What do u guys think went wrong for Dems in this election? Some things I think:
-Inability to prove that they’ll do a better job in Iraq than Bush
When you have a weak candidate whose position often changes on issue according to the political waves this type of results are expected.
Moreover, the biggest truth is the 4 million votes lead of Mr. Bush (read Messiah if your evanglist). This huge flow of votes came from the south and midwest what they call Bibble Belt. There is a difference when one party starts its campaign 8 months ago and other is working on grass root level for four years with thousands of methodist churches and hundreds and thousands of volunteers doing door to door convincing of Christian. After 9/11 it was relatively easier to pull average Amercians from rural areas towards church. GOP played this card perfectly and that is why we see Bush been elected for second term despite of all of his blunders.
The fear factor was big, Rove was able to scare folks (some here) that if Kerry was elected they your children would be killed in a terrorist attack. Rational thing goes out the door when you instill fear into people and we saw that happen. Rewarding a team that has lost over a million of jobs, mislead the country into war with Iraq and failing to win shows that fear is a very effective political tool.
"Morality” this was a surprise that people would vote based on morality. I don't look towards my government as a morality base but apparently many people do which I find rather frightening , it's a very slippery slop, ask the Taliban.
The youth vote was a boost. Only 1-10 young voters actually went out to the polls. Registering young voters was a success getting them to vote was a failure on behalf of the Democrats as well as bullshti occurring at the polls. In democratic strongholds there were fewer machines placed at polling places than in 2000, a sad a pathetic trick which caused massive lines.
Hopefully Iraq rejects this type of Democracy if this is what the U.S. is trying to export there.
so should the Dems then cater swerve a bit to the right and try to attract some of these con votes?
What Should Democrats Do in Next Elections…
It appears to me that Democratic Party needs a serious introspection. Democratic party needs to have a long hard look at its agenda. If they cannot beat G W Bush who was messed up in Iraq so badly with so many jobs lost at home, how could they expect to beat John McCain or some other republican who would be more articulated than Mr. Bush would? So what should democrats do?
I did some search and would like to share it with you guys. It is obvious that Bush has won this election because of the Bible Belt as well as hardcore right-wing votes in swing states. These southern states have always played a vital role in every presidential election. Starting from 1960, with John Kennedy the only exception, no democrat has managed to win a presidential election if he was not from south himself. Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton are the only three democratic presidents in last 45 years and all three were from hard-core southern states. Johnson from Texas, Carter from Georgia, and Clinton from Arkansas. Even Algore who was almost a winner in 2000 was from Tennessee, another southern state.
On the other had whenever a democratic nominee was not from south he was defeated. Hubert Humphrey (1968), Walter Mondale (1984) Mike Dukakis (1988) and John Kerry (2004), all were liberal senators from Minnesota and Massachusetts respectively.
It is amazing to see Clinton carrying Colorado, Georgia, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Iowa, Ohio, Missouri, hell even Louisiana in 1992 elections, and remember almost all of these states were won by Bush both in 2000 and now in 2004 and by senior Bush in 1988. Please refer to the following link for 1992 election results.
http://www.australianpolitics.com/usa/elections/84-92electoral-college.shtml
Therefore, it is obvious that if Democratic Party or democratic voters want to take the white house back, they have to choose a nominee who has strong southern roots. Democrats need to understand that a liberal nominee will not be elected no matter how polished, eloquent and intelligent he is. I bet that in coming elections democratic nominee will be a hard-core southern. They have absloutly no choice.
The two party system has clearly failed Americans.
The true democrats (with real libertarian values) should look for an alternate party that's truly 'liberal'.. and not just acts like one.
This party is just a pinata of the Republican party used to give an impression as if there's a 'choice'.
It's not about the party but the American voting system sucks....
it wouldn't matter.. I'm surprised over 100 million votes are counted that easily in just a couple of hours.. it appears sometimes the results are pre-cooked!!
