Bernie To Dems: Stop Neglecting Trump Voters!

[onyxw]

119. Completely Agree Occulus

Agree 100%. Don't normally post just to provide an agreement, but you nailed it and there's so few voices saying that here right now.

With regards to the finger pointing...I'll just leave this link here for further support of your point:

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/3/8/14848636/hillary-clinton-tv-ads

If folks want to place blame with Bernie, 3rd parties, Comey, Russia they better start digging deep to come up with a more compelling explanation than the malpractice shown in that article & the articles that came out regarding ground game strategies. It's fair to argue that the media's coverage wasn't appropriately covering the issues. But guess what, the campaign had $1B to counter with and get that message out through their tv ads and they didn't do it.

As to your concerns about midterms and beyond & messaging problems:
I echo that we need to fix things ASAP. Now that we have our new DNC chair, going forward, Democrats ought to have a summit in the next 3-6 months and hammer out a cohesive message for what they stand for (beyond we're not Trump/we're not the Republicans).

Our platform from the convention is a good place to start, but we just need something that we can rally around going forward, that shows the heart of Democrats, what we're going to do for people over the next 2-4 years when not in office, and the things we've got on deck the next time we're in power.

- It should address what specific programs Democrats are going to defend adamantly, and what programs they're going to push for whether they're in power or out of power.

- Figure out the issues we expect our members to vote lock step on and cede no ground nationally, and work out which issues individual legislators can be free to vote on at their state level interests. Agreement/clarity here might help when Manchin, Heitkamp, McCaskill, other centrists have to peel off from time to time. Can work out strategy for issues when want to send a united message in opposition to the Republicans/Trump.

- Each Democrat should be tasked with working out their 30 seconds to 2 minute pitch messages for what Democrats stand for and what each Congressperson and candidate stands for that is unique and different from Republicans (and any relevant 3rd parties) and know it backwards and forwards, so that when they're asked "what do you stand for?" at town halls they don't bumble through with generalities and platitudes. That should be the easiest question to field all night and they should be able to rattle off 5-6 key things on the spot. "Here are the 2-4 key values I fight for as a Democrat, and here are the 3 policy items I'm strongly working to pursue and that we'll get passed if enough Democrats are elected." Boom, convey what you stand for, what you're working towards to help people, and give them a reason to help get more Democrats elected. No excuse for EVERY Democrat to not have that response ready to go at anytime.