I am afraid. I am afraid that the promised blue wave will fizzle

[question everything]

The only hope I have is that DU is not a true representative of the Democratic party.

To start, I don't understand the still infatuation with Bernie Sanders. He is not a Democrat, has never been a Democrat, has actively campaigned against Democratic candidates including wishing for someone to primary challenge Obama in 2012.

I don't know why there are still many DUers who support Sanders as is obvious by their signature line.

I don't know why Democratic candidates invite Sanders to campaign with them, never mind that so far he has not helped these candidates in their primaries. So what if he attracts thousands in arenas, will the crowds come out and vote for the Democratic candidate?

We have a large and diverse party. Is Sanders the best that we can do?

But it is these coming midterm elections that worry me. Most of the posts here are going at Trump. Sure, he is despicable but running on attacking Trump will not win us seats, we may even lost some instead of flipping.

Two years ago, locally, there was supposedly a competitive race, but the Republican incumbent won. Why? Because our challenger concentrated on trying to tie him with Trump. He never supported Trump. And I am afraid he will win again, managing to weasel his way to kinda distance himself.

Two weeks ago, in the ABC This week show Matthew Dowd really had an insight:

There’s major consensus on a whole series of issues. There’s major consensus in the country on what we should do about immigration.

There’s major consensus on what we should do about guns. There’s major consensus on many things on what we should do on the economy. The problem is, is that our institutions and our politics no longer pays attention to what the major consensus is.

So we have a practice of politics in Washington, where if they went along with what 70 percent of the country would -- wanted to do, all of these things would be solved, but they don’t.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/week-transcript-18/story?id=56292891

Don't concentrate on Trump; don't concentrate on abortion, even, concentrate on what is important to the majority and that Republicans in Congress ignore: health care, immigration, guns, the tax law that has yet to help the middle and lower classes. The tariff war that will cost us, the consumers.

When Kavanaugh's name first came, immediately the suggestions were to fight him on abortion. But I was glad to read that, at least in Alaska, the issue of health care would be addressed. I hope that this will how the Senators from the Red States would explain their vote, against Kavanaugh.

And then, on the heels of Sanders we have candidates who join him proudly call themselves socialists.

If anyone really think that we can win by having socialist candidates, they are greatly mistaken. Yes, we can talk to individuals on certain issue and may even find that we all support socialist ideas. I've had it in the 90s with universal health care. But with Putin leading Trump, any association with Russia and the KGB and the former Soviet Union will be a losing idea. And, let's be honest: Americans do not look favorably on Socialism, regardless of the hyphenation.

Further, to suggest that ICE be eliminated is also a losing and dangerous proposition. For years Democrats were labeled as "weak on defense." Suggesting the elimination of ICE will just cement it.

I am afraid. I am afraid of the extreme left ideas that I see on DU, but hope that they are not wide among our candidates.

We have to concentrate on winning the elections, with specific ideas and suggestions, not labels and ideas that would scare the average voter. And they will.

And let's not forget: as much as we were glad with the eight years of both Clinton and Obama - they had a Democratic Congress for only two years. We cannot drop our guard.

OK. I suppose this will be labeled as a "Republican propaganda," as aimed at dividing us. I would suggest that the extreme ideas by some is what will divide us on election day.

I hope that I am wrong. But I am afraid.

Go take your shots.

[Loki Liesmith]

1. So you're afraid...

Get over it.

[lagomorph777]

83. OP is afraid...because ...Bernie? Bernie is not running in any Congressional district.

Some folks here seem to be incredibly obsessed with Bernie; time to move past their hurt feelings that the Anointed One had a primary opponent.

[eleny]

2. I hope your fear makes you determined to bring about the outcome we're all working towards

We can do it but it will take phone calls, shoe leather, many conversations and plain old dough-re-mi. So roll up your sleeves and do what you can as best you can.

[RandySF]

3. The Blue Wave is not a weather forecast

Do something and tell yourself you did your part.

[struggle4progress]

47. +

[NCTraveler]

68. Well said.

The wave will only happen if we deliver the wind.

