Democrats Lost More Than an Election in 2014

[marmar]

Democrats Lost More Than an Election in 2014

Friday, 07 November 2014 10:25
By Marisa Franco, #Not1More | Op-Ed


With the US witnessing rising levels of community and labor activism in the past two years, one would expect the 2014 midterm elections to be a vibrant moment of civic engagement, translating that activity into political power. But this year, that wasn't the case.

In every corner of the country there are examples of an active and engaged population pushing for change. The murders of Eric Garner in Staten Island and Mike Brown in Ferguson as well as countless others killed at the hands of police generated a new spirit of organizing affirming that black lives matter. LGBTQ issues are making dramatic advances and unheard of cultural leaps. Our cities are roiling with the fight for 15 and a rising tide to lift the minimum wage. More than 400,000 people turned out for climate justice this Fall in New York City to sway the UN discussion. Native and indigenous communities pledge to be Idle No More. Undocumented people have tirelessly faced down fear and placed their bodies in the way of buses to stop deportations. And the incredible stamina of the Moral Mondays movement in the face of attacks of voting rights and campaign finance laws refuses to wane.

.....(snip).....

The impressive level of activity doesn't translate to incredible turnout for Democrats because the party's made it obvious that its first response to people's real issues, is to translate them into exit poll calculations.

It was on display in a short interaction between Hillary Clinton and a young woman in Iowa. When the woman introduced herself as a "Dreamer," Clinton cheered with a "yay!" But when she asked what Clinton thought of President deciding to continue deportations leading up to the elections, her response was most telling. Without looking at the young woman concerned for her loved ones, the presidential candidate said, "I think we have to elect more Democrats."

.....(snip).....

The success or failure of the Democrats ought to be measured by the distance or proximity they have to the genuine efforts of the communities they've always considered locked-in voters. It will be in the moments when they stop to look the child of a parent in deportation proceedings in the eye or stand with the mother whose child was killed by police not just for the photo op but when its time for accountability. ................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/27307-democrats-lost-more-than-an-election-in-2014

[PatrickforO]

1. The democrats as a whole are gutless. A party that cannot own...

Its own positions during an election, and whose candidates 'run away' from a President who had done some true good and put some great policies in place, does not represent the people. We groan under the absence of statesmen and stateswomen in the party, which has, by and large, become the realm of political hacks only concerned with getting reelected.

We have the internet folks - the msm isn't EVER going to force a discussion on real issues because the corporations that own news outlets don't want that. But we have Twitter. We have blogs. We have Facebook. We have telephones.

I would have responded to the Democrats FAR better this time around if I didn't get 25 or 30 emails a day saying things like, "All hope is gone," and "You haven't donated yet," and "We've run out of people to email you."

Please give us money!

That's all we got, and there was no coherent message. Yes, I voted for Democrats, but I didn't feel good about it. Because I didn't feel like they'd do much to help you and I and the rest of the people if they got into office. We need more like Warren and Sanders who actually talk about issues.

One thing that was really good is the direct democracy that was shown - pot legalized in 3 more places, minimum wage increased, abortion kept legal - all by popular vote. This is direct democracy, and it worked. Electing a shill to send to Washington to supposedly represent our interests...not so much.

[SoapBox]

5. Perfect description...gutless.

Yup.

[Tumbulu]

18. The endless money asking for turned me off BIG TIME

and I have decided that just like we have a Military Industrial Complex, we have a media addicted to add revenues associated with elections. This industry is outrageously large and it's last grasp on an income are political campaigns.

I think that the only solution is to stop advertising completely cold turkey, not one penny more. Ever. Stop, so that only the Republicans spend money on ads. Therefore outing them.

[bvar22]

31. Elections are a multi-Billion Dollar Industry in the USA.

They are scripted and managed (see: Dean Scream).

It must appear that the nation is almost equally divided for this scam to keep working year after year.

"We almost got the brass ring that time If you send in a little more money,
we'll be sure to get it next time!!!"

