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Nanjeanne

(5,465 posts)
29. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz were great candidates. But the old school beltway bubble consultants don't seem to
Fri Nov 8, 2024, 10:04 AM
Nov 8

understand - even after losing voters that they used to depend on - they need to step away and engage with voters in a different way - in my opinion. When Walz was selected there was so much excitement. His responses when questioned about his "socialist" or "progressive" policies were wonderful. Then he was smoothed out, relegated to the back seat while Liz Cheney became the standard bearer for the Democratic Party.

My 2 cents for what it's worth. Stop chasing the illusive R/I voter and start by concentrating on the non-voters who feel nothing changes in their lives. Rs aren't going to vote for Ds in any big enough number that justifies a watering down of policies to convince them otherwise.

Swing voters are not moving R to D. Swings are non-voter to voter. And that can be done with a bold platform akin to FDRs that ignites a feeling of excitement and inclusion in the outcome.

Engage in transformative politics and stop with the transaction politics. Excite, Innovate, Big - not incremental and small thinking.

Try to build a media landscape that can compete with right wing propaganda

Don't just organize every 4 or 2 years. Build a year round organizing effort and build coalitions in rural areas recruiting local people to run locally and build a big bench.

Be FDR like - Attack corporate greed head on and understand the pain working people are experiencing. It’s Populism that works. Having a billionaire like Pritzker stand on the DNC stage and declare his billions are more real than Trumps isn't exactly a working man's dream. Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift are great advocates. They bring excitement to a rally. But declaring their endorsements as if it's going to swing a needle isn't the answer. We always talk about the middle class. What about the working poor? What about the people Rev. Barber is always working for. Those people have a hard enough time working their two or more jobs. Give them a reason to vote.

Call out "hate for profit" scheme of the rightwing. Don't be afraid. Don't be defensive. Stop apologizing. Biden didn't misspeak when he said Trump supporters were terrible. They are. Apologizing isn't going to make Trump supporters vote for Harris. Racists, hate mongers, anti-immigrant people are terrible. Stop apologizing for insulting them while shitting on core Dem constituents like young people, anti-war people, progressives.

It's time to leave behind the Clinton/Obama/Biden way of doing things. Embrace a new way forward. Please understand this isn't an attack on them. It's been done. It's not helping. World has changed. Our politics have to also. Honestly if I never hear we need a strong two party system or Republicans are our friends and we admire Reagan and Kissinger again, I’ll be a happy Democrat. Rs never say that.

Stop dumping on your base - young people, progressives, lefties . . . Rs play to their base. Ds run from them and continually expect they'll show up anyway. Well they aren’t. And their values are closer to ours than Dick and Liz Cheney. Stop chastising them and start listening.

Work with community activists.

Stop using the strategies that lost the last elections. Focus on new strategies (it can't be worse than what we have now). Stick to the hopeful vision we want to achieve. Develop a platform that is forward thinking - visionary - right for people - and then just stick with it.

Speak like a normal person. Engage in dialogue. Don't be a poll-tested robot.

Frankly, if one more Republican pundit gets on TV and says the problem is the left or the progressives or the young or the anti war crowd or whatever I think I'll scream. I never have cared what a freaking Rethuglican has said and I certainly am not interested in their tired same old same old plan for Democrats future.

Yeah. My two cents and hopefully this won't be construed as "anti" Democrat or "anti" Biden or "anti" Harris. I have been a Democrat my entire life. I've never voted any other way. I would like to see a Democrat in the White House again. I'd like to be proud of my country. I'm tired of trying to win over some white soccer mom who is too stupid to realize that her daughter is going to suffer from her vote or some ridiculous white businessman who hates Trump but sure likes his tax cuts and the chance to pollute the country. How about we win back the people tired of never getting ahead, never seeing a change in their pocketbook, their child's ability to get an education, the chance to take a two week vacation and rent an apartment and earn a decent wage? Paid Leave. Paid Sick Days. Tuition Free College. Medicare For All. Fair tax burdens. Living Wage. Negotiated Drug Prices for Everyone. Taxes that go to making our lives better - not wars. That's the Democratic Party I'm fighting for.

Recommendations

3 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

you know the answer, misogyny Walleye Nov 8 #1
its more RJ_MacReady Nov 8 #2
Sure, it's more, but that's the main reason, you can't deny reality Walleye Nov 8 #3
I agree. That is probably why we should not have let Kamala go to the slaughter. boston bean Nov 8 #4
Probably, but what we "should've done" is a version of magical thinking Walleye Nov 8 #6
We did something wrong as a party that is obvious. We know the environment. boston bean Nov 8 #10
You are absolutely right, and that is a very good attitude, I just can't summon it up right right now Walleye Nov 8 #11
About five seconds after white women decide equality is important then it will be so. TheKentuckian Nov 8 #19
True, but giving into the man is often a matter of survival for the woman Walleye Nov 8 #20
If equality is the aim then no it isn't. Women can survive just like men do and like many other women do. TheKentuckian Nov 8 #23
America is a white supremacy. Its institutions are built on white supremacy and by white supremacy in the service WhiskeyGrinder Nov 8 #5
Some cultures don't really have a race problem, but they still can treat women like shit Walleye Nov 8 #7
Yep, in this case it would be a combination of racism and misogyny. LisaL Nov 8 #9
That's the shame of it, we all know these two things are what drives our culture, but we're ashamed to admit it Walleye Nov 8 #14
Russian interference Dem4life1234 Nov 8 #8
Those monday night football newdayneeded Nov 8 #12
THIS malaise Nov 8 #13
Which is weird because nobody has actually suffered any hardships due to transgenders. They're not that prevalent Walleye Nov 8 #15
Power and wealth malaise Nov 8 #17
But a lot of transgenders are white. So it's not only race Walleye Nov 8 #18
Conservatism requires out groups and "others" and the weaker the better. TheKentuckian Nov 8 #24
Both malaise Nov 8 #26
I believe a lot of voters either didn't show up or didn't vote for Harris because she is a woman. lees1975 Nov 8 #16
They simply deny any of those charges are real. travelingthrulife Nov 8 #21
The perfect storm of La Coliniere Nov 8 #22
The Weakness of Our Coalition Was Revealed Aepps22 Nov 8 #25
You can't change them. Period.n/t valleyrogue Nov 8 #27
There are a lot of posters with low numbers posting here lately..... Lovie777 Nov 8 #28
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz were great candidates. But the old school beltway bubble consultants don't seem to Nanjeanne Nov 8 #29
Yes ! lodownhodown Nov 8 #32
I can't even say how much I love Alliepoo Nov 8 #35
Thanks. Too bad the same useless consultants make millions on losing and just keep on. Nanjeanne Nov 8 #36
The Hitler playbook works kevink077 Nov 8 #30
A small majority of voters mcar Nov 8 #31
Because we focused on the outrage and not the issues Renew Deal Nov 8 #33
The question we should be asking is SocialDemocrat61 Nov 8 #34
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