If we do not pull together on DU, we will fly apart.

[McCamy Taylor]

90. Let's talk real Democratic strategy here. Dems do well when Dems are mad.

Dems lose when they are complacent, because they do not vote. Republicans always vote, because they are always afraid of the great unwashed masses, i.e. Dems. Dems mostly like and trust other people so they do not vote out of fear. Dems have lots of thing to do, like take care of their kids and go to work, so they can only be bothered to get out to vote when they are really and truly pissed about something--like the Great Depression or the JFK Assassination or Katrina. Or when they are really enthusiastic about something, e.g African-American voters at finally having a major party candidate on the ballot.

Dems get mad when they argue. They get mad during their own primary when they argue with each other. They get mad when they see Republicans fuck up. The get enthusiastic over candidates who get mad for them, who prove that they are willing to fight. So, the key to Democratic victory in 2016 is NOT for us to all play nice. That is boring and will encourage Democrats to stay home.

The GOP's winning strategies are 1) Number one, "Divide and conquer." If you hear someone who seems to be more interested in making two demographic groups hate each other than in pointing out problems and solutions, that is probably a GOP mole. For instance they use white against Black and Latino racism to keep folks from joining unions, which are among the most powerful Democratic groups. 2) "They all do it" as in "Bush is the same as Gore" a strategy dreamed up by Grover Norquist and peddled by Nader and his minions like Michael Moore. "They all do it" spends a lot of time telling Democrats that all elected officials are equally corrupt and nothing they can do will change it so stay home as a protest vote blah blah blah.

If you read anything at DU that seems to be saying "Blanks really should not be under the same umbrella as Other-Blanks" that is GOP propaganda. If you read anything at DU that seems to be saying "Dems are just as bad as Republicans" that is GOP propaganda. On the other hand, saying that a particular Democrat did one thing in particular which is not in keeping with Democratic principles is not propaganda. It is political discourse---the kind that keeps Dems interested and mad and more likely to vote once we finally settle on a slate of candidates.

Regarding enthusiasm, a ticket with a woman and a ticket with a Latino will generate tremendous enthusiasm. The woman needs to be someone that GOP women will cross the line to vote for. The Latino needs to be someone with a real political future, not just a Latin sounding name, since those who vote for a Latino are not making a political statement with their vote---Hispanics are much too practical for that. They want results. That is why I have already settled upon Clinton/Castro and even have a Clinton/Castro 2016 bumper sticker on my car. There is no more winning combination for 2016. And I am not talking George Clinton and Fidel Castro---though that would be quite a line up.