The Way Forward

senseandsensibility

(20,740 posts) Wed Jan 22, 2025, 02:49 PM Jan 22

I deleted my first thread in this forum yesterday because

basically it was complaining. GOOD complaining in my opinion, but complaining nonetheless.

So I gave it 24 hours or so to see if I could come up with anything that is in any way "a way forward" instead of a justified complaint about how things stand.

This is what I came up with, and it is something I've felt in my gut since the election results were announced. Dem leadership needs to sound like this is URGENT because it is. They need to be serious and focused and not afraid to be called alarmist. They need to ask for support from Dem supporters. People will follow if they are asked to do something. Right now, the rank-and-file Dem voters feel rudderless and abandoned.

Dems should be showing up at protests and speaking. There was a good-sized protest at the capitol on Jan. 20, but I did not see any big names or anyone from Dem leadership there. So disappointing. Major players were not afraid to stand up in 2017, but now they seem cowed.

Why am I putting the responsibility on the Dem leadership? It's simple. They were given power by the people for situations just like this. In essence, they need to be our voice because that's what they were elected to do and they have the platform. Of course the people will help, but we all need to feel that we are pulling in the same direction with clearly stated goals.

I will close with this: a demoralized team that feels abandoned is hard to revive and energize the longer you wait. The time for waiting has long passed.

8 replies

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Highlight:

I deleted my first thread in this forum yesterday because (Original Post) senseandsensibility Jan 22 OP

Sittin in the kitchen just a chewin and a bitchen... wcmagumba Jan 22 #1

A lot of us are trying to catch our breath. We feel blind sided yet one more time. marble falls Jan 22 #2

I feel that way too senseandsensibility Jan 22 #3

Yes our leaders are elected to lead, and with a clear path forward. Bluethroughu Jan 22 #4

I'm looking for Democrats to offer some new ideas, like healthcare reform, as we approach mid-terms. Protests are great Silent Type Jan 22 #5

Harris had great new policy ideas senseandsensibility Jan 22 #6

Voters didn't buy the $50K for first time buyers. We should have taken advantage of the uproar over private insurance Silent Type Jan 22 #8

So statistically, political protests do not inspire new or reluctant voters- AkFemDem Jan 22 #7

wcmagumba

(3,493 posts)

1. Sittin in the kitchen just a chewin and a bitchen...

Reply to senseandsensibility (Original post)

Wed Jan 22, 2025, 02:53 PM

Jan 22

Line from an old blue grass song. That's what I do best...

marble falls

(62,869 posts)

2. A lot of us are trying to catch our breath. We feel blind sided yet one more time.

Reply to senseandsensibility (Original post)

Wed Jan 22, 2025, 02:58 PM

Jan 22

senseandsensibility

(20,740 posts)

3. I feel that way too

Reply to marble falls (Reply #2)

Wed Jan 22, 2025, 03:02 PM

Jan 22

That's why I put the onus on the Dem leadership. They should not be feeling or acting blindsided, especially this far out from the election results.

Bluethroughu

(6,606 posts)

4. Yes our leaders are elected to lead, and with a clear path forward.

Reply to senseandsensibility (Original post)

Wed Jan 22, 2025, 03:05 PM

Jan 22

They should be on every show day and night talking about the destruction of our government, national security, and of the health and welfare of our citizens these EOs are creating. The Republicans are so far rubber stamping the destruction of this country and allowing the diving out of our contracts and resources to the highest bidder. This IS robbery of the American public by the robber barons. At least keep repeating the truth.

Silent Type

(8,059 posts)

5. I'm looking for Democrats to offer some new ideas, like healthcare reform, as we approach mid-terms. Protests are great

Reply to senseandsensibility (Original post)

Wed Jan 22, 2025, 03:05 PM

Jan 22

but not sure they do much besides make protestors feel good.

senseandsensibility

(20,740 posts)

6. Harris had great new policy ideas

Reply to Silent Type (Reply #5)

Wed Jan 22, 2025, 03:08 PM

Jan 22

for home ownership and even small business support. I'm all for progressive policy ideas, but it won't be enough by itself as we just saw.

Silent Type

(8,059 posts)

8. Voters didn't buy the $50K for first time buyers. We should have taken advantage of the uproar over private insurance

Reply to senseandsensibility (Reply #6)

Wed Jan 22, 2025, 03:27 PM

Jan 22

denials when Luigi shot the exec. Nope, we just sat on our rears doing nothing but pointing fingers.

CMS had authority to monitor denials from private insurers in ACA and Medicare Advantage, and did nothing until after election. And that action was just a proposal to request insurers to make reports of denials, type, number overturned, etc.

Way too late.

AkFemDem

(2,371 posts)

7. So statistically, political protests do not inspire new or reluctant voters-

Reply to senseandsensibility (Original post)

Wed Jan 22, 2025, 03:13 PM

Jan 22

In recent history, there was one exception to this and it was the BLM movement. Harvard did an interesting study on this phenomenon. Even though BLM wasn't the largest protest of the last 10 years (the womens march wins that accolade) it is the only one to produce measurable impact on new (democrat) voter registrations. Note this study was prior to last years Gaza related protests, I'd be curious to see how that panned out for democrats because I suspect we'd see a measurable falling away of votes comparatively. https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/do-protests-and-social-movements-sway-voters-not-really-except-for-one

While protests can have their place in civics, if the goal is to motivate a strong showing at midterms and actually flipping a certain % of voters, there is the risk protests could be counter-productive. Voters have to connect personally to the issue being protested, they have to find the demands reasonable, and they have to feel socially relatable to the majority of protestors. too many protests with a mixed and varied message (eg protesting every decision he makes) waters down the impact and people are apt to get protest fatigue.

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