What states can we turn blue?

[KingFlorez]

I'd say Ohio and Florida, but there is so much manipulation there, I wouldn't want to count on them to vote Democratic. Which states do you think we can turn blue?

[JDPriestly]

1. Let's turn blue states bluer first.

California could be almost 100% blue if we work at it. Then there is Nevada. What about Clinton's Arkansas? Why isn't it 100% blue? How about getting Grassley out in Iowa?

[rpannier]

5. Grassley's too big a long shot

I have family and friends who live in Iowa -- many are Democrats and many vote Grassley. He's apparantly good for the state. Just like some of the Republican one's vote for Harkin. Grassley's seat may be winnable, but, I think the money would be better spent in other races.

[IowaGuy]

16. Grassley is a tuff one in IA....

would like to see it done, however he's got a big war chest and a strong repug base on the west side of the state and rural areas. Will still work against him, and not concede anything, but a realistic assesment tells you its a long shot. Probably got a better shot at some of the representatives....King has really made an ass out of himself lately...he's a west side repug, but he's even got a little out there on the edge for many of them.

Leach, the one moderate repug in the state is really vulnerable. Good chance he may get flipped.

Am worried about the status of our lone Dem rep - Boswell, has health issues - not a bad guy, but doesn't seem to be a real inspirational candidate...will probably pull it out, but it will probably be close.

Turning blue states bluer is admirable, but we need add'l representation and party building across the country. Playing on only part of the field and conceding anything anywhere handicaps us and keeps the margin of error really thin in electoral college politics...

[rpannier]

2. Probably New Mexico and Colorado

I think those are our best chances. Then Iowa. I think those three are better than Ohio or Florida.

[Warpy]

31. New Mexico is a Dem state

The only way that thing in the White House thinks he won this state is by subtracting the votes of 17,000 of us from the national election (but inexplicably not subtracting us from the judge races, which Democrats swept).

Colorado may follow us. Trust me, people here are PISSED. We know damned full well we got robbed, and that DLC prick Richardson sold us out, too.

[RagingInMiami]

33. I used to live in New Mexico

And you have to respect a state that had a repubican governor that wanted to legalize marijuana.

[NEOBuckeye]

3. Eliminate Blackwell and Diebold

And Ohio's true color will shine through.

[AndyTiedye]

19. Our Last, Best Chance to Restore Democracy in Ohio Failed Last Month

Under the most extremely suspicious of circumstances, with up
to 30% of the vote being flipped by Blackwell and his minions.
And he got away with it.
That says it all for Ohio for '06 and '08 at least.

Florida is even worse.

[Taverner]

4. I think Florida ain't going to happen until Jeb is replaced with a Dem

But Texas...I have a strange feeling about...seriously...

[KingFlorez]

6. Jeb is done

In 2006 Florida elects a brand new governor and I think Democrat Jim Davis is doing well.

I think Texas isn't as red as it seems

[MarianJack]

7. My 2 Cents!

We can get Iowa, New Mexico, Nevada and West Virginia back.

We can turn Colorado, Missouri and Arizona.

Ohio voted for Bill Clinton twice and Florida once. Exit polls looked good for JK also and we know that Florida voted for Gore. Gettable, but some dishonesty has to be corrected first.

I also wouldn't do the total write off of all southern states. Some may be doable.

[KingFlorez]

11. Some southern states are doable

Louisiana and Arkansas are the best places to try and turn blue

[Warpy]

32. Don't forget NC

They got hammered by Stupid's economic policies, especially the escalation of offshoring that idled the few mills still left. There are now no textile mills left that I know of and damned few furniture plants, they all went to China.

Electing wingnuts to piss off the Yankees is looking a whole lot less attractive.

[proud patriot]

8. AZ

[sandrakae]

9. All the states Bush barely won. See link below

http://www.electoral-vote.com/

[LSK]

10. Howard Dean is trying to turn them all

Inspite of Malloys efforts to undercut him.

[demodonkey]

12. None, if you don't have fair elections & Voter-Verified Paper Ballots! n/t

[Jamastiene]

13. I agree on Ohio and Florida.

I like your way of thinking. Now, we are talking strategy here. I would add Missouri and Arkansas and Nevada to the list.

I don't have any real reason for believing those are any more likely, but it would fit with a "pattern" I have been picturing in my mind since seeing the red/blue map.

It is a "connnect the dots" strategy. Look at what blocks of states are already blue and where the closest other blue states are and connect the dots to create a larger block of blue states.

If we can connect the dots, we can build a stronger "community" of progressive ideals in American eventually. It would take a long time possibly, but it may work.

[MarianJack]

18. Not Only Connecting the Dots,...

...but stop letting th right get away with the bullshit notion that geographically huge states with tiny populations going red and small atates with big populations going blue indicated that the "vast majority" of the country is red.

[Jamastiene]

34. I know. It really is time to seriously adjust this whole electoral

college idea so that it better represents the majority of the country.

