Politics don't matter. Catchphrases and enthusiasm. That's what they need.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Georgia's 6th Congressional District Special Election |OT| Round 2: Fight!
- Thread starter Aaron Strife
- Start date
Politics don't matter. Catchphrases and enthusiasm. That's what they need.
Pilgrimzero
Member
And that's how we got Trump.
TheOfficeMut
Unconfirmed Member
It's also pretty deluding to think that every person who votes democrat also has very liberal views about every issue. You'd be surprised by how conservative many liberals are in a lot of their beliefs. If you tick the wrong box, a democrat may just vote republican. People wanting a very, very far left democratic platform don't realize that they're the fringe group. I'm on board with even the most left views, but I recognize that not every democrat agrees with the stances that far out, and you lose support the further left you go. We are not at a point yet where such liberal ideas are accepted by and large by most of the public in the U.S. Pretending otherwise is how you lose elections. You use your base to your advantage and slowly but surely adopt more liberal policies while in office to test the waters and get your constituents used to them.
Contend with the fact that moderate views run this country. You cannot launch a blitzkrieg and go cart blanche and expect everyone to hop on board with policies common in Western Europe. The U.S. is a different beast. Treat it as such.
I'd argue that Trump and his supporters are a great example of how you lose support if you're too "radicalized." They're a fringe group that loses support the crazier they get. Not to say that extremely liberal and left views are crazy, but to moderate or even liberal people, it becomes quite literally intolerable to be part of a platform that is incapable of compromising for some type of progress, not to mention the fact that the progress the most left people advocate for isn't even the limit, yet some act like it can't get more progressive than their ideas. Imagine someone telling such a person (Bernie or bust person, for example) that THEY'RE not liberal enough.
balladofwindfishes
Member
There was a chance, but it was always 50/50
While it would have been sweet for the Democrats to win this, it's a bit much to have hyped yourself up that they'd be able to get the win. Yeah, the district was less pro-trump than others, but it's still a deep-deep-red district otherwise. GOP has to be relieved they held on, but worried about how much money and effort they had to dump into keeping a district that should have been a cakewalk. Democrats should be very encouraged by the long view of this - coming this close to winning this district is a good sign for them for 2018.
hammysaurusrex
Member
Disappointed, but not surprised.
It's true that Trump has put these districts in play, but these are still red meat Republicans. They are single issue voters - as long as you can dangle a tax break over them, they will fall in line.
It's true that Trump has put these districts in play, but these are still red meat Republicans. They are single issue voters - as long as you can dangle a tax break over them, they will fall in line.
Fair, but it's not as if GA was a blowout last election. He won the state by one point... It was in play.
Losing by 6 points is not even a moral victory, particularly with the money and effort Democrats put into this election. It's a bad sign.
acheron_xl
Member
All these special elections have been deep red districts turning pink. And the trend has been holding. If it holds through the midterms, that means, while many deep red districts will still only be pink, pink districts might turn light blue.
It's not a lost cause.
The GOP didn't win any of the special elections filling Obama vacancies in 2009 either, but they still had a wave in 2010.
It's not a lost cause.
The GOP didn't win any of the special elections filling Obama vacancies in 2009 either, but they still had a wave in 2010.
He lost by 3.8 points.
TheCochese
Banned
Handel converted all the R votes, which I thought was extremely possible.
These two threads I think call back to something the DNC needs to look at for elections going forward: if the local people have special insight into things, don't fucking ignore them.
One of the 538 guys also said this: special elections may tell more about lagging results than pending ones.
These two threads I think call back to something the DNC needs to look at for elections going forward: if the local people have special insight into things, don't fucking ignore them.
One of the 538 guys also said this: special elections may tell more about lagging results than pending ones.
Greigor The Fellhand
Member
there was certainly a chance, R60/40D.
But one could also view this as a trial run for 2018, having said that, the DNCC needs to step up there game and go after small local seats at the same time going after the main seats, just focusing on one election at a time in this day and age is odd.
