Do the Democrats have a problem with their base?

[Valmy]

No, you've just been Languishized.  Right-wing lunacy gets over-reported here.

It is called living in Texas.  I am surrounded by it here.  If I lived in San Francisco I concede my perspective might be different.

[Martinus]

Well, I don't know, really.

We are having a similar situation in Poland, with the centre-right Civic Platform government. I voted for them 2 years ago and even though they have pretty much gone back on every single liberal promise they made and are flirting a lot with the catholic church and right wing social policies, they have still a very strong support because "at least they are not the Twins*". I won't be voting for them again but my vote for the leftists will be pretty much a vote of conscience, and one the Civic Platform can sadly live without.

*The Polish Bush equivalent.

Edit: Besides, this kind of "move to the middle" strategy is imo much more effective from a leftist candidate. This is for two reasons: (1) leftists are more likely to support a compromise/moderate candidate because refusing to do so would compromise their "consensus-seeking" approach, and (2) a lot of leftist support groups (such as gays, for example), suffer from a battered wife syndrome, meaning they are much more likely to rationalize away supporting a "lesser evil", "he is not so bad, in the end" candidate than groups on the right, such as the religious reich.

[derspiess]

More like there are some on the left who have a handful or even dozens of dealbreaker issues. They aren't truly "single-issue" so they don't have the same power multiplier pro-lifers, seniors and farmers do.

Pro-life single-issuers are the bane of my party 

[Sheilbh]

Awhile ago I would have agreed but the right seems very interested in copying the most annoying qualities of the left as much as possible for the past few decades.  The shrill sensitivity and conspiratory nonsense never ends.  The bases are rapidly becoming indistinguishable to me.

I'd argue the Democrats are an old-school American party.  A coalition of a number of different groups: unions (and white ethnics), minority groups and so on.  The Republicans seem to me far closer to a European party in that they have a relatively cohesive ideology and are an ideologically motivated party.

I think it's why the Democrats don't seem very good at government whereas through the Bush years and right now the Republicans seem far better at maintaining party unity.  I think because the Democrats are a coalition while the Republicans are ideological.

These are generalisations of course and so inevitably not entirely accurate

[Martinus]

I suppose it's not impossible tat we see some Blue Dogs getting attacked by NARAL or whoever in the primaries, with the result that the seat flips Republican.  But a real challenge to Obama in 2012 (as opposed to a Cynthia McKinney style lunatic challenge)?  I don't see it.

If we did see the Democrats lose their anti filibuster majority because of ideological purity it would be a delicious object lesson.

I don't think the big issue is people primarying. I think the issue is not donating or staying home.  How much of the Democratic gain in 2008 was because of the surge in turnout for Obama?

I guess it depends on the candidate the Republicans will be running. I can't see disillusioned Dems staying home if it means a victory for the Palin/Beck ticket.

[Sheilbh]

I guess it depends on the candidate the Republicans will be running. I can't see disillusioned Dems staying home if it means a victory for the Palin/Beck ticket.

I can't see the disillusioned sane community staying at home with the prospect of President Palin with Glenn Beck a heartbeat away from the Presidency

But you're right.

[LaCroix]

Awhile ago I would have agreed but the right seems very interested in copying the most annoying qualities of the left as much as possible for the past few decades.  The shrill sensitivity and conspiratory nonsense never ends.  The bases are rapidly becoming indistinguishable to me.

No, you've just been Languishized.  Right-wing lunacy gets over-reported here.

i don't think this is very true

as someone who works in a republican senate office, i can tell you that there is considerable lunacy in the republican party. every day i hear from people writing or calling into the office, and it is pretty unnerving the amount of people who rave on about this or that. people who think global warming is all a hoax and how scientists have been lying to everyone; how much of a communist obama and his czars are; how good sarah palin is for the country and that glenn beck preaches truth, and etc. granted, i have read a number of ridiculous letters from democrats, and i'm sure if i worked in a blue office i would hear more much craziness from that side. however, i hear from far more people who just rant and rave than i do from well informed individuals. roughly about 60% of all letters that come into the office are thrown straight into the recycling bin

[Martinus]

Awhile ago I would have agreed but the right seems very interested in copying the most annoying qualities of the left as much as possible for the past few decades.  The shrill sensitivity and conspiratory nonsense never ends.  The bases are rapidly becoming indistinguishable to me.

