# Will Democrats figure out and fix why they're losing locally? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 11, 2013, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948 "2013-08-11T18:06:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/61 "2013-08-12T18:16:25Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > But how would you feel if a candidate ran as a leftist, and won, and remained a leftist after the election? Well, I’d at least feel he or she had been honest. And I’d feel the same way about a conservative candidate who had run as a conservative. But I wouldn’t by choice vote for either of them. Who would I vote for if an open conservative was running against an open liberal? I don’t know. I might sit that election out or vote for a third party candidate (which works out to the same thing). If everything else were equal and I had to vote for one of the two, I suppose I’d vote for the liberal on the theory that the large number of conservatives already in office would mute him out while the conservative candidate would find common cause and be more able to put his ideas into effect. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/62 "2013-08-12T18:24:46Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The real issue is that the Democrats’ dysfunctional governing model has barred them from office everywhere except the big cities and states where the big cities are a dominant part of the political culture. The overwhelming majority of people in the United States live in those cities and states [cite](http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/census_issues/archives/metropolitan_planning/cps2k.cfm). So the Democratic party is representing Americans. The Republican party meanwhile is representing “Real Americans”. They’re trying to sell the idea that only a small minority of people in this country matter and the country should be run for them and not the actual majority of Americans. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/63 "2013-08-12T18:48:34Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > That strategy worked for a friend of mine, who was the first Dem elected to a certain local office in 30 years. My friend faced a late smear campaign from the State-level GoP, but it was too little, too late. I’m getting awfully sick and tired of the circle jerk liberals on this Board constantly bashing the outnumbered but conscientious conservatives! {What? Who is? Really? Then never mind…} 😃 ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/64 "2013-08-12T20:20:05Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > BS. Good eye. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/65 "2013-08-12T20:44:10Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Good eye. He can’t afford the surgery to fix the other one. ---
**Author:** ![Conservian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@Conservian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conservian)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/66 "2013-08-12T21:21:52Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > When was the last time they ran to the left? > > “W” was a big government politician and big spender of OPs money. > > " Liberal Rockefeller Republicans are a thing of the distant past." > Nonsense. They’re more commonly known as ‘establishment repubs.’ - Same product, different packaging. > > "I presume by “Republicans” you here mean pols, not voters. Presumably the latter have some core principles, or why vote for any party consistently? " Washington had the right notion about ‘party loyalty’ in his farewell address to the country. ---
**Author:** ![Conservian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@Conservian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conservian)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/67 "2013-08-12T21:40:35Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Well, Karl Rove and even Glenn Beck appear to have learned a lot more from Alinsky then Dems or liberals or progressives have. Karl Rove is closer to being a liberal than a conservative. But an Alinskyite? Nah. You’d have to procure a national list of community organizers to find all those minions. As for Glen Beck, I believe it was he who was responsible for outing all the Alinskyite/commie ideologues that were/are involved with this current admin. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/68 "2013-08-12T21:45:00Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Exactly which party was it that took record budget surpluses and decided to go on a spending spree with two unnecessary wars and gave out a tax cut aimed at enriching the rich? And that’s why the Democrats are winning the White House. You can thank Bill Clinton for that, although Obama’s trying hard to piss on his accomplishments. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/69 "2013-08-12T21:46:36Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > It’s more than that, apparently they don’t **want** to, not any more. Consciously or unconsciously, they appear to have internalized the “Drown it in a bathtub” meme. There’s a lot of truth to that. It’s not a universal opinion among Republicans, but part of being more conservative has been a disinterest in making big government work. But if you don’t govern well, you don’t get elected. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/70 "2013-08-12T21:48:25Z")
I guess adaher does not know that we are out of Iraq and leaving Afghanistan soon. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/71 "2013-08-12T21:49:17Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Well, I’d at least feel he or she had been honest. And I’d feel the same way about a conservative candidate who had run as a conservative. But I wouldn’t by choice vote for either of them. > > Who would I vote for if an open conservative was running against an open liberal? I don’t know. I might sit that election out or vote for a third party candidate (which works out to the same thing). If everything else were equal and I had to vote for one of the two, I suppose I’d vote for the liberal on the theory that the large number of conservatives already in office would mute him out while the conservative candidate would find common cause and be more able to put his ideas into effect. 😕 You seem to be saying that no matter what happens, you want gridlock/deadlock. Damn, it’s about time the U.S. went parliamentary! A parliamentary system is almost **never** deadlocked! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/72 "2013-08-12T21:51:57Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > And that’s why the Democrats are winning the White House. You can thank Bill Clinton for that, although Obama’s trying hard to piss on his accomplishments. ISTM that it’s the Republican Party that is doing everything in their power to make the U.S. fail. That’s a message the Democratic Party needs to spread. It’s happening, everyone who pay attention knows it’s happening, but the Democrats are not doing a very good job making it clear to the people who are still being duped into voting for the aristocracy. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/73 "2013-08-12T21:52:11Z")
> [@Conservian](#): > > Nonsense. They’re more commonly known as ‘establishment repubs.’ - Same product, different packaging. > [@Conservian](#): > > Karl Rove is closer to being a liberal than a conservative. :rolleyes: The rest of us (except maybe **adaher)** are posting from the Earth with the **blue** sky, **Conservian.** Blue, not red, and certainly not tea. Come over to the reality-based side, we have cookies. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/74 "2013-08-12T21:53:34Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Damn, it’s about time the U.S. went parliamentary! A parliamentary system is almost **never** deadlocked! That’s not a bug, it’s a feature. The US Government is designed to move slowly and not react to fads. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/75 "2013-08-12T21:57:56Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > ISTM that it’s the Republican Party that is doing everything in their power to make the U.S. fail. > > That’s a message the Democratic Party needs to spread. It’s happening, everyone who pay attention knows it’s happening, but the Democrats are not doing a very good job making it clear to the people who are still being duped into voting for the aristocracy. More denial. The Democrats got two years to get things done and the voter response to what they did was to make sure they couldn’t do it anymore. I’m sure voters would love the two sides to get more done together, but all I’ve seen is Democrats demanding to be allowed to do exactly what they were doing when they got booted out of office. Last time this happened they triangulated. This time they’ve decided to do more of the same. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/76 "2013-08-12T22:10:35Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > That’s not a bug, it’s a feature. The US Government is designed to move slowly and not react to fads. Comparing performance with parliamentary systems’, it might be time to rethink that. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/77 "2013-08-12T22:16:11Z")
If you judge performance by number of laws passed. Not sure why that’s a good thing. The founders made the system the way it is for a reason. Lots of veto points means it takes a lot more than 50% +1 to get laws passed, and even if they do get passed, they can be “sabotaged” if they require the states to do things they are not constitutionally obligated to do. See: Health care law. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/78 "2013-08-12T22:21:36Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Last time this happened they triangulated. This time they’ve decided to do more of the same. See [post #36.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16562972&postcount=36) ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/79 "2013-08-12T22:22:49Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Comparing performance with parliamentary systems’, it might be time to rethink that. We’d have Voter ID the same way you have those “Illegal go home!” vans. If an idea is worthwhile, it will get the votes in time. Passing fads pass. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948/80 "2013-08-12T22:34:39Z")
BrainGlutton, in order to govern from the left, the public needs to be persuaded that that is the right course. Democrats won a historic victory in 2008, and governed leftward enough, that the voters decisively rejected them. It wasn’t incompetence or scandal, it was simply their legislative program. And I imagine you think that was a fairly centrist program. So imagine how YOUR ideal legislative program would be treated in the next election. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-democrats-figure-out-and-fix-why-theyre-losing-locally/665948.md?page=5)