Lie Down With Blue Dogs In The MIDDLE of The Road And You Get Run Over
"They" can spin this however they want... The right is saying "We are turning the corner... the people like what we have to say... " but I don't believe it. The Repugs are polling extremely LOW...
The Blue Dogs can say "This shows that the people agree with our
centrist views..." But I think it's the opposite! I think this is
evidence that the people REJECT centrist policies...
When THE BASE believed in CHANGE, they (WE) were motivated to hit the streets and knock on doors... and donate money... and make phone calls...
After winning we haven't seen that Change.
Actually we've seen a sprint to the middle (That's the OPPOSITE of change as far as I'm concerned).
When the BASE has been snubbed... and doesn't see the point in going all out... then it's not likely that "the voters" will be influence in favor of any Dem candidate. IMHO
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Tonight's big lesson
by kos
Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 09:32:52 PM PST
There will be much number-crunching tomorrow, but preliminary numbers (at least in Virginia) show that GOP turnout remained the same as last year, but Democratic turnout collapsed. This is a base problem, and this is what Democrats better take from tonight:
1. If you abandon Democratic principles in a bid for unnecessary "bipartisanship", you will lose votes.
2. If you water down reform in favor of Blue Dogs and their corporate benefactors, you will lose votes.
3. If you forget why you were elected -- health care, financial services, energy policy and immigration reform -- you will lose votes.
Tonight proved conclusively that we're not going to turn out just because you have a (D) next to your name, or because Obama tells us to. We'll turn out if we feel it's worth our time and effort to vote, and we'll work hard to make sure others turn out if you inspire us with bold and decisive action.
The choice is yours. Give us a reason to vote for you, or we sit home. And you aren't going to make up the margins with conservative voters. They already know exactly who they're voting for, and it ain't you.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/11/4/800316/-Tonights-big-lesson
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We on the left were not caught off guard. I've read plenty and seen plenty of us predicting exactly this kind of result.
We were not caught off guard... we were ignorned.
Try winning ANY election after you've ignored and snubbed your base. Good luck with that.
Lie down with blue dogs in the middle of the road and you get run over.
For a different perspective, see
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/fredmoolten/2009/11/election-results-in-nys-23rd-d.php?ref=reccafe
November 4, 2009 3:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
The problem is the notion of centrist doesn't represent a constant point along the liberal conservative line. The idiots call it whatever they want as it suits them from minute to minute. I would hardly call Max Baucus a centrist. His idea of social, political or financial equity is out to lunch.
November 5, 2009 6:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dead dog sitting in the middle of the road......
I do not know Icky. But I noted three races we won in the last three years that do not support this hypotheses.
We need moderates. Yes we do. We can debate with them.
We cannot debate with repubs any longer about anything.
Let them have Oklahoma.
November 5, 2009 6:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think it's suicide. Remember my "Herding Cats" comic strip?
When two sides are shooting at each other, the worst place you can find yourself is in the middle.
And, maybe I'm wrong about this, but it's damned near impossible to "LEAD" from somewhere in the middle.
I'd be willing to bet that the more the BASE (i.e. Liberals) are ignored and snubbed... the more losses Dems will have going forward. The Dems will have shot themselves in the foot and blown a golden opportunity. IMVHO.
November 5, 2009 8:09 AM | Reply | Permalink