2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumFor the ones who will not vote for Hillary, even if she is the nominee
please watch Bill Maher's opinion about the ones who sit on their asses because.. well listen to him, especially at the 4:55. For the ones who do not vote because the candidates are not exciting, or lack charisma. Or because... Obama did not deliver.
http://crooksandliars.com/2014/11/bill-maher-serves-blow-voters-who-dont
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)or being "exciting".
Rather it has everything to do with substance, as in stark political policy and ideological differences on whether we continue waging our endless counter-productive war "on terror", and continue to allow Wall St. to financially rape and pillage the 99%, and so forth.
Many of these kinds of differences i also have with Obama, so i'm not picking on Hillary; I'm simply and solidly in the "Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party" and HRC is no FDR.
question everything
(47,518 posts)This is the point that many of us are making, as did Maher: it is not a matter of how much you agree with the candidate, it is about the consequences. And if she is our nominee - and I am not sure she will - electing her beating the alternative. It will means at least keeping the Supreme Court at the 5-4 conservative, and not sliding to 6-3.
I don't know if you are old enough to remember 1968, but many anti war activists stayed at home, did not trust Humphrey and we ended up with Nixon. Though, to be fair, by today's standards, Nixon was a liberal..
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)aspirant
(3,533 posts)You're fear tactics are getting old. Let's see, your argument is we must support the nominee and with all those progressive and Wall Streeters votes, WE WIN. So if all the progressives stick together and elect Grayson as our nominee and you are true dems who sign a blood oath that every single one of you will vote for the nominee,WE WIN AGAIN. So what does it matter who the candidate is?
question everything
(47,518 posts)Seems that we both agree that all of us Democrats - left, right and center - should vote for the nominee. Whether it is Grayson, Hillary or even Harold Ford. A former member of Congress with a D but you'd hardly guess.
Why, because the alternative is worse. I've known many conservatives who wanted to stay "true to their principles" and lost one election after another. This was in California in the 90s.
Sad, therefore, to see that there are Democrats willing to do the same. Actually, have done, with Nader in 2000.
I don't know. Perhaps there is a sense of self satisfaction and righteousness: Hey, I am pure. My country is going to hell, civil rights are destroyed, safety net is gone, the sick, the elderly and the poor are dying but, hey, I remain loyal to my "principles."
aspirant
(3,533 posts)My point is with the candidates. We put a progressive on the primary ticket and before we blink our eyes here comes a conservadem into the race with DNC,DSCC,DCCC Wall Street Money strapped to their backs. The underfunded progressive loses and surprise, surprise we are told we must vote the dem ticket or we border on treason. We won't play this rigged game anymore. If you can't control the national in-party's trickery then don't expect my vote in those races.When the playing field is fair, I'm in but not until.
Secondly, if the right-wing dems are so wise and powerful let them win on their votes alone. If they can't don't come screaming at millennials and progressives to get out of the party. There is 50% of America not registered, go put on your walking shoes and register them. Then you won't have to scream at our children and grandchildren.
Thirdly, so it is only "We the People" that must adhere to the principles. How can the country be going to hell unless some of our dem reps sold us down the river. These are the same unprincpled candidates you demand our votes for. We need drastic change now not more of the same.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)Historic NY
(37,452 posts)MAHER: Russell Brand is in the news. He's a funny guy. But he just wrote a book that's more laughable where he tells young people not to vote because the system is so awful and so dirty that the only solution if to bring it down... not by violence, but not by voting either. No, by some sort of spiritual awakening. Oh for fuck's sake, fine. You know what? Don't vote. But don't dress it up as something noble or sophisticated. The fake excuses offend me.
Like, politicians, they're all the same. No, you're thinking of The Lord of the Rings movie. Or, it doesn't matter who wins. Well, in Florida last Tuesday, the Democrat lost the race for governor by 66 thousand votes and if he'd won, 700 thousand poor Floridians would have gotten health insurance under the Obamacare Medicaid expansion that Republican governors blocked. So, it would have mattered to them.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)then they shouldn't be here.
aspirant
(3,533 posts)question everything
(47,518 posts)and perhaps we can change their mind.
We have to remember that there are many more like that "out there." We need to at least hear their reasons so that we can counter them.
Beacool
(30,250 posts)I remember 2008 and everyone and their brother telling Hillary supporters to "get over it" and vote for Obama. Well, the majority did because the option was far worse. So now we have to hear whiners' B.S. that they wouldn't vote for Hillary if she becomes the nominee? My answer is the same one Hillary supporters got in 2008: "Get over it". Get over yourselves and your selfishness.