[vercetti2021]

4. Help make it happen

Get out and register people, canvass for your district or senator. GOTV.

[PaulX2]

5. I Will Yell You Why Millions Support Berne My Friend

Some of us realize billionaires like the Kochs run our government. Bernie and Warren yell it from the rooftops. Too many can't hear the message.

It's too bad.

[question everything]

6. OK, so take the message and run with it

but don't expect him to be our candidate.

[KPN]

30. Who else was running with that message in

the past? Not many it seems. Bernie’s been leading that charge along with a handful of professors, authors and liberal radio personalities for decades now. How many Democrats have been running on that message beside him and Warren? Fe, if any, have run specifically on that.

[Wwcd]

22. All Democratic Candidates Know that..not just bernie

[KPN]

31. Knowing and making it the focus of one's

campaign are two different things.

[Wwcd]

36. OMFG. Endlessly repeating the same popular campaign line & Doing something about the Billionaires

Is the difference between Bernie & the Democrats..

Bernie hasn't done squat to put an end to the Kochs & billionaires & money in politics besides shout it whenever he has a mic in his face.

What's he done outside of that?
Not much.

He's a Senator. He has tbe same power to do something the as the Democrats he continues to rail against as failing.

What has he done?

Anyone can put out a statement. The measure of sincerity of his words lies in not WHAT he says on an endless Media loop, but WHAT he does to correct the problem he continually blames the Democrats for.

Wtf has he accomplished beyond his Media spotlight.

Not a damned thing.

He maybe should get off his endless campaign soapbox and get back to work in the Senate & bring to the floor those problems he blaming the Democrats for, and fking fix them.

He needs to put his damned money where his mouth is.

Get fking back to work & prove he means what he shouts about the do-nothing Dems, and fking fix it, then.

What has he done about the "billionares & the KOCH's" besides rant .

I'll tell you,
Not a damned thing.

Every other candidate addresses the big money & power issue bernie does.
Can't help you of you only hear bernie sanders.

[KPN]

59. Claptrap

Who else in Congress was talking about and raising awareness of the import of this specific issue 25 years ago, 20 years ago?

This is all about Bernie hate and blame for our failure. You talk about the big tent, but then you put up walls around it.

[Wwcd]

64. That's just it. Bernie talks & talks about it, blames everyone else for the failure but fails to use

the Power of his congressional seat to DO Anything to change it.

Maybe because if he actually put forth serious bills to the floor & stopped the billionare problem, ..he'd lose a damn good campaign talking point.
Ya. Its a lot easier to shout the ills of others than go to work to solve the problem.

To his credit tho, Bernie DID get a post office named.

Notice his "Millionaires & Billionaires" stump speech of repeated one liners is now been narrowed down to just "Billionaires".
Ya know now that his "Money & Media" campaign of 2016 netted him a coveted title of being a "Millionaire".

And he fking expects people to take his rantings serious??!!

Claptrap ??!
Ya. That's bernie's schtick. Not mine.

[EffieBlack]

62. You complete me

[Wwcd]

65. Yes Effie. Wonder what Mueller found in the Manafort to TAD Emails!

Mueller has read them all & I will be so damned happy when Paul & Tad's corrupt trail of electioneering reveals the path straight back to the Kremlin.

We all know it. That's exactly what Paul & Tad have done in seating other dictators around the world.
What makes anyone think they suddenly cleaned up their act for the USA?
Putin & Trump are ripping this country apart.
TAD & Paul made ten's of millions$$ on their crafty electioneering scheme.

Indict the whole damned sorry bunch of traitors to our country.

This bull shit 'Money & Media' nightmare will meet it's end under the watch of Robert Mueller.

[sheshe2]

24. Bernie is now a member of the 1 percent.

And....

He owns three homes.

Link to tweet

[Wwcd]

28. Yup. I think he changed his campaign line from "Millionaiires & Billionaires"

to just "Billionaires"...

Well, because...he is a millionaire now.

[sheshe2]

29. I think you might be right.

I noticed millionaires was missing from his stump speech.

[KPN]

32. Right. And he pushes a more progressive

tax code consistently — despite how it would affect him.

