General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSo would everyone posting these "he almost didn't lose" threads feel better if
someone gave Ossoff a participation trophy?
Moral victory my butt. A loss is a loss is a loss.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)LBM20
(1,580 posts)hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)Yet the level of disappointment and dramatic hand-wringing... and all the recriminations coming from many around here suggest something entirely different. They may not have used those words (ie: "it will be easy" but their consternation and excessive emotional outbursts indicate thathowever unrealisticthis was indeed their belief and expectation.
The people you're rushing to defend didn't have to say those exact words... the evidence speaks for itself.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)so many people can be so divorced from reality.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)state and city so I know how hard it is to get rid of them thank you.
Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)The point is it will be a long slog...and people need to understand that.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)Last night was just frustrating and it reminded me how I felt election night last year.
Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)Eliot Rosewater
(31,096 posts)for ANY democrat in November, 2018, no matter what, as if life on the planet itself is at stake,
Which it will be.
Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)Last edited Wed Jun 21, 2017, 12:05 PM - Edit history (1)
fault and I want scalps...I need my fainting couch ...all is lost.
True Dough
(17,090 posts)I've seen a couple of posts from Republican-leaning friends (well, one is a full-blown Republican) gloating that Dems are 0-for-5 in special elections.
It's unfortunate, but what can one do? I'm sure not joining the conspiracy crowd that insists the elections were stolen. Just comes off as sour grapes.
Phoenix61
(16,949 posts)Because the people that held those seats were tapped by this administration. They didn't tap people that held vulnerable seats. They tapped people who held invincible seats. So no, we haven't won but we didn't get skunked either.
Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)True Dough
(17,090 posts)Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, as they say.
Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)seaglass
(8,170 posts)applegrove
(118,006 posts)Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)We closed the gaps. We lost by less. Good god
blue neen
(12,306 posts)Thanks!
Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)You're welcome.
Also, develop more candidates, recruit better people... basically build from the GROUND UP. We're probably stuck with TRUMP for seven more years, so let's work long term!
blue neen
(12,306 posts)What is your deal? Join an Indivisible Group in your hometown or nearby. You'll feel better.
KPN
(15,585 posts)You're addressing a fellow Democrat here.
Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)I think Ossoff was a good candidate but wasn't going to win a deeply red state...consider that no matter what Democrat who ran would lose...cutting their margins was about all we could do.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)Whose team would LOVE for us to do that?
Wake up. There won't be any long term if we give up on the short term.
applegrove
(118,006 posts)Last edited Wed Jun 21, 2017, 02:44 AM - Edit history (2)
for us in 2018 across the country. GOP lost today. You help only the GOP in your desire to make this loss really hurt democrats.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)These were not vulnerable seats (the reason these particular candidates were picked to work with donnie). There are purple and even red seats that were decided in 2016 by MUCH less than the 23 points that price won by in November. There are 70 seats in that category and we only need 24. THAT should be the focus. Don't want to listen to republican friends, try not having any because that works great for me. This "woe is me" crybaby crap is boring and pathetic.
Bradical79
(4,490 posts)This isn't a football game.
secondwind
(16,903 posts)BlueStater
(7,596 posts)I don't know when it will happen, but I'm confident it will.
Until then, however.
blue neen
(12,306 posts)What are your solutions to the problem? Let's hear the suggestions!
Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)in the 1970's. Stop trying to live by the "one big strike" strategy and drawing to inside straights.
blue neen
(12,306 posts)They worked on that ground game: calling voters, going door to door, working on get out the vote and early voting. They got results, and in 2018 they'll get even better results.
"Indivisible" groups are meeting all over the country, building strong local apparatus. You should check one out.
Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)I'm not talking about opening a couple campaign offices in strip malls and canvassing. I'm talking about grooming and running candidates for city council, school board... hell for effing dog catcher.
KPN
(15,585 posts)I may have had too much wine but I think you are both right. We didn't win. It's discouraging, almost demoralizing, we're feeling despair -- some of us. We also need a strategy. A long term one. One that shapes rather than just tries to win on the battlefield. This isn't a basketball game, it's a war (hopefully a peaceful one). We need to work on controlling the battleground. Then maybe we can win.
Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)a better solution exists.
Phoenix61
(16,949 posts)The repubs thought it was going to be an easy win and it wasn't by a long shot. It was an expensive, hard fought race. What does that say about those races that are vulnerable? The general gist was any seat that wasn't won by a repub by 20 points is vulnerable. We need to get organized in every state. Not later, now and develop a campaign strategy. We can worry about the candidate later and tweak the strategy then.
Mike B
(19 posts)It was only expensive for Jon Ossoff. His campaign spent $23.6 million, compared to Handel who only spent $4.5 million. Our party is taking a brutal beating in these elections, and all we can do is sit back and discuss how satisfied that we are for coming in second place? This type of thinking is part of the reason we are sliding downhill.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/20/us/politics/georgia-6th-most-expensive-house-election.html
Phoenix61
(16,949 posts)Handel had support from PACs that spent 25 million on advertising. The special elections were all for seats that were solidly republican. So yes, I do think we did well. Way better than anyone expected. If we can do that well in solid repub areas I think there is every reason to think we will win in swing areas. The dem party dropped the 50 state strategy and we are paying for it now.
