What can Dem. party do to attract those who didn't vote in the past?

[bobweaver]

It's apparent that "converting" any of the R voters is hopeless - their minds have been outsourced. The only strategy that has hope is to simply outnumber them by bringing in huge numbers of people to the D side. Falwell is on a campaign to register 10 million new Rs before the 2006 elections. What are the Ds going to do to increase their numbers and how are they going to do it?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. If you didn't vote in 2004?

Heh, I have no idea. I think you'd have to threaten violence to get any larger reaction than we had this time around.

[tk2kewl]

3. didn't pdiddy already do the threat thing

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

5. Yeah, "Vote or Die"

I don't see him following through though...

[tk2kewl]

7. lol

bush*Co is taking care of the dieing part

[Pacifist Patriot]

49. I was surprised to learn that 2004 was the second highest turnout

in my county's history. Voter turnout as a percentage of registered voters was actually higher in 1992 when Perot ran for president.

[JaneDoughnut]

2. A few ideas

If you didn't vote in 2004, it's probably because you don't think your vote counts. And that's a pretty understandable perception. I think the question is how do we convince people that their vote matters?
1. Commit to fighting election fraud.
2. Fight to implement instant runoff voting and consider aboloishing the Electoral College (why bother voting for John Kerry in Louisiana, eh?)
3. Create better outreach. In Louisiana, we had problems getting people registered before the deadline and getting a slow start in the presidential campaign. Democratic Party headquarters need to be open with at least light staff all year, not just during election season.

[bettyellen]

10. better outreach is crucial........

kerry's campaign and move on both left people waiting on volunteer lists forever to be contacted. it happened to me and many many people i spoke to. if i had to hear "it's about time someone called me" one more time i thought i'd scream.
a lot of people i spoke with complained that their offers to volunteer were repeatedly ignored, and they felt their contact info was used for fundraising only. i couldn't argue with them.

[renaissanceguy]

35. That's terrible.

I didn't encounter that problem in Illinois.

At the same time, sometimes volunteers just have to show up, if it's a group event.
http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues.16472020

[marions ghost]

44. I couldn't agree more

Create better outreach. Not just open during election season---
SHOW voters that Dems are working on issues of importance--starting with vote suppression and e-voting concerns, voter confidence etc

The Democratic party will miss a huge opportunity to strengthen at state level if it does not see that active outreach is needed.

[blondeatlast]

4. I'd like to see a concerted campaign NOW to get teens involved

in the political process, especially 16 year olds, for reasons that should be obvious.

There are two crucial issues facing them: Iraq and Afghanistan, and I think with the right approach, we could get that vote, and what's more...

KEEP IT.

[NickiWitch]

16. You're absolutely correct!

I have my two sons (16 & 14) heavily involved in the vote process and they are extremely interested in the past election and what's going on.

I'm sure not *all* teenagers are going to care too much, but if we can just reach a few, we've done a lot. They are constantly bombarded by what they see on tv. It's really up to the parents to educate them and show them that everything they see on TV is not always right.

The Democratic Party needs young blood (MWAHAHAHAHA). But seriously, they have to work on teens because they're going to be the ones voting in 2008.

Peace!!

Nicki :)

[renaissanceguy]

36. Exactly.

College aged people are the ones more open to knowledge and have the stamina and will to organize and make change.

That's why Dean was so successful with that group. He actually reached out to them. Teens and young adults need to be told that their elected officials impact their future.

http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues.16472020

[Democrat Dragon]

48. As a 16-year old with a 45-year old's brain...

I can tell you from my observations of teenagers is that if you want them to get involved, a good idea is to extend the college Democratic clubs into high schools.

I can remember on Nov.2nd I saw lots of teens wearing campaign T-shirts, most of em' Kerry and one Anti-Bush. Then again it could be becuase I live in California. So yes, there a lot more teens that do care.

But to tell you the truth according to my experience, most teens do not even know who Contradica Rice and the rest of the main Nazi cabal is, unless they have seen F/9-11, are curious, have parents who tell them, or are "nerds" like me.