[Tumbulu]

32. Yes, agreed! nt

[PatrickforO]

36. That's a VERY interesting take. I do believe you are right.

[skepticscott]

2. You can't lose what you didn't have

Which are clear, consistent principles and a clear, consistent message, not just those calculated to accommodate shifting political winds.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. Wow, that wasn't my take on the article.

And I thought it was dead on, as is your comment about Grimes.

[Ykcutnek]

21. You Grimes bashers need to get the fuck over it.

She lost.

Move the fuck on, for the love of Christ.

[HoosierCowboy]

4. Most people that we would call "activists"

Aren't relying on government at any level to accomplish anything of social value. They work in food banks, homeless shelters and volunteer for community service.
Long ago they realized that winning elections had limited value except to keep the monsters away from the levers of power.

...and yes some of them are republicans

[Spitfire of ATJ]

9. That's because neither party listens.

[vkkv]

7. Dems rule most of the north - obviously the big problem is THE SOUTH!

Last edited Sat Nov 8, 2014, 01:36 PM - Edit history (1)

Without the south dragging the north down and sucking Fed dollars away, the north would be in a position to show that Dem policies do work.

The South destroys the truth and votes for racist politicians.

I'm still waiting for TX, MO, OK, KS, AZ and the ENTIRE South to secede so we can get going on that BORDER FENCE.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

17. "so we can get going on that BORDER FENCE."

You mean the one on the Mason Dixon Line?

[bravenak]

26. I am tired of the south bashing, and I live up north. In a red state. Dems don't own the north.

And I prefer my racists to say it loud and proud so I know where they stand. Even though they tell me that I am one of the good blacks.

I for one do not want the south to secede, it would cause another war and I have family down there who I would like to have full lives, even though they live near racists. I also don't want my fellow citizens down south left high and dry by crazy politicians. I suffer fools rather than harm them. I even want racists to have enough to eat and feed their children and good education, somewhere to live safe and unmolested.

There is plenty racism in the north and there are racist liberals. I meet them all the time.

[Warpy]

8. This article is stupid

Democrats lost for several reasons:

First, the party that holds the presidency gets a shellacking during midterms.

Second, there were few Democrats running. Most were pallid Republicans.

Third, people are just not going to vote for business as usual when it's killing them.

Fourth, communities are locked in voters only when you can persuade them to bother to vote.

If Democrats want to win, they'd be wise to turn down all that "help" from professional campaign handlers assigned to them by the national party. Those people make candidates so utterly bland and passionless that no one in his right mind thinks they're running for anything but a seat on the gravy train.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

10. I'd like to see how many young people voted for weed but left office holders blank.

[Warpy]

12. If there was a weed question, likely they voted.

Most places didn't have weed questions.

We did here in NM but I haven't heard a word except that the mayor threw a hissy fit over it and said he'd fight it if it passed.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

15. Guess yer mayor was never invited to any of the cool parties.

[Bluenorthwest]

24. In Oregon, cannabis legalization passed with a slimmer margin than any of our elected official

Democrats. It was about 10% while Merkley had about 20%. Of course this is Oregon where Merkley, the Democratic Party and the candidates also supported cannabis legalization.
Our turnout was about 70% of voters. Where do you live, and what did you accomplish?

[lunatica]

14. You can add gerrymandering to your list

I'm surprised I haven't heard a word mentioning it on the tv so-called news.

It's the reason that if Democrats want to win they have to go in huge droves to the polls while it takes only an average number of Republicans to win elections.

[fjlovato]

11. Will Rogers was right

While watching the election returns I remembered what Will Rogers said, "I don't belong to any organized political party, I'm a Democrat." Why? Because we will not support our own positions. Everyone ran away from the great things that Democrats following the lead of President Obama accomplished. Health care, the economy, just to mention a couple and the Democrats clam up. At this moment I am ashamed to be a Democratic because of the party's gutlessness. If you get beat standing up for what you believe, it least you put up a fight but if you run away, no one will follow you. The voters believed the trash and we got beaten. If the Democratic candidates had spoken out, who knows what might have happened.

