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LearnedHand

(4,648 posts)
Wed May 14, 2025, 10:37 PM 10 hrs ago

Dems Don't Need To 'Moderate,' They Need To Stop Focus Grouping Themselves Into Oblivion

(Wonkette)
https://www.wonkette.com/p/dems-dont-need-to-moderate-they-need

This is a fairly clear-eyed diagnosis of the condition of the national dem party. I think the Dems have been using the finger hygrometer to set policy for decades, with the exception of the Biden White House, who seemed unable to build a movement on their enormous liberal accomplishments.

Ever since the first moment I laid eyes on him, I have not been able to stand Gavin Newsom. This was not for lack of trying. I really did try to see the Golden Boy everyone but me seemed to see. I tried it every time I heard some know-it-all on social media or pundit talk about how he was the perfect Democratic presidential candidate due to his good looks and suave demeanor. And when he started his little war on the unhoused, I thought to myself, “Yes, sir, I knew your ass all along.”

SNIP

At this moment, Democrats and some Never Trump conservatives are doing the thing they always do, which is to hem and haw about how to win over voters in more purple and even red areas. Oh, it is the neverending conundrum! Which group of people do we roll over on? And how hard? How many focus groups can we do? How do we hit that sweet spot of “just bland enough so people who aren’t 100 percent fascist will consider voting for us instead of Republicans?”

I am going to be incredibly honest, here. What really hurt Kamala Harris wasn’t the “they/them” ad. The first thing, the most important thing, was that she didn’t win the primary. That is not her fault, mind you, it’s Joe Biden’s for not stepping down earlier as many of us were dying for him to do. People already hated the tendency of the Democratic party to always do everything possible to ensure that the person whose “turn” it is gets to be the nominee. They hated it even more when someone was just appointed as the nominee. People feel that kind of “wrongness” or unfairness in their bones and it’s hard to shake.

The other thing is that the woman was focus-grouped to death. Go back and look, she said nothing even marginally spicy throughout the entire campaign, and when she and Tim Walz had an offense move that actually hit — calling Republicans, rightfully, weird — they were told by the consultants to knock it off and they did. Part of that reluctance to take any particularly strong stance on anything is what resulted in the decision to not let the Uncommitted group of pro-Palestinian delegates give a very lovely planned speech at the DNC. That alone would have done so much to heal a very serious divide on the Left and made a lot of people feel more comfortable voting for her. A lot of people who happen to live in Michigan and Pennsylvania, to boot.
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Dems Don't Need To 'Moderate,' They Need To Stop Focus Grouping Themselves Into Oblivion (Original Post) LearnedHand 10 hrs ago OP
I guess I am radical because I still believe in the promise of the Statue of Liberty. OAITW r.2.0 10 hrs ago #1
Likewise. But I think the point is LearnedHand 10 hrs ago #2
"earn back?" Fuck that. We never lost it. We've always been right about the future of this country. OAITW r.2.0 9 hrs ago #5
Yep! NT flying rabbit 10 hrs ago #3
Allow me to summarize the OP gab13by13 9 hrs ago #4
Perhaps this is O/T, but... UbiqC 9 hrs ago #6
This is an analysis of which way to move forward LearnedHand 9 hrs ago #8
very much DOES rehash the election stopdiggin 7 hrs ago #12
Kick orangecrush 9 hrs ago #7
But what about the jobs of all those "campaign advisors?" DJ Synikus Makisimus 9 hrs ago #9
Keep it simple. A simple and Powerful message (from Bernie) usonian 9 hrs ago #10
90 million people didn't vote Ponietz 8 hrs ago #11
Legally and constitutionally they don't LearnedHand 1 hr ago #18
Check out Greg Palast. He's taken the government's own figures to show Kamala had 3 million more votes than Dumpy. judesedit 7 hrs ago #13
Yep. Rigged. That Is All!!!! BurnDoubt 6 hrs ago #16
WTF is with the rehashing the last election? Damn. It's over. Literally over. live love laugh 7 hrs ago #14
Paralysis of analysis. Learn to use the word "WRONG!" Use it early and often, and Pound It In! BurnDoubt 6 hrs ago #15
Wrong isn't enough... ultralite001 2 hrs ago #17

OAITW r.2.0

(30,216 posts)
1. I guess I am radical because I still believe in the promise of the Statue of Liberty.
Wed May 14, 2025, 10:41 PM
10 hrs ago

In spite of a degenerate 34x convicted felon pretending to be President.

LearnedHand

(4,648 posts)
2. Likewise. But I think the point is
Wed May 14, 2025, 10:46 PM
10 hrs ago

Dems have to earn back the right to be thought of as standard bearers for freedom and democracy. And by Dems I mean elected representatives. We think that's a given, but others do not.

