There is a consensus that the Democratic messaging is a problem

[Quiet Em]

We are now going to have ample opportunities to work on that.

Democrats need to make sure the media and the public remain focused on the issues, and the real life consequences of what the Trump administration proposes. Don't let the media and the public get sidetracked by whatever topic some rando influencer on Musk's cesspool wants to talk about. Keep the focus on the issues and the consequences.

[Ocelot II]

1. Is the messaging really the problem, or is it the fact

that it never makes it to the people who need to hear it because RW media outlets suppress it or lie about it?

[Quiet Em]

2. Excellent observation.

I believe it's that the people who need to hear it, don't.

The Democratic messaging has never been a problem for me.

[Mike 03]

9. Boy do I agree with you on that.

"Democratic messaging has never been a problem for me."

Me neither. But I seek out the news, so maybe that's the reason.

Some of the pundits aren't necessarily saying our messaging is wrong or poor, but that it's not reaching the people it needs to reach.

I'm reading a book by Reverent Dr. William Barber called "White Poverty" in which he hypothesizes that the people we need to reach are among the "140 million Americans who are technically poor or low-income" and who are often working multiple jobs and either are too hopeless to engage politically or for some reason don't realize that the Democratic Party is their best choice. According to Barber, they do not feel either party speaks for them.

Maybe if we could more directly address poverty and somehow make inroads to speaking to these people we could unlock the approximately 90 million Americans who are eligible to vote but don't.

[Quiet Em]

11. Yes.

We need to reach people we are not reaching.

[comradebillyboy]

4. Both. Media has always been controlled by

the wealthy so it's always had a right wing bias.

More importantly Democrats don't seem to be very good at messaging. IMHO Dems tend to amplify their most unpopular positions while underplaying their really great economic accomplishments.

And our party and its leaders completely muffed the immigration issue witch voters cared a lot about.

[atreides1]

10. I've always wondered

Why is the message of equal rights for all Americans, so unpopular with those who voted for Trump?

Granted that was only one of the messages being put out by the Democrats...I know there were others!

[comradebillyboy]

18. IMHO the vast majority of Americans are quite

happy with their rights. They aren't happy about immigration policy and inflation where the Dems messaging seems to be weak and ineffective.

[Quiet Em]

33. Because most who voted for Trump don't believe anyone except

straight, white, male Christians deserve rights.

[TrunKated]

12. Yes our message is suppressed...

It seemed during the campaign that Harris / Walz news was all over at first, then suddenly they were quiet, shortly after the debate.

They weren't quiet, of course, the media was just focusing on Rump.

[uponit7771]

36. Yep, the more stupid crap he did the more they'd cover him. That's part of his process for attention

[uponit7771]

35. THIS !!!! Dems don't have the amplification network GQP does

[taxi]

3. There is a tendency to look for what we want.

People that look for antidemocratic values find them, our messaging be damned.

[Quiet Em]

5. I agree. And I think it was quite clear what the differences in the choices were.

Trump's entire message was cruelty, bigotry, revenge, and anger and 1/2 of the people who voted voted for him because they liked that message. I thought there were more good and decent people in this country but I was proven wrong.

[Ontheboundry]

6. It's a little of a few things

The messaging is definitely a problem. When middle class/working class people, who in theory we are suppose to be their champion l, keep telling us over and and I er "it's difficult to pay bills and buy food", and our response is to quote economic reports every time, this is a message issue

We can't be talking over the people who we want to get their votes, and that was a problem I felt, specifically in the Midwestern states.

Women's rights wasn't the end all issue we thought it would be either, which leads back to the economic reality of voters, not what experts are parroting in response

[Quiet Em]

8. Women's rights needed to be discussed.

It's an extremely important issue. Women are dying from miscarriages. The Republican Party certainly wasn't going to talk about that.

[Ontheboundry]

14. I'm not disagreeing

But it seemed like it was the one thing that was pushed constantly l, while other things were afterthoughts.

What's important to you and I is fine, but we were already voting a certain way

Trying to reach middle of the road voters tho, you may wanna talk about what's important to them...since it's their votes you need

[Quiet Em]

17. But it was not the only issue being pushed.

And it was not prioritized above other issues. But for some reason whenever this issue is discussed some people get turned off from hearing about it. I'm not saying this applies to you, it's just something I've noticed.

[Walleye]

27. I don't know what kind of message would make a misogynist stop hating women

[Quiet Em]

28. I don't either

I was hoping they would be outnumbered. They weren't. I should have known that by now.

[Keepthesoulalive]

15. If they cared about economics

Lauren bobert and Marjorie green would not be in office. The poorest states vote for people who wouldn’t spit on them. They have their grievances and that is all that matters. You could say I will give each family 5 thousand dollars and they would yell communism , socialism and i don’t want unworthy people to get any . They still would not vote for a democrat. They are last in everything and they don’t care.

[Ontheboundry]

19. I feel

There is a healthy middle of the road bloc that will go either way.