[sheshe2]

34. Alrighty then.

Cool.

I would still like to see the promised tax returns.

[MFM008]

41. Hes the wrong

Messanger.

[dansolo]

43. Some of us realize that Bernie isn't going to do shit about the billionaires

Other than rant about them, what specifically will Bernie do about the billionaires that run our government?

[leftofcool]

77. No, actually they don't.

Bernie can't run as a Democrat again anyway unless he shows his tax returns. And if you are talking about his support among millennials, only 26% of them say they are going to vote.

[Squinch]

81. Whatever you think of BS, do you see what happens every

time his name is mentioned, both here and in the real world? Two sides of DEMOCRATS square up and have that same BS fight over and over and over. I get that many love him. I also get that many can't stand him. Do you REALLY think he us the answer or is it your ego not letting you let go?

I love Hillary. In my dreams, she would run again and win. BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. Likewise, BS IS NOT GOING TO RUN AGAIN AND WIN. He's too divisive. Surely you can see that? It is not going to work.

We all need to let our shattered dreams go and get realistic. Our Republic is being blown up as we speak. We cannot put up a candidate when the mere mention if his name sets us at each other's throats.

We all need to grow the fuck up. There is a lot more at stake right now than our bruised egos.

[KelleyKramer]

7. "wishing for someone to primary challenge Obama in 2018"

The nerve of some people!

Anyone who tries to primary Obama in 2018 is definitely not a true Democratic party supporter!

[question everything]

11. OK, OK, corrected. I really do not want to think of 2016..

[mr_lebowski]

13. He couldn't have been primaried in 2016 either ... 2012 was the only chance ;)

That said I agree w/much of what you're saying. I'm pretty liberal and support many socialist ideas, but as a label, it ain't a winner for our candidates in 2018, and neither is ICE abolition.

[question everything]

15. That's it! Time to retire for the night

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. Ummm... "Primary challenge Obama in 2018"?

You do know that he's not running for anything, right?

[question everything]

12. Past me bed time. Thanks. Corrected

[msongs]

9. not to worry. its good to talk about your fears cuz u are not the only one with some the same

and having shared them perhaps one can find ways to alleviate them as a result.

[blogslut]

10. As others have said, take that fear and work to Get Out the Vote

Here's the truth about the media and the pundits who make money from pontificating - conflict sells soap. Where there is no conflict they will create it. If it bleeds it leads. If there's a fight, that's alright.

Don't quiver in your boots. Use those boots to get on the ground and do the work.

[AlexSFCA]

14. agree on all points but there are primaries that will filter out weak candidates

In more conservative districts, primary dem voters may reject socialist candidates if they feel they would have dificulty defeating a repub. In many districts, bernie candidates are perfectly suitable. I honestly can’t think of a better candidate to represent bronx than Alexandria. She would likely be fish out of water in Orange County and the like. Whether we like bernie or not, he had a decisive influence on dem platform in 2016 that we all signed up for. However, abolish ice was not part of it so it is a reactionary, not well thought out slogan but medicare for all is a winning cause in many districts so is the minimum wage, education, progressive taxation, etc.

[Wwcd]

25. Yup. And how'd that 2016 work out for us

"Whether we like bernie or not, he had a decisive influence on dem platform in 2016"

Maybe he should stop trying to recreate the Dem Party in his image. That didn't work out so well for us in 2016 did it.

We have many great bright people who may just have a more successful means to the end than bernie sanders.

I'm not seeing much success with his radical change to the Dem Party.
Maybe he should actually BE a Dem before shoving his ideas down our throats in an "or else" kind of way.

We all see what his intention is with the Dem Party.
It not a big secret anymore.

Maybe he should ditch the big negative ball & chain he's dragging into our Dem Party , named Tad Devine.

Maybe Bernie should reveal the 10 mill unexplained cash haul like the FEC asked him to.

May be it would help with his growing Trust issues if he for Once answered the concerns of those still waitung for an answer .

He is accountable to nothing but campaigning to recreate the great Dem Party into his socialist image.

