It seems the Democrats have rolled over and died.  Caput.  Gone.

Brady Bunch wrote:

Trump.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/12/progressive-trump-vote-214534

Interesting article that details some of the issues the Democrats are facing in the future.  So far, I haven't seen any post-election reflection from the Dems, except to blame Russia and fake news.  Let's hope their only strategy for being successful again isn't waiting and hoping for Trump to fail, although something tells me that is exactly what they are going to do.

You should delve into some of the remarks made by Joe Biden. Insightful.
Also only folks on the far fringe are saying that fake news or Russia determined the outcome. These nonetheless are real things that we as a country are going to have to deal with.

On the other hand, I think that you could compare polls over the period immediately before and a few days after FBI director Comey pulled his pre-election stunt, and make an argument that this may have been decisive.

All in all, I would say that Clinton was an uninspiring candidate with a lot of baggage, both real, and manufactured by the right (See House Select committe on Benghazi).
It's also very difficult for a party to get a third term. Everyone focuses on the unique aspects of 2016. But there are parallels to 2008. The GOP was pronounced dead after that one.

Finally, Clinton ran on a resume. Trump had a message. Now I think that his message was appalling, and that he is a carnival barker. Others disagree. But he had a clear, very simple message. He was going to restore of mythical time of unmatched US power in the world, and a more, ahem, traditional set of cultural norms.,,,He's not bringing either back. But, that's a story for another time.

By having that message, he made the race close. And once it's close, who knows what scandals and smears can do?

Last edited by Goose (12/17/2016 1:37 pm)

Brady Bunch wrote:

I was more talking about a post-mortem discussion that the Dems in the below article are looking for, not just peronsal insights from a singular person:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/hillary-clinton-campaign-donors-post-mortem-232715

They really need to determine if they lost solely because Clinton is an uninspiring candidate, who had a ton of baggage and was viewed as a crony Washington insider.  They need to determine if they are going to try and adopt policies that will attract the white working class voters that abandoned them after over the past two decades or if they are going to "give-up" on this group (which I've heard some Dems suggest they do).  

I would say that the democrats lost their economic message with white working class voters.
In the past, they (the dems) had a record to be proud of. But it has been lost on most people.
And the focus was more cultural.

One anecdote ( not sure if it's important) was when President Obama weighed in on the transgender bathroom thing.
Hey, I am a big supporter of LGBT rights. However, I was appalled that the President of the United States would get involved in this. I didn't think it was his job. And I also felt that it played right into the narrative of an over-reaching federal government telling you who your daughter had to change clothes in front of. It hit a lot of hot buttons, and for what? Dumb.

The dems need to reconnect with the working man. They have a wonderful opportunity here. A lot was made of the "Bubble" that elitist democrats live in. Well Trump lives in a gilded bubble. And "real America" is a bubble too. I don't see Trump serving their economic needs. I see him playing big to cultural angst and resentment.

Brady Bunch wrote:

I was more talking about a post-mortem discussion that the Dems in the below article are looking for, not just peronsal insights from a singular person:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/hillary-clinton-campaign-donors-post-mortem-232715

They really need to determine if they lost solely because Clinton is an uninspiring candidate, who had a ton of baggage and was viewed as a crony Washington insider.  They need to determine if they are going to try and adopt policies that will attract the white working class voters that abandoned them after over the past two decades or if they are going to "give-up" on this group (which I've heard some Dems suggest they do).  

Well, Cohen's story won't help the democrats with that decision.

"Statistically, Cohen’s vote makes her an outlier. She is among the 10 percent of liberals, 8 percent of blacks and 42 percent of women who voted for Trump, according to the New York Times exit polling data. She’s not a member of the white working class,"

Truly it is a time in the Party for reflection, and change.
I was disappointed with Pelosi retaining her leadership post.
Not because I dislike her in any way. But, because she is not the agent of change that I think the party needs now.