Fix the party, run good campaigns, vote, and win more elections. Protests are a waste of time.

[LBM20]

Want healthcare? Fix the party, run good campaigns, vote, and win more elections. R's don't give a shit less about protests and they are a waste of time. Win more elections. Simple as that.

[Fresh_Start]

1. No one's making protest mandatory

personally I believe that GOP legislators are very unhappy about receiving all of the pushback and challenge from their constitutencies so I think the protests are worthwhile. If for no other reason than so that more and more people realize that the legislators don't care what the people want or need.

[Brainstormy]

2. I respectfully disagree

at least with your contention that protests are a waste of time. I'm a child of the 60s and I KNOW they're not. At the very, very least they reveal like-minded others, encourage others to speak out, and send the message that we're paying attention. The ability to protest is one of the strengths of our democracy. We should never underestimate their power.

[LBM20]

9. Very politically ineffective in most cases. Win more elections. Put the time and energy there.

[Doremus]

58. Workers' rights, civil rights, voting rights ... all were achieved through protest.

Often times violent. The rights we take for granted (and are losing at a rapid pace) were hard won by blood, sweat and tears of people who weren't content to volunteer for political candidates.

[alarimer]

3. I don't think they are a waste of time

I think the arrests of people in wheelchairs, for instance, should be make for some good campaign ads in the next election, at the very least, and I hope the Dems and their surrogates use all the footage they can get. Which may be why police have been demanding journalists delete their photos and videos (some idiot journalists complied, though they are not obligated to).

I think the bigger the crowds we can get in front of the White House and at Congressional offices, the better. Gum up the works, if possible.

[flamingdem]

4. Protests are GREAT. How else do we get visibility and give people hope

Protests help us find each other and the action of doing solidifies commitment.

[LBM20]

10. Very politically ineffective in most cases. Win more elections. Put the time and energy there.

[flamingdem]

11. Discouraging people usually looks bad

That's how you are coming across.

Obviously we can do both at the same time.

[LBM20]

19. But both is not being done and protests take time and energy that could be used organizing to win

actual elections.

[deminks]

5. Nope.

[LBM20]

21. Time, resources, and energy should go to party building and winning elections. Protests don't work.

[leftstreet]

6. 'fix the party?' What's wrong with it?

[LBM20]

14. It has lost bigtime 3 of the last 4 elections and been GUTTED nationally. BAD campaigns.

Rank and file apathetic and not voting, BAD campaigns with no jobs message, total failure to connect with huge swaths of voters all over the nation, total failure to build the party from the schoolboard to the senate in every district, caring more about appeasing corporate donors than fighting for the working class, ... need I count the ways?

[leftstreet]

37. Thanks for your answer

Didn't know what you meant specifically

[The_REAL_Ecumenist]

55. Here, let me help you, LBM20, those so called"BAD CAMPAIGNS"? Uh, yeah...

There was NOTHING wrong with the campaign. The PROBLEM, the 800 lb gorilla in the general elections was that the other side COLLUDED & TREASONOUSLY worked with RUSSIA, now under the fist of a former KGB MIDGET, stealing the White House & several seats in the house AND congress ...THAT'S what happened. This was NOT a bad Campaign, a bad nominee NOPE... So STOP with that nonsense. That wasn't true on November 8th or anytime before or since. The Exit polls WERE NOT WRONG, the internal polls of BOTH parties WERE NOT WRONG & NEVER WERE....So, just stop. "See, there I fixed it for you... You're welcome."

[blogslut]

7. Protests are the reason Pence had to break the tie to proceed.

You are very very wrong.

[LBM20]

16. I am extremely RIGHT. R's only lost TWO votes. And we would never be here if we had won more

elections. Protests are a virtual waste of time. Win more elections. That is what really works. R's don't give a shit about your protesting.

[blogslut]

18. Fine, you do your thing. We'll do ours.

See how easy that is?