The Democratic Party doesn't need the socialist label.
We know who what we stand for.

And all this from a guy who despises the Democratic Party to the point where he refuses to become one.

I'd like to know why.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

16. Speaking as someone who was a very strong supporter of Bernie Sanders

in 2016, his time is past. He's irrelevant. He's too old, too out of touch. He will NOT run a credible campaign in 2020. Don't worry about him.

What you need to worry and care about is that the Democratic Party will come up with a younger viable candidate. Someone well under the age of 60, hopefully even under 50.

One of the things I'm totally frustrated by is that the only Dems mentioned for 2020 seem to be old guys and gals. We need to be looking to the future, not the past. If people keep on going for the same old same old, we have no hope of winning in 2020. Keep in mind that the reason Republicans have dominated recently is that they have been running candidates for office starting at the lowest levels -- county commissioners, city council, state representatives, and then gone on to Governors, Senators, Representatives. They've recruited young people into all of those positions. Democrats seem very happy to continue to re-elect people in their 70's and 80's, as if age is meaningless.

Age matters. I'm speaking as someone who will turn 70 next month, and even though people tend to be astonished when they learn my age (I apparently seem a good ten years younger) I clearly understand that we need to pass the torch to the next generation. Hmmm. There's something familiar here . . . .

[Wwcd]

27. Kamala Harris? Cory Booker? They are hardly "Old."

In fact we have many young candidates looking at 2020,
But you won't hear them out stumping for themselves until 2018 midterms are over.
They're busy with more important issues for now.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

70. I see an awful lot of

Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren support here.

Booker and Harris are young enough. I don't currently have much of an opinion of either one at this point.

There is way too much speculation and pumping of specific candidates for 2020 when everyone should be laser focused on this year.

[Wwcd]

71. No one at 70 yrs of age should be running for President of the US.

Consulting, sure. But not a candidate.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

74. Yup. I turn 70 next month myself,

and I think I have a realistic take on what our skills and stamina are like at this age.

[question everything]

76. And this is the problem

I wish that they stump for candidates now, for the midterm.

This is how they can introduce themselves to a wider audience. It is sad that Sanders does stump to candidates - with not much success so fr - and "our" hopefuls do not.

[Squinch]

46. TAMMY DUCKWORTH!

[treestar]

48. But then a 70 year old Orange Shitler won

the presidency. So how is that a big issue? Some of the people in Congress and on the Court are over 80.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

82. Yes. And that's a huge problem in my opinion.

One of the things that distressed me the most about the 2016 election was the ages of the two major party candidates. And even though I'd supported Bernie, I was unhappy about his age. As an aside, a lot of people speculate that Trump already has dementia, and I'm not so sure about that. I think what he displays is life-long ignorance about everything not outside his immediate lens of focus at any given time, being poorly educated to begin with, and surrounded by people who will cater to his every whim.

As for the old people in Congress, if I dare bring that up here, especially if I name names and suggest those people consider stepping down and letting the younger generation in, I'm accused of hating those people and not valuing their time and service.

On the other hand, it's also been suggested here that strict term limits be put in place, without any consideration of the value of experience and institutional memory. As for the Supreme Court, maybe a twenty year term could be put in place, not the eight or ten year term that's been suggested here, which would lead to having someone new every single year, and almost no institutional memory there.

If I were running this place I'd put a total moratorium on any and all threads that are speculating on who might or should run for President in 2020. Not sanction anyone for them, simply delete them. In effect, force people here to confine political discussion regarding elections to the one happening this November.

[question everything]

75. Agree on all points

Yes, I too am getting into this age group and I expressed how envious I was when there were so many candidates in their 50s and 60s in the "clown car." Even Jeb Bush was 61.

No one knows when Alzheimer's started with Reagan. No one knows - some do, I suppose - how an ill FDR gave up in the Yalta conference. Trump was claiming that Hillary was sick and I think that some believed him, when she stumbled after the 9/11 memorial, when she fell and had some concussion before her run.

Yes, we, seniors believe that we are undestructible but in reality we don't know until we realized that we cannot run that 12 min mile anymore.