The last thing this country needs is another Republican in the WH. The thought of a Republican president appointing the next justice to the Supreme Court makes me cringe.
aspirant
(3,533 posts)"Well, the majority did". Are you saying 51% of Hillary supporters voted for Obama in the general and 49% didn't? Did any of those so-called worthless dems go straight to hell, never to return? Were they exiled to the independent party like your Hillary comrades are demanding now on DU? Are you now personally still screaming at these folks and calling them names. It's time you started naming names so they can receive the same abuse today's non-voters are experiencing.
Reter
(2,188 posts)I don't sit on my ass. I will vote, but not for her.
HappyMe
(20,277 posts)Democrats DID sit on their asses this past election. The candidates that the Inevitable One campaigned for did not do well.
greatlaurel
(2,004 posts)Here is the scorecard according to ABCnews
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/midterm-elections-2014-clinton-backed-candidates-fared/story?id=26694294
Hillary Clinton's scorecard: Alison Lundergan Grimes, KY-Sen: Loss Michelle Nunn, GA-Sen: Loss. Mark Pryor, AR-Sen: Loss. Al Franken, MN-Sen: Win. Gary Peters, MI-Sen: Win. Tom Wolf, PA-Gov: Win. Mark Udall, CO-Sen: Loss. Andrew Cuomo, NY-Gov: Win. Jeanne Shaheen, NH-Sen: Win. Maggie Hassan, NH-Gov: Win. Mary Landrieu, LA-Sen: Run off. Mark Dayton, MN-Gov: Win. Gina Raimondo, RI-Gov: Win. Anne Kuster, NH-Rep: Win. Mark Schauer, MI-Gov: Loss. Nita Lowey, NY-Rep: Win. Bruce Braley, IA-Sen: Loss. Pat Quinn, IL-Gov: Loss. Carol Shea-Porter, NH-Rep: Loss. Charlie Crist, FL-Gov: Loss. Kay Hagan, NC-Sen: Loss. Mike Michaud, ME-Gov: Loss. Martha Coakley, MA-Gov: Loss. Anthony Brown, MD-Gov: Loss.
Bill Clinton's scorecard: Alison Lundergan Grimes, KY-Sen: Loss. Mike Ross, AR-Gov: Loss. Michelle Nunn, GA-Sen: Loss. Mark Pryor, AR-Sen: Loss. Al Franken, MN-Sen: Win. Gary Peters, MI-Sen: Win. Mary Burke, WI-Gov: Loss. Tom Wolf, PA-Gov: Win. Mark Udall, CO-Sen: Loss. Andrew Cuomo, NY-Gov: Win. Jeanne Shaheen, NH-Sen: Win. Patrick Murphy, FL-Rep: Win. Mary Landrieu, LA-Sen: Run off. Mark Dayton, MN-Gov: Win. Mark Schauer, MI-Gov: Loss. Fred DuVal, AZ-Gov: Loss. Bruce Braley, IA-Sen: Loss. James Lee Witt, AR-Rep: Loss. Bonnie Watson Coleman, NJ-Rep: Win. Tim Bishop, NY-Rep: Loss. Pat Quinn, IL-Gov: Loss. Charlie Crist, FL-Gov: Loss. Kay Hagan, NC-Sen: Loss. Erin Bilbray, NV-Rep: Loss. Dan Maffei, NY-Rep: Loss. Mike Michaud, ME-Gov: Loss. Martha Coakley, MA-Gov: Loss. Gwen Graham, FL-Rep: Win. Dina Titus, NV-Rep: Win. Andrew Romanoff, CO-Rep: Loss. Anthony Brown, MD-Gov: Loss. Staci Appel, IA-Rep: Loss.
Bill and Hillary Clinton went out and campaigned for a lot of people, a lot were in tight raises and some were not favored to win and they still showed up to campaign with these candidates. It shows their willingness to work to elect Democratic candidates throughout the country. It is pretty poor to blame exclusively HRC for this failure of this election for the Democratic Party. Seems like you are searching for anything to blame to try to tear down HRC. Instead of tearing down HRC, why don't you work on presenting your favored candidates outstanding qualities and then work to elect whatever candidate the Democratic Party chooses. That might work to get more Democrats elected. We now know what happens when we do not vote and more GOP candidates win and it is very negative for everyone.
HappyMe
(20,277 posts)I signed on to help her a few years ago because she is very progressive. Unfortunately, not that many Democrats showed up this go-round.
Clinton doesn't need me to tear her down, she can do that by herself.