Dems Rebuild

[zoogs]

 

That graphic is worrying to me. It shows one coalition much closer to fracturing than the other, which is maintaining a healthier unity.

 

However, it's the wrong coalition.

Wrong coalition unless, like me, you think both should fracture. (Or preferably, be replaced.)

 

OTOH, this is a poll of the citizens' opinions, but the Repub politicians can't get together themselves, which may be a sign that they aren't in any better shape.

 

EDIT: A Republican Party at war with itself hits the wall on health care

 

Well, I don't know. If we want to muse about this in purely theoretical terms, there are many big-scale changes to the American political landscape that might be beneficial and "good to see".

 

What I fear is a reality which already demonstratively began with the 2016 elections, in which the Republicans triumphed not just in the WH but also in the Senate. If they maintain this "divide-and-conquer" stranglehold in our world right now, they have the power to shape it for years to come. Both through action and inaction and through courts and a shifting national conversation that accommodates their "side" of it as legitimate.

 

Is that cost worth paying for a theoretically better/newer set of parties (which let's just be honest, even in the most optimistic of scenarios will still be subject to withering and fair criticism) in the intangible future? I don't think so.

 

In short, build a coalition is the name of the game. Fail to maintain this better than the other guys, and yield the way. And by the way, for all the mocking we can do about the current state of the GOP, we are losing and have been for some time. We failed to stop this, collectively, and will be paying prices ranging from bad to catastrophic for an unknown but at least significant amount of time. This is a horrid outcome, made all the more grim by an apparent lack of interest in banding together for next time.

[RedDenver]

I agree that building a coalition is key, but I'm not sure either of the current parties can do that. We'll see if they Dems can rebuild/reform, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Moiraine]

It would be nice if the parties broke into 4, but it's a scary thought if they aren't somewhat equal.

[Enhance]

Women still make up less than 20% of the seats in Congress. For all her problems, Clinton certainly wasn't helped by being a woman. How many times have you heard a male politician described as "shrill", "robotic", "cold" or "fake?" It just seems to me women running for office are held to a different standard on several measures that men are not.

That and personal bias. We all have them to a degree, but you can often tell in body/spoken language how someone views another person or group of people. It's like how some women are "catty" or some men are "dbags." Those terms are typically associated with a certain sex.

 

We could probably search through countless interviews and media where subtle and not-so-subtle sexism was at play.

[zoogs]

I agree that building a coalition is key, but I'm not sure either of the current parties can do that. We'll see if they Dems can rebuild/reform, but I'm not holding my breath.

Both parties are right now and have always been broad coalitions of different, disjointed interests.

 

The question is which coalition right now is stronger and more durable -- and how to stop them if that's not what we prefer.

[Danny Bateman]

I don't know why I didn't remember this before, but there was some good news for the Dems tucked away in that WaPo/ABC poll. People polled were in favor of a Democratic controlled Congress in 2018 (to act as a check on Trump) over a Republican controlled one (to support his policies) by a margin of 52-38. That is quite a large margin. I believe I read some months ago in a 538 chat that they think Dems would need to win a generic Congressional ballot by at least 6 points to have a chance to take back the House. The WaPo/ABC margin is more than twice that.

 

This says one (or more) of a number of things:

 

1. Trump's agenda is broadly unpopular.

2. The Dems policies are broadly popular.

3. People don't trust Trump and want a check on him, but don't care that much about Dem policies.

4. People are tiring of the GOP being in control.

5. People are rallying to put the Dems in control.

 

Feel free to add to the list...

 

[NM11046]

6. People would rather see more of Nancy Pelosi than the turtle.

[RedDenver]

It would be nice if the parties broke into 4, but it's a scary thought if they aren't somewhat equal.

Unfortunately, the 270 electoral votes required to win the Presidency means it's impractical to have more than two parties, at least for that one office. That's why I think we need some substantial reforms such as ranked choice voting.

[deedsker]

 

 

It would be nice if the parties broke into 4, but it's a scary thought if they aren't somewhat equal.

Unfortunately, the 270 electoral votes required to win the Presidency means it's impractical to have more than two parties, at least for that one office. That's why I think we need some substantial reforms such as ranked choice voting.

I 2nd that.

[RedDenver]

 

I agree that building a coalition is key, but I'm not sure either of the current parties can do that. We'll see if they Dems can rebuild/reform, but I'm not holding my breath.

Both parties are right now and have always been broad coalitions of different, disjointed interests.

 

The question is which coalition right now is stronger and more durable -- and how to stop them if that's not what we prefer.

 

I guess you can mark me down as trying to stop the ones I don't prefer - which is the two strongest coalitions right now.

[Danny Bateman]

Ranked choice 3rded.

[TGHusker]

https://www.axios.com/better-deal-economic-agenda-house-democrats-plan-2463550316.html

Dems want to rebrand as the economic party.

 

 

Senate and House Dems, after an intensive process spanning seven months, on Monday will unveil a new economic agenda, Axios has exclusively learned, meant to counter the perception that Democrats are only the anti-Trump party, with no message of their own.

Top Dems see the new message as the key to turning things around after their losses in the presidential race and this year's House special elections.

An opening theme/frame: "excessive corporate power and its impacts."

Keep reading 146 words

Pollster Geoff Garin writes in a memo kicking off the project: "[T]he Democratic policies related to curbing excessive corporate power that are being highlighted in the first day of the rollout have real resonance with voters and are strongly supported by a significant majority of Americans."

The agenda's big idea: "Too many families in America today feel that the rules of the economy are rigged against them. Special interests have a strangle-hold on Washington — from the super-rich spending unlimited amounts of secret money to influence our elections, to the huge loopholes in our tax code that help corporations avoid paying taxes."

"If the government goes back to putting working families first, ahead of special interests, we can achieve a better deal for the American people that will raise their pay, lower their expenses, and prepare them for the future."

[RedDenver]

New Democrat slogan is terrible:

"A Better Deal: Better Skills, Better Jobs, Better Wages."

[RedDenver]

 

https://www.axios.com/better-deal-economic-agenda-house-democrats-plan-2463550316.html

Dems want to rebrand as the economic party.

 

 

Senate and House Dems, after an intensive process spanning seven months, on Monday will unveil a new economic agenda, Axios has exclusively learned, meant to counter the perception that Democrats are only the anti-Trump party, with no message of their own.

Top Dems see the new message as the key to turning things around after their losses in the presidential race and this year's House special elections.

An opening theme/frame: "excessive corporate power and its impacts."

Keep reading 146 words

Pollster Geoff Garin writes in a memo kicking off the project: "[T]he Democratic policies related to curbing excessive corporate power that are being highlighted in the first day of the rollout have real resonance with voters and are strongly supported by a significant majority of Americans."

The agenda's big idea: "Too many families in America today feel that the rules of the economy are rigged against them. Special interests have a strangle-hold on Washington — from the super-rich spending unlimited amounts of secret money to influence our elections, to the huge loopholes in our tax code that help corporations avoid paying taxes."

"If the government goes back to putting working families first, ahead of special interests, we can achieve a better deal for the American people that will raise their pay, lower their expenses, and prepare them for the future."

 

Finally seems the lessons of 2016 are sinking in. Let's see what "better deal" they come up with or if it's just hot air.

[Danny Bateman]

The slogan blows. But it appears they took your advice about policy! Certainly exciting. IMO they're trying to model themselves after the Labour party of the UK. They're not necessarily lurching leftward on all issues, but it certainly seems we're living in populist times and listening to people is what is needed.

 

If I were them, I would make things like college affordability, wage increases and a clean energy economy into their message. The GOP is completely MIA on all of those issues.