[vkkv]

13. If the Dems want to win Southern states and retake the majority of Congress -

then in southern states the Dems will have to run as racists, bigots, Xtian extremists, anti-choice and pro-gun idiots.

Simple.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

16. They've done that and lost. Repeatedly.

[vkkv]

20. Please cite examples

I can't think of any Dem who ran on those Southern ideals and lost.

[jtuck004]

19. I am truly weary of the whining about what Democrats lost. 100 million people have

lost jobs, homes, or lives, while this administration helped banksters trumpet profits at heights they have never seen before. It wasn't because they picked the wrong candidate, or because one pulled out a gun.

Democrats lost because...

"when she asked what Clinton thought of President deciding to continue deportations leading up to the elections, her response was most telling. Without looking at the young woman concerned for her loved ones, the presidential candidate said, "I think we have to elect more Democrats.""

...they cared more about Democrats than they did about the people.

The plan is in writing, for anyone who cares to look. If you wanted a preview, you just had to watch Jon Stewart here, wherein he discusses with the author, someone whose actions led to untold tragedy, and sometimes death, for us and our neighbors.

Watch when Stewart says "The perception is that the administration went to hell and back for the banks and not for the people". Timothy "Killer" Geithner immediately starts with the spin, trying to justify his actions.

The audience, of mostly Democratic leaning voters, laughed at his lying face, knowing the kind of pain this plan visited, and is still visiting, on the people of this country.

And they were still laughing when the voting booths opened,

Good book, here. -> "Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts"
by Carol Tavris, Elliot Aronson

From that page...

"Why do people dodge responsibility when things fall apart? Why the parade of public figures unable to own up when they screw up? Why the endless marital quarrels over who is right? Why can we see hypocrisy in others but not in ourselves? Are we all liars? Or do we really believe the stories we tell? "

Just my opinion, though, ymmv

[Major Hogwash]

22. Who the fuck is Marisa Franco?

You guys may as well start dragging articles here written by people in the Libertarian Party, because that is what Marisa sounds like to me.

During her lament she took a few jabs at Hillary, and that is very indicative of someone who would vote for Rand Paul in a New York minute.

[GeorgeGist]

23. All Hail Hillary.

[cascadiance]

28. Some people who take jabs at Hillary would favor Elizabeth Warren...

... who is LESS like Rand Paul than Hillary is!

[Major Hogwash]

33. Warren, who supports Hillary to be the next President.

Thank you for making my point for me.

[cascadiance]

35. She supports her entering the race and "running"...

I don't think it is clear that she picks Hillary as "her choice" for president.

Anyone that calls themselves a Democrat that doesn't support people getting involved with the democratic process and running for office doesn't really believe in democracy (small d, in case that confuses you). I think many Democrats support Republicans *running* for office too, even if they don't support them winning the seats they are running for. There is a difference!

That in my book is hardly an endorsement yet for Hillary. And Hillary isn't even running yet.

Again, my point is that Hillary is CLOSER to being a Republican than Warren is and therefore is closer to Rand Paul than Warren is, which you conveniently choose to ignore.

[Odin2005]

25. The Dem Establishment is completely ignoring the $15/hr wage movement.

You know who is pushing it hard? Communist parties like Socialist Alternative, and SA is growing like crazy.

[SomethingFishy]

29. Republicans define the Democratic establishment now..

Dems see how far the Republicans go and take one small step back, and we're supposed to think that's the "opposition"..

[woo me with science]

27. K&R

[otohara]

30. So Punishment Is The Answer

we don't like either party or any candidate so fuck the LGBT community, Dreamers, disabled, African Americans, Native Americans, women, workers and yes to corporations and billionaires.


Way to go non voters, WTG.

[Major Hogwash]

34. The beatings will continue until morale improves!!

At least it seems that way, sometimes.