Here's the truth -
1. With the exception of 1994, a national message beyond broad brush strokes is not necessary and, in fact, is counterproductive in midterms. These Senate, Congressional and state races are run and won at a local level and most voters pay little attention to a "national message" when casting their votes. On the other hand, if manipulated effectively, a national message can be distracting and actually damaging to Democrats.
Candidates are properly focusing on their races and the issues that their constituents care about - healthcare, economic fairness and responsibility, human decency, social justice, government accountability, etc. - all of which are consistent with the national Democratic philosophy.
2. The concern about Democrats not bring "passionate" enough is misplaced . Most Democratic voters don't have the time or luxury to be passionate about politics - they're trying to get through each day - going to (or looking for) work, taking care of their children and/or parents, trying to figure out how to survive, etc.
They don't need to be told over and over what a trainwreck Trump is. They know that already and they're exhausted hearing about it. They don't need or have time to get all hepped up at rallies. They just want to know how the men and women running in their districts will make their lives better, or at least keep them from getting harder. They're not going to learn that with more ads or more television interviews by the House and Senate minority leaders. That required old-fashioned voter outreach, in their communities, in their churches, barbershops, community meetings, local candidate forums, on their doorsteps - one or two or ten or twenty voters at a time.
And voters need to be told and shown why their vote matters, that it's worth taking the time to cast their vote and that it will be counted. And that's still not enough. They don't need to hear this from a high-profile out-of-state politician - the most effective messenger is a friend or neighbor. And then, many of them need help in actually voting - getting to the polls, obtaining and turning in an absentee ballot, understanding how to actually fill out their ballot, etc.
And that's hard, determined work. It's not sexy or easy. It can be frustrating and exhausting. It's usually not laugh-out-loud fun - although if you're doing it right, it often is.
It takes passion to do that work. That passion comes from people who are already worked up, know the issues and know we must make a change - people like US on DU who are already blazing red-hot for change.
So stop waiting for the national Democratic God in the Sky to "inspire passion." The voters don't need to be passionate. They just need to be motivated and then helped to vote. That's not the DNC's job. That's YOUR job. The DNC is doing its part to support that work through it's support for state and local party apparati that organize and conduct this activity. But they need people to carry it out.
So, if you haven't already, call your local party, coordinated campaign, or individual candidates' campaigns. Volunteer an hour or more a week to work on vote outreach or other activity. Find a headquarters and go there to phonebank or enter names in databases or make signs or run errands or do whatever else they need.
But please, stop complaining about what "the Democrats" aren't doing. WE'RE the Democrats. It's up to all of us to get it done!
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