REPUBLICANS: "My God, what (an effing) mess---A loss is what the GOP's political class NOW expects."

[JNelson6563]

70. Ok, let me try again.

Your claim is:

If progressive Democrats were on the candidates list for House and Senate and they fully explain their intentions - open book on everything on their beliefs, then they will win.

By "candidates list" do you mean "ballot"? Are you saying progressive Democrats have not fully explained their intentions? Have not been "open book"?

While yes, if progressive Dems got their message out they would win, at least in progressive districts. The black and white thinking of the previously quoted statement is working from the premise that all districts are made of progressive minded voters. They simply haven't voted for the progressive Dem because the candidate did not "fully explain their intentions" and were not "open book on everything on their beliefs". If only that were true! You don't really believe it is, do you?


The fact that there is so much involved in getting a candidate's message out was completely ignored in this incredibly simplistic statement speaks volumes. Sure, as I said before, it's true that a candidate needs to get their message out but it takes a veritable army of volunteers and as much money as you can raise for advertising/promotion. Sadly, it is a fact that money plays a huge role in our political system. If we ignore it and simply wish it to be untrue we will lose. Every time.

Republicans just lie and obfuscate and cheat.

Well we agree on something!

Who wants a cheater for a politician? Not I. I am not paying my taxes to support a thief.

Um, not many really. But there it is, a bright light on part of the problem. Rs always come up with the money to run their nasty campaigns. They are on TV constantly as well as everywhere else. They lie and they certainly misrepresent themselves as good and the Dem as evil. This needs to be countered and done so aggressively. It costs a lot of money to do so but you already knew that.

I'm quite pleased I have a full slate of Democrats to choose this November for the NY elections.

Well gosh lucky you! Believe it or not there are districts that have entrenched Rs and sometimes they can't even recruit a viable Dem candidate. Yes, it's true! In some places where there is no ground game going on (yes, it's true! there are such places!) and the Rs have a stronghold there are not many who believe they can just take to a soapbox in the town square, share their message and Voila! They win! No, they know they will be up against it, practically have to abandon home and family for about a year and make winning their life, all with the knowledge they are likely to lose.

That's what it's like out here in large swaths of the country. Full slates of viable candidates do not just magically appear. And to create the environment where they exist at all takes a lot of work over a long period of time. At least in a district that isn't a huge majority progressive voters.

One last point would be the candidates themselves. Far too many who have never run for anything in their lives decide to jump right into a federal level race. They get a pet issue and make a few bright statements about it, next thing you know they are running for Congress. Sadly I have seen some people suffer for this decision but they are often led on by those who seek to gain using flattery and lots of ego stroking to "guide" the misguided decision. Or those who are certain they can win a 14 county district (as virtual unknowns) by simply getting their message out. Campaign staff? Candidate's wife and a best buddy~~neither know anything about politics. Yes, out here good candidates who are progressive Dems can be real hard to come by.

What progressive Dems need to do is to make a concerted effort to start local and grow from there. Run for city & county positions, grow a home base of support. Move on to state level politics, broaden support as well as experience. In other words, they have to start getting their message out first to a local demographic and win over the neighborhoods. Then you've got the makings of an army of loyal supporters who can follow you through the coming races.

All necessary things to build a winning team of progressive Democrats. I apologize for treating you/your post so disrespectfully at first. I confess I was annoyed with your simplistic dismissal of what all is REALLY needed in order to win. I've done far too much of it to stand by and let that enormous amount of labor invested by so many be dismissed with an airy wave of a hand type of statement.

Julie