Daily Kos asks: Why do you think Democrats have had so much trouble winning elections?

[Algernon Moncrieff]

They posted the question in their Facebook feed. I post it here.

What do you think?

[samnsara]

1. because we dont cheat lie or steal

[Demsrule86]

6. In 16 when I went to GOTV I found a number of voters who planned to vote third party...

damn the consequences. Well, the consequences have been severe and perhaps the one that told me not to 'threaten her with the courts' has realized her mistake. I sincerely hope so.

[Demsrule86]

2. We have sadly a base that doesn't vote all the time and/or votes third party...and we are reaping

what these sort of voters sow.

[johnnyplankton]

3. As Ed Schultz once said, "We keep bringing school books to rock fights"

Our messaging sucks.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

14. I miss Big Eddie

He was not without faults, but some things he understood well.

[Sky Jewels]

25. Before he died, he once more revealed his true colors -- right-wing asshole red.

He was spouting Russian propaganda in his last few years.

I don't miss that guy at all.

[enough]

4. Seems like an odd question for the party that currently controls House, Senate, and Presidency.

[brush]

9. Thank you. Makes you wonder what country are they talking about.

[demosincebirth]

16. ...and still can't pass their agenda

[Algernon Moncrieff]

20. "Barely controls the House and Senate"

We have two Senators who've derailed the agenda.

[Aristus]

5. Daily Kos, do you still beat your wife?

In the last 45 years, three Presidents have served only a single term. Two of them have been Republicans.

Now, uh, what was it you were saying again?...

[Algernon Moncrieff]

22. But there are parts if the country right now where we realistically can't be elected

Idaho, South Dakots, Oklahoma, Wyoming

I take your point. Two Presidents were elected with < 50% of the popular vote jn the past 25 years. Part of the reason for that is that we are unelectable in many states.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

7. Democrats are more idealistic.

And the country is cynical.

Hell, I'm cynical. My anger towards Manchin is off the charts. How come he has more power than POTUS?

[onecaliberal]

8. IMO this is a republican talking point.

[Act_of_Reparation]

10. There are a couple of reasons:

1) The combined effect of the Electoral College, the Senate, and gerrymandering make it so Democrats need to win BIG to get the presidency or a legislative majority;

2) The Democratic party is much more diverse than the Republican party; pleasing a large group of people is more difficult than pleasing a homogenous group like the GOP;

3) Many Democratic strategists don't seem to understand the psychology of what attracts voters to the GOP, and has largely failed to capitalize on it.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

15. State size imbalance is a huge problem.

NYC should be allowed to make each Boro a state.

[Act_of_Reparation]

29. It probably is the most significant of the three.

I feel like we could deal with being a huge umbrella party attempting to represent a wide range of interests and have tone deaf strategists if the system didn't favor low population states as much as it does.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

38. At this point, DC should be a state ( than Wyoming or Vermont)

and I feel like most of the major American cities with 1M + populations should become city-states.

[Act_of_Reparation]

40. I principal, I agree.

It doesn't make sense that a state with 500,000 people has more representation than a city with three to four times as many people.

In practice, it isn't going to happen without the rural stranglehold on the legislatures breaking first.

[gulliver]

41. +1

[kentuck]

11. Democrats do not always defend the most popular positions.

Republicans are always ready to attack.

[Cosmocat]

32. Winner, winner chicken dinner

Ds are right on the vast majority of issues, and have the high ground on a nearly every issue or hot topic.

Rs are wrong about pretty much everything and increasingly immoral, unethical and mean spirited.

But, while Rs will SCREAM that "the libs" hate america, hate religion, run child sex rings and whatever other crazy ass shit they pull out of their rear ends, Ds can't muster the sand to make hay out of the ACTUAL horrible and crazy shit Rs do.

That really is their primary fault.

The rest of it that the country is terminally stupid at this point to just go with what Rs scream about vs just seeing how horrible they are voting based on that ...

[snowybirdie]

12. Gee

Biden won by how many million votes?

[Act_of_Reparation]

30. This isn't particularly relevant.

The popular vote doesn't determine who wins the presidency, and winning the presidency isn't enough to accomplish legislative goals.

It isn't how many votes you get, it's where you get them.

[snowybirdie]

34. Thanks for the civics lessom

Guess my Master's studies missed that point.

[Act_of_Reparation]

39. So you were aware you were making the non-sequitur when you made it?

That's interesting. I'm not familiar with this debate format, but then I have not gone to graduate school for civics, unwashed pleb that I am.

[snowybirdie]

42. We tend to let attempts at subtle

humor go. The site is more fun and we live and let live except in the case of obvious idiots. Welcome.

[rogue emissary]

13. Racism and fear of being a minority population.

It drives me crazy when people complain about democratic messaging.

Their ignoring that messaging gets over 80% of African Americans, around 70% Asian Americans, over 60% of Latino/Hispanics.

Only whites have a issue with the Democratic message.

Hell if white voter just voted evenly. Democrats would win in landslides like Bill Clinton did in his reelection.

That's why I say racism is why Democrats don't do better in elections.

If we were doing poorly with multiple racial groups. I'd look for other issues.

The fact we only do poorly with one, which happens to be the biggest is the issue.

[betsuni]

17. +1

[Kaleva]

18. Freepers blame thier troubles on us Dems stealing elections

Last edited Thu Jul 21, 2022, 12:49 PM - Edit history (1)

[whathehell]

19. Lame messaging.

[Johnny2X2X]

21. We control the House, the Senate, and the White House

We're obviously winning some elections.

We should control more states, but jerrymandering hurts us there.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

23. Do we control the Senate?

I'd say the jury is out on that one...

[tinrobot]

26. We got a Supreme Court justice through

Just sayin'

[Elessar Zappa]

36. Biden's had all of his judges approved.

I’d say that’s controlling the Senate.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

37. ..and Build Back Better?

[Act_of_Reparation]

31. "We control the Senate"

For all intents and purposes, Democrats cannot "control the Senate" without a supermajority. All we're able to do there is set the legislative agenda; we are incapable of getting anything major passed.

[LonePirate]

24. Republicans have multiple 24/7 propaganda networks whose sole aim is to destroy the Democratic brand

It's been a relentless assault which we have not successfully countered. Our only response has been some weak and uncoordinated messaging that seldom resonates with the public.

[BlueCheeseAgain]

27. I don't agree with the premise of the question.

Democrats win a lot of elections. They could win more, especially at the state legislature level. But they hold more power at the federal level right now.

[maxrandb]

28. You mean like in 2000 and 2016

Where Dems won the popular vote but were still denied the Presidency?

Or do you mean the 2010 Midterms, where a bunch of folks who "didn't get everything they wanted" from President Obama, turned power over to a bunch of fascists dickweeds in tri-corner hats, riding around on Medicare provided MyScooters and screaming like banshees about "getting gubmint out of Medicare"?

I mean, it's not like 2010 was a census year, where our newly empowered T-baggers could draw redistricting maps that look like a sheep fucking a housecat, or anything.

Maybe Dems struggle to "win", because they can get 51% of the vote in states like Wisconsin, or Ohio, but only end up with 40% of the Legislative Seats.

Maybe the question isn't "Why do you think Democrats have had so much trouble winning elections?"

Maybe the question is "why don't voters work harder enough to defeat fascists."?

Oh, nevermind, because that's probably the Democrats fault too..."nobody ever motivated me enough. If only someone had warned me about the extremism on the right"

[Elessar Zappa]

35. We control the Presidency, House, and Senate.

Sounds like winning to me.