I have often stated here that i wish Obama and Biden would tour the country and encourage young people to run. To start from county commissioner, or city council and then climb. Even though it appears that now young people, like Ocasio-Cortez do come from nowhere and excite the voters.

[KelleyKramer]

17. Anyone who primary challenged Obama in 2016 should be thrown out of the party!

This is getting ridiculous

[radius777]

18. Very good post.

Glad someone w/a high post count posted it.

I'm especially worried about the AOC/Sanders/Greenwald crowd running around primarying stable/good Dems.

The abolish ICE message is terrible also. It will push us back to the days of Dukakis when voters didn't trust Dems on crime and security. Trump and his nativist policies are more the issue than ICE itself.

[CentralMass]

19. Another negative Sanders post. You Bernie haters are obsessed with him.

[leftofcool]

78. Nope, not obsessed at all. I just don't like him and don't think he will be good for the Country

You do understand that those of us who don't support him do have the right to choose the candidate we will support, right?

[NY_20th]

20. Bernie had his chance, it's time to move on.

It was actually time to move on in March of 2015.

[KelleyKramer]

21. What happened in March of 2015?

[LuckyCharms]

26. You won't get any shots from me. I disagree on a few of your points...

but your fear is healthy.

My opinion is this... I think that more people than you might think miss President Obama. I think that many people realized they fucked up with Trump, and will jump at the chance to vote for the Democratic candidate, whomever he/she may be.

Right-wingers, at this stage of the game anyway, are like a small animal who tries to make itself look bigger in order to intimidate their enemy.

[KPN]

33. I fear OPs like this.

[marlakay]

35. Its not Bernie its millions of people

Tired of being moved further and further to the right and being told we have to accept that to win.

Bernie sort of led those people with hope of balancing things out. We really don’t expect to go far left we just want a fair balance not center right.

[janterry]

37. Bernie is not the problem

n/t

[Sherman A1]

38. I had no faith in it from the start

and do not expect much in the way of change this November or in 2020.

[JustAnotherGen]

39. DU Is not representative

Of Democratic Party activism - specifically Party Committee members, Precinct GOTV efforts.

The few of us here involved at that level are quite a bit more quiet right now. It's crunch time in our Congressional Districs AND at the local level. School boards, council, dog catcher - we are having a very quiet reverse tea party on the ground.

[Kentonio]

40. Awesome

If there's one thing this forum so desperately needed it was another 'attack Bernie' thread. Go you.

[Fullduplexxx]

45. A discussion about bernie's weaknesses is not attacking and it's prbably good

To talk about it since so many possesss an unrealistic 'great -man theory' thinking about bernie

[ProfessorGAC]

63. It Sort Of Is

Because it's the same drum being beaten by the same folks to the same tempo for 2 freaking years now.

When that sort of rehash occurs, it's not a useful, constructive, or dispassionate dialogue.

[octoberlib]

42. Posting on a message board is not the same as

campaigning. From what I’ve read Dem candidates are talking about the issues in their districts. People post here to let off steam.

[BlueTsunami2018]

44. Considering that they've stolen three of the past five Presidential elections.....

And that they’ve done absolutely nothing to stop the hackers, I’m afraid that no matter what we do short of a massive, overwhelming GOTV, they’re going to “win”.

We’re in deep, deep trouble as a country.

[Squinch]

49. I am afraid too. Too many are not understanding the danger we are in.

If we don't get back Congress, the ratfucking by Putin in our elections and the stacking of the courts with fascists mean we may never get the chance again.

People don't seem to be understanding that this means we MUST win every seat possible. Every bit of our effort and time and money needs to go to that.

We're truly in a war. Russia decided our last election and nothing was done to prevent them from deciding the next one. Our government is being dismantled as we speak.

This war calls for loud, constant, broad based unity. You and I are mature enough go understand that in order to get that, we may not get everything from a candidate that we would like. I'm just really hoping the "Red state democrats aren't progressive enough for ME!" crowd gets their heads out of their asses soon.

Because a gerrymandered, court stacked fascist regime is not going to be progressive enough for anyone.

