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kpete

(72,903 posts) Fri Apr 25, 2014, 09:45 AM Apr 2014

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Democrats Who Move Right Lose Elections – There Is No “Center” [View all]

Democrats Who Move Right Lose Elections – There Is No “Center”
By Dave Johnson April 25, 2014 6:30 am -
You have to deliver for and campaign to your base voters or they don't show up and vote for you. If Democrats don’t give regular, working people – the Democratic base – a reason to vote, then many of them won’t.

...........

Karl Rove got this. He understood that you can get the right-wing voters roused up to come to the polls by moving Republican politicians to the right. Instead of "moving to the center" he got Bush and the Republicans to stand up for conservative principles and refuse to compromise, and the result was that more of "the base" enthusiastically showed up at the polls.

Conclusion: You Have To Deliver For And Campaign To Your Base Or They Don't Show Up

Here is what is very important to understand about the "swing" vote: Few voters "switch." That is the wrong lesson. There are not voters who "swing," there are left voters and right voters who either show up and vote or do not show up and vote.

The lesson to learn: You have to deliver for and campaign to YOUR "base" voters or they don't show up and vote for you. If Democrats don’t give regular, working people –- the Democratic base -– a reason to vote, then many of them won’t.

more plus links:
http://crooksandliars.com/2014/04/democrats-who-move-right-lose-elections

131 replies

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Highlight:

Democrats Who Move Right Lose Elections – There Is No “Center” [View all] kpete Apr 2014 OP

Give The Genn'lman A Big Ceegar, Ma'am The Magistrate Apr 2014 #1

Even worse - 40 years ago they would have been Republicans, but they've been thrown out corkhead Apr 2014 #31

SshHH! truedelphi Apr 2014 #52

Couldn't agree more. Those who argue for moving right to capture the mythical middle ... Scuba Apr 2014 #2

^^^this^^^ L0oniX Apr 2014 #11

If Clinton-Sachs is nominated and runs against Bush, the middle will rhett o rick Apr 2014 #83

and what evidence do you have of that. All the poll numbers seem to disagree with your assessment lostincalifornia Apr 2014 #128

BINGO GOPee Apr 2014 #45

Read this post! Enthusiast Apr 2014 #50

+ 1,000,000,000 What You Said !!! - K & R !!! WillyT Apr 2014 #57

Great example Scuba! Our NY Gov is yet another fine example of placating to Wall St and the 1% adirondacker Apr 2014 #58

True, the public wants liberal Democrats, but we can't ignore that ... Mondavi Apr 2014 #59

Obama is POTUS because of liberals & progressives ...not rw dems. L0oniX Apr 2014 #115

Completely true that liberals and progressives supported Obama.... Mondavi Apr 2014 #124

We were thrown under the bus right after his first election. L0oniX Apr 2014 #125

"Even if they win, we lose." cyberswede Apr 2014 #121

Too many democrats don't have the guts to stand up for their base, but rather cave in with RKP5637 Apr 2014 #3

+1000 hobbit709 Apr 2014 #5

Doubt that this is about "guts" .... Mondavi Apr 2014 #60

Quite correct! Excellent! n/t RKP5637 Apr 2014 #62

Karl Rove understood this in NATIONAL elections... brooklynite Apr 2014 #4

Quite true, it's a tricky balance. One size does not fit all. RKP5637 Apr 2014 #6

Exactly Progressive dog Apr 2014 #15

So, so very true! If the base doesn't vote, they're not the base. mountain grammy Apr 2014 #19

I wish the Party Bosses would get this through their Le Taz Hot Apr 2014 #7

It's easier to kiss corporate ass OnyxCollie Apr 2014 #8

Tisk tisk... fleabiscuit Apr 2014 #17

for me, centrist dems are right wingers. m-lekktor Apr 2014 #9

Democrats who support corporate buying of our parties .... Mondavi Apr 2014 #79

Unfortunatley we have the biggest Dino running for governer. Charlie Crist. L0oniX Apr 2014 #10

Nah, Wisconsins has the biggest DINO gubernatorial candidate - Mary Burke .... Scuba Apr 2014 #12

