tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post341632740068610026..comments2023-10-16T07:13:12.123-05:00Comments on A plain blog about politics: New Day Rising (The Case For Democratic Optimism -- Real or Fake)Jonathan Bernsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-14523299132801337142010-11-04T21:29:58.000-05:002010-11-04T21:29:58.000-05:00It is a cruel irony to call anything by a DLC guy ...It is a cruel irony to call anything by a DLC guy a manifesto. Here's the <a href="http://www.openleft.com/diary/20752/thank-you-dick-cheney-for-giving-me-the-proper-words" rel="nofollow">opposite take</a>.<br /><br />Since when did redistricting create many cases of significantly different constituencies? That's a bit vague, of course, but there should be measures of this in the literature, right? I can't see redistricting being a significant factor unless two members end up in the same district.<br /><br />"The rest is up to Democratic elites." Shudder.Norwegian Shooterhttp://norwegianshooter.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-18220317797746143392010-11-04T19:18:19.336-05:002010-11-04T19:18:19.336-05:00"MA Dems could have fielded a stronger candid..."MA Dems could have fielded a stronger candidate, but she was the only woman in a field of men and got the nomination through identity voting."<br /><br />Prove that assertion. Coakley was also the sitting AG- which means she'd won statewide before. Thus, it's just as likely that she ran a better campaign than her primary rivals, and that primary voters expected her to run a good campaign in the general. Moreover, AGs are generally popular politicians (indeed, even after her Senate debacle, Coakley won re-election Tuesday), so Dems may have expected her to run well. They certainly had no way of predicting that she'd refuse to shake hands and insult Curt Shilling. I mean, I'm sure being a woman didn't hurt her, but there were plenty of other reasons to nominate her.<br /><br />"Meeks strikes me as the kind of bumbler who can win elections in a Congressional district, but lacks the broad appeal required for statewide election."<br /><br />Perhaps that's true, but it doesn't mean he was nominated because he was black. Actually, he was nominated 'cause he was the only Dem of any stature to step forward. And even then, half the party spent the campaign courting the old white guy. Meanwhile, the Republicans are going head-over-heels for THEIR candidate in that race because, in their own words, he's the "Latino Obama". So much for identity politics.Colbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14262426400735202537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-70448480004847496992010-11-04T16:56:39.051-05:002010-11-04T16:56:39.051-05:00Don't confuse diversity with quality. Or with ...Don't confuse diversity with quality. Or with strength.<br /><br />Martha Coakley was a weak candidate who ran an incompetent campaign. MA Dems could have fielded a stronger candidate, but she was the only woman in a field of men and got the nomination through identity voting. Most Dems see nothing wrong with that, the results of the election notwithstanding, which is one of the weaknesses of the party. Had MA Dems nominated a strong candidate who ran an aggressive campaign, Scott Brown would not be senator.<br /><br />Meeks strikes me as the kind of bumbler who can win elections in a Congressional district, but lacks the broad appeal required for statewide election. Whether any Democrat could have won in Florida is problematic, but I was not impressed with Meeks, who was no Bob Graham or Lawton Chiles.<br /><br />Identity politics weakens political systems and parties because it subordinates merit to identity.James Connerhttp://www.flatheadmemo.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-7193264878421722082010-11-04T16:49:38.522-05:002010-11-04T16:49:38.522-05:00It helps that I live in California, but I really d...It helps that I live in California, but I really don't feel like Tuesday was that big a deal. Nothing controversial was going to pass this session anyway. Obama did his policy heavy lifting; now he goes into campaign mode. I certainly won't claim that a GOP House makes anything 'better' for him, but does it really make things much worse?<br /><br />And Obama seems to me in much better shape that Bill Clinton was after 1994. Clinton had already flamed out on his legislative agenda with his own party, and looked like Jimmy Carter minus the Sunday School part. Obama got his agenda through, and though Dems took a pasting, he can basically say he had political capital and used it.<br /><br />If the economy still is in the dumps, Dems will be in a world of hurt, but Americans will probably start spending again, because we don't do austerity.Rickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16932015378213238346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-41188680934508403352010-11-04T16:17:30.387-05:002010-11-04T16:17:30.387-05:00@Jonathan,
My comment goes to marketing. I agree w...@Jonathan,<br />My comment goes to marketing. I agree with you entirely that the Dems have the edge in quality and good ideas. I think that most of them would greatly benefit from grooming and media training early on, though.<br /><br />And, I'm with @Matt Jarvis. There were times during the Cheney Administration where I had my doubts, but here we are. I'm optimistic too.Jamesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-43741589384924516592010-11-04T15:10:59.353-05:002010-11-04T15:10:59.353-05:00Here is why I'm optimistic: the Republican Par...Here is why I'm optimistic: the Republican Party had control of Congress for 12 years, and the presidency for 8 years. America is still here. The economy may be bad, but I'd take my chances in the US over my chances in 90% of the world any day. Federalism will protect those of us out here on the Left Coast from some of the stupidity. Seperated institutions sharing powers. <br /><br />Yes, I'm a junkie and I think government is important. I think the Republicans represent a real opportunity cost. But, the world will go on.<br /><br />Oh, and I have some hope that Tea Party nuttiness will return the good guys to power soon enough. Just about the only silver lining I can see. But, it is just a cloud. Life goes on.Matt Jarvisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-48440923033311486762010-11-04T14:51:15.058-05:002010-11-04T14:51:15.058-05:00James C. and James,
