How do we pull together for November after the latest punch thrown?

[mmonk]

The administration is safe but how will this affect the races coming up? What can galvanize support, not splinter it off?

[cliffordu]

1. This is not a big deal. It's not a divorce filing.

I am not surprised at the overreaction all over the board.

I don't see anything to splinter off towards......

[EFerrari]

2. And I'm not surprised at the minimizing, either. Par for the course.

[cliffordu]

8. Get over it. Suck it up and walk it off.

Do you really think that Obama is the same as Bush??

[EFerrari]

16. Again with the imperative case.

[cliffordu]

42. So: Gibbs talking about a specific set of idiots and you

take umbrage.

Ah, well. It must be nice to be included in the fauxrage.

[EFerrari]

46. Did you see that today Burton backtracked?

He said that Gibbs was only expressing a personal opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2738JwurMg

Yesterday, Burton told the WaHo that the Admin shared Gibbs' views.

You know, if you don't show up, you can't win. And I frankly don't care what middle school insults you have in your back pocket, my plan is to keep showing up.

[cliffordu]

53. Still, do you see yourself included in his insult?

I want single payer and elimination of 75% of the pentagon and I am not slighted in the least.

[mmonk]

4. What about the people that think their votes or efforts don't matter?

[cliffordu]

6. My vote doesn't mean shit, but I still vote and participate.

Nature of the beast.

[mmonk]

9. I'm not talking about people who will no matter what.

I'm thinking of that swell of support that got us here. Some of them may not show up.

[cliffordu]

10. Those would be the 'independents'

if the left were a real force, Kucinich would have actually been a playa.

THe self importance of some here really astounds.

We are all expendable.

[mmonk]

If we are expendable, then I guess this thread is useless and I should

withdraw it instead of strategizing about pulling us all together.

[MineralMan]

13. Pulling together beats pulling apart all hollow.

The only races where your vote or effort matter are local races this year. National politics is not the issue. You can influence your local elections, though. You can do a great deal. Join others and help Democrats make gains in Congress. That's where we should be pulling together.

[cliffordu]

15. Exactly.

[mmonk]

18. True. Local is what counts.

Just hope people don't lose sight of it.

[MineralMan]

24. Well, I know that my area has a helluva lot of Democrats who are

actively working on GOTV and individual campaign issues. Those are the folks who are making a difference, both in getting the ideas out there and getting the voters out of their recliners and to the polls. The organization for November is already underway. Now that the primaries are done, everyone knows who the candidates are. Now the work begins.

I remember the Al Franken race in 2008. Nobody paid any attention to anything anyone said anywhere but in Minnesota. They voted, based on their own issues and hopes. He barely won, but he won. I'm 100% positive that it was the combined effort of all those who worked hard to get him elected that did the trick.

I wish everyone would learn that lesson and pitch in. Locally. Not by scribbling online. Now, I know I do a lot of that, but I'm semi-retired, so I can. I'm also out wearing out my shoes in my district and, this year, in Michele Bachmann's district. I know what we need to do, and I'll help as much as I can.

[txlibdem]

41. Combined efforts

We need that energy back. But when the administration is busy including Rethug ideas into each and every bill they pass, telling us we're f*king r*tarded and calling us crazy they are pushing away the very people they need in November: the energetic left, the "Professional Left", the progressives. 2010 may turn out to be a harder-fought battle than 2008 yet the administration seems more interested in bailouts for big business and the rich than with enacting legislation and policies that will help us little people.

[county worker]

51. They don't know what they are talking about.

In a close race it matters how many show up to vote. If we have less like in 1994 you will get what we got in 1994. You vote matters. You are not voting in this case for single payer you are voting to keep repubs from making it worse than it is.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

31. Ignorning it isn't going to make it go away

Lots of us are pissed, like I have been saying good luck in the election.

[cliffordu]

43. Best of luck with that. Pouting is sooooo much better....

[Davis_X_Machina]

3. We don't.

The firm discipline, unified vision, single focus, progressive valuse, and message discipline of a real Democratic party is the only thing that will save the country. We can't let little things like having a majority, or governing, distract us.

Because us is who it's all about.

[EFerrari]

5. The only thing that occurs to me is to go around.

To be local. I'm interested to see what other people think.

[mmonk]

7. Yes, this will have to be localized I think.

[EFerrari]

17. But that's only part of it, really.

Because every election is an opportunity to network and grow the party. So, what do we do with that piece? I don't have any ideas.

[mmonk]

20. Damage control I suppose. Make them focus on the local candidate

and their message.

[MineralMan]

12. During mid-term elections, it's all local.

That's where the votes are and that's where the work has to be done. We'll have another opportunity at national politicking in 2012. It's your congress member and senator, if his/her term is up, who matter. President Obama's not running.

It's all so simple.

[EFerrari]

14. No, it's not all local. Democrats support candidates in other venues

all the time here.

[MineralMan]

21. Yes, they do. And donations and the like can help.

But, what happens on forums like this one have virtually zero effect on individual congressional races. What happens in each district matters. Money's good, but chatter is useless, unless it's happening in the district.

