Democrats Seethe After Georgia Loss: Our Brand Is Worse Than Trump

[andym]

By ALEXANDER BURNS and JONATHAN MARTIN JUNE 21, 2017
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/21/us/pelosi-georgia-ossoff-democrats.html

"Democrats scrambled to regroup on Wednesday after a disappointing special election defeat in Georgia, with lawmakers, activists and labor leaders speaking out in public and private to demand a more forceful economic message heading into the 2018 elections.
.....

But the overarching theme among Democrats was a sense of sharp urgency about crafting a positive agenda around kitchen-table issues. Congressional Democrats have already been meeting in private to shape a core list of economic policies, but their work did not reach any conclusive point during a long season of special elections.
...
By fiercely contesting a congressional race in the conservative Atlanta suburbs, Democrats had hoped to make an emphatic statement about the weakness of the Republican Party under President Trump. Their candidate, Jon Ossoff, raised about $25 million, mostly in small donations, and assertively courted right-of-center voters with promises of economic development and fiscal restraint.

That vague message, Democrats said Wednesday, was plainly not powerful enough to counter an onslaught of Republican advertising that cast Mr. Ossoff as a puppet of liberal national Democrats, led by Ms. Pelosi. While Mr. Ossoff made inroads by exploiting Mr. Trump’s unpopularity and a backlash against health care legislation approved in the House, Democrats said they would have to do more to actually win."
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This article basically states that Ossoff's showing has set off alarm bells among Democratic leaders in DC. Ossoff only did as well as Hillary in that district which was good, but not enough to win. Also, they acknowledge the power of GOP attacks on Democrats; Rep Pascrell: “It’s pretty difficult to undo the demonization of anyone” Article mentioned that the rich middle class like those in Ossoff's district have been watching their portfolio grow, and are not unhappy. Bottom line is that Democratic leadership in Washington recognizes that there is a problem and are working to find the best way forward.

[Turbineguy]

1. Not really

Gerrymandering, vote suppression and in a pinch, hacking, are hard to overcome.

[gateley]

4. Yeah, we've been unable to overcome all the reasons in the past 4 out of 4 elections. nt

[tazkcmo]

8. 4 out 4

That went exactly as they should have. GOPee strongholds elected GOPee representation. Shocking.

[gateley]

11. Fine. Continue to give us a pass for not doing what it takes. I'll take responsibility. nt

[tazkcmo]

12. Fine.

Have fun with that. You should also place a bet on the Generals to win against the Globe Trotters, too.

Seriously, though. Why do you expect dyed in the wool GOPee-ers to vote for a Democratic candidate, much less one that doesn't live in their district? I probably wouldn't vote for a carpetbagger either and I really wouldn't cross party lines to do it. This district voted for Herr Twittler von Shit Gibbon and the reality is more GOP-eers live there than Democrats. You're in for a very rough time of it if your expectations don't begin to align with the reality of the situation at hand and all the special elections are all excellent examples of that.

[gateley]

14. It just pushed me over the edge --

I can't use your reasoning for how we let FUCKING DONALD TRUMP get into the WH. I know TOO MANY people who didn't vote because they just couldn't bring themselves to vote for Hillary. I hope they're sleeping well at night seeing the piece by piece dismantlement of our rights and protections.

It's HISTORIC that Dems don't pull the lever -- yet we're happy to join in the outrage and share the scathing cartoons and bad mouth with glee -- just anything except actually DOING something. We shouldn't have gotten that close -- we could have pulled it off. We didn't. I don't care that he was a carpetbagger (and barely -- was only now living just outside with this fiancee), I don't care that he was a lackluster candidate in many ways, I DO care that we're allowing another Republican vote to head to DC. All the justification and rationalization and snarking at me will not change that.

And seriously, I DO feel it's OUR responsibility. I don't care that Perez is worthless, that half our representatives are DLC-ish. I only care that we -- and our representatives -- are not in lockstep with our party and the Republicans are. It's not optimal, but until we get the reins back, we have to do whatever it takes.

[tazkcmo]

16. So what would you have done?

What didn't we do that you would have? Again, you're worked up over losing something we never had to begin with. It's easy to scream and kick and yell "Not good enough!" but you offer no specifics. Fire Pelosi so more GOPee voters like us? Move our policies to the righjt so we can be more like GOPee-ers and thus gain their voters? What? What would you do in a district that hasn't voted for a Democratic candidate in 40 years and remember, your candidate doesn't live in the district. Now tell us how you're going to get REPUBLICANS to vote for your Democratic candidate that wasn't tried in this election and "What ever it takes" is not a solution, it's a slogan.

[gateley]

17. Look, I'm not going to debate this with you -- but no one is more weary of slogans than I.

I would have personally picked up everyone I knew who wasn't going to the polls and driven them there, I would have asked friends and family if they knew of anyone who needed a ride. I would have gone to my local Indivisible pages and offered to shuttle --I would have done what I PERSONALLY could have hands on done. I would not have just said "well, it's not ours". I LITERALLY meant whatever it takes, and I would have PERSONALLY done what ever it took to try to make a difference.

And I'm so tired of this shit.. "a district that hasn't voted for a Democratic candidate in 40 years " The country wasn't ready for a Black guy as POTUS, remember? The country would NEVER vote for a mentally ill madman, remember? I don't buy the status quo but if you want to wrap yourself in it, feel free.