If a school refuses to have partisan clubs because they are partisan, you could argue that the same applies to the christian clubs and gay-straight-alliance clubs. If you are a teacher and want to say anti-repuke things, do it subtely, for example I had a history teacher that briefly mentioned how the U.S knew about the massacres in Iraq when they were happening in the 80's. Do not say anything blaintly or you're going to have complaints from parents. This of course is much easier to do in blue states than in red states.

One method of attracting teens to the Democratic party id to observe companies who target to young people. Doing this might require publicity stunts, something involving a basketball hoop, events near schools, and maybe even a promotional car.

And don't forget putting ads in MTV or WB.(WB might be reluctant to buy ads due to who owns it)

[sueh]

52. Yes, yes...

When I was in high school we held a mock election in 1976 complete with mock debates.

My parents taught me the importance of voting and took me to the polls with them when I was in grade school. I still remember the excitement I felt when I went to the polls to vote for the first time with my parents in 1980.

Parents play a big part in this. I wonder if parents that don't vote realize the message thye're sending to their kids.

[zacho]

33. Get some charismatrons

We debate the issues too much. We need better talking heads.

[Warpy]

6. Put working class economic issues on the table

Dump the corporatist dogma, it's a loser. HAMMER the GOP on economic issues. Be utterly relentless.

Of course, we'll have to dump the DLC and their favorite stable of corporate lobbyists turned handlers if this is to happen.

But it has to.

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

8. I think its time to try and re-claim the progressive and greens

and bring them into the "Big-ten" we supposedly have. It mean isn't it time we turn our backs on the moderate republicans? haven't we seen how well appealing to them has done us in the past few years? I think its time to fore go being nice and civil and become hard liners and real critics. No more bi-partisan BS. No more cow-towing to the repukes. I think we just need to grow a back bone and STAND UP for TRUE democratic (small d) values, like election integrity, keeping our armed services strong, protecting the weak in our society, and generally trying to raise all the boats in the sea.

[aden_nak]

9. Grow some sack?

[Wisc Badger]

11. Oh I Don't Know I used to be an "R" voter and

now I am a recovering Republican, some of us can change.

Although today I sense a lot of posts that would just as soon have "us 4 and no more" that is not a real good way to go.

What Dean will do is allow the Dem's to both grow to the left and to the center.

Believe me I think that a center/left approach will be a winner in 06, and 08. The GOP is going to seriously overplay their hand and pay the price for doing so.

As for me I voted for Kerry last November, and I will never, ever vote for a GOP candidate again.
:bounce: :dem:

[stray cat]

12. I never voted democrat until this year - independent or didn't vote

Bush has been a great motivator for some of us to join the democrats

[DaedelusNemo]

37. Say, a thread on how dems can pull in repubs

who are at present being pushed away by their party would be a good one to have.

I would like you republicans and independents to comment on what i think the political situation is.

It seems to me that a large part of the republican party, and those who lean thataway, are basically in it for the small-government philosophy; they want minimal intrusion by the government, maximal personal freedom, minimal waste and taxes. I usually think of this as the libertarian side of the party, but the Libertarian party has, lately, made that word mean 'economic anarchists' to most people, so using that label gives them the wrong idea. Perhaps it would be better to call it the "live and let live" side of the party.

Other parts are more motivated by their vision, usually one based on religion, of how people should behave, and they want the government to support their social vision. They call themselves the religious right or the moral majority; i call them the authoritarian theocrats. (Mind you, i'm not calling all christians theocrats! - most christians do believe in separation of church and state, and in personal liberty over government-enforced behavior.)

A third part of the party is concerned largely with the interests of the very wealthy and of the largest corporations. This group has always had an outsized influence with regard to its size due to its status as financing source. Mind you, lots of people, republican and democrat alike, want our corporations to do well, but for most of us our higher priority is for our people to do well - and we don't want the interests of the largest corporations to swamp out the interests of the smaller corporations, either.

In the Bush administration, we see the results of an alliance of the theocrats with the money, and they're pretty much shoving the libertarians out of policy almost entirely. The only remnant seems to be a pretense in the rhetoric, particularly in the economic rhetoric, of expousing freedom. At the same time, government powers are steadily being increased while government accountability is steadily being eroded, the church-state connection is increasing, the corporation-state connection is increasing, the military is being used as a first rather than last resort, and government spending has exploded beyond all previous spending. These are not measures that 'live and let live' people can be happy with. The best they can do is try to convince themselves that they are necessary, but as time goes on, more and more of the administration's lies becomes more and more clear.

