I'm going to argue that few know less about campaigning than the base of the parties.

[SmallFry]

They are often the most politically educated but they often seem unable to understand the majority. The disconnect is real.

I'm reading over and over again that the upcoming campaigns will be about democracy v fascism. That our campaigns must make this their cornerstone and that the American people have to understand that Republicans are traitors.

You will never hear someone say something like that who isn't also a part of the base. No campaign in a close district, state, or nationally will win if that is a cornerstone of their campaign.

So if you want to lose, make it about democracy v fascism.

You will learn the hard way that Americans don't give a shit and want nothing more than for you to shut up and stop bringing that crap to them. You are truly an annoyance to them.

Are your intentions righteous in nature? Of course they are. Are you correct that fascist tendencies are not only taking hold, but we recently had a President pushing fascism? Of course you are.

Do you want to stop fascism? Elect Democrats. If the cornerstone of our campaigns are about fascism v democracy we will be heading down the road of fascism.

Fascism v democracy will be a part of a lot of campaigns. It will be completely directed at the base as a means to fuel their emotions and separate them from their money. No smart campaign will direct the same message outside of their base.

The campaigns themselves will be won with an economic message, in most areas.

It's the economy. No one who filled up their tank this morning, and isn't a part of the base, thought of anything but giving the government the middle finger.

[uponit7771]

1. The economic message hasn't worked, wage gains were 5.6 YoY !! That stems inflation in the face

... but there's no news that's getting past prices at the gas pump that America was blaming the gas companies for 2 months ago before Putrid attacked Ukraine.

So might as well go to national level issues when facts on economic issues don't matter

[SmallFry]

3. Yes, national issues.

Cost of gas, groceries, taxation, etc.

Americans care about those things. The messaging is up to us. Most Americans do not care about any potential close relationship Putin might have with someone. They don't care at all outside of the base. So lets at least talk about something they care about, what's going on in their home.

One place Americans aren't all that foolish is when it comes to who has their hands in their wallet. Not a single American believes that the gas prices are due to Putin. Why? Because the increase started well in advance of the Ukrainian invasion. That is not a secret. We aren't going to sneak that little bit past them.

We have a lot of good economic news to campaign on. We have a lot of good economic attacks to push against Republicans.

No votes will be won in the next cycle if democracy v fascism is the cornerstone of our campaigns.

[EarlG]

2. I agree that "it's the economy, stupid" BUT...

"It will be completely directed at the base as a means to fuel their emotions and separate them from their money."

An argument could be made that the last part of that sentence might be replaced with "and get them out to vote on election day."

In close districts, turnout is more important than ever. "Fuelling their emotions" is how the GOP turns out their base and wins close elections.

So I agree that making democracy v fascism a cornerstone of a campaign is not a good idea, but I do believe that messages which will strongly activate and engage the base of the party -- especially if those messages aren't a mainstream turnoff that can be weaponized by the opposition (cough defund the police cough) should certainly be considered as part of a campaign.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

5. I'm still not convinced the activist left is the "base"

They didn't show up for Hillary in 2016, they're the ones threatening not to show in November if their priorities aren't passed.
Shouldn't the base be considered the people who show up to vote in every election?

[Elessar Zappa]

12. The vast majority of the left did show up and vote for Clinton in '16.

I do agree with you that they aren’t the base. I think the base is black people and women, especially black women.

[EarlG]

19. Well according to Wikipedia... :)

"In politics, the term base refers to a group of voters who always support a single party's candidates for elected office."

But of course the "activist left" and the "base" aren't mutually exclusive -- if someone considers themselves part of the activist left, and shows up to vote for Democrats on election day (which I think most left-wing activists do) then they're part of the base.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

20. If left wing activists actually voted for Democrats and not, say, Jill Stein or Ralph Nader...

We wouldn't be in the mess we're in today.

EDIT: I agree the majority do, but 2000 and 2016 hinged on third party spoilers from the left. And dismal turnout in 2010 was driven by activists who were angry that they didn't get enough with Obamacare.

[leftstreet]

24. It could reflect a shrinking "base"

probably in both parties

It might be regional, but I don't know many people who still vote strictly by party

[SmallFry]

6. I fully agree with you.

With respect to my "fueling emotions" comment I don't feel that was a negative statement(not saying you said it was). I think it's very important that portions of campaigns are directed at the base and are about fascism v democracy. Those emotions equal votes and money. That makes it bigger than the individual. I do consider myself to be a part of the base. I'm about as loyal as they come.

"and get them out to vote on election day."

Not only them, but the base brings others to the table. They get others to vote in numerous ways. I'm sorry if it sounded like I discounted that aspect. The importance of maintaining a strong base should never be minimized.