Not Ruth
(3,613 posts)"An Atlanta television station added a 7 p.m. newscast to profit from the deluge of ads in the race"
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)She had 18.2 million versus his 7.6 million.
And she was very well known statewide -- in politics since 2003 and most recently Secretary of State -- he was a nobody.
16 posts and all you're doing is LYING about how much money was spent on Handel on her race. Interesting.
KPN
(15,585 posts)Warpy
(110,900 posts)Please don't forget this is Gingrich's district, about as blood red as you can get, yet Ossoff was within 3%.
You might be feeling wounded but rest assured, the GOP strategists are stunned it was this close, especially with the lousy weather holding the vote down, something generally in their favor.
Response to Warpy (Reply #7)
Post removed
Warpy
(110,900 posts)secondwind
(16,903 posts)Motownman78
(491 posts)and think in the long term. 20% of Repub voters in 2016 voted Dem. That is a huge step forward. Do you think Kasich would be screwing up enough to let us make a gain that big?
KPN
(15,585 posts)Thanks for the grin this grim evening.
Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)Azathoth
(4,603 posts)This is a district that voted for Tom fucking Price by 24 points.
Competitive in this district means a win in any swing district.
Fait Accompli
(40 posts)Quist had the highest percentage of the vote for a Democrat in a Montana house race in the past four election cycles. I didn't hear much talk about a "moral victory" after his loss.
Wabbajack_
(1,300 posts)but Democrats expected to win this one, there is no spinning it, bad result.
OnDoutside
(19,905 posts)Our battles with a bit more thought.
JI7
(89,172 posts)whether he won or lost there would be another election in 2018 . how we view that future election would depend on the results of this election.
Softail1
(56 posts)maybe we should think about the words we use when describing the other side a little...I have seen threads making fun of Handles face...and her weight. We are becoming experts at thinking up new and exciting derogatory descriptions, and keep losing these elections. I'm as pissed off as anyone about it, but we NEED some of these "deplorables" to vote with us once in a while, and call me crazy, but insulting them daily might not be the best strategy. Maybe...MAYBE that could help....
JI7
(89,172 posts)ck4829
(34,967 posts)The thing they hate so much, ironic.
Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)who said people don't need a living wage.
LBM20
(1,580 posts)win DEEP RED districts.
kcr
(15,300 posts)Good thinking. Your strategy is WAY better!
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)Yeah, he lost. I'd rather he won. But he did shave the margin of victory down considerably. I was one who always thought we were chasing fool's gold there, but there ya go.
Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)It is unbelievable that we lost a district that is so us...believing the core Democratic values and all...yes I am being sarcastic because while I hoped we might win ...I knew it was a long shot. We have come close in very red districts and that means something...we shall have to see if the GOP gerrymander holds in 18.
bigtree
(85,915 posts)...instead of this bullshit representation of the arguments for optimism.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)They'd probably feel better if irrelevant and petulant questions were kept to oneself.
Yet thinking about, I'm sure we'd all feel better were that actually applied...
Polly Hennessey
(6,745 posts)A loss is a loss- period. No nuance. You win or you lose. You come in first or you come in second. History has already told us - "To the victor go the spoils." How hard is that to understand.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)The REALITY is that this was Newt Gingrich's old district and a long shot at best.
The REALITY is that the Rethugs were divided over 11 candidates in the primary but for this run-off they -- not surprisingly -- joined together behind the party's nominee.
The REALITY is that pushing people's face in a loss doesn't help them to heal or to take positive action.
So what is the goal behind your OP? Because it appears you want to make people feel worse, and that's not going to help anyone -- except the other side.
Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)pnwmom
(108,925 posts)who are they helping with their posts? Not the Dems.
Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)Some who call themselves Progressive (they are no such thing) hate Democrats.
Orsino
(37,428 posts)...shrinking GOP electoral majorities can't possibly be significant.
Phentex
(16,330 posts)jcmaine72
(1,773 posts)team coming within one out of winning the Series in game 6. Sometimes, a knee to the groin is just that...a knee to the groin, without anything redeemable or salvageable to take from the experience.
Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)Hmmmmmm. I've seen that trotted out somewhere before. Next up, a strike at liberal elitists.
Seems the world is binary to you and has something to do with "participation trophy's".
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)you know what you speak of - loss after loss after loss...
And Wisconsin is a part of the "Blue Wall?"
Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)It's like being a Packer fan from about '75 or so up until the early/mid 90's- loss after loss after loss, as you said, and the strategy/methods never change. The state party is in shambles. The entire thing has to be re-built from the ground up, because the state is no longer the progressive bastion it once was. Winning Wisconsin at this point would/will be like winning Kansas- a long term project.
DonCoquixote
(13,615 posts)If you expect we can get a winning record without a few hard losses, you are supporting magical thinking. It will take races that we know we do not have a shot of winning, but that we know will make them bleed cash, exert effort, and say the stupid things that we can remind people of. It will take time. Now, we can take the lesson and stop thinking Republicans have any spine, but appeal to the independents. THE GOP loves Trump, even if, indeed, because he acts like an abusive husband that beats his wife to an inch of her life and still demands dinner be on the table. We need to make the Trump votes less relevant by getting bigger numbers, not by hoping they will finally see the light. However, crying because we have not done magic in a year, is not the way to win. This will be ugly, and long.