D
Deleted member 752119
Unconfirmed Member
Sucks, but expected. His only really chance was in the first round when the GOP vote was split between so many candidates, but he fell a bit short of 50%. No chance in an one on one in that district. Too much of it is far OTP in the richer, conservative suburban shithole. Glad I rarely have cause to go OTP....
I suggest everyone read this:
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/where-can-democrats-win-georgia-6-ossoff-handel/
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/where-can-democrats-win-georgia-6-ossoff-handel/
So far, my record is better than "Democrats got this" GAF's.
Trump won, AHCA made it through the first round, Ossoff lost.
GoldenEye 007
Member
Would you like a medal?
balladofwindfishes
Member
So you're not going to bother reading that article posted in the reply you quoted?
Yeah it looks great if you cherry pick results.
And just because your chicken little routine occasionally arrives at the same conclusion as reality doesn't mean your "reasoning" has been validated. Especially when the other side of the argument wasn't that a thing couldn't happen.
i mean, complaining about focus when its a special election...... they will go after small seats in 2018, when the entire house is up for election.
dems competed, they lost. at least they showed up to a r+20 district and made it a race worth sweating over.
All you need to know really:
Ah, so looking at the things that actually matter (like winning elections) is now cherry picking. Enjoy your data and demographics while we're being steamrolled by diet fascists.
BoogieWoogie
Banned
Was feeling pretty shitty this morning. Had to catch a flight to DC for work.
Lo and behold, John Lewis was on my plane. I shook his hand as I walked onto the plane and just told him how appreciative we were of the hard work he was doing and he responded with "if there was anything I could do for you, you let me know."
I'll take any good news I can get and that was a pretty awesome experience, let me tell you.
Lo and behold, John Lewis was on my plane. I shook his hand as I walked onto the plane and just told him how appreciative we were of the hard work he was doing and he responded with "if there was anything I could do for you, you let me know."
I'll take any good news I can get and that was a pretty awesome experience, let me tell you.
TheCochese
Banned
All you do is claim the sky is falling.
You cherry picked elections. You probably don't even know you did because you don't know what you're talking about.
Also your "all you need to know" nonsense is willful ignorance.
Pathetic.
PepsimanVsJoe
Member
What's your point?
You've been peddling the same shit for God knows how long, and as far as I can tell, all it's accomplished is made you and the people who read your posts absolutely miserable.
What's the point in being delusional and claiming moral victories when we keep losing in reality?
.
You can't even be bothered to read what people are responding to you with. There was a whole article you blew off explaining this and you pretend it doesn't exist.
PepsimanVsJoe
Member
Okay. Let's run with that.
This election was a complete disaster. We'll have to start again from square one.
Gutek, what's your plan of action?
I don't live in the sixth district, but my Hulu says my local stations are from Atlanta and I've been getting the ads for this campaign on every show I watch and almost on every ad break.
We all thought the Labour Party was dead because of an incompetent socialist but he ended up running a decent campaign and the Tories exploded. We all thought the Australian Labor Party was dead after years of infighting but people eventually got sick of Tony Abbott and his cabinet.
Maybe Gutek is right and America really wants King Trump and he'll abolish elections so he can rule for 100 years and there's no hope anymore, since he has a 100% prediction rate, so everyone should lie down and cry.
No one could have predicted Corbyn to pull off what he just did in the UK elections a year ago. You can only get what you want by holding strong, one thing that Republicans are pretty reliable about.
Maybe Gutek is right and America really wants King Trump and he'll abolish elections so he can rule for 100 years and there's no hope anymore, since he has a 100% prediction rate, so everyone should lie down and cry.
No one could have predicted Corbyn to pull off what he just did in the UK elections a year ago. You can only get what you want by holding strong, one thing that Republicans are pretty reliable about.
Well said.
jakonovski
Member
Thing is, Americans abhor leftism, even many of the ones in this thread. Hard to win against the hard right by offering soft right.
