2016 Postmortem

Bread and Circus

(9,454 posts) Mon Mar 7, 2016, 05:06 PM Mar 2016

Democrats Have Their History Wrong — and Are About to Make a Grievous Mistake

Democrats Have Their History Wrong — and Are About to Make a Grievous Mistake

http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/democrats-have-their-history-wrong-and-are-about-make-grievous-mistake

Lesson of 1972 isn't that progressive nominees lose. Dems lose when they are out of step with voters, like Hillary.

By Kathy Donohue / Salon
March 7, 2016

This election cycle, Democratic Party leaders are pleading with younger voters to heed the lessons of history. Echoing George Santayana’s famous warning: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” they urge millennials to take a close look at what happened to Democrats in 1972. That was the year, they explain, that the Democratic Party made a monumental blunder at its national convention by empowering young people, women and minorities at the expense of party elites. The result was the nomination of George McGovern, a candidate whose ideas were so radical that they guaranteed a landslide victory for Richard Nixon.

Leaving aside whether such an interpretation of 1972 is accurate, there is a more fundamental issue here. What if pundits and Democratic Party leaders are focusing on the wrong election? What if the lessons that history has for us are to be found not in 1972 but in 1968? What if we are heeding the absolutely wrong warnings?

This is a nice quick read. I am sure it will be dismissed by the usual pundits but I think it is an interesting take.

12 replies

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Highlight:

Democrats Have Their History Wrong — and Are About to Make a Grievous Mistake (Original Post) Bread and Circus Mar 2016 OP

but she isnt out of step with most voters... artyteacher Mar 2016 #1

actually 40% of democrats, most independents, and most Republicans. Bread and Circus Mar 2016 #3

yes, and. I believe her wall street plan ... artyteacher Mar 2016 #5

ooohhh "some say"..... well "some say" George W Bush was a great President. Bread and Circus Mar 2016 #6

in any case Warren praised it. eom artyteacher Mar 2016 #9

I guess but Warren basically said Clinton was a sellout on the bankruptcy law changes and screwed... Bread and Circus Mar 2016 #12

There's three tiny flaws with this analysis mythology Mar 2016 #2

You are just talking about the Democratic Primary. Democrats are minority of the country. Bread and Circus Mar 2016 #4

See when claim these things it is just white noise Gwhittey Mar 2016 #8

Your error is assuming the Democratic primary electorate is the same as the entire electorate. jeff47 Mar 2016 #10

Great article! Gregorian Mar 2016 #7

K & R !!! WillyT Mar 2016 #11

artyteacher

(598 posts)

1. but she isnt out of step with most voters...

Reply to Bread and Circus (Original post)

Mon Mar 7, 2016, 05:15 PM

Mar 2016

Only the far left....

Bread and Circus

(9,454 posts)

3. actually 40% of democrats, most independents, and most Republicans.

Reply to artyteacher (Reply #1)

Mon Mar 7, 2016, 05:19 PM

Mar 2016

Most people in this country feel the game is rigged and that campaign finance crookery is killing the country.

Most people agree with Sanders on these 2 issues at least.

So there.

artyteacher

(598 posts)

5. yes, and. I believe her wall street plan ...

Reply to Bread and Circus (Reply #3)

Mon Mar 7, 2016, 05:27 PM

Mar 2016

Has been endorsed by Warren and some say it's stronger than Bernie's.

Bread and Circus

(9,454 posts)

6. ooohhh "some say"..... well "some say" George W Bush was a great President.

Reply to artyteacher (Reply #5)

Mon Mar 7, 2016, 05:29 PM

Mar 2016

artyteacher

(598 posts)

9. in any case Warren praised it. eom

Reply to Bread and Circus (Reply #6)

Mon Mar 7, 2016, 05:44 PM

Mar 2016

Bread and Circus

(9,454 posts)

12. I guess but Warren basically said Clinton was a sellout on the bankruptcy law changes and screwed...

Reply to artyteacher (Reply #9)

Mon Mar 7, 2016, 06:37 PM

Mar 2016

the 99% after the 1% filled her coffers.

Which Warren are you agree with?

mythology

(9,527 posts)

2. There's three tiny flaws with this analysis

Reply to Bread and Circus (Original post)

Mon Mar 7, 2016, 05:18 PM

Mar 2016

One Clinton has won the most states so far.

Two Clinton has won the most pledged delegates.

Three Clinton has more of the popular vote.

It really undermines the claim that the Democratic party isn't listening to the people when by the objective measures, the person most likely to win the nomination is ahead in the vote, the pledged delegates and in the number of states won. If you're going to point to turnout being down, you can't conclusively lay that only at Clinton's feet as it's the Sanders campaign's job to turnout their voters and thus far, they haven't done so as effectively as the Clinton campaign.

Bread and Circus

(9,454 posts)

4. You are just talking about the Democratic Primary. Democrats are minority of the country.

Reply to mythology (Reply #2)

Mon Mar 7, 2016, 05:20 PM

Mar 2016

She is popular with a minority of a minority.

Sanders speaks to all of the electorate. That's why he does better in head to head polls for the GE.

Gwhittey

(1,377 posts)

8. See when claim these things it is just white noise

Reply to mythology (Reply #2)

Mon Mar 7, 2016, 05:38 PM

Mar 2016

to me. Reason being that how can one claim a win if there is cheating? And don't try and tell me there is not that going on. They debate schedule only shows that. 26 debates in 2008 6 this time. It is tailored made to make the person with least media exposure get even less. And there is no way on earth you can say Sanders got as much media in 2015. 10 mins to Clinton's 100s of hours.
Why is the DNC not doing any college campus drives? Only ones doing get out the vote drives is Sanders camp. WTF and then people say oh you must vote in GE whoever gets elected.