You are here...an excellent map of why the Democrats are failing...

[lateo]

Gleaned from this website.

http://outlandishjosh.com/wp/index.php?p=799

As it stands, Democrats are completely out of power in all three dimensions. These dimensions are explained in the 1, 2 and 3 boxes across the top row:

1. Prevalence of Republicans through superior bargaining resources: Pretty obvious. They control the White House and Congress. They have secretaries of state who will mess with the number and quality of voting machines in minority districts for partisan gain. They’re working on the Supreme Court. Nuff said.
2. Construction of barriers against participation of Democrats (through non-decisions, invoking of mobilization of bias): this has some more wonky language here. Basically it means creating impediments to participation by convincing people it’s not worth it, or by mobilizing their biases to misdirect or disenfranchise them. Runs from “soft” voter suppression (misinformation, cynicism, “let them decide” attitude) to the phenomena of people voting against their own interests for “moral” reasons.
3. Influencing or shaping the consciousness of Democrats about inequalities (through myths, information control, ideologies, etc): they’re kicking ass at message, they have a better media machine, they have dominated the conventional wisdom and framed the debate.

So the Democrats are taking a pounding. Their task is to proceed along the bottom row from right to left: formulating issues and strategies, mobilizing on those issues to act upon the barriers, and then moving into open political conflict with competing resources over clearly defined issues. The challenges they must overcome are on the 4, 5, 6 line.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. So (9) is the bottom, huh?

Great. Speaking as a drunk in remission, that means up is the only direction. Which is good.

Now, where is the biggest barrier(s)?

The DNC and DLC. The DNC must be wholly transformed. The DLC must be torn away from influence. Not down. They are still effective as a reminder of what we must guard against, internally. Just away from any of the levers of power and never allowed near them again.

The DNC, on the other hand, needs a good cleaning and fumigating. Those smug, smarmy and clueless boys and girls, numbed by The Nepenthe' of The Beltway, need to be sent packing and get some people in there who are in possession of a clue and have the belly for pitfighting.

[Nordic]

2. that's exactly why we need a new party

The Democratic Party has "led" us right to the lowest place you can go.

Time to fire them. Give them a nice burial plot. Move on.