'We should have won big but you know the defund the police issue, the Green New Deal -- those issues killed our members,' a source said

[NorthernHawkeye]

Dem caucus erupts as members say party's leftward drift hurt moderates in election

'We should have won big but you know the defund the police issue, the Green New Deal -- those issues killed our members,' a source said

Dem caucus erupts as members say party's leftward drift hurt moderates in election

Democratic members of Congress sounded the alarm during a caucus call on Thursday, arguing that progressive policy ideas like "defund the police" and the Green New Deal were detrimental to their performance in elections.

www.foxnews.com

 

[unIowa]

The democrats are not good at branding and the subsequent selling of their policy proposals, instead they too often let the right brand their policies as sure fire disasters.

For example: Defund the Police...terrible political branding.

 

[Hawk and Awe]

There’s no doubt. I find the defund the police thing amongst the dumbest political platforms of recent memory (including Trump). I thought they meant reallocate or rethink law enforcement (and some smart people said that)...... but not everybody

I’m to lazy to read the article, but it should list “expand the courts” as well.

This country needs less division. The Dems should’ve just pushed healthcare and realistic environmental policy and they’d control it all right now

 

[Herkyalert]

OP is sitting in his own piss with Trump losing.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

OP is sitting in his own piss with Trump losing.

Actually I’m grateful that the Dem hoards didn’t overtake the Senate. Combine that with a 6-3 court advantage and I’m quite content.

 

[RonaldMexico]

Dem caucus erupts as members say party's leftward drift hurt moderates in election

'We should have won big but you know the defund the police issue, the Green New Deal -- those issues killed our members,' a source said

Dem caucus erupts as members say party's leftward drift hurt moderates in election

Democratic members of Congress sounded the alarm during a caucus call on Thursday, arguing that progressive policy ideas like "defund the police" and the Green New Deal were detrimental to their performance in elections.

www.foxnews.com

The real question is whether they listen to the moderate wing of the caucus. If they push the AOC types to the front and try to move on some of these things on a national scale the midterms will be a bloodbath. Given all of the red seats up for grabs in the senate in 2022, if the Dems can keep from stepping their own dicks they have a very good chance at both chambers.

 

[rocketclone]

There’s no doubt. I find the defund the police thing amongst the dumbest political platforms of recent memory (including Trump). I thought they meant reallocate or rethink law enforcement (and some smart people said that)...... but not everybody

I’m to lazy to read the article, but it should list “expand the courts” as well.

This country needs less division. The Dems should’ve just pushed healthcare and realistic environmental policy and they’d control it all right now

You should read it. AOC actually criticizes the former Senator from Missouri saying she got beat and should not be dictating policy. A Dem in Missouri who actually won by being moderate.

I wish the dems would boot out the democratic socialists and let them have their own caucus.

Pelosi also said in the meeting that the dems were given a mandate with this election even though she will lose 7 to 10 seats.

 

[Herkyalert]

Actually I’m grateful that the Dem hoards didn’t overtake the Senate. Combine that with a 6-3 court advantage and I’m quite content.

Nah. Your savior lost.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

Nah. Your savior lost.

Nah. You’ve just been a super triggered little bitch for four years.

 

[blhawk]

Nah. You’ve just been a super triggered little bitch for four years.

Go look in the mirror, bitch

 

[Hawkeyenuts66]

Actually I’m grateful that the Dem hoards didn’t overtake the Senate. Combine that with a 6-3 court advantage and I’m quite content.

This

 

[BioHawk]

Democrats need to quit letting Republicans brand their policies.

 

[JJ13579]

The democrats are not good at branding and the subsequent selling of their policy proposals, instead they too often let the right brand their policies as sure fire disasters.

For example: Defund the Police...terrible political branding.

Defund the police was not a political branding by the Democrats

It was the dumb ass BLM. Once it was said by BLM, it goes viral on right-wing Facebook/ Twitter and the Democrats are screwed.

Some Democrats support the idea of legitimately defunding the police, many support the idea of increased funding for mental health with no impact on the police.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

Democrats need to quit letting Republicans brand their policies.

You mean don’t repeat what the Dems actually say.

 

[fredjr82]

Democrats need to quit letting Republicans brand their policies.

The hard part there is most of the GOP are uneducated. Dems don't stand a shot trying to explain their policies. The GOP have already convinced their base it's bad because "liberals" right out of the gates. Most of the base can't think their way past that

 

[seminoleed]

Actually I’m grateful that the Dem hoards didn’t overtake the Senate. Combine that with a 6-3 court advantage and I’m quite content.

And control of redistricting for the next decade. That may be the most important victory.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

Turns out that the “U.S is a racist hell hole” narrative isn’t very inspiring

 

[Morrison71]

 

[pjhawk]

Democrats need to quit letting Republicans brand their policies.

The Dem policy agenda is much more popular. But the Dems never go on offense, they're always in a milquetoast defensive crouch. They may have done much better in Florida if they had tied themselves explicitly to the minimum wage hike that won big.