80% of us are fairly set beforehand, those 20% are the ones we need to unfortunately talk to when campaigning.

[Keepthesoulalive]

30. They are either indifferent, non political or misinformed

Unfortunately they are going to have to feel some pain. What’s also unfortunate is that we will suffer with them. The things the republicans are saying will put us in a depression and all we can do now is protect ourselves as best we can.

[lees1975]

7. Really? Democrats having trouble getting their message across? Nah, can't be.

Sorry for the sarcasm.

[leftstreet]

13. Ugh. It'll be 4 years of Trump bad! Musk bad! Oh noes!

There will be no talk of a higher minimum wage, slashing miltary budget, Medicare for all, etc

[usonian]

21. Kamala and TIm delivered a great message of hope.

But people were inundated with lies over many years.
They wanted hate.
"Give us Barabbas" and they got Barabbas.

Many union members believed those lies. Many people on the fence believed they would get lower prices.

Many were influenced by the subtle racism they heard for years. It was disguised as "women need to stay in their place", "immigrants (who happen to be largely dark skinned" are a poison. These are all dogwhistles, and touched a nerve that good people suppress with kindness and compassion.

By now, you know where I stand on this "messaging" matter. Lies are believed. Hate riles people up, and when so deluded, people are irrational.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219812717

[Quiet Em]

25. I agree

https://upload.democraticunderground.com/100219782921

But for those who think it can be improved I'm offering a suggestion on how it can be worked on.

[usonian]

29. Agree. They've poisoned society with their false God.

And we're going to feed you lie after lie to stir your well-taught and conditioned racist core in order to get it.

[cloudbase]

22. While life is complicated and nuanced,

people like things kept simple.

Trump had a simple message: White folks good, non-white folks bad. Americans good, immigrants bad.

[Tesha]

23. You're forgetting something vital

Half of the country does not hear any message by what the right’s media chooses them to hear.


They don’t hear anything else, and if it is presented to them, they judge it to be false as their trusted sources are the only ones they trust.
You cannot tell them that this guy is planning to take safe, effective, and necessary vaccines away from our children, because they have been told they are dangerous.
You cannot tell them that the FBI plans include going after his enemies, because they will say it’s great.

And on and on. There is no audience- just us who mostly agree.

I’m not saying don’t try, I’m saying they simply won’t listen

[Keepthesoulalive]

26. You are absolutely correct

I keep pointing out the states that are the poorest keep voting for people who will insure the continue to be poor.

[Cosmocat]

37. 100% correct - there is no message the evil liberal boogyman can have

that won't be rejected out of hand by 2/3 of the country.

Yes, 2/3s.

The "other side" and those who don't vote.

[ZonkerHarris]

24. Is it the messaging or is the intended audience too stupid to understand the messages? I go with the latter.

Bunch of ignorant dumb fucks that you can't teach to not drink bleach.

[pandr32]

31. It isn't our messaging.

The media is the problem, as are evangelicals and born again Christians who plow ahead with their desire to change the nation to fit their delusions.

[Wicked Blue]

32. We need to BUY a media outlet

or buy a majority stake in one

I don't know that we can collectively afford it, but I'd love for our experts to find a way to do it.

The power of the press belongs to those who own it.

[CousinIT]

34. Its non-existent right now, and that is VERY BAD. nt

[dalton99a]

38. +1. The silence is deafening

[Blue_Tires]

39. messaging was never the problem

[EndlessWire]

40. I think the messaging is fine.

The other side lies and lies, and it is difficult to deliver the fact check to the ears that need to hear it.

"Groceries?" Won't they be shocked when not only do they not drop, but they will increase. If there are no controls, those that make and distribute food will keep increasing prices. Food is the FIRST priority for anyone. It is the basic need. And, Donald isn't going to cause grocery prices to drop. That is a shtick he does.

One thing, just a thought, is when we have to support anxious families with food banks, we stamp all cartons "Courtesy of the Democratic Party." Or something. Use every opportunity to push a basic need.

Those with money are busy rat weasels, trying to shape the country with rules that protect only them. I'm not against people with money. I'm just aghast at the onslaught of plans that basically really imperil the rest of us. Perhaps the only communication we need is to let tRump et al. deliver crushing blows to the base, and see if they commit suicide or keep saying, "I don't mind, Donald's the one." This is going to be bad. It will affect us all. They won't escape. Not unless they are rich.

[Quiet Em]

41. I agree. I personally did not have any problem with our messaging.

Some people believe we need to be stronger and I think a place we could be stronger is in immediately addressing the lies and keeping the media focus off of the BS lies and back onto the realities and consequences of what Republicans are proposing.

An example just from today. AOC stating that we need to listen to the pain and suffering that many have spoken out about in regards to the health care industry has been turned into "AOC is justifying the CEO's murder" in right wing circles. This crap needs to be nipped in the bud as soon as they come out with it.