"All Democrats care about are pronouns"

[brooklynite]

I attended last week's DNC meeting (as a guest of Leadership). While sitting in on a meeting of the Rural Issues Council, a DNC member from Kansas was complaining that, when he travelled outside of metro Kansas City to talk to voters (who are NOT all Trump supporters), the reaction was frequently "All Democrats care about are pronouns", e.g. they're always talking about identity politics/social justice issues that resonate in the big city, but nothing that small town America can relate to (needs of small businesses, gas prices, education, etc.)

I raised a counter-point, which is that too many metropolitan Democrats (including folks here) continually say that appealing to rural voters is hopeless (because they're all seen as Trumpist Bible-Thumpers); and we won't be successful by occasionally winning narrow statewide contests against uniquely unpopular Republicans (think Laura Kelly vs. Kris Kobach); we have to be able to claw back legislative seats in rural counties to prevent (or at least curtail) the damaging legislation they're currently passing. And to do that, we have to find a way to talk to rural voters.

I'll be meeting with Jaime Harrison and Leadership against next week, and plan to bring up messaging as an area the Party needs to work on.

[elleng]

1. Good, and THANK YOU!

[hlthe2b]

2. Rural areas have long focused on both tradition and immediate needs--thus societal changes come more

slowly. I know why such emphasis on such issues comes with skepticism by some and more intense push-back by others, the latter who should not all be simply "written off" as intolerant bigots. We should remember that not all change can't be demanded overnight. Immediate problems most important to a community have to be discussed and addressed as well.

Even here we've had some pretty rigid thinking on the issues that have excoriated even those generally in agreement but suggesting a more comprehensive approach. One can agree with the overall goals of sensitivity, equality, understanding, and respect for all, while also finding that those goals may require both short and long-term strategies that accommodate the differences in our country and people.

[captain queeg]

3. If you watch the talking heads it's easy to think this.

That seems to be true throughout the political spectrum. Political commentators and “news”
Shows focus on divisive issues, things that do get peoples attention. But the are plenty of voters who are more well informed and actually vote for candidates based on their stands on issues beyond specific emotional ones. It is unfortunate that those folks are probably out numbered by voters who focus on some emotional-moral opinion but we shouldn’t allow them to dominate politics.

[cbabe]

4. Find one or three topics. Bumper sticker phrases.

‘Rural broadband, thank you Biden.’

The Ukrainians are not shy about using art of all kinds to further their efforts. Being a shy policy wonk won’t inspire anyone.

Hire poets and artists and musicians to craft messages to rural archetypes.

Burma shave signs. Paint barn sides. Polka parties.

Make politics fun again.

[Hekate]

10. Good ideas

[bucolic_frolic]

5. That's spot on, and how do rural Dems and Inds perceive the REPUBLICAN WAR ON NEIGHBORS?

That's what I've been calling the LGBTQ/Abortion Bounties/CRT Censorship/Voter Suppression. Republicans are dividing America into those who agree with them and will strong arm the citizenry, and those they morally demonize so they can punish them. It is a none-too-subtle war of hatred. I suspect many people don't clearly realize what's going on so they just go along.

[old as dirt]

15. Exactly. We need to define the terms of the debate.

REPUBLICAN WAR ON NEIGHBORS?

It's not like they have any credibility at all, even with their own slogans.

Iowa's Family Values: https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/opinion/09thrasher.html

Flowers From the Heartland.

[Cracklin Charlie]

6. Find common ground.

There is common ground between rural and urban populations, you just gotta find it.

Start with the basics: national security, infrastructure, education, care for the elderly and disabled. What do you want your tax dollars to pay for? Don’t make everything, or anything, about cost…I feel it plays into the Republican’s hands.

[dawg]

7. That would make sense if the Republicans were actually doing anything to help them.

But, of course, they aren't. The Republicans just kick down and lower taxes on rich people.

We've pushed through child tax credits, education credits, made health insurance easier to obtain, paused payments on student loans, pushed to build and repair rural infrastructure, and done hundreds of other things for rural voters, only to be rewarded with a big "fuck you", time and time again.

They aren't mad because Democrats *only* care about pronouns. They are mad that we care about pronouns at all, or, more specifically, that we care about the LGBTQ community.

I'm not saying that we should give up on rural voters. Far from it.

I'm just saying that it's a lot more difficult and complicated a problem than it initially seems to rich urban liberals who don't live out here with these people.

[SharonClark]

8. We'll said.

[cbabe]

9. Also, study up on Buttigieg's unlikely success.

He formed alliances and got things done as a gay Mayor in penceland.

Stunning to those of us who never thought it possible to win over 4-H and Rotary.

I think his success has a lot to do with honesty, vision, power sharing, respect. What we all learned in kindergarten: everyone gets to play and win prizes.

[Hekate]

11. That, too

[AZProgressive]

12. This isn't even true

Pronouns on a social media profile. People take things too seriously. Let’s get rid of those and maybe we will win elections. Make sure to let social media CEOs know.

[W_HAMILTON]

13. If they think that "pronouns" is all that Democrats talk about...

...then they've already been successfully brainwashed by the conservative echo chamber and there's not much hope in reaching them; furthermore, a good portion of these people don't want to be reached out to by Democrats to begin with. It's just a much more publicly palatable excuse than, ahem, some other underlying reasons they may have for hating Democrats.

[GoCubsGo]

14. Yes, thank you.

They also don't actually listen to Democrats, because few if any are even mentioning "pronouns." This person is parroting the same old, tired bullshit pushed the Right is feeding them, along with "woke" and "CRT." It's just more culture wars garbage, because that's all they have.