How come the Tea Party did not divide the Republicans in 2010?

[kentuck]

Democrats like to say that the Republicans gained a record number of seats in the House of Representatives because Democrats did not get out the vote. But we should also entertain the idea that maybe the Tea Party was responsible for getting out a record number of votes for the Republicans. Granted, they were all against "Obamacare" but, in the end, they united to win the election. In the end, they united behind the Republican banner.

The Republicans want to duplicate that election this time around also. In fact, they are still running against "Obamacare". They believe it will inspire large numbers of Republicans to go to the polls. Will it work again?

And what can Democrats do to inspire large numbers of Democrats to go to the polls? It simply is not enough to tell people how "evil" the other side is - we must offer them more and inspire them to go to the polls. In the end, we must all be united, just like the Tea Party and Republicans will be united once again.

It is not a bad thing if a candidate like Bernie Sanders can get more people interested in politics and going to the polls. As a Party, we need that. However, in the end, if there is a primary, it is up to the primary candidates to unite the Party behind one candidate, the winner of the primaries. That does not weaken our Party - that makes our Party stronger and more diverse. To insist otherwise makes it more and more difficult to compete with the Tea Party Republicans. We need more ideas and more competition in our Party, not less. It is not divisive, it is uniting. I understand that many disagree with this idea.

[winter is coming]

1. It's the independents who didn't turn out in 2010. n/t

[kentuck]

2. And why didn't our message appeal to the Independents??

Why did we shut them out of the Party?

[winter is coming]

5. IIRC, the message was basically "we suck less".

Apparently, fear of the other isn't as effective as it used to be.

[Bandit]

14. Our message was one of appeasement

Democrats bent over back wards to please Republicans in the first couple of years of the Obama Administration. We used their blueprint for Health care Reform. Obama put many Republicans into his cabinet, and kept many more that were already in place from the previous Administration. We did not prosecute for war crimes. What were the people supposed to vote for? We kept in place the Bush* tax cuts even though everyone knew it was because of those tax cuts that America was in recession. If all we have, is vote against the Republicans, but not for something then don't expect a big turn-out from Democrats or Independents.

[AgingAmerican]

20. Given the choice

between those who act like Republicans, and real Republicans, Independents will vote for the real Republicans every time.

[PhilSays]

3. Strong argument.

And I say that as a person that wants Bernie to run without winning the nomination, but only to shift the debates to left of center.

[winter is coming]

6. I actually want him to win the nomination, as unlikely as that seems.

If the debate does indeed shift to the left, I'd rather elect the person who moved it rather than someone who allowed themselves to be shifted by prevailing winds. IMO, the candidate who moved the debate is more likely to actually try to follow through than the trend-follower.

[wercal]

4. I think this gets down to political machines

The machine behind the presidential campaign was unprecedented...organized, got out the vote very well, had a small army going door to door to get people to the polls.

That doesn't happen during mid terms.

[Aerows]

7. Because if the Democrats win

They do so in spite of the "left" wing of the party. If the Democrats lose, it is because of the "left" wing of the party.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. The 'Tea Party' does not exist, they are Republicans. If you really want to understand 2010

why not look at the States where Democrats did very well, compare and contrast with the States where Democrats did not do well and see what you get? Oregon had record level turn out, largest in any midterm since the 80's at least. CA defeated Meg and Carly and went ultra blue. Washington did very well.
So it was a regional thing, not a national thing, and if you want to find out about it, compare and contrast.
And there will be a Primary. There is always a Primary.

[gulliver]

9. "Those who don't vote will be fed to the wolves."

I think the Dems should just make it clear that the constituencies who turn out for Dems (and only those) will be protected from Republicans. Even if we win big. If the environmentalists don't turn out, the Republicans get to drill anywhere they want for anything they want, starting in the environmentalists' backyards. If the old folks don't turn out or vote Republican, we don't fight chained CPI. We let Paul Ryan save Medicare his way.

We don't need freeloaders. If they sit out the election or vote against us, they get coach seats on the next ice floe.

Of course, I realize the Dems aren't going to make this clear. They might or might not hand over voting slackers to the Republicans. But the idea belongs in the air.

[winter is coming]

11. "We don't need freeloaders" is an idea that belongs in the air? WTF??

And that "if they vote against us, they get coach seats on the next ice floe" idea is probably not the best one to embrace, as it could cut both ways. The left, so useful when foot soldiers and money are needed, and so ignored after the election has been won, might decide the Democratic Party should be on the ice floe.

[kentuck]

16. Your idea may have merit.

People need to understand that they have chips in the game.

[okaawhatever]

10. The Tea Party didn't divide the Republicans because they hadn't pushed their agenda yet. They

wanted something but weren't in a position to demand it. The problems didn't start until their elected representatives took office and then wouldn't compromise or "follow the rules". Heck, most Americans didn't even know what they stood for. The reason they're dividing the Republican party now is because they're demanding what they want and they have just enough votes and money to hold the Republican party hostage until they get it. The Republican's knight in shining armor is now their interloper-in-chief.

[1StrongBlackMan]

12. Actually ...

It simply is not enough to tell people how "evil" the other side is - we must offer them more and inspire them to go to the polls.

People are more easily moved to take action to prevent a loss than to acquire a gain.

http://www.psych-it.com.au/Psychlopedia/article.asp?id=335

Related study: http://dare.uva.nl/document/2921

[Autumn]

13. Give the people something to vote for

they'll show up and vote. Vote for us we suck less, is not a very good vote grabber.

[WhiteTara]

15. Because they were still useful. nt

[malaise]

17. Because they are all ReTHUGs

It's just that the rest of America won't accept ReTHUG crazies so they're silencing them for now.

[spanone]

18. the tea party & the republican party are one and the same.

[maced666]

19. Because the IRS had yet to intervine?

If the groups are illegal, shut them down.