Why the Dems lost: What do you say?

Free Republic | freepers

[GulliverSwift]

Democrats lost because they didn't (and can't) tell their agenda to the American people

Reading the following quote in the Washington Compost that Drudge linked to about voter turnout got me thinking that the main reason, contrary to everyone's spin, that the Democrats lost the election is because they presented no programs, they just bashed Republicans.

"The Republicans got their vote out better than the Democrats," he said. "The Democrats lost votes nationally, and the Republicans gained votes. The Republicans did nationalize the vote. As far as I can see, the Democrats tried to raise the economy as an issue but offered no program."
-Curtis Gans, Washington Post, 11/8/2002 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25603-2002Nov7.html

Thus the issue isn't that the Democrats weren't liberal enough (what a moronic--but useful idea) because they were since bashing Republicans in an emotional fashion is what liberals do. But they provided no alternative ideas as to what society should do.

This problem is perfectly illustrated by a time when Car-vile was on Meet the Press (I think) one time and he said that the economy is in shambles. Russert then said, "So what should we do? What steps will Democrats take to get the economy back on track?"

Carville answered, after a dumbfounded pause, "Well we can start by firing the Bush economic team." That was it.

The problem, of course is that if Democrats really were to lay out their agenda (an abortion in every womb, confiscatory tax policy, international craveness, promotion of homosexuality, fiscal irresponsibility, censorship of everything but pornography) beyond such feel-good and insigificant proposals like prescription drug benefits, etc., they'd never get elected.

The other thing is that these proposals will do nothing to solve the problems of America. They are purely designed to nail down various constituency groups. They are not positive solutions.

Nancy Pelosi has argued in past few days that the only way for Democrats to win is to show voters the difference between them and the Republicans, yet this seems to be exactly what would benefit us.

The Democrats have no positive agenda which they wish to share with the American people. That's why they care so much about the legal system which is the only effective way they have to accomplish their unpopular goals.

All we have to do is point this out to people while at the same time providing our own solutions. Dubya has done that this year and if the Republicans are smart, they'll follow his lead to decades of majority status and marginalization of the left. Bill Clinton was able to temporarily able to stave off the collapse of the left in America but now that they think his brand of snake-oil phoney moderation has been rejected by Pelosi and friends, there's nothing stopping it aside from Republican screwups.

[GulliverSwift]

That's my spiel, what do y'all think about why the Dims lost other than the media's favorite reason of them not being liberal enough?

How valid do you think the not-liberal-enough theory is compared to the conservative counterpart that RINOs never win?

What can we do do further marginalize the Democratic party?

[goldstategop]

Let the Dems do all the hard work for us. When the enemy is busy destroying himself, there's no need to assist the process. Let's just sit back and watch.

[My2Cents]

There are a lot of reasons the Dems lost. One big one is the thorough Clintonization of the Party. Under Clinton, they came a party of meanness and vindictiveness, rather than a party of ideas. They are still a party of meanness and vindictiveness. The people are getting sick of it.

[null and void]

It's really simple. They didn't have the Clintons make enough appearances in support of their candidates. If only they had used them more, they could have won the close races...

[null and void]

(I hope no-one tells them)...

[GulliverSwift]

I think that's part of it but things don't just happen by themselves as GWB showed this election.

What do you think about the DINO-RINO theories?

[GulliverSwift]

There are a lot of reasons the Dems lost. One big one is the thorough Clintonization of the Party. Under Clinton, they came a party of meanness and vindictiveness, rather than a party of ideas. They are still a party of meanness and vindictiveness. The people are getting sick of it.

But how many ideas did they have beforehand? I believe that since the 60s radicals took over all the institutions in the late 70s, they haven't had an original idea since. Clinton actually helped stop them from destroying themselves by teaching them to lie about their agenda.

Of course he also hurt them because he is such a scum.

[Wolfstar]

There is rarely a single reason for an election outcome. But I do think there were two immensely overarching reasons in this election cycle: (1) the dire terrorist threat and an acknowledgement by most reasonable people that the president needs the tools he believes are necessary to protect us, and (2) the president, himself. Most reasonable people recognize that this country was extraordinarily lucky to have George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and their highly respected, capable foreign policy and judicial teams in place on 9/11/01.

For the past year, I knew that these mid-term elections would be unlike any other in our history. It was obvious to anyone who cared to pay attention (which means it wasn't obvious to most in our media) that these elections would be a stark barometer of where we are as a nation. I, for one, was not optimistic, and am now so relieved and grateful that enough Americans who "get it" went to the polls last Tuesday.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

The democrats thought they could win by talking about problems without offering solutions.

[GulliverSwift]

So you don't see any larger societal or stategerical trends at work?

[JPJones]

With 8 years of Clintonism, including waco, elian and immediatly followed by 911. People are finally seeing the truth about the dems, wellstone funeral, case in point.

[AndyTheBear]

But Clinton was a better liar then most of them.

[Pinetop]

I think the Democrats made their agenda very clear at Wellstone's funeral and with the candidacy of Mondale. (The fact that the ruling Demos pulled Mondale out of mothballs shows you just how out of touch they are with the rest of the population with the exception of San Francisco and Santa Cruz.) The American people did not want to repeat history. There are no good memories of Mondale's years in office. It was a very bleak time for this country and Reagan destroyed him in the election just as GW stomped his resurrection this time.

[expatguy]

Why the Dems lost: What do you say?

I have given this a lot of thought and I came to the conclusion that the reason the Democrats lost was because they got less votes than the Republicans.

[Revolting cat!]

"The carpet, too, is moving under you"

[capitan_refugio]

There was once a chess grandmaster named David Bronstein. He once played for the world championship, in the early 1950's. Bronstein made an interesting observation:

"If your opponent makes a bad move, don't immediately take advantage of it. He is bound to make a worse move soon."

With the Pelosi appointment, it looks like the Democrats made their second bad move in short order.

[Judith Anne]

Actually, in my area, people are sick to death of the Clintonian politics. Just disgusted. The democratic party is so closely identified with them, that people reflexively voted for anyone else than the dem candidate.

[Rodney King]

hmm, you're a little slow on the take today.

[GOPJ]

Yes, and they need to put lots of money and time into going from 91% to 93% of the black vote. That's worth whatever it takes... Also, having Terry and Hillary be the "on TV" face of the party is way cool... and don't forget live appearances in front of firemen and police organizations. Booing works. (I hope they don't see this -- we don't want to give them ideas)

It's really simple. They didn't have the Clintons make enough appearances in support of their candidates. If only they had used them more, they could have won the close races...

[teletech]

The American people grew tired of the Dashole obstructionism and they gave the Senate back to the Republicans. NOW, the President EXPECTS progress! I hope the Republican Senate comes through. I hope the President reminded Lott how foolish it is to trust the RATS with ANY power. LETS ROLL FOR AMERICA!