[LBM20]

23. Prove to me that protests, especially these occasional protests, actually get results. Why not put

energy and resources into something that actually does get results, like winning elections and acquiring political power? Doesn't that make more sense, especially when we have a Dem Party that has been CRUSHED all over the country and is on life support? You wouldn't have to protest in the first place if we had won more elections.

[hatrack]

28. We don't have to prove a FUCKING THING to you . . .

185-post fucking TROLL.

[LBM20]

36. So you would rather swear and insult than listen to a different opinion and offer evidence for your

position? Is that democratic? Is that civil? I am just asking you to support your position. Can't you do that?

[defacto7]

54. You haven't proven yours yet. It will be in your court until you do.

So far you've offered nothing convincing. If you can, let us know.

[blogslut]

29. I say we do both.

Protest and GOTV.

You do realize some of the major reasons Democrats are having trouble is because of voter suppression and gerrymandering. Is this not worthy of protest?

[LBM20]

43. How did the gerrymandering happen? Because R's won when D's ran bad campaigns and/or didn't vote.

Also, protesting takes time and energy from real effective political party building and organizing. I would encourage people to march to the voting booth and bring friends to that. Also, march to the campaign office and march to do canvassing and phone banks. But it's also much more than GOTV. It is about organizing the party everywhere and forming a message that people are actually interested in voting for. It is about running for office oneself. There is a lot people can be doing right now locally to help with party building. Get involved in local and county Dem committees.

[blogslut]

45. As I stated above, why not do both?

I don't think protesting is a waste of time. I agree we need to do the things you suggest. I just don't see this as an either/or choice. We should all do what we can. Some are more active than others. I'm not sure why protesting bothers you so much. I hope you feel better.

[johnp3907]

47. "Extremely RIGHT"-wing.

[kacekwl]

56. EXACTLY !! Protests are very important.

Let's put together some solid candidates and figure a way to get more people to vote. No reason we can't do it all. Let trump and crew continue to bury themselves and let's get to work.

[hamsterjill]

8. Pick better candidates on the local and state level.

With full disclosure, I live in Texas, and with as freaking red as it is, there aren't many Dems who even have a chance. But I sometimes sit back and absolutely marvel at the candidates that the Dems run. I mean, you can tell from the get-go that many of them don't have a snowball's chance in hell of even being taken seriously. It makes me furious.

[blogslut]

15. Have you met Beto O'Rourke?

https://www.betofortexas.com/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/07/13/beto-orourke-ted-cruz-challenger-fundraising/475106001/

[hamsterjill]

26. Yes, and I actually think Beto's got a shot!

n/t

[blogslut]

30. Me too!

He actually came to my reddest of red town!

[hamsterjill]

40. Unfortunately, there are others that I do not think will be taken seriously.

Like the guy running for Governor. Jeffrey Payne. And before I get flamed, I am most definitely in favor of LGBTQ rights. But this guy is not going to win, and I think we all know it. Rather than put up a "show", I wish the Democrats would put up a truly viable candidate.

Chris Perry is running against Lamar Smith, and I LOVE Chris. He's got some great ideas. But he comes across as "wimpy", and that's not going to cut it in Texas. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but I've lived in Texas my entire life and I know how the people around me think. They want a strong presence. They want someone who can command a conversation. Chris just doesn't cut it in my opinion as much as I wish I were wrong.

I would take great pleasure if either Payne or Perry were to win. No one would be happier than me. But I just don't see it happening, and that saddens me.

[maxsolomon]

12. I haven't had a chance to welcome you to DU

"Don't Protest" is really good advice.

[leftstreet]

13. ...

[LBM20]

17. Put the energy into WINNING ELECTIONS. R's don't care about protests. They just proved it AGAIN.

We can't just be a "resistance" party. It needs to stand for something at election time and run good campaigns. The party needs to fix itself once and for all and win more elections. The R's don't care about protests.

[samnsara]

20. protests are very valuable!!!! they are visual affirmations of the sheer numbers we are..

..and empowering and absolutely the only thing a lot of us can get out to do. PLUS DONATE!!!!

