Murphy draws attention with calls for Democratic shift in strategy

[everyonematters]

Source: The Hill

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) is on the rise as a Democratic Party voice calling for a new direction as the party seeks to regroup following a stinging election loss.

Murphy has been among the most prominent figures arguing for a new strategy to expand the party’s tent and for leaders to embrace economic populism to reconnect with voters whom the party has lost.

“He brings some things to the table that are a little bit unique… this is a guy who’s never lost an election, and he won several times when he was not the favorite in places that Democrats typically have not done well,” said Connecticut-based Democratic strategist Roy Occhiogrosso. “That’s something that he brings to the table that I think people will start paying more attention to.”

“There are many factors to winning back the majority of lower income voters, but I am confident that one key element is being more purposeful and transparent in talking about power — why corporations and billionaires have too much, and why we, as Democrats, are the only party that is serious about putting that power back in the hands of workers,” he said.



Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5027426-chris-murphy-democratic-strategy-rebuild/

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I agree that there needs to be more emphasis on kitchen table issues such as the earning power of families and healthcare.

[azureblue]

1. The emphasis

MUST be on getting control of the media narrative. The media rarely reports on Trump's idiocy, and whitewashes him. They take the GOP propaganda, hook line and sinker, because it's built around sensationalism and personality, not facts and policy.

The GOP coordinates its talking points very well, and we should too. And they make a TP around a lie or half truth, and the media never calls them on it. We should do that - broadcast a half truth, and, when the media decides to call us on it (if they ever do), then we turn it around and ask the media why they let the GOP lie so often, and never called them on it. Hold the media's feet to the fire and don't let them dodge or sandbag, Throw every media tactic back in their faces, if they try to dodge the issue of ignoring the anti Democratic Party bias. Create fireworks. Stop playing nice. Start off with the facts then nail them on their crap. Democrats must use GOP tactics on the media and get the outlets to dance to our tune, not Trump's.

[groundloop]

3. Agreed. Democratic policy is fine, we just need to make people see that fact.

It's damned difficult to fend off GQP lies, especially when right wingers like Elmo control and exploit an important media outlet.

[paleotn]

5. Absolutely! Take from your enemy what works. And don't feel dirty about doing it.

Because winning is the only thing that matters. THE ONLY THING! Moral victories are impotent. Feeling pure and morally superior, yet losing, is useless and more than a little dumb. Keep the message simple, easy to digest. We have a great message. USE IT! Take off the damn gloves and punch the bastards in the face. Metaphorically. Even Michelle Obama has abandoned the "go high" strategy. It's a loser.

We were once masters of the down and dirty, political fight that resonated with the masses. Now we look like a bunch of Ivy League, college professors. That ain't working. Stop it. Do what works. Our enemies have proved that it works. Do that. Our message is way better anyway, and above all, not a damn lie like theirs.

[jvill]

14. It's time to declare open war on mainstream media

Dems defend institutions that don't treat them fairly. It's nuts.

The New York Times, The Washington Post.. They aren't driving the narrative anymore. They're reporting on the lunacy that rises from social media, gets laundered through Fox News, and is then reported as "news" in mainstream channels.

Time and time again.

Fox News destroyed the country. They turned the greatest democracy in history into the most dangerous Idiocracy the world has ever seen.

It's 100% true.

[Walleye]

2. We did not lose the election the United States lost the election

Trump musk and Vladimir couldn’t be happier, all this hand wringing and strategy modification isn’t gonna help. I don’t think. “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” The time for us to strike is when the economy starts going bad, which it will, remember it’s the Republican economy now it’s the Republican government

[paleotn]

7. Sorry, but no. We lost.

And failure to recognize one's own mistakes means repeating the same failures. I'm tired of rinsing a repeating a failed strategy. We look weak. I'm tired of weak. First act should be dumping a bunch of political strategists who don't know their asses from holes in the ground. That's not just me saying it. Look at the performance.

[Walleye]

11. Yep. I bet it'll be a long time before we nominate a woman again.

America simply will not vote for a woman to be their commander-in-chief. At least not so far.

[Polybius]

13. I think a woman can win

I think 2008 was the year. There was no stopping any Democrat that won the nomination that year. I think Hilary would have won easily.

[jvill]

15. !!!

"I think Hilary would have won easily."

Holy cow, dude.

[Polybius]

16. Welp, you are free to disagree

It's just my opinion.

[Joinfortmill]

4. It's always good to review actions and adjust going forward. That said...

Kamala didn't DO anything wrong. What certain segments of our population didn't like was that the President of the United States would be a 'woman of color'.. Let's call it what it is: prejudice and misogyny.

[FakeNoose]

12. Bingo! Not all voters felt that way, but enough did to make a difference

They couldn't admit the real reason why they didn't want a woman of color, so Chump gave them 99 other bullshit reasons.

[DrFunkenstein]

6. Logic Needs To Be Tied To Emotion

As someone who was very invested in the Kerry campaign in 2004, I learned the bitter lesson that the American people don't operate by logic in politics. Re-elected someone who was an abject failure, a proven liar, an incompetent made no logical sense. But Kerry was unable to connect enough with the American people on an emotional level where Dubya was able to create The Swift Boat episode really hammered this home, tragically.

Besides the fact that the rich have been running hard with the ball, rigging the system in their favor and massively widened the wealth gap as the guard rails were stripped away, economic populism connects with the American people on an emotional level. Just look at the health insurance CEO. They guy was murdered in cold blood, but instead of horror there has been an outpouring of vitriol towards the health care industry.

That's because there is a MASSIVE feeling that the rich are ripping us off. Because, well, they are! We need to tap into that anger and come up with a platform that builds upon that.

[travelingthrulife]

8. Maybe we could immerse their websites with simple economic graphs/cartoons making

the income disparity real. People can't even fathom how much money these monsters have. Ben and Jerry's ice cream owners used to do some of this. Keep it light and very simple.

Show how much loot they have and how many government dollars and other perks they get.

[paleotn]

9. Well said. Very well said!

Personally, my choices politically are based on policy almost entirely. That's not the case for most Americans. They either don't have the time to think about policy, don't understand it or their brains just aren't wired that way. They chose on emotion and a surface level, common perception. That is what it is, and instead of lamenting it, we need to tap into it. Listen to any random FDR speech and you'll hear exactly that. He was a master of it.

Thompson's murder did reveal something interesting. Something that resonated strongly left and right. We need to learn from it. Tap into it. It's powerful.

[JustAnotherGen]

10. I'll believe

When I see folks like Murphy are able to fill / backfill volunteers who are resting - with these white male voters and their wives.

I will be very interested in seeing how effective they are at getting Souls to the Polls in the midterms. It's their party now, they better get at it.