But they let Repubs pick the issues that get talked about, which results in always being on the defensive--defund the police is a perfect example of that--it's an almost irrelevant issue that's not gonna go anywhere (look at ultra-lib Minneapolis per a place where you would think it would happen if anywhere).

Advocate for yourselves and your agenda Democrats, stop being so meek about it. "Joni's gone Washington" was such a perfect encapsulation of the Dem lame and wimpy attempts at differentiating themselves in the Iowa Senate race. Show some Tom Harkin fire.

 

[Herkyalert]

Nah. You’ve just been a super triggered little bitch for four years.

Go hug your MyPillow.

 

[BioHawk]

You mean don’t repeat what the Dems actually say.

In some cases, you aren't wrong. However, Democrats will then let Republicans define what that means rather than doing that themselves.

I still can't believe they went ahead with "Defund the Police". Reform, restructure, retrain. Any of those terms or something like that would have been better. God that was stupid.

 

[pjhawk]

There’s no doubt. I find the defund the police thing amongst the dumbest political platforms of recent memory (including Trump). I thought they meant reallocate or rethink law enforcement (and some smart people said that)...... but not everybody

I’m to lazy to read the article, but it should list “expand the courts” as well.

This country needs less division. The Dems should’ve just pushed healthcare and realistic environmental policy and they’d control it all right now

Another problem is Fox News and rightwing media. Dems can't do much about rightwing media that just outright lies and makes people like this guy think that defund the police was any kind of priority at all for the Dems nationally.

LOL that the Dems are the ones pushing division. They freaking tried to push healthcare, you must have only watched or paid attention to the Repub fire and brimstone ads.

 

[Herkyalert]

We will be able to call Biden President Elect by tonight.

 

[Ray Kinsella]

The hard part there is most of the GOP are uneducated. Dems don't stand a shot trying to explain their policies. The GOP have already convinced their base it's bad because "liberals" right out of the gates. Most of the base can't think their way past that

This dismissive, arrogant attitude is one of the biggest flaws of the Democratic party. There are plenty of us on the conservative side who are educated. You're not good at looking in the mirror and asking why your policies turn off half the country so much that they would choose a fool like Trump over your guy.
I voted Biden, but certainly not because of anything he or your side is bringing to the table. Voted Republican for every other office.

 

[rocketclone]

The hard part there is most of the GOP are uneducated. Dems don't stand a shot trying to explain their policies. The GOP have already convinced their base it's bad because "liberals" right out of the gates. Most of the base can't think their way past that

Here is part of the problem with the dems. You want to win my vote and you tell me I am uneducated. That is pure BS and my views differ from yours.

You get a very high number of inner city votes. Are all those folks highly educated?

The dems are smug and arrogant assholes anymore. The country is 50 50 basically.

Your candidate almost got beat by an idiot, Donald Trump. The Congress is most likely going to gain 7 to 10 republican seats.

Maybe, just maybe, it is some of the ideas the left is trying to sell that aren't flying with the American folks.

Even Andrea Mitchell, that conservative icon, said the dems need to look at where they are at because this election should have been a layup.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

This dismissive, arrogant attitude is one of the biggest flaws of the Democratic party. There are plenty of us on the conservative side who are educated. You're not good at looking in the mirror and asking why your policies turn off half the country so much that they would choose a fool like Trump over your guy.
I voted Biden, but certainly not because of anything he or your side is bringing to the table. Voted Republican for every other office.

This. I’m not confident Dems are going to learn the obvious lessons here. Trump is the most divisive president in our lifetime. Economy tanked, COVID run wild.....and the election still isn’t final.

Couple that with Dems losing seats in the House and republicans looking like they’llcontrol the senate.

Unprecedented turnout which by conventional wisdom should have meant a huge dem victory.

 

[rocketclone]

In some cases, you aren't wrong. However, Democrats will then let Republicans define what that means rather than doing that themselves.

I still can't believe they went ahead with "Defund the Police". Reform, restructure, retrain. Any of those terms or something like that would have been better. God that was stupid.

Here is your challenge. I live in Minnesota and my news comes out of the cities. Their city council members were pretty adamant that they were wanting to do away with the police department. I saw the rallies and heard what they said.

I think Colin Peterson got beat because of that. It wasn't branding, you could watch it in real time.

 

[JMNSHO]

The Democrats that scared the center away are the ones who are more concerned with optics than with results. I would put Pelosi, who ripped up Trumps speech the same week she ushered through his budget; AOC who did very little in her first term other than tweet to the choir; and a host of others who are more concerned with saying the right things (“black lives matter”) at opportune times than actually doing the hard work. Sure it is shrewd to jump out in front of a moving parade and call yourself grand marshal, but it doesn’t get anything accomplished. Standing around the people you want to help and simply nodding in agreement when they speak hasn’t really worked wonders before, and there’s no reason to believe it will any time soon. We will see if anything really changes other than a return to sanity, maturity and relative civility. I’m not holding my breath expecting major results from anyone in the Democratic establishment. It looks like we are going to get Joe, thank goodness, but he was one of my last 1 or 2 choices.