These people are not being represented, and represent the democrat's single biggest opportunity to make serious inroads on both the republicans and the independents. At this time, it is not hard at all to run more libertarian than the republicans on personal freedoms or big government. This doesn't threaten affordable health care or education or social security or even raising the minimum wage - the country in fact overwhelmingly approves of such things. (Frankly, most of the country is what would have once been called 'liberal', back when that meant almost exactly the same thing as a 'libertarian'.)

But a strong stance, firm commitment, and persistent media statements in favor of civil liberties including religious freedom, against the Patriot Act, against Guatanamo, against torture, for guaranteeing honest elections, for increasing the transparency and the accountability of government, for reining in spending and getting rid of waste and special favoritisms and paying down that deficit, for setting the priority on the working folks instead of the corporations, for working to make this country as representative of a democracy as we can manage, and for the right of people to do what they want to do as long as they don't hurt others, in general, would gladden the hearts of many a voter, and many a non-voter, out there. if they believed you were serious, they'd vote for it.

[Kota]

13. Keep the focus on how screwed up everything is and thats its

Bush and the Republicans. We focus alot on Bush, it should be Bush and the Republicans. The failures of the last 4 years are coming to light and the next 4 will not be any better. We must keep the blame on Bush and the Republicans.

[burn the bush]

14. get a spine. thats what they need to do.

the media via roveco probably made such a fuss over the dean rant soley for the purpose of getting him out of the running. His energy could have ignited the masses.

[Liberty Belle]

15. Appeal to common sense values.

Protecting social security, jobs, a living wage, affordable healthcare, affordable higher education. These are our "family values."
Educate voters on Bush's destruction of the environment. Most are shocked to hear what he's done--and don't approve. Tie it to family again. Asthma rates are up 75% in the US. Think of all the kids wheezing because of Bush letting companies put out more pollution.

We need an anti-corporate message.

Portray Bush as caring only about the big corporations and rich campaign donors--and nobody else.

[Wisc Badger]

19. I like that approach!!!

:yourock: :hug:

[DaedelusNemo]

38. I completely agree with you

In fact, i just got done saying almost the same, just above. I see this as the new center for the dems to claim - it's a liberal one, and it's one that is overwhelmingly agreed with by the country at large.

Nobody should be allowed to shift their costs to anyone else, and that certainly includes corporations that don't want to clean up after themselves and stick us with their pollution. That's not just a liberal position, it's a very conservative position, it's a libertarian position, it's a basic rational position that most people agree with.

If we had a solution to offer, that would help a lot - i've been thinking in terms of a pollution tax on any goods or service sold (form of sales tax) that would be calculated to match the cost to clean up after its manufacture, use, and disposal. Producers could reduce that tax by cleaning up after themselves instead of having the government do it for them and charge them for it via that tax, or even by suggesting cheaper ways to effectively clean it up. Either way, the costs get put back where they belong, the mess gets cleaned up, and the power to minimize them lies directly with the people who create them in the first place.

I don't think we need to be so much anti-corporate as we need to be pro-working people. Corporations are dandy when they're not breaking the rules and screwing labor. We even would be well-advised to encourage small business, which is where the most jobs and innovation are created. But people must have priority over companies, and the smaller companies should be protected from the larger ones that try to game the system and squeeze the rest out.

And i think we can also make a powerful appeal to the wide anti-authoritarian, anti-theocrat, pro-freedom streak in the American people.

[mandyky]

17. Utilize our local Democratic elected officials

Will Pitt's mom went canvassing this last election and lots of "poor" folks just were not interested. We need our local Dems to help the poor in their areas and hold townhalls etc.

We also need to utilize "liberal" Christian churches like Unitarians, Quakers, etc. Not all Christians are fundies and evangelicals.

[itzamirakul]

18. I agree with your thoughts and further...

personal "canvassing" should be going on right now. We should have small armies of folks who are going out talking to folks, whether in their homes, churches, lodges, clubs, etc. Sometimes, the smaller and more intimate the group that you are talking to, the better - because it allows them the opportunity to ask more questions and add to the discussion. People like to be included - not just "talked at."