And yet Obama won the presidency twice with essentially leftist messsaging. He may not have called it that, or even governed that way but what else do you call running on Universal healthcare and the public option?
The thing is that liberal policies, in isolation are quite popular and poll well. Things like paternity leave, universal healthcare, and taxing the rich are quite popular.
The main problem with the Democratic Party right now is that they message poorly.
Clinton went with "The economy, stupid" and ended his presidential nomination speech with "I Still Believe In A Place Called Hope", Obama ran with "Hope and Change" after a financial disaster and multiple wars, Trump went with "Make America Great Again" after a time of seemingly increased social unrest and upheaval of previous social norms.
These sort of things might attract ridicule from people who hate pretty meaningless/contradictory slogans but they're exceedingly easy for the public to understand and they also message to the public that you understand what they're concerned about.
They don't need a superstar to beat Republicans but they need to have a simple to digest message. Part of the failure of the Tories was the rightfully mocked slogan in "Strong and Stable Government". It just doesn't work when your Prime Minister just committed political suicide by gambling his own government over a rushed Brexit referendum.
jakonovski
Member
Obama has been described as a rare charismatic leader, which seems appropriate. Also goes to explain why his achievements are now being dismantled. His charisma is what held them together.
Empyrean Heaven
Member
There isn't one. Just strap in and enjoy the downfall.
Guarantee we start hearing "Why is treason bad?" from the usual talking heads when things get worse.
I honestly don't know how you combat a voting block like the republicans. They are willing to vote for someone who lies to their face and they are more than happy to so long as the god hating liberals are kept in check. Couple that with all the damn crypt keeps holding on to their last breath to fuck us over and the democrats still fighting over who's a real progressive, I just don't see much hope for 2018.
My biggest fear is that Trump does get impeached or somehow leaves office, we get stuck with Pence, who is the ideal god loving candidate for the right's red meat base. That could galvanize them even further and completely block any chance a Democrat has in 2018 or 2020.
Mackenzie 92
Member
Best thing dems can do is continue to try to get non-voters involved
Etrian Oddity
Member
Yet another L for the Dems. This fkn party country. :/
Holundrian
Unconfirmed Member
I see around here a lot of people quick to blame Trump and call out people on their own side and people that didn't vote/etc.
Which is strange to me cause what I see as an outsider is an America that still seems to vote in favor of all the things that led to trump in the first place.
Which is strange to me cause what I see as an outsider is an America that still seems to vote in favor of all the things that led to trump in the first place.
Trump and his band of radicals are in control of the Republican party and the Republican party is in control of all three branches of government. Radicalism can be a vote winner especially in a time of political and economic instability caused by terrorism and economic inequality.
The Republican party will continue to win because these are how the two parties are viewed by the majority of voters aka white people.
The Republican party priority list:
1. Corporate Donors and Special Interests
2. The Republican party
3. White People
The Democratic party priority list:
1. Corporate Donors and Special Interests
2. The Democratic Party
3. Women
4. Non-White people
5. LGBTQ
6. White people
From this point of view, it makes sense for the majority of white people to vote for the Republican party. This is especially the case for white men.
In order to change this, white people would need to be convinced that the Democratic priority list is this:
1. Women and Non-White people and LGTBQ and White people
2. The Democratic Party
3. Corporate Donors and Special Interests
This is the Bernie strategy that many Democrats are afraid to embrace because it ensures that most of the corporate money flows to the Republicans and it also does not cater to discriminated groups who are still feeling the effects of past and present institutional and societal discrimination.
At this point? May be the only way they learn.
Let these horrendous policy decisions actually affect their lives. Maybe then they'll realize the party that they claim to support doesn't give a shit about them at all.
I mean part of the fear toward embracing that strategy is also due to the fact it failed against a fairly unpopular Hillary Clinton.
Similar threads
- Locked
- Locked