DanTex (16,389 posts)
There's a serious case that Dems need to respect voters less, not more.
It's hard to look at 2016 and come to the conclusion that the candidate who respected voters more won. First, Trump routinely insulted the majority of them -- everyone who wasn't a straight white christian male. Then, Trump lied constantly, and anyone will tell you that lying is a serious sign of disrespect. Fact checkers rated Trump the least honest and Hillary the most honest of the entire primary fields.
To draw a sales analogy, Trump was the late night infomercial salesman. Dishonest and scummy. But not all salespeople are like that. If you want to buy, for example, a musical instrument, typically you will get someone knowledgeable and honest who tells you facts and helps you make a good decision. I've had great experiences with salespeople when buying computer equipment.
Hillary was more a like the computer salesperson. Lots of facts, trying to come up with solutions that would actually help voters/clients with their needs, not disrespecting them with lies and false promises.
Here's the problem. People who are in the market for customized computer machinery are intelligent and well-informed about the product they buy. People who are in the late-night infomercial market are not. And the American electorate, by and large, is not intelligent and well informed.
Here's where someone says "insulting the intelligence of voters isn't going to win elections." Which is true: I don't think any politician should campaign on a platform of "you are all idiots, vote for me." But I'm not a politician.
Late night infomercial salesmen don't say "you are going to buy this because you are dumb and will believe anything". Instead they lie. But you can be quite sure that behind the scenes, the people crafting the marketing strategy aren't thinking "gee, people looking to buy snake oil at 1am are really smart discerning people, let's make an honest case about how our product will suit their needs."
The Dems need to recognize that their audience, the electorate, is dumber than they think.
COLGATE4 (11,061 posts)
1. The great H.L. Mencken nailed it almost 100 years ago
"Nobody ever went broke overestimating the stupidity of the American public".
Cosmocat (8,581 posts)
3. It is a absolute fatal flaw for liberals
in today's environment to be tethered to facts and reality ...
Not sure how to get past it.
el_bryanto (11,013 posts)
10. And there's a valid question of whether we actually want to break that tether to reality
I mean it might make us more electable, but seems like the decision to be dumber would have downsides as well
Bryant
DanTex (16,389 posts)
14. That's the question.
There is a downside. It comes naturally to the GOP since their whole platform is based on falsehoods. For the Dems, we're selling the correct solutions, but we have to stop pretending that the electorate is smart enough to understand that or even care.
pscot (20,203 posts)
5. If we're so smart
how come the Republicans will be in complete control of he federal government and 37 states come the new year? I must be missing something.
DanTex (16,389 posts)
8. Because we're not so smart. The GOP understands that the electorate is full of
idiots, and we haven't figured that out yet.
When did you people NOT talk down to the electorate?
DanTex (16,389 posts)
12. He was a much more talented and charismatic speaker.
But even that wasn't enough to help the Dems downballot. The Dems need to abandon the idea that voters are intelligent and well-informed. Hopefully if there is a silver lining to Trump's victory, it's that Dems will figure this out.
Trust Buster (4,729 posts)
16. This election was a referendum on the state of the American people. The American people are in
worse shape intellectually than we thought. I didn't appreciate Susan Sarandon during the election cycle because I was pretty certain Hillary would win. But, Sarandon said something that stuck with me. Perhaps Trump and the Republicans destroying everything is the only way to wake up a distracted America.
treestar (65,776 posts)
17. Very true
It's clear now people would rather believe their delusions than find out what is really true.
Are you sure it's not truly real?
Historic NY (27,784 posts)
23. Maybe when people start dying again because they don't have affordable health care,
lose their SS and out spend their medicare vouchers, The hard lesson will come home. People forget Republicans opposed social Security, Medicare & Medicaid and of course the ACA (Obamacare) tooth and nail, from the very beginning.
Uhh....news flash, sparky: ObumbleCare is crashing all on its own. There is no more ACA.
RKP5637 (42,627 posts)
26. Yep, been saying that for years, Americans are stupid. US United Stupidity!
The Dems need to recognize that their audience, the electorate, is dumber than they think.
And we have heard you each and every one of those years.
Fast Walker 52 (5,057 posts)
32. It goes against our instincts, but you are correct-- we are too honest and wonky
Yeah, even though you can't predict the thickness of arctic ice but we can tell you exactly when and why ObumbleCare will implode.
Garrett78 (2,491 posts)
34. Ignorance, willful ignorance, bigotry and religion.
Huge percentages of Americans believe some of the most ridiculous things imaginable. Some are truly ignorant (it doesn't help that we have a dreadful ratings-focused media that promotes false equivalencies), while others simply believe what they want to believe. And studies have made it clear that "Facts Backfire."
And let's not kid ourselves, racism, sexism, misogyny, xenophobia and heterosexism takes precedence for a lot of folks. There's an immense amount of hatred for persons of color, women, LGBTQ, non-Christians and the poor. Consider how the audience responded to Megyn Kelly reading some of Trump's most misogynistic quotes. Or how the audience reacted when Ron Paul was asked in a debate if people without health insurance should just die.
A large percentage of the electorate simply can't be reached by the Democratic Party. I'm not sure dumbing down the message is going to win over the likes of those who voted for Trump. For which there was no excuse.
But voter suppression can be addressed. And Democrats can do more to give voice to those who are struggling--find folks who can speak at rallies instead of just speaking for them. And, yes, Dems can do more outreach to the rural areas of purple states like Obama did...but that's not the same as buying into the ridiculous "working class whites" narrative promoted by some at DU.
40% of eligible voters don't vote in presidential elections and 60% don't vote in mid-term elections. Democrats finding a way to engage even a fraction of the disengaged would make a big difference.
Hence, your multi-generational efforts towards ethnic cleansing against those you disapprove of.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512634218