 

[unIowa]

The real question is whether they listen to the moderate wing of the caucus. If they push the AOC types to the front and try to move on some of these things on a national scale the midterms will be a bloodbath. Given all of the red seats up for grabs in the senate in 2022, if the Dems can keep from stepping their own dicks they have a very good chance at both chambers.

They won't be able to do that.

 

[sober_teacher]

I find the defund the police thing amongst the dumbest political platforms of recent memory (including Trump). I thought they meant reallocate or rethink law enforcement (and some smart people said that)

In some cases, you aren't wrong. However, Democrats will then let Republicans define what that means rather than doing that themselves.

I still can't believe they went ahead with "Defund the Police". Reform, restructure, retrain. Any of those terms or something like that would have been better. God that was stupid.

Agreed that allowing police reform to be branded as Defund the Police was stupid. When you look at what was included as actual proposals in that there's actually quite a lot that makes sense to most Americans. And never mind that Biden and most Democrats loudly and frequently stated they did not support the full Defund the Police movement being pushed by BLM.

idk how much of a direct impact it ultimately had. less than 48 hours post-election is far too soon to say why the election didn't go as planned. The article from OP forgets to mention that the GOP also did not expect to do well this fall either - they didn't expect to cut into the House majority and they sure looked like they would lose the Senate as well.

A bigger priority in the short-term will be to figure out why polling misses were so common this year. Maine state polls hadn't had Collins ahead since late July, yet she won handily. SC looked like it would be a tight race, but again Graham won easily. And so on.

 

[Rifler]

I wish the dems would boot out the democratic socialists and let them have their own caucus.

Democrats and Republicans have a similar problem in that they have both accepted the crazies into their parties as a way to build head count,.. Problem now is that the tail has learned how to wag the dog,... Perhaps both parties need to "denuclearize" and send the idiots back into the wilderness...

 

[rocketclone]

Democrats and Republicans have a similar problem in that they have both accepted the crazies into their parties as a way to build head count,.. Problem now is that the tail has learned how to wag the dog,... Perhaps both parties need to "denuclearize" and send the idiots back into the wilderness...

Oh I don't disagree, we have some loonies in the party. We have also picked up Libertarians.

However, we don't have a specific party within a party that calls themselves Socialists.

 

[fredjr82]

This dismissive, arrogant attitude is one of the biggest flaws of the Democratic party. There are plenty of us on the conservative side who are educated. You're not good at looking in the mirror and asking why your policies turn off half the country so much that they would choose a fool like Trump over your guy.
I voted Biden, but certainly not because of anything he or your side is bringing to the table. Voted Republican for every other office.

Here is part of the problem with the dems. You want to win my vote and you tell me I am uneducated. That is pure BS and my views differ from yours.

You get a very high number of inner city votes. Are all those folks highly educated?

The dems are smug and arrogant assholes anymore. The country is 50 50 basically.

Your candidate almost got beat by an idiot, Donald Trump. The Congress is most likely going to gain 7 to 10 republican seats.

Maybe, just maybe, it is some of the ideas the left is trying to sell that aren't flying with the American folks.

Even Andrea Mitchell, that conservative icon, said the dems need to look at where they are at because this election should have been a layup.

Yet here you are arguing on something I didn't say. I said "most" not all. Learn to comprehend what is being said. A majority of the base only cares about #powningdems and can't get past that thought process. It's only worsened over last 4 years

 

[Kenneth Griffin]

Democratic house candidates received more votes than any party has ever received. Yet here we are talking about how they underperformed. Maybe something else is happening.

 

[Run&Blade]

Gridlock is good.

 

[RNHawk]

The hard part there is most of the GOP are uneducated. Dems don't stand a shot trying to explain their policies. The GOP have already convinced their base it's bad because "liberals" right out of the gates. Most of the base can't think their way past that

Well when you have actual liberal government officials voting to defund the police, how else are we supposed to take it?

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

You should read it. AOC actually criticizes the former Senator from Missouri saying she got beat and should not be dictating policy. A Dem in Missouri who actually won by being moderate.

I wish the dems would boot out the democratic socialists and let them have their own caucus.

Pelosi also said in the meeting that the dems were given a mandate with this election even though she will lose 7 to 10 seats.

I wish the republicans would boot out the fascists so I could go back to being independent. Hopefully, in the next day or two, we will be getting a big start with that.

 

[RNHawk]

Democratic house candidates received more votes than any party has ever received. Yet here we are talking about how they underperformed. Maybe something else is happening.

So you are happy with getting more votes but losing more seats?

 

[Kenneth Griffin]

So you are happy with getting more votes but losing more seats?

no. This is the system we have to fight against.

 

[RNHawk]

no. This is the system we have to fight against.

gerrymandering?