And don't tell me I'm just using a slogan -- that's what I took a several year hiatus from DU -- just more of the same, very little action. And I'm about ready to bid adieu again -- we won't miss each other. I'm right/you're wrong or vice versa, or we can all pat each other on the back.

Nice chatting with you and better luck to us next time.

[tazkcmo]

18. Nice to chat with you.

And all that you mentioned, happened. YOU didn't but others did to the point where people were hanging notes on the door for volunteers to leave them alone or they'll vote for the opponent. You seem to be a likable person but I doubt you're so charismatic that you could have changed the out come. Sometimes, in spite of doing "what ever it takes" and under much more favorable conditions than these special elections, you fail. But I do understand your frustration.

I really don't mean to argue but I just don't see what Democrats could have done to win this race short of becoming GOPee-ers. I also don't see why we are spending what amounts to tens of thousands of dollars per vote in a contest we won't win while we spend next to nothing on backing state level candidates that actually live in their districts and can have direct impact on undoing the gerrymandering done by the GOPee.

Let me leave you with a positive thought. If we as a party are able to come so close in four virtual locks for the GOPee, imagine what that portends for races that aren't in Red Fortresses, the candidate isn't a banjo playing joke and actually lives in the district they care so much about, then add in the anger and frustration that you're feeling right now (And you ARE NOT alone!) but channeled into action in GOTV efforts and you have a Democratic House!

Have a nice evening and stay angry but please, stay positive. Peace.

[andym]

13. Gerrymnadering is very difficult to do, once set

because it creates self-reinforcing party numbers in the state legislatures. let's hope the Supreme Court knocks down party-biased districting.

[tazkcmo]

19. Yes!

Also, it would seem to me to be smarter to quit paying over $10k/vote IF you can get it and look to the state level races where the vote is less expensive, has a higher probability of success and the winner would have a direct path to reverse the gerrymandering.

I'm all for having a presence in these Red Fortress districts but that's a long term project. Spend wisely and chip away. The big money like we saw thrown at the GA-6th would have gone much further and had more impact at the state level or more competitive (and realistic) congressional races.

[gateley]

15. But not impossible. nt

[hurple]

2. The problem

is 40 years of "libtard" going uncountered.

The right-wing has a noise machine in Rush, Hannity, O'Reily, and Fox.

Until the left-wing gets a megaphone that's just as loud, they will continue to dominate and demonize. After recent comments from the peanut gallery, it is clear they are working to dehumanize "libtards" to the point that the right wingnuts will declare open season on 2nd amendment solutions.

[tazkcmo]

10. That and more.

It's a clear problem and one we must over come. They also have the "Christians" and their houses of worship. They've also raised a generation of children and inoculated them in GOPee talking points and religious fundamentalism while home schooling them in creationism and anti-science education. People like Walker, Pence and Ryan. All grown up now and ready for office. It's also easier to lie, deny and deceive than it is to educate, motivate and encourage.

[Cattledog]

3. We GA Dems are not seething. We plan to work harder.

[andym]

9. Glad to hear that you continue to fight the good fight.

Ossoff reportedly had 10000 volunteers, which is an AMAZING amount of activism-- only good can come from this kind of engagement.

[gateley]

5. I can't speak for anybody else, but I'm one of the ones seething.

We've heard all the justifications, reasons, excuses, yet bottom line is we don't bring the vote. Period. And the Dem leaders in DC are impotent so let the alarm bells clang away -- won't do any good. Just "we'll have to" and "we need to" and "we should" but no decisive action. If I'm wrong, I'll apologize and grovel.

[murielm99]

6. I am only seething when I see

horseshit articles like this one.

[tazkcmo]

7. If this article is accurate

We really need new leadership in the Democratic Party. We were supposed to lose. The GOPee was supposed to win. There were no surprises, just a collosal waste of Democratic money.

[Progressive dog]

20. Boo Hoo

We are stuck for four years with that psycho in the White House and until 2019 with GOP rule in the Senate and the House. That is not going away and an extra seat or two in the house is insignificant.
Those four elections were not about the economy. If they had been, Democrats would have won going away.

[Moral Compass]

21. Why was there a belief that this district was winnable?

The 6th District in Georgia has been in Republican hands for over 40 years. According to reports I've read it is a wealthy district that responds to a message of tax cuts, reduced regulation etc. This is the standard Republican message.

Ossoff came within 3.8% of winning in a district that elected Tom Price by a margin of over 23%.

Why are so many now rending their garments and gnashing their teeth because Ossoff lost by a small margin?

I'm with Howard Dean. I think this bodes well for the future.

Please, everyone chill out.

[andym]

22. Because Hillary only lost this district by only 1%

and since then Trump has been proving himself to be even worse then the low general expectations people had with historically low favorability ratings. The district was full of unenthusiastic Trump voters as well. See https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/georgia-6-is-all-about-the-voters-who-reluctantly-backed-trump/ But investing $23.6M of direct funds and $7.6M, which together was $8M more than the GOP spent, brought a worse outcome than Hillary achieved. So there was a rationale to spend. But the experiment failed-- reluctant Trump voters are staying with the GOP.

[Hortensis]

23. Pure anti-Dem garbage.

Served up for Useful Idiots.