[LBM20]

34. Where are the sheer numbers on election day winning actual power?

[Iggo]

22. Win more. Got it. Thanks!

[LBM20]

27. Yeah, seeing that the party has been hollowed out nationally it's probably good advice.

[Iggo]

31. .

[hatrack]

49. . . .

[Floyd R. Turbo]

24. I do believe that Gandhi, King, and Mandela would disagree!

[LBM20]

32. Those were decades-long social movements. I am talking about these spotty reactionary "resistance"

protests people do because they keep losing elections. There is only so much time and energy. Protests are undeniably very politically ineffective, especially in national level politics. Winning elections is what matters. Put the resources there, especially with a party that had been nationally gutted.

[Demsrule86]

44. The only reason Trump has been blocked and I still think we have a shot to block

Trumpcare is because of protest...elections are a year and a half away...so why you posting this? Hmmm, it seems less than helpful for Democrats.

[hatrack]

25. Well, then don't protest . . .

.

[LBM20]

33. I don't. Waste of time. I work instead to help candidates win elections.

[hatrack]

35. Well you're amazingly special then, aren't you?

Key lime or pecan?

[Chevy]

42. Noticeable how everyone but yourself

is entertaining this grade A trolling.

[Paladin]

38. How about we act like grown-ups---walk and chew gum at the same time?

Repair the party and campaigns AND hit the streets and protest. Nothing replaces the impact of widespread public disruption, in terms of media attention and getting noticed by politicians. And if you're not prepared to protest how fast trump is flushing this country down the toilet right now, the natural question arises: At what point (if any) will you deem protests to be necessary?

[m-lekktor]

39. Protests having nothing to do with the Democratic Party. nt

[Demsrule86]

41. wrong...welcome to DU...we will protest and drive the lying sack of shit GOP and

Drumpt to their knees and then cut them off during the mid terms...fuck you GOP.

[KG]

46. I lulz'd

[Blue_Tires]

48. Protests are only a waste of time

if people don't remember to fucking VOTE afterwards -- And that's in ALL races, local, state and national...

[Gothmog]

50. The protests and the participation in town halls are having an effect

Protests alone may not work but protests supporting our elected Democratic officials are helping

[mopinko]

51. in case you hadnt notice, there arent many elections happening right now.

so, should we just sit down and shut up until next year?
we should do nothing while these atrocities pile up?

in case you hadnt noticed, that is exactly what people did in these special elections. maybe we didnt win, but we moved the needle A LOT. we put boots on the ground in record numbers.
enough to scare the rethuglicans who dont have their heads completely up cheato's ass, and even a lot of them who do.

and i bet you also didnt notice that people, especially women from the resistance, are filing to be on the ballot in RECORD NUMBERS.
more than double the tea party surge at the same point of the cycle.

and around here local parties are on the ground, knocking doors, filling ballot slots where dems didnt even bother with in the past.

so, yeah, people are going BOTH. and they are feeding each other in a BIG way.
your advice is moot.

[Desert grandma]

52. Want to win elections???

Want to win elections?? Yes, run good candidates and good campaigns. ALSO support state and local efforts to assist voters in getting ID's for voter registration. NOW is the time to start for 2018. Each local precinct should advertise and have resources available to help all Dem voters receive IDs for voting purposes. This should be a nationwide effort, but especially publicized in those states that have managed to pass strict voter ID laws. Beat them at their own game. Instead of putting all kinds of money into TV ads, put that money to use in helping voters vote! Resources to help with obtaining ID cards as well as transportation assistance with carefully managed bus runs could do it. Also, put some effort into assisting Indian Nations to get their members to the polls. Indian country would vote primarily Democratic if they felt a stake in the election, IMO.

[Squinch]

53. Ah! A new poster saying, "Don't protest." What am I thinking?

[Greywing]

57. Continued protests are successful ...

Especially when they are large and obviously anti-Trump and planned well in advance. Although he does stupid things day in and day out, he gets particularly out of control when he feels he is under attack. He needs to be goaded and goaded to the point his little orange head literally explodes!