And yes, we need to make greater use of the liberal churches and organized religious groups out there - like the Unitarians and Religous Scientists, and others whom I may not even know of yet.

The way the Republicans energized their base was by delivering different messages to different people. The people who wanted to believe in racism - got their message delivered to them out of earshot of the larger group. The people who wanted to ban gay marriage - got their message delivered to them. The people who were against abortion got their message delivered to them. We fool ourselves when we think the Repubs had only one message. They had different messages that they delivered to different folks based on what those folks wanted to hear.

[DaedelusNemo]

39. We should definitely run people everywhere

Regardless of if they can win or not. It's a chance to get across the message, which has been almost unheard in many parts of the country for a long time.

We need to improve communications between the local parties, and other groups, and between them and the state and national parties. The internet provides the perfect method, imo. We need to be doing ongoing messaging. Right now, we should be putting out ads about SS explaining that it's not a crisis, presenting a democratic plan, and showing how much worse the republican plan is than ours. We need to be talking about electoral reform non-stop.

We should make the environment a personal issue for people. Find out what's in your water here: http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=224560 . If the results horrify you, you have got a local issue that will viscerally grab people and get them involved. No one wants to be drinking poison and giving it to their kids because some local company can't keep it clean. They are making you pay for their profit. If the democratic party helps with this effort and provides overarching message and materials to go along with it, you have potentially got a whole brand new democratic environmental movement in this country.

Most rural people like their clean water, and it's going bad now - this is a great way to reach into those rural areas that are now experiencing their own wave of industrialization, the guys that got the factories that moved out of the more expensive areas.

[Tafiti]

20. I think a pretty simple principle operates here.

Non-voters are simply distrusting and disillusioned with the political system. Their impression (and often rightly so) is of the slick, glad-handing politician who ultimately does not have their interests in mind.

The Democratic party needs to speak out and just be honest, no matter how hard. It's a respectable thing to do, which means there wouldn't be any need to beat around the bush or spin or be PC. It's not like we're trying to recruit right-wingers, we're trying to appeal to people who think politics is bullshit. Who can blame them? These people need to know that something has changed, that's it's different this time, and that the Democratic Party is worth placing at least a little bit of trust, if only on a trial basis.

[DaedelusNemo]

40. politics is a theater of lies in which we can have no influence

that is exactly why lots of people don't vote - they see lies on both sides and decide not to put themselves into the humiliating position of willing dupe.

The party has to, first, form a coherent message that hangs together and can be understood. Anything that seems arbitrary, or like it's just cobbled together from a wish-list, keeps people from being able to put it together into something they can believe in. They have to work out, and explain, and then boil down, how their positions on issues grow out of their belief in a few basic values that most people believe in. That's a bare minimum - being able to get across why you believe the things you do. Without that, you're not even a plausible alternative.

Once they do it, they have to stick with it - not just in repetition in the media, although that's crucial, but actually sticking to the principles they've pronounced, even if it leads them occasionally into a position on some point that isn't so popular. If you have reasons, you can explain them, and people will understand.

People place a higher premium on integrity in public officials than they do on absolute agreement on all issues, which no one is going to get anyway.

To be believable, and thus to inspire, you have to be understandable and you have to stick with it.

[JaneDoughnut]

21. Another idea

But not so much about attracting non-voters as getting some of the Republicans on our side.

"Personal Responsibility" seems to be the mantra that attracts respectable people to the Republican party. I think there is a perception that Democrats believe in handouts instead of personal responsibility, which is not at all true. We (I?) believe we have a responsibility for ourselves, but ALSO for the communities and world around us.

So how do we change that perception?

I also agree with a post above that people simply distrust politicians. Well, me too. If we can find candidates who are well-known in their communities through good works, like charity work, community involvement, etc, and who people know and trust, we can show the non-voters that the new Democratic party is not politics as usual.

[Maat]

22. I say 'COMMUNITY," and I hammer it over and over and over..again!

Community implies that you have a responsibility for your neighbor, as well as yourself. And, I've been working to quietly change the frame from 'personal responsibility' to 'selfishness,' when I'm in a conversation. I try to hammer in the 'when a member of our community suffers, we all suffer' Obama-like theme. It works!