Most of what happens here and in other internet forums is just chatter. It's fun and informative, but it will not affect a congressional district race one whit.

Now, if President Obama shows up and campaigns, that can have an effect. If Sarah Palin comes in and gives here kiss of death to a candidate, that will have an effect. But, DU? Nope. No effect whatsoever on any congressional race, and almost none on Senate races. Both are local and voters pay attention to local issues, pretty much.

[EFerrari]

37. I'm sorry, did you misplace your post?

I have no idea why you would be explaining congressional races to me.

[MineralMan]

11. I don't know, but I'll just keep doing what I've been doing

all along, working to get Democrats elected to office.

[WI_DEM]

19. Unless you're somebody who equates Obama with Bush you shouldn't be so up in arms

clearly Gibbs was talking about some extremists who think that Obama is no better than Bush which is laughable. So, it's best to get over it.

[niceypoo]

22. Gibbs is an idiot

He should resign

[stray cat]

25. So you think those who claim Bush and Obama are no different from each other are right

[niceypoo]

27. No, I think that Gibbs made the worst possible statement at the worst possible time

He has become a political liability for Obama and he needs to resign

[Ignis]

48. Strawmanophilia!

[mmonk]

26. Too bad. I am up in arms. That comment was intentionally over the top

to marginalize legitimate complaints for many.

[stray cat]

23. I assume most DUers would be as happy with Palin as president as Obama

at least from they outcry of those claiming Bush and Obama are the same. The fact that I love my children and Cheney loves his children doesn't make me Cheney by most people's standards but for many it seems enough of a correlation for Obama and Bush.

[niceypoo]

28. I suggest you dont play with matches

Strawmen are highly flammable

[Forkboy]

32. I suggest he does play with them...carelessly if possible.

[Desertrose]

49. Heh heh

Forkboy

[moksha]

29. That is the most overplayed, pitiful and ignorant response.

Get new material. That shit is stale and fucking stoopid.

[walldude]

34. So the OP asks how we can get together and you use it as an excuse to bash

the people you claim equate Bush with Obama... Real classy...



For the OP. You want the Dems to win in November? It's easy. You make one ad for every Democrat running and you hammer that ad into the psyche of all America. And the ad says that Republicans voted against giving health care to 9/11 responders so foreign corporations could keep offshore tax havens to avoid paying taxes on business done in America. You play that ad over and over until every American can recite it by heart. Republicans screwed 9/11 first responders for foreign corporate tax breaks. Even Tea Baggers would be hard pressed to argue with that. And you use that point every time a Republican says anything about anything. They bring up the deficit... "How can you talk about the deficit when you wouldn't close the tax loophole to help 9/11 responders"? Jobs... "How can you talk about jobs when you won't protect the people with the JOB of protecting Americans?" Health Care... "How can you talk about health care when you wouldn't give it to 9/11 responders"?

There isn't a Republican issue on the table that couldn't be thrown back in their faces because of this vote. Dems have the election locked if they want it. IF THEY WANT IT.

[mmonk]

40. I agree. Just had an op-ed published this week.

What about those that are hurting and feel they aren't being heard?

[spoony]

39. Aw, you're just not very good at this.

You're either repeating last year's talking points or making up really, really bad new ones. What you need to do is follow one of the others around and +1 them, if you must do something.

[Sebastian Doyle]

44. I assume the DUers who would be happy with Palin as president

would be the same DUers who cannot post a single reply without right wing talking points.

[backscatter712]

30. Suck it up and do it.

Face it. We don't want teabaggers getting elected, so suck it up and do what you have to.

[EFerrari]

38. Imo, that's not the right thing for the long term.

Unless we want to continue to be in an abusive relationship with this White House. The piece about working the local stuff, sure. But that can't be all. People don't appreciate being called crazy, drug addled, retarded, etc. And in my experience, that sh!t doesn't stop until you confront it effectively.

I don't "suck it up" any more. It doesn't work.

[damntexdem]

33. Hmm, here's a suggestion: stop throwing more punches.

Just a thought. No guarantee that it will prove successful. But on the other hand, if the punches keep coming, that WILL guarantee defeat.

[bigtree]

35. most Democrats ARE together

. . . in support of this presidency.

How about we focus our guns on the REAL opposition?

[Nye Bevan]

36. Well, Gibbs needs to go, for starters

and Obama needs to make an effort at conciliation.

If that doesn't happen, then I really don't know.

[LWolf]

45. It sure seems like bad judgement to attack the left wing of the party

during campaign season.

Hopefully, Democratic candidates won't be stepping forward to support the administration's attacks. We can hope there's enough intelligence left for that, right?

[EFerrari]

47. To attack any wing of the party during campaign season.

Unless you think there is a very specific payoff, no?

[LWolf]

50. Yes.

The payoff here seems to be to further distance the administration, and the party, from the left.

Why would that be a payoff?

[EFerrari]

52. Because it's easier to go with the flow

and our politics seem to get more to the right all the time?

At bottom, it must be where the money is going.