Independents decided this election. How do we attract and keep them?

[apples and oranges]

:shrug:

[snot]

1. Rec'd for asking a potentially helpful question.

[UrbScotty]

2. Where I live, lack of Democratic voters decided the election.

Republicans got about as many votes as they usually do around here - but there was a huge drop-off in Democratic votes.

Turnout among Democrats was abysmal.

[apples and oranges]

4. I have a theory on why that was

Our own side succeeded in lowering enthusiasm and turn out with endless complaints over the past 2 years.

[Recursion]

14. I don't think the "endless complaints" really reached much farther than the blogosphere

We do need to keep in mind that the conversations we have on DU are radically, radically different from the conversations most of the country has.

[Radical Activist]

20. Yep.

The corporate press was going to attack Obama anyway. Then most left pundits decided to pitch in and help the lynch mob.

[T Wolf]

3. Obviously, the key to electoral success is to abandon traditional Democratic principles and

throw in with the GOP.

Wouldn't want to appear too liberal...

[Skidmore]

17. There is such dichotomous thinking on both sides of the political divide

that it is a small wonder we aren't at literal war.

[Zoeisright]

5. In this day and age, anyone who is an independent is just plain stupid.

There's a clear choice between the two parties.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

6. I don't know....leg traps?

.

[treestar]

7. By showing some passion for our own side

Continually puffing up our own side rather than criticizing it all the time.

Being happy to make gains and cheering that on to the next victory, rather than quitting because they aren't good enough.

The whole idea that Democrats stay home because they aren't inspired enough to vote shows they are not that serious about Democratic issues. The independents see that and that the Republicans really believe in their side.

[droidamus2]

8. How about this

Have the Democratic party decide what they really stand for and fight for it!!! When will the Democratic leadership figure out that in a lot of ways it is not what your philosophy or message is but that you truly believe and are willing to stand behind it. Watch the Republicans in the House they know that most of anything they pass may be defeated in the Senate or vetoed by Obama (though I don't count on him anymore) but they will have votes just to show people what they supposedly stand for win, lose or draw. You cannot build a strong Democratic party if you are going to kow-tow to the independents and lose the activists base (the liberals/progressives). Like many on DU have pointed out if you base your strategy on appeasing the independents then you just end up looking like Republican lite and people will just opt for real Republicans rather than 'almost' Republicans. Right now we have a slightly left of center party and a far right party unless the Democrats can show us liberals and progressives that are ideas and wishes are going to be strongly represented we may be better off trying to develop a strong third party. I really hope it doesn't come to that but I am real tired of feeling like I have no representation in the national government (not totally true because I live in Vermont now so with Leahy and Bernie Sanders at least some of the message I would like to hear is coming from my state).

[mzmolly]

9. Jobs

jobs and jobs.

[Warren Stupidity]

10. stand for something clear and understandable and fight for it consistently

[Rex]

11. No they did not. We got divisive toward the end and all the petty

bickering took over the real issues of the day. Dems will never be like Repukers - they are all on the same page of crazy, we have different thoughts on how to save America from 8 years of crime.

[jeff47]

18. You forget

That the bickering was basically among the wonks and on blogs. The vast majority had no idea there was any bickering going on.

[Rex]

19. Sure they did, the M$M reported with glee everytime a Dem sneezed

wrong. We played right into Karl Roves hands.

[jeff47]

25. MSNBC != MSM

Or at least not the parts of the MSM that actually effect elections. Not enough people watch.

[xchrom]

12. Independents want see the party of the people

To act like it.

Constructing legislation that is pro-corporate isn't going
Convince them - it's not what they want when they vote dem.

[Recursion]

13. Accomplishing things. I don't think "left vs. right" is helpful

People want something done, and want it bad enough that they don't really care what it is. Independents often aren't very ideological. If private enterprise can get everybody health care, they're for it. If government can, they're for it.

[Barack_America]

15. GET.SHIT.DONE. nt

[Jade Fox]

16. Based on what?

I'm reading it's the lack of young voter turn out that decided this election.

In my experience most self-described independent voters lean Republican most of the time anyway.

[Radical Activist]

21. Low turn out dediced this election.

How do we get more people to show up for Democrats next time?

[Tatiana]

22. Make sure they have jobs, housing, and can feed themselves and their families. n/t

[rucky]

23. Don't think independently?

Seems they prefer to back the group in the greatest lockstep.

[hayu_lol]

24. One of our worst mistakes, over time, has been to open...

our primaries to all comers. They should be closed to anyone not a registered Dem. Reason for that is the Repugs are solid. They are what they are.

Indies, particularly the younger ones, were wildly excited about the primary. They showed up in huge numbers to participate. They were not interested in following up in the day to day running of one of two major parties.

These floaters did not support the party in this election.

You can't make a strong party out of people who will not commit.