorloo]

14. "The Democratic Party has not proposed any measure" No so, Repubs have killed them ALL.

Every piece of job creating legislation or legislation that punish companies that outsource American jobs has been killed by Republicans. Anybody who watches Olbermann or Maddow knows that. Sadly nobody else reports on it. Dems say it, media does not transmit.