This thread is good. Good ideas!

[JaneDoughnut]

23. I disagree about the "selfishness" thing

Yeah, we may think they're selfish, but they think they're self-sufficient and just trying to keep the rewards of their hard work out of the hands of others who haven't earned it.

I am just as guilty of this hostility towards anti-tax, anti-welfare Repubs, but we need to frame it more positively, and bring people to us rather than drive them away.

Unfortunately, the fact that social welfare programs and community responsibility are actually beneficial to most of these same people (those we might call "selfish") can be a complicated concept, and difficult to communicate.

[Maat]

31. We must have miscommunicated.

As to trying to keep the rewards of one's hard work out of the hands of others who have not earned it, that is like equating apples to oranges. The underlying assumption is that those who are poor have not made the same effort, and that the poor started on a level playing field. In my humble opinion, this retired social worker believes that utterly untrue.

I believe that referring to community and the responsibility towards others (not being selfish) is a positive way of presenting things. It is just disciplined.

When I refer to 'selfish,' I am referring to those that have, and who won't support an adequate social safety net without complaining - and are thus not fulfilling their duty to their community. I never implied, being a retired social worker, that those who receive are selfish.

[DaedelusNemo]

41. Demand accountability for government and corporations

and affirm that people should contribute to their own well-being insofar as they are capable.

[El Fuego]

24. Only a SOUTHERN candidate will siphon red state votes

The "bubba" vote will never, ever go to a northeasterner. It's why Clinton won, and in the end, why Bush won over Kerry.

Clark in 08!

[Sweet Freedom]

26. Agree 100%

I'm a transplanted Yankee living in the Lone Star state, so I know many native Texas men.

In a recent discussion with a few of these men (democrats), I was surprised to learn that, even though they voted for Kerry, they all thought he was a wimp because he was from the northeast. Why? Because to them, ALL Yankees are wimps. It doesn't matter if they shoot, spit, and split wood -- if you're from the north, you're automatically not tough and never will be.

They don't like pretty-boys either. They thought of the Kerry/Edwards duo as a wimp and a baby-faced pretty boy.

If the democrats were thinking this, then I believe that southern men who didn't vote for Bush, also didn't vote for Kerry because they wouldn't vote for a wimp (or a damn Yankee).

(Clark in '08:D )

[JaneDoughnut]

29. Disagree

I think that if we ran someone who wasn't already government elite, someone who had worked their way to the top and had a life story that could be related to Southern values, that candidate could take states in the South. Or at least would have a better shot than current Dem candidates. John Kerry was not someone we could relate to on a personal level, even those of us who admired his intelligence and supported his proposed policies.

[Ken Burch]

46. Did people really see Clark as a southerner in '04?

Maybe it was just his inexperience on the stump, but I don't think he ended up reading as southern this time. Not sure how he can change that.

[StephanieMarie]

25. Voting reform.

Until we can fix the system, it won't matter how many people we bring to the polls. Kerry won in '04. The vote was supressed and stolen in a thousand ways.

After that, be real Democrats. Do the Clinton "living wage" talk.

[DaedelusNemo]

42. It's also a political opportunity

The democrats get to be the crusaders trying to make sure our democracy is representative, and if the republicans are so foolish as to resist we can beat them mercilessly with the ugly stick.

It's good, AND it's good for you!

[blondeatlast]

27. Wacky, but think about it before you laugh uproariously...

Pack up the DNC HQ and move it to Middle America, right in the heart of a red state hurting from unemployment and corporate farming.

I know it will never happen, but imagine the impact...

[crispini]

28. BRILLIANT!

Boy, that'd do a lot in one fell swoop, eh?

[blondeatlast]

30. Why thank you!--if only they paid me for this stuff!

Honestly, I had this idea this morning in the shower, of all places.

[Maat]

32. I don't know that moving the DNC to the Midwest would help.

One, I would be offended, probably. I may not be acting in a politically correct manner, but I'm being honest. Unless that Midwesterner had a record of earnestly promoting equal opporunity for women and GLBT individuals, and was pro-choice, the Party would be letting go of me.