Funny how it's okay to vote for or at least tacitly support certain Republicans, see Christie sabrina 1 Apr 2014 #13

Agreed. L0oniX Apr 2014 #23

Sounds very much pecwae Apr 2014 #63

Arlen Specterish. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Apr 2014 #81

totally! BlancheSplanchnik Apr 2014 #14

It's not just that they won't vote for you -- they're less likely to work for you, too, winter is coming Apr 2014 #16

Here's what I've seen happen in my lifetime: ColesCountyDem Apr 2014 #18

None of the democrats I know want any rightward movement erronis Apr 2014 #20

In terms of Democratic leadership, there is no real need to move to truedelphi Apr 2014 #55

The $$$s will get the votes, if not erronis Apr 2014 #65

For sure, good old fashioned greed is as good an excuse for the truedelphi Apr 2014 #95

Yeah ...let em pay me for my vote. L0oniX Apr 2014 #116

I've been makining this argument since 1988. n/t Gore1FL Apr 2014 #21

DURec. bvar22 Apr 2014 #22

Then when they lose elections AgingAmerican Apr 2014 #24

Yep. After we fund the coprorations to figure out who we are allowed to vote for. raouldukelives Apr 2014 #25

Obama understood this and campaigned far to the left of his actual positions in 08. NorthCarolina Apr 2014 #26

The Party doesn't "campaign" to its base. Maedhros Apr 2014 #27

The Author is Using Karl Rove On the Road Apr 2014 #28

Times change. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Apr 2014 #82

Karl Rove succeeded in getting a man with a brain the size of a goldfish elected. His METHODS TrollBuster9090 Apr 2014 #91

Rove ran out of room on the right. fleabiscuit Apr 2014 #97

When Rahm Emanuel asks "where else are they [liberals] going to go?" GoneFishin Apr 2014 #29

If you wnat to move to the left, the Green Party is still there... Mondavi Apr 2014 #61

Very true.... elzenmahn Apr 2014 #101

"Not as bad" rings up a lot of No Sales who want to vote for something. Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2014 #30

The opposite is certainly true of presidential elections - centrists have won, leftists have lost. Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2014 #32

I agree. Swing voters swing elections, as do Independents. pnwmom Apr 2014 #35

The problem for Kerry (assuming he really lost Ohio), Gore and Dukakis was that all three JDPriestly Apr 2014 #38

Warren has said she isn't a candidate, hasn't she? N.T. Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2014 #70

I don't think so. Not recently anyway. JDPriestly Apr 2014 #93

Here's a google search Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2014 #94

Doesn't mean she won't run. We really need her to run. JDPriestly Apr 2014 #98

Search for Hillary, too MannyGoldstein Apr 2014 #105

You ignore the fact that both Kerry and Gore won. Enthusiast Apr 2014 #49

Which is why Bush never became President, and the Iraq war never happened. Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2014 #71

People voted for Obama believing him to be far more liberal than he actually was. Enthusiast Apr 2014 #75

It depends on the state. lostincalifornia Apr 2014 #129

Yeah, Gore ran as a total leftie. vi5 Apr 2014 #54

Lieberman made clear that Gore had already given up.... Mondavi Apr 2014 #64

A centrist, to offset the fact that Gore was a liberal. Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2014 #73

Gore wasn't a liberal and certainly didn't run as a liberal.... Mondavi Apr 2014 #76

Did you get dragged through a wormhole from another universe? Erich Bloodaxe BSN Apr 2014 #84

There was a reason Nader got so much traction among liberals/lefties. vi5 Apr 2014 #110

I hear purple rocks provide better cover. L0oniX Apr 2014 #117

So true. K&R. JDPriestly Apr 2014 #33

Karl Rove LOST his 2 most recent campaigns. Remember how shocked he was in Ohio? pnwmom Apr 2014 #34

Karl Rove put a chimpanzee in the White House TWICE by convincing a narrow slice of 3 million TrollBuster9090 Apr 2014 #88

Independents and swing voters also voted for Bush, not just far right Republicans. pnwmom Apr 2014 #92

