# The future of the Democratic brand **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 5, 2015, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312 "2015-07-05T13:43:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/81 "2015-07-28T14:18:16Z")
Part of why they push for education, far beyond the need for a stable, reliable employee to fit the needs of our job creators! ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/82 "2015-07-28T14:44:46Z")
College educated voters are more likely to be Republican voters. > **[President Exit Polls](https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2012/results/president/exit-polls.html)** > > Live 2012 Presidential, Senate and House Election Results Plus Democrats don’t try to make education better, they try to throw more money at it. Not the same thing, but it does have the benefit of giving the unions more dues to donate to Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![zoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/71c47a/32.png) [@zoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/83 "2015-07-28T20:42:12Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > College educated voters are more likely to be Republican voters. > > [President Exit Polls - Election 2012 - NYTimes.com](http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/results/president/exit-polls) > > Plus Democrats don’t try to make education better, they try to throw more money at it. Not the same thing, but it does have the benefit of giving the unions more dues to donate to Democrats. We are not “throwing” nearly enough money at education right now. It seems to me that the schools within affluent neighborhoods see pretty good results. What if we funded the schools in the poor neighborhoods at the same level? Also, teachers are some of the lowest paid professionals in our society. If we start paying paying teachers a lot more will we not get better teachers? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/84 "2015-07-28T21:23:04Z")
Probably. Firing half the administrators would go a long way towards improving education. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/85 "2015-07-28T22:33:44Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Probably. Firing half the administrators would go a long way towards improving education. What makes you think there are too many now? ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/86 "2015-07-28T22:34:17Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Its also a strategy that has no future, Goddess willing. I’ll drink to that and drink again and again, Goddess swilling. ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/87 "2015-07-28T22:40:48Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The problem as of right now though is that Democrats are talking about all this stuff in race neutral terms and now Black Lives Matter is demanding that they speak specifically about race. Because they do have one good point: free college and a generous social safety net do not protect them from police brutality. But that’s a fraught issue for Democrats because they have to address the issue without a) being seen as soft on crime and b) making reforms that would make government workers more accountable, which pisses off unions. That’s a seriously impressive collection of talking points in the air all at once, but I’ll be damned if I can follow them to a unified conclusion. If you want to try again, the point to which you replied (I assume, since that’s what you quoted) is that the middle and working classes have suffered at the hands of large corporations. Somehow, an element among the middle class blames this on Democratic policies of equality for being out to get Whitey.😕 Seriously disjointed logic like that cries out for an explanation. If you have one, let’s hear it. > [@adaher](#): > > So your argument is that there’s nothing wrong with Democrats other than white people don’t appreciate them enough? Not even close. Not even on the same planet. Are you going to take this seriously or not? > [@adaher](#): > > If there’s enough of them to cost you enough elections, that changes things. Right, appeal to racists for their votes because power is everything and morals be damned. Is that what you want your party to stand for? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/88 "2015-07-28T23:07:44Z")
Democrats have not only always appealed to racists for votes, but continue to do so to this day, because that’s what a political party does. They appeal to the voters there are, not the voters they wish there were. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/89 "2015-07-28T23:19:01Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Democrats have not only always appealed to racists for votes, but continue to do so to this day, because that’s what a political party does. They appeal to the voters there are, not the voters they wish there were. Cite, please. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/90 "2015-07-28T23:24:50Z")
Supporting increased enforcement and deportations in the immigration reform bill. Supporting anti-crime measures throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Not technically racism, but a sop to haters nonetheless, being against gay marriage until a couple of years ago. Now of course you can say these aren’t examples of racism, but Republicans have been accused of racism for supporting these very things. Is it because those things are racist, or because Republicans actually believe in those things, whereas Democrats just supported them to win elections? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/91 "2015-07-28T23:37:58Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Supporting increased enforcement and deportations in the immigration reform bill. > > Supporting anti-crime measures throughout the 1990s and 2000s. > > Not technically racism, but a sop to haters nonetheless, being against gay marriage until a couple of years ago. > > Now of course you can say these aren’t examples of racism, but Republicans have been accused of racism for supporting these very things. Is it because those things are racist, or because Republicans actually believe in those things, whereas Democrats just supported them to win elections? Actually, those are good cites. I thought you were saying that Democrats were appealing to anti-white racists, or something like that. But if your thesis is “Democrats have also pandered to racists recently, just not nearly as much as Republicans”, then I agree, rather heartily. The Democrats are the worst major party in America except for that other one. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/92 "2015-07-28T23:42:59Z")
Rather than calling it pandering to racists, which devalues the term, I just prefer to call it pandering in general. The last actual pandering to racism was supporting segregation. There hasn’t been an expressly racist plank of a political platform since then. One can call certain policies racist in their effect or even their intent, but all policies since segregation ended also serve other more legitimate purposes. Even an issue like voter ID, where Democrats deny any legitimate purpose, has occasionally been enacted by Democrats from time to time, most recently in Rhode Island, and Democrats have happily voted for federal bills that required voter ID. > **[Help America Vote Act | Voter identification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help_America_Vote_Act#Voter_identification)** > > HAVA requires that first-time voters who registered by mail, and have not previously voted in a federal election in the State, to present a form of identification to the appropriate State or local election official before or on election day. The ID may be either a current and valid photo identification or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter. Voters who submitted any of these forms o... As for Democrats pandering to anti-white racism, I distinguish between hate and fear. Hate is just pure racism. Fear can be racist, but sometimes it’s not. Democrats have clearly been willing to play on the fears of minorities towards the intentions of whites. They are certainly racially charged messages, but probably shouldn’t be called racist. It’s still shady and unproductive though. ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/93 "2015-07-29T02:56:07Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Democrats have not only always appealed to racists for votes, but continue to do so to this day, because that’s what a political party does. They appeal to the voters there are, not the voters they wish there were. Today’s Democratic Party under Obama is pushing an agenda of equality. The white middle class conservatives described by **bump** think they, as whites, are suffering because of that agenda. How would you explain to them that, no, the Dems are actually appealing to them for their votes? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/94 "2015-07-29T11:21:37Z")
An agenda of equality is what Bernie Sanders is preaching. His message is race neutral. That’s why he got in trouble with Black Lives Matter. Color blindness is now racism to a segment of the Democratic Party. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/95 "2015-07-29T12:29:22Z")
You’re truly a force of nature. ---
**Author:** ![inscrutable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a88e4f/32.png) [@inscrutable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inscrutable)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/96 "2015-07-29T13:07:09Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > An agenda of equality is what Bernie Sanders is preaching. His message is race neutral. That’s why he got in trouble with Black Lives Matter. Color blindness is now racism to a segment of the Democratic Party. …and furthering the perception that Democrat = anti-white. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/97 "2015-07-29T13:07:42Z")
Actually, Sanders is popular pretty much only with whites. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/98 "2015-07-29T15:26:50Z")
Oh, all right. What makes you think so? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/99 "2015-07-29T16:24:10Z")
His race neutral message. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312/100 "2015-07-29T16:35:20Z")
BTW, check out that sea of white in Sanders’ southern crowds. [http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-07-29/bernie-sanders-southern-strategy?cmpid=BBD072915\_POL](http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-07-29/bernie-sanders-southern-strategy?cmpid=BBD072915_POL) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-future-of-the-democratic-brand/724312.md?page=6)