I disagree pretty strongly wi...James C. and James,<br /><br />I disagree pretty strongly with this. The Dems have several advantages in candidate quality, whether it's because liberals tend to be more interested in government in general, or because the GOP is mostly only interested in candidates from a fairly small fraction of the population (OK, I'm exaggerating there, but it's an asset, not a liability, that Democrats are aggressive in diversity in their candidate fields). <br /><br />Anon,<br /><br />I know nothing at all about local politics in FL, but there are lots of places around the country where the formal party organization is a joke, but informal party networks are strong and effective -- anyone who is really interested in that should read Seth Masket's book, which is excellent.Jonathan Bernsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-64779911576720705832010-11-04T14:44:48.806-05:002010-11-04T14:44:48.806-05:00The Democratic Party of Pinellas County Florida ha...The Democratic Party of Pinellas County Florida has been disfunctional for 30 years. This area (Tampa Bay) has had 50% democratic registration for years, and yet the party itself is very weak. This is one example where the local party structure needs to be torn up and rebuilt with a new structure that can recruit and train future canditates.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-60299086290239685272010-11-04T14:32:21.969-05:002010-11-04T14:32:21.969-05:00James Connor is right. One thing the right does is...James Connor is right. One thing the right does is go out across the country and recruit these ex-beauty queens and jocks, give them lots of monetary and other support, media training, on camera experience, wardrobe consultations (and probably a credit card), give their spouses and kids jobs doing whatever, train them in messaging, the whole nine yards. They don't mess around. That's how the Quitta from Wasilla was foisted upon the nation. The Dems need a development program like that.Jamesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-36757202554117944622010-11-04T13:58:36.971-05:002010-11-04T13:58:36.971-05:00Democrats will have to do better than Martha Coakl...Democrats will have to do better than Martha Coakley and Kendrick Meeks. That won't be easy given the party's proclivities for political correctness and identity politics. And good candidates will need clear and convincing messages, not the generic vagaries of which the party is so fond.James Connerhttp://www.flatheadmemo.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-80177073744611076032010-11-04T12:49:12.955-05:002010-11-04T12:49:12.955-05:00That's pretty amazing about OFA -- it's al...That's pretty amazing about OFA -- it's also the second (at least) OFA screwup story I've heard. FWIW. <br /><br />As far the question (and what's with all the thread hijackers this week?), well, there are young people, of course, everywhere, even districts that are on average older. <br /><br />For those who are interested in explanations for what happened, especially focusing on voter behavior, I recommend heading over to the Monkey Cage; John Sides is much more expert on that sort of thing than I am, and they've had some good guest posts, too.Jonathan Bernsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-85480202651309996982010-11-04T12:46:51.570-05:002010-11-04T12:46:51.570-05:00I'm less bothered by the results than I though...I'm less bothered by the results than I thought I'd be, for a couple of reasons. The Democrats still hold the Senate and the White House, which severely limits what the House will be able to do. If they want to overturn health care, the GOP needs to somehow find Senators who voted for it in the first place who will now switch votes, plus they'd need to override a veto. That's not going to happen. <br /><br />And the new GOPers don't seem to have any idea what to do with the power they do have. One Congressman came out today with the bold idea to eliminate the newly passed Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Really? Has there been some outcry against this? Could there be any clearer sign that the Republicans are the big banks' best friend?<br /><br />Basically, I don't expect this Congress to be able to accomplish anything more substantive than recognizing National Radish Week. And that's not all bad.Tom Nawrockihttp://www.debris-slide.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-61167044093231133652010-11-04T12:36:59.929-05:002010-11-04T12:36:59.929-05:00I know this isn't question time, but I have on...I know this isn't question time, but I have one anyway:<br /><br />Many people have blamed the results this year on the poor turnout among young people and, to a lesser extent, minorities. But, when I look at the districts that flipped, almost all of them are rural and disproportionately old and white.<br /><br />So, are there specific districts where a youth/minority vote would make a difference? Or does excitement among the young/minority groups wear off on rural districts (e.g., does voter enthusiasm by urban 20-somethings encourage their suburban parents to vote for Democrats)?<br /><br />Also, I'm astonished that I never received a single email from OFA/DNC asking me to go to a neighboring state (in my case, Pennsylvania) to help elect Democrats to the Senate. I went to PA four or five times in 2008, and would have gone again if the DNC had arranged transportation, or even asked me to go. But, instead all the emails asked me to vote Democratic in Maryland (which was never in real danger of turning Republican) or give money, neither of which seemed very worthwhile.Louisnoreply@blogger.com