For Democrats, a Troubling Culture Gap

[papau]

For Democrats, a Troubling Culture Gap

By Dan Balz
Wednesday, August 10, 2005; A08

Dissatisfaction over the war in Iraq, the economy and rising health care costs might spell trouble for Republicans, but a study by Democratic strategists warns that their party's failure to connect with voters on cultural issues could prevent Democratic candidates from reaping gains in upcoming national elections.

Democrats have expressed bewilderment over Republican gains among lower-income, less-educated voters, saying they are voting against their economic self-interest by supporting Republican candidates. But the new Democracy Corps study concludes that cultural issues trump economic issues by a wide margin for many of these voters -- giving the GOP a significant electoral advantage.

The study is based on focus groups of rural voters in Wisconsin and Arkansas and disaffected supporters of President Bush in Colorado and Kentucky. The good news for Democrats: All the groups expressed dissatisfaction with the direction of the country and with the leadership of the president and the GOP-controlled Congress.

Then came the bad news: "As powerful as the concern over these issues is, the introduction of cultural themes -- specifically gay marriage, abortion, the importance of the traditional family unit and the role of religion in public life -- quickly renders them almost irrelevant in terms of electoral politics at the national level," the study said.

Many of these voters still favor Democrats on economic issues. But they see the Democrats as weak on national security, and on cultural and moral issues, they view Democrats as both inconsistent and hostile to traditional values. "Most referred to Democrats as 'liberal' on issues of morality, but some even go so far as to label them 'immoral,' 'morally bankrupt,' or even 'anti-religious,' " according to the Democracy Corps analysis.<snip>



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/09/AR2005080901334.html

[xchrom]

1. that's because you have to take the culture war HEAD ON.

there's no ducking it -- democrats have to promote leftist ideals like they were preachers at a revivalist tent meeting.

leftist ideals are WORTH breaking a sweat over -- shout them, trumpet them -- propagandize them -- do what ever it takes and win converts.

it's a war that has to be slugged out in the trenches -- otherwise the facsists will win ways you don't want to contemplate.

[Ken Burch]

11. We need to make it clear that we are fighting for the right of people

to live the way they ACTUALLY live, not the way Republicans think we OUGHT to live.

We are the defenders of ALL the American families. We want everyone to be included and welcome.

The Republican model of the "traditional family" is a model that 80% of the country isn't a part of. And there's nothing wrong with that. It's just reality.

We need to be the "anti-bullshit" party on these issues.

[emulatorloo]

2. kicking, with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach

Congratulations, Karl Rove! You've done your job and done it well.

[Pirate Smile]

3. I posted a thread on the Democracy Corp. Focus Groups yesterday.

We don't seem to want to talk about the issue but sticking our heads in the sand won't make it go away.

I don't think we should change our positions but we definitely need to sell them better and communicate with people in a way that doesn't alienate them from us.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4296416&mesg_id=4296416

[papau]

9. I agree - we need to sell them better - if the media will allow air time

:-(

[rwenos]

4. Urban/Rural Split

This is a problem for the Democrats. This huge country is about big cities AND rural interests.

FDR appealed to rural interests with programs like Rural Electrification and TVA, not to mention regulating big business. That group -- the rural blue collar ex-Democrats -- wants the benefit of New Deal regulation of big business, but wants also to think of themselves as morally superior to city folk, and also as upwardly mobile.

The Republicans have sold that group on the myth that someday they, too, can live in fancy houses, drive Mercedes SUV's and send their kids to fancy schools.

I have no answers here. This is the swing group in the modern American electorate. Big Bill charmed them, and enough of them voted for him to give him two terms.

Any more down home where he came from?

[FloridaPat]

5. Sincew the 80's I've wondered if the Dems are really a fake party

so that we the people think we have a 2 party system but really don't. The repubs are incharge and having a fake opposition party allows us to think we can right the wrongs but in reality we are being manipulated. If we really have a two party system - where is the opposition party?

[Coastie for Truth]

6. Ed Schultz called it right

"Church" is a hell of lot more then theology or "Thou shalt not" - it is short hand for Rotary and Kiwanis and Little League and community and the neighborhood chats in the church parking lot after services.

And that's where we Dems are losing big.

[Dhalgren]

7. The Politics of Ignorance. We are divided in this country

between people who are grown-ups in the real world and those who willfully remain children and wish to be lied to about a fantasy land that never was. And now we are being told that we have to lower ourselves to catering to these willful "Peter Pans" or risk losing our country to charlatans who have no problem exacerbating the idiocy of these unrealistic, self-regressed children...There is no hope for this country...

[KoKo]

8. When Democrats start talking about the Immorality of Corporate Greed,

the Mergers and Downsizings that only benefit the CEO's Salaries and the Venture Capitalists who make the deals, CFO's Cooking the Books, Pension Fund Robbing, Lobbyists who run wild in DC stealing taxpayers dollars, etc..and tie this into the Republican Party's power we won't have to worry about Stan Greenberg's focus groups.

If Democrats would talk about the Immoralty of the the Iraq Invasion and the "middle American" lives that have been affected by the death, maiming and mental disturbances, the Halliburton's and Private Contractors who fed our soldiers out of date food, and didn't provide proper armament, who ripped off our taxpayers money and the Iraqi's own economy to further Bush's popularity.

Talk about Immorality. If Democrats would frame the Immorality and Culture War properly we would win, win, win. Instead we allow columinists like Dan Balz and pollsters like Greenberg and the DLC to define what Democrats are. :puke:

[cssmall]

10. It is back to the base emotional response.

We, as Democrats, want queers to marry, babies to be killed, religion to be outlawed and the family unit to be outlawed as well.

We know that we don't want this, of course, and the best way to handle this is to go through the issues one by one with every conseravtive we meet.

Herein this the second way to handle this, quietly go to church on Sundays near the voting seasons and watch for how the ministers educate their flock on voting. In Sprindale, a great pastor up here said to "vote God" in front of a picture of Bush. If they do that, then get the paperwork to file a complaint against the church for violation of separation of church and state. A lesson must be taught to rogue ministers that sprout forth their political dogma.