OAITW r.2.0

(30,216 posts)
5. "earn back?" Fuck that. We never lost it. We've always been right about the future of this country.
Wed May 14, 2025, 10:53 PM
9 hrs ago

We proved it with Clinton - Obama - Biden. Losing economies for the the bottom 85% under Bush2 - Trump - and Trump#2. What a stinker this one is.

gab13by13

(28,080 posts)
4. Allow me to summarize the OP
Wed May 14, 2025, 10:52 PM
9 hrs ago

Heard Stephanie Miller say this today, Democrats do not need to move to the center, the center is closer to fascism.

Democrats need to stop analyzing that they need to run moderates in certain elections to win. How about running the best candidate?

I think this is what David Hogg is getting at, and it stings.

UbiqC

(3 posts)
6. Perhaps this is O/T, but...
Wed May 14, 2025, 11:06 PM
9 hrs ago

why do we continue to see articles, six months after the election, as why Harris lost? I don't remember the like regarding a lost election.

LearnedHand

(4,648 posts)
8. This is an analysis of which way to move forward
Wed May 14, 2025, 11:14 PM
9 hrs ago

It doesn't rehash the election, but it does do a necessary evaluation of where things could be improved.

DJ Synikus Makisimus

(1,038 posts)
9. But what about the jobs of all those "campaign advisors?"
Wed May 14, 2025, 11:24 PM
9 hrs ago

I expect the response will be "don't change horses in mid-stream." Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah:


Wasn't Anne Heche great in that scene?

usonian

(17,598 posts)
10. Keep it simple. A simple and Powerful message (from Bernie)
Wed May 14, 2025, 11:27 PM
9 hrs ago

People attending rallies in huge numbers are saying
YES to raising the minimum wage,
YES to expanding Social Security,
YES to guaranteeing health care as a human right,
YES to cutting the cost of prescription drugs,
YES to paid family and medical leave,
YES to equal pay for equal work,
YES to more affordable housing,
YES to making childcare and higher education affordable to all,
YES to taking on the existential threat of climate change.

And most importantly they are saying
YES to a government and an economy that works for all of us and not just the billionaire class and the Oligarchs.

-------
When you follow "public opinion" here's what happens.
When you wig, people wag
You shift your story in the wag direction, and lose focus on your core.
My opinion

Ponietz

(3,660 posts)
11. 90 million people didn't vote
Wed May 14, 2025, 11:58 PM
8 hrs ago

I don’t expect change unless and until they fulfill their civic duty. People who don’t vote lose their right to vote.

judesedit

(4,546 posts)
13. Check out Greg Palast. He's taken the government's own figures to show Kamala had 3 million more votes than Dumpy.
Thu May 15, 2025, 01:32 AM
7 hrs ago

Thrown out or squashed, so Dumpy could steal it. Kamala and Tim did great and really won. It will come out.Very soon, hopefully.

There are 3 things that cannot hide.. The sun, the moon and the truth.

live love laugh

(15,294 posts)
14. WTF is with the rehashing the last election? Damn. It's over. Literally over.
Thu May 15, 2025, 01:38 AM
7 hrs ago

And people are fucking navel gazing and reminiscing while we descend into darkness.

BurnDoubt

(363 posts)
15. Paralysis of analysis. Learn to use the word "WRONG!" Use it early and often, and Pound It In!
Thu May 15, 2025, 02:01 AM
6 hrs ago

The Republican's entire platform is WRONG. Harp on it. Repeat and Repeat and Repeat and Repeat. Don't get wonky. Keep it simple (for simple minds) and catchy (ear worm). And I can't overstate this: Know the Law regarding the Vote. Prepare the voters well ahead of Election Day. Too many votes were tossed out for bogus reasons. Cure the issues with registration well before election day, preferably at the time of registration. Personally contact every voter the day before balloting begins, and again on Election Day to ensure they drop it into the box. Be God-Like and see to every Sparrow that falls. This is the business of the Democratic Party to see that every voter exercises their Right (Obligation) to Vote. Don't fail us again.

ultralite001

(1,640 posts)
17. Wrong isn't enough...
Thu May 15, 2025, 06:14 AM
2 hrs ago

We MUST have a plan. A program — a “project” needs to replace what’s being put in place by this dog-forsaken administration + even more so — repair the damage done — for us All…

No better time to make some significantly needed repairs to our nation’s infrastructure… Grab those Bernie talking points —- Bend them, shake them + make them our own… Then shout them from the rooftops…

Damn it, Dems… Cease the day…

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