Do Democrats really understand what it takes to win a Presidential election?

Question

35% of the people who vote won't vote for a Democrat. 35% of the people who vote won't vote for a Republican. It's the 30 % like myself that actually determine who's running the country. And WE vote for the one we like the best even if we don't like him/her. Because we don't like the other guy more.

Give us a Democrat who we like more than anyone else and we'll vote for him/her. I can't speak for anyone else. But for me the slogan,"Vote for me I'm not a Republican" doesn't trip my trigger. How many agree with me? I want complete ideas--Not sound bites like stop outsourcing jobs, tax the wealthy, mend the fences with foreign countries and other blips.

Answer 1

You raise a very good point. Part of the problem, IMHO, is that the Dems attempt to embrace a wider spectrum of the population than the Reps do (these days). Its hard to streamline so many interests.

Part of the problem is that hard core elements dominate either party, which make them less appealing to "moderates." This is reflected in the mistaken rhetoric that one is either a conservative or a liberal. I have views that some consider "liberal," but support the death penalty and own several firearms, for instance.

In the last election, the Democrats ran a Liberal senator from a Liberal state against a moron with whom enough red-necks and Bible thumpers connected to eke out a win. Bush could have been defeated. All the Dems needed was a candidate who actually came out and stood for something. I wanted to like Kerry, but he lacked charisma and he seemed to say whatever he thought was politically advantageous. Unfortunately, the neo-fascists, um, neo-cons, were able to seize on that indecisiveness as what the country doesn't need in a time of "war" (of Bushie's own making). Result: the guy who actually fought in a war was deemed a weakling/coward/liar; while the coke-snorting deserter was "The War President" (again, in a war of his own making). That the Democratic Party has allowed itself to be portrayed as God-less and soft on "terrorism" and national defense is a flat-out disgrace. They deserved to lose because they lacked the guts to run a candidate with strong convictions and a voting record to back them.

Right now, Obama looks like a candidate who could appeal to a broad spectrum of our increasingly diverse population. But, unless the DemoCommunist extremists drop their efforts to disarm the populace (and thereby rendering us defenseless against enemies from within and without), and to make us a socialist nation by lavishing benefits upon everyone it'll be hard to vote for one.

Answer 2

I agree completely. That 70% of America that votes strictly on the (d) or (r) after a persons name are lying to themselves. There aren't 2 parties in America anymore. We have Republicans and Republican-Lights, all the corruption with half the guilt. Both still leave that nasty aftertaste in your mouth.

It seems our choice the last 2 elections has been "which one will hurt America least". We deserve better, and I will continue to vote against all of the above until we get it.

I voted for Nader in 2000 and Wes Clark in 2004. Clark was a Democrat and, if he had won the nomination, I feel the world would be a much better place.

Edit: very well put, Jackson.

Answer 3

I think CERTAIN people know how to win, regardless of party. Remember, Gore beat Bush the first time around and Bush barely beat Kerry the second. So, of the last 4 presidential elections, the people have only voted Republican once, and then only by a very slim margin.

Kerry did not know how to combat the spin the Republicans put on him early. I saw some early Kerry clips and he said EXACTLY the same thing on the war then as he did when he was running. No flip-flopping. They spun him BAD and it worked.

It will take a person of real brains, character, sex appeal and a flawless past to win for either party. Good luck to them. Those are the kind of people who won't run for office.

Answer 4

You are absolutely right, Democrats are the worst at marketing a candidate (or in my opinion even coming up with viable ones...)

Although, the Republicans did a crappy job of marketing Bob Dole during his run too.

Seems both parties just put up the one who is supported by the extreme and say - You CAN'T vote for the other person, they want the opposite of what we do.

BUT with a two party system that was never intended to be just a two party system, we are not going to get the best candidates out there who COULD do as you suggest, we'll continue to get the most powerful from each side.

Answer 5

I would vote for a Democrat who I thought would do a good job and I would do the same for a Republican. The most recent Democrat candidates in my opinion were hopeless. Al Gore was "re-inventing" himself every other polling cycle and I don't know what John Kerry actually believes about anything. I don't think he does either.
I voted for Bush in 2000 because of the Gore factor and in 2004 because he is doing what he (and most Americans) believe are the right things regarding the Islamo-fascists.

Answer 6

I think you will and soon. However, a lot of independents lean to Democrats or Republicans and will run under that party flag. So, hopefully you will see a moderation in politics where the old hard liners will move out of the way and let the moderates take over. Then the gridlock will end because independents tend to agree on more issues than party hard liners. I don't think you will see an independent win in a separate independent party.

Answer 7

A lot of the 30% are quite moderate. Clinton was a moderate and he won. Kerry definitely was not and he lost. The middle would rather vote for a moderate to slightly conservative republican then a left leaning democrat. That is what the pollsters tell us anyway.

Answer 8

I think the Democrats have a terrible campaign strategy!! Who cares if not every single person in the country likes your idea. At least have an idea for god's sake. All they do is bash the opponent's stance on everything. If they can clean it up and turn it around, of course they'll win elections!!

Answer 9

Rebublicans Cheat!
Cheating Comes Naturally to Republicans
Whenever Republican politicians find themselves in trouble, their automatic knee-jerk reaction is to blame Democrats. If there is nothing to blame Democrats for, they merely make something up - they lie. This is exactly what the Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman, following the lead of his boss George W. Bush, has done and is doing. He is placing the blame of the mean and punitive House immigration bill on the Democrats, when he knows that it is an outrageous lie.
"To be anti- George Bush is to be pro-American,"

I think he's dangerous, and he has to be stopped."

U.S. Troops Killed in Iraq Tops 2,400

Answer 10

You betcha! Look at it from this point of view for a 2nd dude. Bush is a republican as you know and republicans have been screwing this country up for over a hundered years. So don't you think its time for a change. I do.