[Chemisse]

55. Totally agree. These are desperate times.

Our entire democracy is at stake. We must unify and we must get candidates that can garnish wide support.

[kentuck]

50. The scary part is:

we don't know.

[Iggo]

51. Do something about it.

Or you can just wallow in fear.

[ck4829]

53. +1

[KCDebbie]

52. Stop worrying. Just VOTE!

Check your voting status with your local Board of Elections this month or in the month of August.

If you find that you've been removed from the rolls, RE-REGISTER!

[dalton99a]

60. .

[beachbum bob]

54. handwringing and worry will not lead us to victory and its the very thing the russian bot attacks

took advantage in 2016. Instead of expressing worry why not tell us the ACTIONS YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE? We each have the DUTY to do all we can to get democrats elected this November at every level.

- help register new and young voters
- contribute TIME AND MONEY to democtric campaigns and committees
- assist with locak get out the vote efforts
- volunteer to be a POLL WATCHER ready to spring into action


the only way we lost in november is to remain on our asses and expect others to do all the hard work. Republicans depend on that. ZDon't prove them right again

[Squinch]

57. I think we can all rest assured that question_everything is

very active in tangible, real-world efforts to resist and get out the vote. Despite that, their concerns are completely valid

[FreepFryer]

58. Nobody promised you anything. Work for it. (n/t)

[peggysue2]

61. Here's a thought

The elections in November are not about Bernie Sanders. It's not about any one candidate or any one district. The midterms are about the Democratic Party winning overwhelmingly in all our races, all our districts; GOTV as if we were 20 points behind; and saving the Republic from the Trumpster fire at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Anyone turning this into a personality contest or cult of ideology is not working toward the ultimate goal of winning in November. In that pursuit, Bernie Sanders is no more important than a Joe Walsh, a rabid Tea Party member who has recently turned on Trump. Or a Rick Wilson, a committed GOP strategist and Never Trumper. Or every and any Blue Dog Democrat who regardless of how conservative they may be are better than any Republican still making excuses for the Trumpster disaster squad.

The midterm result has become a National Security issue. You're either with the country or you're not. There's no in-between, no gray area, no hemming or hawing. That means running and supporting candidates who can actually win in their region/district as opposed to litmus-tested candidates, a one-size fits all mentality.

Those who persist in selling their particular brand across the board are not working to contain, control and corral the Trumpster or reduce the damage he's doing. Instead, they're involved in self-serving campaigns, the Battle of the Brands.

The best we can do? Keep our Eyes on the Prize and make that Blue Wave a reality.

[brooklynite]

66. DU is a discussion board; it has nothing to do with politics in the real world

[mcar]

67. Our Democrats are running, and winning, on local issues

The idea that our candidates are only running against Dotard is ludicrous media and RW framing.

Take a look at what Democrats actually are running for. Then get involved.

[Wwcd]

69. Thank You mcar

VOTE BLUE

[mcar]

73. I hate seeing false MSM/Repub memes on DU

I wish Democrats would actually look at the Democratic Party platform, too, before they accuse Democrats.

[pecosbob]

72. The only thing that scares me

is Repug manipulation of the electoral process...purging voter rolls and disenfranchisement of left-leaning voters along with vote tally manipulation. Why do you all think the Repugs love electronic voting so much but hate automatic voter registration? Paper, paper, paper.

[Awsi Dooger]

79. Some expectations not realistic

I saw a post in another thread tonight forecasting a 70-80 seat gain. That is not possible. And it has been a tendency here ever since I joined prior to the 2002 midterm.

As long as the logical parameters are understood, along with the burden toward each one, we will be okay.

Independents are the decisive variable. Just keep checking that category -- how in dependents react to each significant topic and how they are leaning overall, while keeping in mind they preferred Trump in 2016 and pushed him over the top.

[Tiggeroshii]

80. At this point does it matter if we win a majority with sanders Dems or Clinton Dems?

Are you willing to sacrifice that majority if Sanders Dems are representing us? We need everybody we can get. Support the winners of the respective primaries and let's bring home some sanity.