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*Originally posted by underthedome: *
The fear factor was big, Rove was able to scare folks (some here) that if Kerry was elected they your children would be killed in a terrorist attack. Rational thing goes out the door when you instill fear into people and we saw that happen. Rewarding a team that has lost over a million of jobs, mislead the country into war with Iraq and failing to win shows that fear is a very effective political tool.
"Morality” this was a surprise that people would vote based on morality. I don't look towards my government as a morality base but apparently many people do which I find rather frightening , it's a very slippery slop, ask the Taliban.
The youth vote was a boost. Only 1-10 young voters actually went out to the polls. Registering young voters was a success getting them to vote was a failure on behalf of the Democrats as well as bullshti occurring at the polls. In democratic strongholds there were fewer machines placed at polling places than in 2000, a sad a pathetic trick which caused massive lines.
Hopefully Iraq rejects this type of Democracy if this is what the U.S. is trying to export there.
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For God's Sake UTD, give it up. Your candidate got what he deserved. Bush won the popular vot by a margin of 3 million plus so enough already.
How many of you liberals moving to Canada now ? :) Ha Ha Ha
JUST MOVE TO CANADA :)
No its not Khomeini's Iran or Fedel's Cuba......its George Bush's Amercia. More and more Americans giving up their citizenship due to neo-conservative agenda that is imposed on them and the rest of the world.
Unhappy Democrats Must Wait to Get Into Canada
By David Ljunggren
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Disgruntled Democrats seeking a safe Canadian haven after U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) won Tuesday's election should not pack their bags just yet.
Canadian officials made clear on Wednesday that any U.S. citizens so fed up with Bush that they want to make a fresh start up north would have to stand in line like any other would-be immigrants -- a wait that can take up to a year.
"Let me tell you -- if they're hard-working honest people, there's a process, and let them apply," Immigration Minister Judy Sgro told Reuters.
Asked whether American applicants would get special treatment, she replied: "No, they'll join the crowd like all the other people who want to come to Canada."
There are anywhere from 600,000 to a million Americans living in Canada, which leans more to the left than the United States and has traditionally favored the Democrats over the Republicans.
But statistics show a gradual decline in U.S. citizens coming to work and live in Canada, which has an ailing health care system and relatively high levels of personal taxation.
Government officials, real estate brokers and Democrat activists said that while some Americans might talk about moving to Canada rather than living with a new Bush administration, they did not expect a mass influx.
"It's one thing to say 'I'm leaving for Canada' and quite another to actually find a job here and wonder about where you're going to live and where the children are going to go to school," said one official.
Roger King of the Toronto-based Democrats Abroad group said he had heard nothing about a possible exodus of party members.
"I imagine most committed Democrats will want to stay in the United States and continue being politically active there," he said.
Americans seeking to immigrate can apply to become permanent citizens of Canada, a process that often takes a year. Becoming a full citizen takes a further three years.
The other main way to move north on a long-term basis is to find a job, which in all cases requires a work permit. This takes from four to six months to come through.
Statistics show the number of U.S. workers entering Canada dropped to 15,789 in 2002 from 21,627 in 2000. In 1981 some 10,030 Americans gained permanent residency, compared to 5,541 in 2003.
Asked if there had been signs of increased U.S. interest, Sgro said: "Not yet, but we'll see tomorrow."
The Canadian foreign ministry said there had been no increase in hits on the Washington embassy's immigration Web site, while housing brokers doubted they would see a surge in U.S. business.
"Canada's always open and welcoming to Americans who want to relocate here, but we don't think it would be a trend or movement," said Gino Romanese of Royal Lepage Residential Real Estate Services.
Those wishing to move to Canada could always take a risk and claim refugee status -- the path chosen earlier this year by two U.S. deserters who opposed the Iraq (news - web sites) war.
"Anybody who enters Canada who claims refugee status will be provided with a work permit...it doesn't matter what country they're from," said an immigration ministry spokeswoman.