No, you've just been Languishized.  Right-wing lunacy gets over-reported here.

i don't think this is very true

as someone who works in a republican senate office, i can tell you that there is considerable lunacy in the republican party. every day i hear from people writing or calling into the office, and it is pretty unnerving the amount of people who rave on about this or that. people who think global warming is all a hoax and how scientists have been lying to everyone; how much of a communist obama and his czars are; how good sarah palin is for the country and that glenn beck preaches truth, and etc. granted, i have read a number of ridiculous letters from democrats, and i'm sure if i worked in a blue office i would hear more much craziness from that side. however, i hear from far more people who just rant and rave than i do from well informed individuals. roughly about 60% of all letters that come into the office are thrown straight into the recycling bin

I always thought that people who "write to their congressmen" are by far and large lunatics and extremists. No sane people would consider that a sensible and efficient way of dealing with an issue.

[LaCroix]

Awhile ago I would have agreed but the right seems very interested in copying the most annoying qualities of the left as much as possible for the past few decades.  The shrill sensitivity and conspiratory nonsense never ends.  The bases are rapidly becoming indistinguishable to me.

No, you've just been Languishized.  Right-wing lunacy gets over-reported here.

i don't think this is very true

as someone who works in a republican senate office, i can tell you that there is considerable lunacy in the republican party. every day i hear from people writing or calling into the office, and it is pretty unnerving the amount of people who rave on about this or that. people who think global warming is all a hoax and how scientists have been lying to everyone; how much of a communist obama and his czars are; how good sarah palin is for the country and that glenn beck preaches truth, and etc. granted, i have read a number of ridiculous letters from democrats, and i'm sure if i worked in a blue office i would hear more much craziness from that side. however, i hear from far more people who just rant and rave than i do from well informed individuals. roughly about 60% of all letters that come into the office are thrown straight into the recycling bin

I always thought that people who "write to their congressmen" are by far and large lunatics and extremists. No sane people would consider that a sensible and efficient way of dealing with an issue.

this could be true. doesn't glenn beck tell people to write to their politicians to get their voice heard? anyway, it rarely has any impact. sure, i mark on a tally sheet whenever someone calls in and says "NO OBAMACARE," and that sheet is supposedly passed on to the legislative staff, but i doubt it holds much influence

[Valmy]

I always thought that people who "write to their congressmen" are by far and large lunatics and extremists. No sane people would consider that a sensible and efficient way of dealing with an issue.

Yes, you know, the base.

[Razgovory]

Democrats have always had problems with their base.  And each other.  And people not in their base.  It's just part of being a democrat.

[MadImmortalMan]

[dps]

Ah, ain't it cute how the MoveOn types think that they're the Democratic base?

The Republicans would love to convince the Democratic rank-and-file that MoveOn and the like really are the Democratic base.

[jimmy olsen]

Awhile ago I would have agreed but the right seems very interested in copying the most annoying qualities of the left as much as possible for the past few decades.  The shrill sensitivity and conspiratory nonsense never ends.  The bases are rapidly becoming indistinguishable to me.

No, you've just been Languishized.  Right-wing lunacy gets over-reported here.

i don't think this is very true

as someone who works in a republican senate office, i can tell you that there is considerable lunacy in the republican party. every day i hear from people writing or calling into the office, and it is pretty unnerving the amount of people who rave on about this or that. people who think global warming is all a hoax and how scientists have been lying to everyone; how much of a communist obama and his czars are; how good sarah palin is for the country and that glenn beck preaches truth, and etc. granted, i have read a number of ridiculous letters from democrats, and i'm sure if i worked in a blue office i would hear more much craziness from that side. however, i hear from far more people who just rant and rave than i do from well informed individuals. roughly about 60% of all letters that come into the office are thrown straight into the recycling bin

I always thought that people who "write to their congressmen" are by far and large lunatics and extremists. No sane people would consider that a sensible and efficient way of dealing with an issue.

this could be true. doesn't glenn beck tell people to write to their politicians to get their voice heard? anyway, it rarely has any impact. sure, i mark on a tally sheet whenever someone calls in and says "NO OBAMACARE," and that sheet is supposedly passed on to the legislative staff, but i doubt it holds much influence

Which senator do you work for?

By the way are you new? An old Languishite with a new tag due to the forum update?

[Razgovory]

Ah, ain't it cute how the MoveOn types think that they're the Democratic base?

The Republicans would love to convince the Democratic rank-and-file that MoveOn and the like really are the Democratic base.

Republicans also seem to think that MoveOn.org is the base.  Or the leadership.  Or something.  Cause you hear them bitching about them on a regular basis.