(CNN) Sen. Bernie Sanders : 'Democratic brand is pretty bad'

[alarimer]

190. He's right.

Yet so many here are whistling past the graveyard for "unity" at all costs. What is the point of that when the Democrats cannot fashion a winning message? They need to listen to George Lakoff and others who are telling them what they need to do to win. Being "unRepublican" is not enough. Ossoff was so bland and full of content-free platitudes that it's no wonder he lost. I'm sure that's what his consultants were telling to do. But we need to lose the political consultants forever. After all the same amoral assholes consulting the Clinton campaign also worked for Theresa May in the most recent election there. So fuck those conscience-less jackasses. I have a feeling Sanders for one has no truck with them.

Because trying to appeal to suburban Republicans is a losing game (which is what Ossoff tried to do). The secret to success is appealing to people who don't vote or who do so irregularly. THOSE are the ones ripe for the picking. With only 50% turnout in that special election, there are a lot of nonvoters out there.

Fuck the suburban Republicans. Fuck appealing to their "fuck y'all, I've got mine" mindset. (Suburbanites of all political stripes are the most selfish people on the planet, NIMBYs all of them on so many fronts- god forbid you ever try to build affordable housing in ANY suburb, Republican or Democrat).

Instead, a full throated defense of public spending (on health care, the environment, Social Security) is what is needed and also Democrats really need to go after Republicans as the mean-spirited assholes they really are. I almost NEVER hear that from anyone on the stump). I want to hear someone say they WILL raise taxes and then explain why it's needed.