So what now? Are we organized to take back the house in 2 years?

[Anser]

Remember, Michael Moore was able to get a ficus plant elected to congress.

The Tea Party just populated Congress with a bunch of plants. It took them almost the entire 2 years between elections.

Anyone want to discuss some pratical methods to fix the mess we're in?

Do we need more DU'ers to run for office in 2012?

Do we need to try to organize teachers and educators? (The new congress is sure to go after education spending)

Basically, like many of you I voted, I GOTV, and I want to know: now what?

Let's try to figure it out together.

[pstokely]

1. It's not impossible, but probably not likely

Truman last 50something seats in 1946, gained 75 seats in 1948.

[Anser]

2. huh?

Impossible but probably not likely... wuzzat mean?

[pstokely]

5. I'd feel better about it Dean was still in charge

nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Truman didn't have corporations with unlimited power to fight

[trotsky]

14. We don't have corporations either.

They're people now, you know.

[trotsky]

3. Tell you what it's going to take:

1) A couple of Republican scandals. That's what helped put us over the top in 2006.
2) BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH VOTERS. This absolutely KILLED us this cycle. All people got to hear was how the government had "taken over" healthcare when nothing of the sort happened. Or how the mega-billions bailout "failed."
3) Howard Dean back in charge of the DNC.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

7. Communication is vital.

I think everyone can agree communication was TERRIBLE this election.

[pstokely]

8. Communication needs to begin now

nt

[shayes51]

12. Communication from President Obama

must change. How could the person who communicated so well during an election fail so miserably as a communicator as president? We should all have been proud of health care reform rather than running away from it. At least now "they" will give Nancy Pelosi a rest from the hate.

[pstokely]

13. Start with backdrops with slogans

worked for the Chimp

[deacon]

10. Number 2 on your list is the biggest problem imo. They hammered us since obama took office.

Relentless.

[trotsky]

15. And of course the advantage they have by owning the media machine...

is damn near insurmountable. Which is why I included Republican scandals on my list - it puts the media in a bind because they LOVE salacious stories, so much that they'll put aside their Repuke loyalties to cover them.

[Le Taz Hot]

6. Who's "we?"

Edit for speeling.

[Anser]

11. We..

The people? Heh

No, "we" is those of us not thrilled with the election results in the house of representatives.

Democrats? Progressives? Liberals? Moderates? Maybe all of the above.

[Anser]

9. Seems to me..

That we need local action to take back the house district by district. I undersand all the overarching trends and powers that be, but I'm not sure this election was about that.

If it had been, then the repubs would have taken the senate as well.

I'm just not sure what that local action should look like...

For the Right it looked like maniacs screaming at people during town hall events.

[Dappleganger]

16. Forget about Florida.

And the national party NEEDS FL to win.

[End Of The Road]

17. Uh, right now, I'm more concerned about keeping the White House in two years. nt

[KharmaTrain]

18. The Yin And Yang...

You ask a very good question as with the many Blue Dogs who went down last night the door opens to find some better candidates in the next elections and this should become a priority at the DNC and the DCCC pronto. Unlike the GOTB that is threabare in finding quality candidates there are many upcoming Democrats who can and will step forward in the next couple years.

Keep in mind that many elections were decided by close margins...this wasn't the "tsunami" the corporate media had hoped for, but they sure will be getting the gridlock. The issue was the economy and I suspect it will be in 2012. The focus needs to be put on the rushpublicans as not only the people who created this mess but also now are obstructing any real long term solutions.

Losing seats in a mid-term is to be expected...especially after two big Democratic years. Many who lost were the weakest in the links...from purple and red areas and the infrastructure to rebuild and rebound is there.

[Davis_X_Machina]

19. Reversion to the norm. Statistics are you friends. n/t

[Bitwit1234]

20. Minnesota lost Oberstar who has held the seat since 1975 AND

the Democrats have held the seat since 1948. AND he lost it here in St. Louis County the most strongest stronghold of the DFL...the arm of the Democratic party. So anything can happen.

[myrna minx]

21. I really can't believe that loss.

:-(

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. MO lost Skelton

to a teabagger.

[SoCalDem]

22. The senate is our biggest problem.. Look at the map

:scared:

I can see us losing 8 or 9 "blue ones", and picking up NONE of the red ones.

[Javaman]

23. And there is the problem...

we have to stop thinking of short term gains.

Dems are eroding away in congress.

If we are going to fix this nation we have to think long term. the repukes do it, why can't we?

Think of a plan for the next 6 big elections.

We have to rebuilt, not stick a finger in the dike.