I'm worried that the GOP base will be out in force in '10 elections

[WI_DEM]

Midterm elections generally are much smaller turnout and galvanizing the base to turn out is the key. From what I'm seeing with these lunatics on the right at town meetings they are galvanized and will turn out. If the president and congress don't deliver on health care and other key issues in a way that truly makes progress, I'm afraid the democratic base might not show up in sufficient numbers and the result might be solid GOP gains in the house and senate. I think Democratic leaders need to stop worrying about "cooperation" and concentrate more on getting it done right.

[ThomWV]

1. Your's is a very reasonable fear, well based and well expressed

You hit the nail on the head, the problem won't be that so many Republicans show up to vote, its that so many Democrats won't.

[scheming daemons]

2. The GOP base is only about 25% of the electorate.

Let them come out.

The demographics of the country are changing so dramatically in favor or Democrats that it won't matter.



They're a diminishing breed.

[WI_DEM]

3. Sorry, but in a low turn out election 25% of the voters can be decisive.

I think it is folly to take things for granted. That 25% in a low turnout election could make up over 50% of the total turnout.

[Jackpine Radical]

10. In WI, we have seen wingnut Supreme Court Justices elected

on the basis of a 10% turnout.

[SoFlaJet]

4. What many are NOT taking into consideration

is that the tactics being employed by the right are reminding us of exactly WHY places like this got started in the first place-the 2000 'election'. So with all the thuggish actions they take they KEEP us mobilized-it's going to backfire on them. I know everybody in THIS family will be voting to make sure Robert Wexler gets re-elected to HIS seat.

[KittyWampus]

11. Wexler is your Rep? He is a great guy.

[SoFlaJet]

17. yup

and the thing is you never really have to lobby him on anything because he's always already there Kitty-we still do though-just in case

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. We should hope that they are

We want to win actual elections where the most people possible vote, right?

What's the problem with everybody on the other side voting again?

[WI_DEM]

7. No the problem is that they will vote and the left will not.

[T Wolf]

12. If this administration and Congress do not deliver REAL reform to health care AND

the wars are still rolling along and the economy is still bad,

many of us on the left will not give our votes or dollars to the politicians who failed to take advantage of the best opportunity in decades for real PROGRESS.

Why are they STILL keeping their god damned powder dry?

[alcibiades_mystery]

14. Well, that's the way democracy works

The left doesn't vote, the left loses.

[redqueen]

16. The left *loves* losing.

Remember LePen?

[Davis_X_Machina]

20. Some people just prefer being in the opposition.

We have here a lot of folks who are simply the mirror image of the very part of the no-surrender, die-in-the-last ditch right wing we make fun of.

[Orsino]

6. Or course they will.

Whether President Obama is seen as a success or a failure, the base will be motivated to get out the vote. That's the peril in winning an election; the winner takes on responsibility for the state of things.

[BlueIdaho]

8. There's an answer...

We need to stay united as democrats and show up in even greater numbers. That's the point of elections - the person with the most votes wins.

[billyoc]

9. Oh, they will.

[kentuck]

13. Yes, if they can gin up enough hate and fear...

they will be out in force.

[ecstatic]

15. But how long can a fringe group stay misinformed?

:shrug:

[reflection]

18. The party is bereft of ideas and solutions.

In my opinion (worth what you paid for it) they will not be out 'in force'. Only the hardcore racists will be. And they have already suffered one stinging defeat with the election of Obama. I don't think it will be as bad for Democrats in '10 as the historical indicators would seem to imply. :shrug:

[PVnRT]

19. I'm not worried about them turning out so much

I'm more worried about their continued escalation and possible violence on election day.

Mark my words, they will be positioning themselves outside of poor/black polling places and doing harassment. Just watch.

[Critters2]

21. This is why health care reform needs to get passed and up and running

as soon as possible. We need to do everything we can to show voters that Dems are real change. At least some of that change needs to be in place by 2010.

[CrispyQ]

22. Alot of DUers are pretty confident that this is the GOPs last breath.

Not me. These fuckers could come back to life like a little spark in a dry forest. You are right, they will be out in droves. And if the economy still sucks & we don't have any meaningful health care reform & the wars in the Middle East are still going, the dems will see a decline in turnout. We could easily see repubs back in power.