# Are Dems losing people to the "Walk Away" movement? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 27, 2018, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354 "2018-08-27T13:44:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/21 "2018-10-07T07:35:20Z")
Too early to tell. I trust few sources on this, the ones who call it a myth and the ones that call it a legitimate movement. I’m reminded of, I think it was Van Jones, who said if 1 in 20 black Dems change sides or withdraw support for the Dems then the Dems are in serious political trouble. Well, in 2016 something like 1 in 20 blacks withdrew their support for the Dems. Was this a one off or is it a continuous process? If it’s a continuing process amongst blacks then it has serious political consequences. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/22 "2018-10-07T11:42:29Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I heard they lost some girl named Renee to the movement. They didn’t even bother to follow her back home. She’s not to blame. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Monocracy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monocracy/32/4493_2.png) [@Monocracy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monocracy)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/23 "2018-10-07T14:08:00Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > Well, in 2016 something like 1 in 20 blacks withdrew their support for the Dems. In 2016, the Republican candidate got the smallest percentage of the black vote since 1964, excluding the elections where the Democratic candidate was black. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/24 "2018-10-07T16:54:37Z")
It’s talked about on conservative sites, but the whole thing has an astroturf feel to me. It could catch on even so; I think it might make some people a little more comfortable coming out in opposition to things they don’t agree with but go along with because they don’t want to be viewed as bad people. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/25 "2018-10-07T16:57:44Z")
I know no one who was liberal/democrat and has changed their stance. If anything, they’re more committed. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/26 "2018-10-07T19:03:18Z")
> [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > It’s talked about on conservative sites, but the whole thing has an astroturf feel to me. It could catch on even so; I think it might make some people a little more comfortable coming out in opposition to things they don’t agree with but go along with because they don’t want to be viewed as bad people. It is entirely, 100% astroturf. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/27 "2018-10-07T19:06:09Z")
Someone here came up with the term “cosmoturf”-astroturf with a russian origin. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/28 "2018-10-07T19:14:04Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Someone here came up with the term “cosmoturf”-astroturf with a russian origin. Nice. Some cite: [https://www.themaven.net/beingliberal/room/walkaway-a-grassroots-movement-nope-it-s-more-like-astroturf-made-in-russia-IMYvOe1soEeP57dkrLc\_mw/](https://www.themaven.net/beingliberal/room/walkaway-a-grassroots-movement-nope-it-s-more-like-astroturf-made-in-russia-IMYvOe1soEeP57dkrLc_mw/) _Democrats aren’t walking away. Trump trolls and Russian bots just want you to think they are._ [https://arcdigital.media/pro-trump-russian-linked-twitter-accounts-are-posing-as-ex-democrats-in-new-astroturfed-movement-20359c1906d3](https://arcdigital.media/pro-trump-russian-linked-twitter-accounts-are-posing-as-ex-democrats-in-new-astroturfed-movement-20359c1906d3) _Pro-Trump & Russian-Linked Twitter Accounts Are Posing As Ex-Democrats In New Astroturfed Movement_ ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/29 "2018-10-07T20:22:01Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It is entirely, 100% astroturf. It would not surprise me if it was. I don’t really think 100% of the astroturfing is Russians - it just seems to be more domestic style right wing astroturfing in my opinion. The video of the converted to Republican hairdresser just has too much of an inspirational Christ Is Your Savior style to it. I could be wrong though, I have not really done a lot of research on Russian style astroturf (not to my knowledge anyway). ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/30 "2018-10-07T20:40:09Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > It’s also standard projection. They’ve got people running, not walking away, so they come up with this. Yes. The impulse to project their own problems onto Democrats is fueled by continuing defections from the GOP such as that of conservative pundit and U.S. Naval War College professor Tom Nichols: > [@](#): > > Tom Nichols‏ Verified account @RadioFreeTom > > You’re not surprised, I know, but here it is. | “The Republican Party…is now the party of situational ethics and moral relativism in the name of winning at all costs.” @RadioFreeTom explains why he’s leaving the GOP: > 11:12 AM - 7 Oct 2018 > 713 replies2,334 retweets5,626 likes (pinned tweet at top of [https://twitter.com/RadioFreeTom](https://twitter.com/RadioFreeTom) Also, cosmoturf. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/31 "2018-10-08T10:06:49Z")
