You need to campaign on hope.

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

There's a lot of negativity toward the GOP right now. That energy might increase, but sooner or later it will die down, and the Democrats need to start tapping it. Get some preliminary candidates starting now, in as many places as possible. They don't have to be official yet, just get some people who'll say "Hi, I'm going to run for Congress/Legislature/Whatever", and start talking now about what a good government can do to make people's lives better. Have your own town halls and rallies. Connect with voters locally; even the ones who don't like you may well respect that you're willing to speak to their face.

Tell people the truth about how and why those old jobs aren't coming back, and how America needs people who can do the 21st century jobs that can't be outsourced or done by machines. Tell them you'll help everyone get education, health care, and all the other stuff they need so they can work to achieve their dreams. Explain how your plans will benefit everybody and not just the rich. Don't shy away from harsh truths about how it's going to be a hard struggle to rebuild America, and don't use scapegoats to score easy points. Show the evidence to back up your words, and point out how it's the other guys asking for their unthinking trust.

You need to go after the disillusioned, the apathetic, and yes, the people who took a chance on a bad solution because they despaired of the establishment ever offering a good one. Show them how you're going to do better by them and everyone else, and that if they're willing to do their part to truly make America a better place, then you're going to do yours. The truly repentant bad-voters and non-voters deserve a chance to earn America's forgiveness, and the Democrats need to own up to the mistakes on their part that let things get to this point.

Don't wait until the next election, and not just because there might not be one. Make people want changes that can be better for everybody, and encourage them to demand positive action from their leaders at the federal, state, and local levels. And if some Republicans listen, stand up for something progressive and take the credit, then that still counts as a win for the good guys; reward their good behavior and they might just keep doing it.

Turn that anger and fear into hope for something better, before the authoritarians can wear the people down. Start the conversation, get people talking, asking, and thinking about how things can be made better. Keep the energy flowing and don't ever let it stop, and eventually it will power itself. That's the kind of populism that can work for good.

[pat_k]

1. Some other thoughts on "talking politics"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028715034

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

2. I like that.

Labels as you describe them are a means of simplifying complex ideas down to a simple "good/bad" judgment, stripping away important context for the purpose of rapid appeal. We all do it, because we understand that reality is too big and complicated for our squishy primate brains to deal with. But that instinct is extremely vulnerable to exploitation.

People generally don't like having their minds changed or their beliefs challenged, especially beliefs in which they have a strong emotional or identity investment. But the only way we can learn is if we're willing to discard what we think we already know. The trick is to engage people's curiosity, so they're willing to learn something new. Knowing you've learned the truth can provide just as big a dopamine rush as hearing someone confirm your opinions, but it's a lot more work to achieve.