[crispini]

34. No, just physically move the entire DNC headquarters to a red state.

Get everyone out of the beltway bubble. It'd be a hoot. Damn, I think that'd be a great reality show or something. :P

[Maat]

45. I guess it would be good, symbolically speaking.

n/t

[DaedelusNemo]

43. Now we can pile 'em up instead of 'em just going down the drain : ) /nt

[eg101]

54. Pack up the DNC HQ and move it to Antarctica

good effin riddance....

[Lone_Star_Dem]

47. One thing we need to do is pound the Republican party over and...

...over again on their lies and shortcomings. Not just Bush, remember he isn't the one that's going to be running for President, but every single corrupt, lying, sack of fertilizer in their party. Make the people begin to have some doubts about not getting off their butts and voting. In the process we might just take back a few of those 'security moms' who defected.

We also need to reach the working class, again. We need to form solid easy to understand opinions about how they are getting the short end of the stick from the Republicans and how we plan on fixing that. Point out that they hold the power to change their lives by voting the Republicans out. Then we need to have every single party member preach it from their soapboxes.

We need to start out on the offensive this time around and stay there. IF we give them an inch they turn it into a mile.

Last and far from least. Teach the youth. It's been my own personal pet project for the past two years. Teenagers are more receptive to views that don't mimic their parents then you might think. Bush is making this easier for us as more of their friends are being sent to Iraq. The letters they are sending back home are not all the raving endorsements you see portrayed on TV.

Another way to reach the youth is to offer them better chances of funding their college. There's still far too many kids who can't swing college tuition. They know they have no real hope for a meaningful future. Offer them a chance and you could make a Democrat for life.

[TankLV]

50. Give them a reason to EARN their vote?

Try turning left towards the center.

Try turning back to the base.

Stop chasing windmills (repuk votes).

That would be a good start.

I'm gonna be a new member of the "Earn my vote - convince me to vote for you" crowd.

The democratic party can no longer take my vote for granted.

If they don't EARN my vote, I will sit out the next dance - for the first time since 1972.

[trezic]

51. ...

1. Toss the social liberalism. Quit advocating it. It loses votes and isn't nearly as important as economic issues.

2. A fair-trade policy. As an example, the US would not trade with China until the People's Liberation Army got out of business and the courts are independent. Nor would it trade with any country that trades with China. As the US is the buyer of last resort, as well as the center of the financial universe, there is some chance of this being successful. This is just an example, not a well-thought out proposal, so go easy eh?

3. Be specific and honest with proposals. Some people seem to think this is a bad idea. I invite them to read the fireside chats of FDR. He didn't get bogged down in terminology, but he laid out complex ideas very well so that anyone could understand them.

4. Get informed about monetary policy. This seems like a really technical issue that requires experts, but somehow the Populists, a lot of whom were illiterate farmers, had little trouble understanding it.

5. Reclaim God. I'm a Catholic, so I don't know if this is specific to us or general, but the teaching I have heard my entire life is "Whatever you do for the least of Me, you do for Me." Frame the debate in these terms, like FDR did.

6. Reform the redistricting of Congress. This is the most important issue of all, I think. If Congress isn't districted to protect the extreme incumbents, it becomes more likely that moderates will be elected. Centrists, whether right or left, are preferable to exremes of either side because they don't have an ideology to defend. Pragmatism was a Democratic value until the 70s and we could desperately use it once again.

[eg101]

53. Huh! We actually agree on something

social vs economic leftism. Big big thing!

[pinto]

55. work locally to build the party representation...

city, county, State House, Congress...

[crunchygranola25]

56. Voting Behavior in White Democrats

Hello all,

I am conducting research for a political science class to test democratic voting behaviors in specific election scenarios. I have a survey (quick and easy, all multiple choice) that will take approx 3 minutes or less out of your day. I want a larger demographic and believe this forum is the perfect place to get some informative data. Please help me out and fill it out! I appreciate it so much, and so does my grade!

http://questionpro.com/t/AF1BqZJ6i0

[craticdemo]

57. I think that

if Obama ended the wars, that would be radical enough to attract a lot of apathetic people.

[rorschach1620]

58. Secretly promote the Republican Party.

[Name removed]

59. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.