I should have added something similar to that sentence of mine. I can see how without it it comes across as having negative connotations. Not my intent.

Thanks.

[EarlG]

16. No worries!

I understood what you were driving at, and I 100% agree that focusing on kitchen table issues is the way to win.

As part of a campaign though, if used sensibly, the "democracy v fascism" message could provide some useful additional firepower this year, particularly in races where the GOP has gone full Putin. It feels like a bit of a freebie -- it's tough to make a simple argument against. And even more so if it can be slyly converted into a "pro-USA v anti-USA" message. I think if the shoe were on the other foot and Democrats were the ones voting against NATO and trying to violently overturn elections, the Republicans would be absolutely hammering us with it.

[uponit7771]

8. THIS !!!! ☝🏾☝🏾☝🏾 ""Fuelling their emotions" is how the GOP turns out their base and wins" They ..

... stoke fears to a granular level by bold faced lying, gas lighting and having issues that rate cross media lines so they can get repeated on saner M$M (wages rose 5.6% YoY!!!, inflation my ass)

Its carrot and stick for GZP and they go 100% on all mediums they can, there's no way the majority of that is organic outside of beltway

[lagomorph777]

4. Dems have often lost on a great economy; Pukes often win after destroying the economy.

No, it's the racism and misogyny, stupid.

[SmallFry]

7. I believe you are wrong.

Racism and misogyny will clearly be a part of campaigns. It will be directed at the base. No one filling up their tank this morning was concerned about either racism or misogyny. Might not even think about either of those two metrics this week. The base on the other hand will think about them daily.

And yes, we can win or lose on anything. That's not an excuse to simply make things about items viewed as insignificant by most Americans.

[uponit7771]

9. Polling shows a plurality of Americans blame Biden for higher gas prices.

Blaming Biden for too much dirt in my yard would be along the same lines as blaming him for higher gas prices.

I don't see economic message working when wages rose a recent record of 5.6% YoY ... its not the encomy

https://www.live5news.com/2022/03/30/americans-blame-biden-more-than-oil-companies-ukraine-invasion-gas-price-hikes/

[Elessar Zappa]

13. We won in 2018 on healthcare.

I think we should go that route again.

[uponit7771]

14. +1, and stoking fears of America becoming like Russia or Trump taking over as House Speaker...

... using Gaetz's own words

[Elessar Zappa]

10. I basically agree with you.

We must campaign on the economy, healthcare, and social security. That’s how we won in 2018. I do think it would be politically beneficial to us to point out how many elected Republicans support Putin. Polls show the vast majority of Americans are on the side of Ukraine.

[lagomorph777]

18. Grabbing voters' emotions is critically important.

Pictures from Ukraine, next to the names of politicians who express support for the genocidal maniac behind it, is a winning strategy.

Listening to highly-credentialed middle of the road bland vanilla experts is how we got into this mess.

[lagomorph777]

15. Those deemed not to be insiders or experts should not express opinions?

Sad.

There's quite a trend around here lately; some posters trying to silence others who aren't expert enough for them, or who don't hold an insider job in the government, or who aren't paid consultants.

[Silent3]

17. It's a shame that the art of winning elections is the art of winning over stupid people

That's definitely a strong point for Republicans.

[leftstreet]

22. It's not "stupid" to worry about caring for your loved ones

It's not "stupid" for anyone having anxiety about the price of groceries, gas, rent, bills

The OP makes some great points

[Silent3]

25. "I'll vote against the party of the incumbent President", 'cause that'll fix it...

...is stupid and ignorant. If you have real concerns about gas, rent, other bills, and you don't think further than "the current party isn't fixing what I don't like, so I'll vote for the other party instead", and your notion of "the current party" is simply the party of the incumbent President, with no grasp of how Congress or a filibuster-crippled Senate functions in our system... then you're an idiot. You should put more thought into how to fix your real problems than that.

[Javaman]

21. you mean the Whigs aren't on the ticket this year???? nt

[leftstreet]

23. DURec

[kentuck]

26. I don't see why it has to be one or the other.

Democrats definitely need to counter the Republicans "negative" campaign against the economy as much as possible. "Inflation" is an argument that has taken root and unless gas prices go down, it could be very troublesome at election time.

But, Democrats should not run on any one single issue. The ACA was very important for a lot of folks at the height of the pandemic. The record job creation has been very impressive.

The withdrawal from Afghanistan is not as much an issue as Republicans hope, in my opinion. Most Americans were ready to get out of that country. In contrast, most folks see the consolidation of NATO and the defense of Ukraine very favorably.

There are many issues in the Democrats' favor. The economy is a hard issue to win when inflation is at the point it is right now.