Reply #9: its a problem of framing and tradition

[Damien]

in many areas, people simply vote straight down the ticket r/d and do not consider other candidates.

The problem is that we need to find a way to talk to people in kansas, colorado, wyoming and the rest of middle america (im from colorado myself) and show them what democrats can do for them. That's the issue of framing.

The issue of tradition ties right in -- people are used to voting one way or another, and have a hard time trusting people from the other party because of how the two major parties go after each other.

I don't have a lot of answers, but it seems to me that Clinton's approach in arkansas was good -- talk to working class people on how democrats support better working conditions for them and want to help make their lives better. The same framing argument needs to show how republicans' interests lie in helping the rich and the corporate world.

It's the personal approach.