Refugee cases are handled by special boards, which can take months to decide whether to admit applicants. The rulings can be appealed and opposition politicians complain some people ordered deported have been in Canada for 10 years or more
What went wrong is that the DEM party does not have a coherent and consistent philosophy to guide it that is representative of the majority of the American people.
For 50 years it had Liberalism as its guiding philosphy. For the last 2 decades, it has tried to hide from its Liberal roots but it has failed to come forth with new ideas to guide it. Now, it is nothing more than a party representative of a hodge podge of minority groups and interests. Every election, it looks at the polls to determine what position to take on certain issues it thinks it can sell to enough of the average voters to win.
How about if the Democrats promise to attack Saudi Arabia for it's oil, bomb Japan again, pull out of all Trade Agreements, become close allies with North Korea and tell Pakistan to abandon it's nuclear capability or else face the consequences of attacks and sanctions, all under the guise of Christianity.
I bet you the Democrats will win!
The last successful Dem Candidate, Clinton was a southern Governor, who was a self avowed fiscal conservative. Jimmy Carter was very similar. Who were the losers? Very liberal Gore, Extremely liberal Dukakis, and ultra Liberal Kerry. Ooops, forgot the ultra liberal Mondale.
Conclusion? Liberals, particularly from the Northeast are unelectable. Southern Governors are the Dems best bets. Edwards did not even carry his own state! Ouch!
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*Originally posted by Kaleem: *
How many of you liberals moving to Canada now ?
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I value my freedom too much to live in a socialist state. Just because Americans wanted Bush out of office doesn't mean we want 70% taxation, failed health care and -50 degree winters. I love this country too much to be run out and to allow it to become a fundamentalist facist state.
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Originally posted by Seminole: *
I value my freedom too much to live in a socialist state. Just because Americans wanted Bush out of office doesn't mean we want 70% taxation, failed health care and -50 degree winters. I love this country too much to be run out and to allow it to become a **fundamentalist facist state. *
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How sad that you still didnt realize which regime you living under, maybe you have but don't wanna open your eyes and wake up out of your dreams.
OG you rigged the US elections in Ohio just like you rigged the Afghan elections so Bush can stay in power and kick our poor Muslim a$$es for another four yrs. Just Kidding ;) Congrats to the Republicans and to their supporters. Now the dems can blame every wrongdoing here on after on the republicans. Let the games begin.
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*Originally posted by Ali_R: *
How sad that you still didnt realize which regime you living under, maybe you have but don't wanna open your eyes and wake up out of your dreams.
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How sad your bias, jealousy and hatred blinds you to the difference between the government of the US and a fundamentalist facist state. I will fight to my death before that happens.
Whatever it is they should do, I think you can count on them not doing.
What the DEM's should do is work with the Bush administration in a non-partisan fashion, compromise to pass good domestic/economic legislation, support the war effort and move to the center. They will not be running against Bush or Cheney in 2008 so will not be facing an incumbent. They need to be able to take equal credit for moving the country forward and healing partisan wounds. An effective centrist House Minority Leader ticketed with a Southern or Mid-America DEM governor would be a good ticket for them in 2008.
4 more years of partisan division led by Liberal DEMS, promotion of liberal domestic and economic policies, and nomination of Hillary is a recipe for disaster. So that's what they'll probably do. My guess is that Hillary will start assembling her team tomorrow and they will start trying to poise the DEM party to nominate her.
Anybody see Hillary lately? She has been WAY out of sight! Not on a single network television show. She and Bill are plotting to reinvent her as an Arkansas church lady by 2008. Look for a return of a thick twang....
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*Originally posted by Seminole: *
How sad your bias, jealousy and hatred blinds you to the difference between the government of the US and a fundamentalist facist state. I will fight to my death before that happens.
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Fundamental = majority christians in America
Facists = KKK, (Republican)
State = the US of A
Btw did you hear about the latest news?! NPD (Germany) wants to shake hands with Republicans (America). Isn't that a handsome gesture?!
Combine all 3 of them then you'll have the joint puzzle complete. GOOD LUCK!