No, the Supreme Court put a chimpanzee in the White House Hippo_Tron Apr 2014 #120

The surpreme court Sgent Apr 2014 #131

that depends on the election (district) arely staircase Apr 2014 #36

Yes but pscot Apr 2014 #37

What if a large chunk of your base votes Republican? rrneck Apr 2014 #39

Indeed ...the more centrist they are the more likely they could vote for a centrist repuke. L0oniX Apr 2014 #118

This message was self-deleted by its author rocktivity Apr 2014 #40

Very true: Zenlitened Apr 2014 #41

Candidate for this year's "You Call This NEWS?" Award rocktivity Apr 2014 #42

Not true in my district. NaturalHigh Apr 2014 #43

What district? Fearless Apr 2014 #67

Northeast Oklahoma NaturalHigh Apr 2014 #104

Fabulous quote from Malcolm X: truedelphi Apr 2014 #44

This is bunk... Drunken Irishman Apr 2014 #46

So chase off everyone else AgingAmerican Apr 2014 #80

In fact, far less than 50% of eligible voters ever turn out to vote. In my experience, they usually TrollBuster9090 Apr 2014 #86

How do you know they don't turn out for that reason? Drunken Irishman Apr 2014 #89

Same old bunk... 99Forever Apr 2014 #112

That quote makes me laugh... Drunken Irishman Apr 2014 #122

If you repeat the same again... 99Forever Apr 2014 #123

Democrats who run in red states are blue dogs for a reason. Howard Dean understood this with his 50 lostincalifornia Apr 2014 #127

Yep. Mushy Middle ALWAYS Collapses. LeftOfWest Apr 2014 #47

The Democratic Party hierarchy already understand this. Enthusiast Apr 2014 #48

why do you think they had their December '10 talking points lined up so fast? MisterP Apr 2014 #130

especially in midterms & national Dems having been kicking most loyal foot soldiers, teachers yurbud Apr 2014 #51

If two politicians agree, you don't need one of 'em. If the Democrats can't come up jtuck004 Apr 2014 #53

Uh oh, speaking the truth? n/t Jefferson23 Apr 2014 #56

Hmm... I've only been saying that for YEARS Fearless Apr 2014 #66

Reading down this thread BrotherIvan Apr 2014 #68

At last. Some one speaks the truth. Autumn Apr 2014 #69

I all but worship at the altar of move left. merrily Apr 2014 #72

Democrats will NOT get republican voters by moving to the right as well. obxhead Apr 2014 #74

I So, So Agree colsohlibgal Apr 2014 #77

Here's a blogpost I wrore in December 2010 on this subject . . . markpkessinger Apr 2014 #78

If a candidate is a Corpo/Third Way/DLC ... 99Forever Apr 2014 #85

As a trend, DINOs are going extinct... elzenmahn Apr 2014 #102

I hope you are correct... 99Forever Apr 2014 #103

, blkmusclmachine Apr 2014 #87

You have to deliver for and campaign to your base voters or they don't show up Egnever Apr 2014 #90

Spying, TPP, no Wall Street prosecutions, death of net neutrality, fracking, drill baby drill pragmatic_dem Apr 2014 #96

I agree BrainMann1 Apr 2014 #99

Are you listening to this, HILLARY? elzenmahn Apr 2014 #100

Yes, absolutely. Kick and Rec n/t emulatorloo Apr 2014 #106

Ah, the myth of the "uncompromising" George W. Bush Recursion Apr 2014 #107

+ 100000! "Democrats moving to the "middle" is a double disaster Zorra Apr 2014 #108

the leadership and power players of the democratic party.... tomp Apr 2014 #109

Appealing to people who will never vote for you The Wizard Apr 2014 #111

Love this post! Huge K&R! Kermitt Gribble Apr 2014 #113

If they don't vote, they aren't the base. treestar Apr 2014 #114

How'd that work out for Mitt Romney? Hippo_Tron Apr 2014 #119

Do you believe that a base voter in a red state is different then a base voter in blue state? lostincalifornia Apr 2014 #126