Politics Where to for the Democrats and Left in general?

[Jethro]

Okay taking into account it was a swing to the Republicans across the board, and Trump managed to tap into middle American concerns, there still seems to be issues the Dems need to address.

Have they lost contact with the Rust belt, the Bible belt, the Wheat belt? Do they need to go back to grass roots and find out what Americans think, are concerned about, are hoping for outside Washington, NYC etc?

Here in Australia our Democrats, Labor, faced a huge voter backlash a couple of elections ago, blood in the streets times folks, we were lucky to have a party left standing in some states. Naturally the replacement Government proved to be a complete bunch of pricks, slashing social welfare, going after those least able to defend themselves, while letting the Corporate world pay little to no taxes and pretty much do what they want.

Okay you would think they would learn from that, are nope, the last election Labor clawed back some ground, mainly due to to absolute hate of the Abbott government not through any attempt to seek out middle Australia. Since that election, better leader in Shorten, but still the same old same old tropes being trotted out rather than looking into issues.

And they wonder at the explosion in minor parties, micro parties, and independents in our Senate, on the bright side the Government isn't getting their draconian legislation through.

So what do you folks think the Dems can do from here, how should they negotiate the next four years under Trumptopia?

 

[Tom]

I would say grow up.
I voted Constitutional but you don't see me going around all pist off that my candidate/party didn't win.
I'm reading about rioting and violence from democrats angry that Killary didn't win.
You are either part of the solution or part of the problem...STOP being part of the problem.
Trump will be POTUS. Meh

People are so brainwashed by the media these days. The NEWS (North, East, West, South) no longer gives you 'Just the Facts'. It is stuffed full of opinion, supposition and speculation. You are persuaded or dissuaded on things based on opinions from people that are not even in your personal lives. Like those opinions are more important than your own. You are urged to form your own opinions based not on the facts but on other people's opinions. What gets me is that most people don't even realize they are being directed.

You have people that are so 'used to' getting their way instantly that when something doesn't go 'their way' they have a tantrum. They see the world as unfair, unjust and blind. They allow events that don't matter to make them sad, angry and depressed. They cry to rally forth to gain the coveted 'popular consensus'. Grow up and stop spreading hatred.

I don't agree with our nations decision to make Donald Trump our next POTUS but my vote was overridden. As a citizen in my free nation, I must accept this fact and deal with its consequences. I remain optimistic because we certainly need a change from our downward spiral. Democratic governing has lead us to needing that change. I say, lets see what a Republican government will do? I'm sure there will be both good and bad things in the next four years, hopefully the good will outnumber the bad.

 

[JacenAster]

Where to for the Democrats and Left in general?

My instinctive, knee jerk reaction to the title was "Canada." But, then, I had just read this BBC article.

Have they lost contact with the Rust belt, the Bible belt, the Wheat belt? Do they need to go back to grass roots and find out what Americans think, are concerned about, are hoping for outside Washington, NYC etc?

To be honest, I think the actual answer is "no or little change." Keep in mind a couple of points. First, places like the Bible belt have traditionally voted republican, this wasn't really a change for them. Second, Clinton actually won the popular vote, despite being a very poor candidate choice for the party. Third, the millennial population actually voted fairly significantly democrat (Source: BBC voter breakdown).

That last one is critical to remember, since the millennial generation is actually the single largest generation yet. The trick is that getting them to the polls isn't easy. It also represents the only real, practical, alteration that the democratic party really needs to make. The millennial generation isn't invested in voting, as the traditional issues do not affect them the way they did previous generations. (Not going to rehash the details of why, here. If you want to see a bit of the reasoning, I wrote a blog post on the subject earlier in the political season).

In truth, within the next two elections both parities are going to need to make some significant alterations in their basic platforms. Beyond that alteration, however, their traditional targeting for where to focus their campaign is unlikely to alter overmuch. It doesn't really need to, and altering it would likely cost whichever party did it a couple of elections as a backlash.

 

[Jethro]

And just when we thought the Left was in turmoil, the Nats may have lost their very safe Orange seat down in NSW to a rabid right wing single agenda party. More turmoil in Aussie politics as the people continue to reject the four major parties across the board.

 

[Kevin]

I voted Constitutional but you don't see me going around all pist off that my candidate/party didn't win.
I'm reading about rioting and violence from democrats angry that Killary didn't win.

Rioting may be a bit overreaching for the most part but, yeah, it's pretty annoying when people end up going from peaceful protests to vandalism, violence, and interrupting everybody else. They have a right to protest, I don't think anybody would try to claim otherwise, but when they do something stupid that ends in their arrest and then it is found out that a good number of them didn't even vote it just kind of boggles the mind. You don't like the winner? Fine, but you're just silly if you "protest" when you didn't even vote!

 

[Jethro]

One of our new guys is from up State New York, whatever that means, assume North of NYC, anyways he's saying there's a lot of graffiti with some disturbing ideas happening in his neighbourhood, which is apparently fairly middle to blue collar.

Oops forgot to mention clash of Trump and anti-Trump forces in Melbourne of all places, one of the Trump supporters got arrested and is facing assault charges this week, lunatics everywhere.

 

[Kevin]

In truth, within the next two elections both parities are going to need to make some significant alterations in their basic platforms.

That's for sure! The GOP imploded and the Dems got so giddy with the thought of a woman candidate that they lost sight of the actual campaign issues.

 

[Kevin]

One of our new guys is from up State New York, whatever that means, assume North of NYC, anyways he's saying there's a lot of graffiti with some disturbing ideas happening in his neighbourhood, which is apparently fairly middle to blue collar.

Oops forgot to mention clash of Trump and anti-Trump forces in Melbourne of all places, one of the Trump supporters got arrested and is facing assault charges this week, lunatics everywhere.

The graffiti reports are depressing when you consider that it isn't just "pro-Trump" stuff but Trump's name being used along with swastikas and 'white power' type felgercarb. There have been a handful of anti-Trump graffiti reports as well but they are being far outnumbered by the former.

 

[Jethro]

Update on Orange by-election, massive swing against the sitting Nationals who have held the seat for 70 odd years, looks likely the F&S, a minor party, candidate has won on preferences. Nationals taking the result to the Court of Disputed returns already

 

[sci-fi-dude]

Okay taking into account it was a swing to the Republicans across the board, and Trump managed to tap into middle American concerns, there still seems to be issues the Dems need to address.

Have they lost contact with the Rust belt, the Bible belt, the Wheat belt? Do they need to go back to grass roots and find out what Americans think, are concerned about, are hoping for outside Washington, NYC etc?

Here in Australia our Democrats, Labor, faced a huge voter backlash a couple of elections ago, blood in the streets times folks, we were lucky to have a party left standing in some states. Naturally the replacement Government proved to be a complete bunch of pricks, slashing social welfare, going after those least able to defend themselves, while letting the Corporate world pay little to no taxes and pretty much do what they want.

Okay you would think they would learn from that, are nope, the last election Labor clawed back some ground, mainly due to to absolute hate of the Abbott government not through any attempt to seek out middle Australia. Since that election, better leader in Shorten, but still the same old same old tropes being trotted out rather than looking into issues.

And they wonder at the explosion in minor parties, micro parties, and independents in our Senate, on the bright side the Government isn't getting their draconian legislation through.

So what do you folks think the Dems can do from here, how should they negotiate the next four years under Trumptopia?

I'm glad President Trump won, America is not a Marxist country, never was, and it never will be. The dems need to stop being obstructionist and grow up and be helpful to the needs of we the people, after all it is we the people who truly run this country.......