[Selatius]

14. MISSISSIPPI and LOUISIANA

You've got a Republican governor in this state before Katrina who had an approval rating in the 30s. You've got Bush's FEMA pretty much giving poor folks of Mississippi shit for help. They tried to boot off 50,000+ off of the state's Medicare rolls, most of them the elderly here in Mississippi. You've got a Republican Congress increasing spending on war, yet they are cutting spending on things such as student loan programs and health care programs, programs that help the poorest the most, and believe me, this state is poor. You want to win here or win anywhere in the heartland?

Try economic populism.

[WilliamPitt]

15. Ohio, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, West Virginia

are in play.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

17. 50 State Plan. Fucking All Of Them

Keep The Faith!

[MarianJack]

21. Like Dean is Doing!

50 states 1 or 2 at a time!

[IowaGuy]

24. reminds me of an old story....

young bull and old bull are walking across a meadow. They come over a rise and see in the valley below them 100 cows grazing. Young bull gets excited and starts jumpin' around...says to the old bull..."Come on, come on, hurry up, let's run down there and fuck a couple of those cows".

Old bull, says, "Calm down son...let's just walk down there and fuck 'em all."

[AndyTiedye]

29. There is NO 50 State Plan Without FIGHTING THE FRAUD

As long as Blackwell and Jebbie can simply and unaccountably alter
the election results at will, we cannot win in Ohio or Florida.

In states like those, we need to focus on the restoration of democracy.

It may even be necessary to impose an economic boycott of the "rigged"
states.

We need to focus our quest for electoral votes and Congressional seats
on the remaining "free" states (those that still have fair elections).
Some of them may be up for grabs.

[LSK]

30. believe me, Dean is WELL AWARE of the fraud

There is a video of him out there demonstrating how easily they did it.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

35. How bout this: You do what you want, I'll do what I want.

I appreciate your intent and drive but not necessarily the tone. I am fully aware about fighting the fraud and the importance of voter verified papor balloting. I did not, however, state anywhere that a 50 state plan means ignoring that vital issue. You can focus on whatever states you want, and others can focus on all 50 if they want, including eradicating unfair election processes in all 50.

Not sure why you picked my post to preach to but I'm sure through the preaching you did mean well.

[seabeyond]

20. colorado, nv, iowa, ohio, nm for sure, i think all these states

were red becuase of theft

[Just Me]

22. Why don't become the Americans we say we are? Fuck "blue/red".

Do you remember when our objective was truth and justice, FOR ALL?

Do you remember when our objective was equal treatment among ALL people?

Do you remember when we ALL embraced radical acts of kindness and compassion?

Do you remember when we advocated contribution to something greater than ourselves?

Do you remember when we believed we were more than mere barbarians, able to create a better environment for both our existence and the rest of life around us.

Do you remember our potential to be better?

[deadparrot]

23. We can take Talent's seat in the Senate in 2006.

With Claire McCaskill (assuming she still runs after her ex-husband's death)...

When 2008 rolls around, if Matt Blunt's approval is as appalling as it is right now, it could depress "red" voter turnout throughout the state.

[BrotherBuzz]

25. Nevada

I understand Nevada has a large population of independent or undeclared voters. They can be won over with the right message.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

26. I'm new to NC...

and what I see in the Triangle is very encouraging. Everyone is from somewhere else and tend to be well educated and progressive. Pretty big international community, primarily Indian. The state has a huge military presence - I keep wondering when they're going to say "enough." I've met just two natives: one refers to Bush as "the idiot" and the other adored him until a few of my big, bad librul neighbors and I got to her (don't think she's to the "idiot" stage yet, but we're working on it...). Throw in parts of Asheville, Charlotte, and Wilmington -- I think it could be done! Maybe not full-on blue, but at least a heavy-on-the-blue purple.

[derby378]

27. Texas

But it'll take a little work and the right Presidential candidate.

[tavalon]

37. Actually

I just made a smart ass comment that said, Texas! Just kidding. But now that I think about it a second time, I realize that even more than being a Republican state, Texas is a state who votes for the home team, no matter how awful or how good. So, yeah, we could turn Texas but short of Lloyd Doggett running, I can't think of anyone that I would want to run from Texas. Oh, wait, there's Hightower. He's a righteous dude.

[Sean C.]

28. About Florida

We spend way too fricking much in Florida and Ohio sometimes seems hopeless at times (though we should definitely take out DeWine and Taft). Even after all the crap Ohio's been through under George Bush, they still went red (And before anyone reminds me of all the irregularities there, I'm just saying that it shouldn't have been that close). I'd still focus on Ohio, but I think we'd be better off spending less on Florida and more on Virginia and West Virginia. Those two states have a lot of potential for us.

Another thing, I live in Michigan and I must say that while Michigan went blue in 2004, it was WAY too close. Democrats have been winning the state since 1992, but we should be slaughtering Republicans in this state. I'm not sure what strategy I'd use to increase the margin here so Democrats can spend more money elsewhere, but Michigan should not be nearly as contentious as it is.

[tavalon]

36. Texas!

Just kidding.

[godai]

38. VIRGINIA! Nominate Warner for President