When Repukes go to bankrupt States, they may be going after their own voters.

[European Socialist]

It's been my experience over the years that people who you would expect to be Dems because of who they work for, are closet Repukes. Not that I feel sorry for them, but a deal is a deal, and their pensions and other benefits should be honored unless they are outrageous. Besides, the people who have wrecked the USA are the Corporate CEO's, not Government and labor people.

[HereSince1628]

1. Insecurity and fear are the parents of conservatism.

What democrats have lost the ability to do is to make the poor and working classes feel secure. Indeed, these classes are smacked in the face with fear by Obama and the dems who do stupid shit like threaten social security and medicaid in the midst of the economic unrecovery. Until Dems realize that the New Deal generated public support because it created security, the Dems will continue to lose their base.


Fear generates conservatism--IN EVERYONE. If you've ever walked on an ice covered body of water you know what the sound of cracking ice does to you. It immediately changes how you orient to what was a casual walk. Suddenly you are much, much more vigilant and careful.

An office-mate or team-member gets cut as the business trims and you think about maybe waiting on that vacation or buying that new car, tv, boat motor, computer, pair of shoes, etc.

The R's do an effective job of telling people of what to be afraid, even if they have to lie. And the fearful buy into blief that SS is a risk to their job, and that health insurance kills jobs, and that pensions kill jobs, and that immigrants risk their job/life, etc.

When the DLC turned away from labor and sought the parties fortunes among the educated investor class they scared the shit out of their base, who in their uncertainty first claimed "Independent" status, and then variously fractured into what Rahm and much of the current WH staff consider fuck'n crazy left, Libertarians, and tea-partiers, depending upon how they related to calming their FEAR.

THE ABSOLUTE KEY TO DEMOCRATIC SUCCESS IS GIVING AVERAGE PEOPLE SECURITY IN THEIR LIVES!

This has been known for at least 75 years. It isn't rocket science. It's just a message that can't be delivered by those whose good lives depend upon the largess of lobbyists and campaign contributors. Which is to say IT IS SOMETHING THAT THE PROFESSIONAL DEMS FEAR TO RISK and that makes them move to the RIGHT.

[LuvNewcastle]

2. They often do go after their own;

and every time they're slapped the lackeys scream, "thank you sir, may I please have another!" In the twisted psyches of these Americans, the belief is that lesser beings (including themselves) must make sacrifices for their betters, who primarily exist so that they might exploit and accumulate. The only pride that these Americans are allowed to have is the vicarious pride that comes from seeing their masters become richer and more powerful. We're number one! USA! USA!

[enough]

3. Their voters won't understand. (nt)