> [@Monocracy](#): > > In 2016, the Republican candidate got the smallest percentage of the black vote since 1964, excluding the elections where the Democratic candidate was black. This has little to do with ‘withdrawing support’ from Democrats. Relatively few voters go straight from one party to the other. There is invariably a time of disaffection for the party you would normally vote for before changing vote to the ‘opposition party’. Anyone saying #walkaway is definitely a thing or not are just guessing. 2016 was meant to be the election that saw the Death Knell for traditional white, male America. It turns out THAT was complete hogwash. Everyone, including political scientists and pollsters, are mostly talking out their ass when predicting future voting patterns to any meaningful degree. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/32 "2018-10-08T16:40:49Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > This has little to do with ‘withdrawing support’ from Democrats. Relatively few voters go straight from one party to the other. There is invariably a time of disaffection for the party you would normally vote for before changing vote to the ‘opposition party’. Anyone saying #walkaway is definitely a thing or not are just guessing. > > 2016 was meant to be the election that saw the Death Knell for traditional white, male America. It turns out THAT was complete hogwash. Everyone, including political scientists and pollsters, are mostly talking out their ass when predicting future voting patterns to any meaningful degree. Where’s Hari Seldon when you need him? ---
**Author:** ![Monocracy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monocracy/32/4493_2.png) [@Monocracy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monocracy)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/33 "2018-10-08T17:36:13Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > This has little to do with ‘withdrawing support’ from Democrats. Yes, you’re right. But your numbers (1 in 20 blacks withdrew their support in 2016) also have little to do with it. You’re comparing an election with a black candidate to an election with a white candidate. Of course support is going to drop. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/34 "2018-10-08T17:59:24Z")
> [@Monocracy](#): > > Yes, you’re right. But your numbers (1 in 20 blacks withdrew their support in 2016) also have little to do with it. You’re comparing an election with a black candidate to an election with a white candidate. Of course support is going to drop. Which is why I said its too early to tell if #WalkAway is a thing or not. Since I admitted this from the offset I think your time would be better spent pulling up others on here who are adamant they know it is not a legitimate movement. After 1960 the Irish-American vote ceased to be a significant electoral block in Presidential elections. Only time will tell whether a similar process is happening with African-Americans after Obama’s Presidency. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/35 "2018-10-08T18:05:47Z")
The only Democrats I’ve heard of doing anything resembling “walkway” is to look into parties that are **more** liberal. I think it was on this forum or some poster on FB who noted that alleged ‘converts’ from liberalism could only speak of their former experience with liberalism as if it were the conservative parody of liberalism, which made their conversion suspect. Sorta like folks who say “I was a skeptic until I saw Magic Healing Powder ™ in action…”. No, they weren’t a skeptic. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/36 "2018-10-08T18:43:16Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > Which is why I said its too early to tell if #WalkAway is a thing or not. . It’s not. We have cites, and everything. Of course, some people move to other parties. But the “Walk Away” thing is entirely, 100% bogus crap. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/37 "2018-10-08T19:14:06Z")
…It’s not hard, not far to reach, we can hitch a ride to Walkaway Beach… ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/38 "2018-10-08T21:06:15Z")
What about Walk, Walk, Walk, Walk, Walkaway High Schooooool…? ---
**Author:** ![sfriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@sfriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sfriver)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/39 "2018-10-09T02:24:48Z")
Neither of your sources can be considered fact. The second source (the one I spent an hour checking up on) references all their information from a group that tracks “600 accounts” and their #hashtags. They won’t disclose what Russian trolls they are monitoring. You just have to take their data as fact and they offer no way to check it yourself. Instead of outing the ‘Russians’ they keep them secret so only they can tell you what the Russians are tweeting… Funny all the top hashtags are all relevant to any current political discussion. You are being led by fake news. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354/40 "2018-10-09T02:25:46Z")
> [@sfriver](#): > > Neither of your sources can be considered fact. The second source (the one I spent an hour checking up on) references all their information from a group that tracks “600 accounts” and their #hashtags. They won’t disclose what Russian trolls they are monitoring. You just have to take their data as fact and they offer no way to check it yourself. Instead of outing the ‘Russians’ they keep them secret so only they can tell you what the Russians are tweeting… Funny all the top hashtags are all relevant to any current political discussion. > > You are being led by fake news. hahahahahahah - it is to laugh. _I_ am being led by fake news…:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-dems-losing-people-to-the-walk-away-movement/820354.md?page=3)