How is it possible?

[abelenkpe]

The GOP appears to be kicking DEM butt with a minority of supporters and even though their policies are beneficial to a tiny few.
In various states the GOP is working hard to curtail voter turnout by passing laws requiring voter IDs, limiting early voting and making it more difficult for college students to vote. They are redistricting making it more difficult for democrats to win house seats. Yesterday there were reports of Pennsylvania attempting to split their electoral votes. They are going after public sector unions and working feverishly to limit a woman's right to choose.
Meanwhile, democrats are stymied in congress by the constant obstruction from the GOP and the enthusiasm that was a big part of the last presidential election is gone.
Time is running out. If democrats want to win the next election, or take back the house they need to figure out to fire up their base now and work hard for democrats not just in the presidential election but on the state level as well.
What can be done to bring back the enthusiasm for democratic candidates? If you could give democratic campaigns advice what would you recommend? What say you DU?

[ThomWV]

1. By using "The Big Lie" and almost scientific manipulation of language

They do not tell the truth and they manipulate and propagandize with not only decades of experience but also what I can only call scientific precision. They know exactly what they are doing and they know what result will follow.

[elleng]

5. Right, scientific precision, champions of propaganda,

got technique from Bernays, 'public relations' originator, related to Freud.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays

[JuniperLea]

6. Not to mention the constant drumming of the media...

Telling us how Dems feel... catapulting the propaganda... repeat the lie until it becomes truth... this is the trap a FEW Dems are falling into, but I sincerely do NOT think it's the masses claimed by the librul media.

[tblue]

2. The Republicans play chess!

Notice how the Dems are always REacting, playing catch-up, conceding point after point? We need to get smart and proactive ASAP!

Our Democratic Party leadership too often stinks at politics AND policy. They are being outplayed and they don't even know it. It's really the outspoken progressives who see and say clearly what must be done. They have been right all along! Thank God for Keith Ellison and the Progressive Caucus. If we'd just do what that caucus wanted, we might not get everything we want, but we aren't getting much of that anyway. What we are doing is not working!

[tridim]

4. They play chess, and they don't let us have anything but a few pawns.

They never follow the rules and they own the referees who should call them on it.

[tblue]

9. The onus is on us. We can only blame them for so long.

There comes a time when you (not YOU but all of us) have to stop allowing yourself to be toyed with and abused. Sometimes I think the Repubs are nowhere near our only problem.

[LibDemAlways]

3. I would recommend that Democratic candidates

support Democratic principles - pro-union, universal health care, living wage, secure social safety net, jobs jobs jobs. etc. and not only talk the talk but walk the walk. The party has been infiltrated by R-lites and has gotten frightfully and shamefully away from its core values.

[spanone]

7. they have the ultimate partner....the media

they can shove shit down our throat and tell you it's honey

[bklyncowgirl]

8. I think that there's a big disconnect between Democratic policies and the need to raise money.

In order to compete, the Democrats have to raise money from people who have it i.e. the rich.

In order to do so Democrats whose natural base it essentially populist, have to distance themselves from policies popular with the base. Raise taxes on the rich--they may talk about it but actually doing it is another thing entirely. Free Trade is immensely unpopular with lower and middle class Democrats but few Democratic Party leaders are going to oppose it or demand policies that would even the playing field for American made products. Once again they may yack about it but when was the last time we saw a widespread Democratic party opposition to a free trade agreement. When it comes to who gets screwed it's not even close. The Democrats aren't going to hurt the donor class.

The Republicans don't have that problem. They can use the social issues to get their base fired up. Most middle and lower class Republicans also believe that they will some day be rich. Why would they support policies that benefit their temporary state as middle class when they believe that some day they will grab the gold ring.

As Jesus once said, "A man cannot serve two masters."

[AndyTiedye]

10. Citizens United is the Reason

The Repiglickins now have access to unlimited corporate cash because of the Supreme Court's "Citizens United" decision. That is the reason.

Beyond that, Repigs control every Tee Vee station in the USA.