Current Events > 'the case for a generic democrat' -- what do you think?

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/12/20/how-to-beat-trump-2020-elections-generic-democrat-216121?cmpid=sf

The Senates newest member did not embrace single-payer health care, free college or a $15 minimum wage. He did not swerve right on abortion and guns. In fact, he didnt have any signature policy proposals at all.

What Jones did was take off the shelf the most pallid Democratic talking pointsquality, affordable health care, college must be affordable, I believe in science, discrimination cannot be toleratedand campaigned with a pleasant, inoffensive demeanor.

He was boring. He was safe. He was Mr. Generic Democrat. And it worked.

That should make Democrats think twice about what they should be looking for in a 2020 presidential nominee.

seems dumb to me, as someone who is more predisposed to a boring democrat than a socialist, considering the last time alabama was meaningful for national politics was like arguably sometime in the 60s and even then I'm not sure you'd want to appease to the dixiecrat bloc to win national races (I am sure, the answer is you would not want to do that)
---

The man barely won and all the black voters there say they didn't do it for him, they did it because Moore was just too horrible
---

I would say we did that with 'boring' establishment 2016 candidate Hillary Clinton.

If the 2016 voting demographics are any indication we already have the numbers in sympathetic potential voters. The issue is overcoming the enthusiasm gap and getting those voters to polls. So long as Dems don't run someone a significant portion of the base finds to be morally repugnant, most of them will eventually rally behind them in the general election much in the way they rallied behind Obama in 2008 after a heavily divided primary season.

TLDR: I agree with TC. I think we've done this before and I'd like to see a curveball.
---

This worked for Jones because its literally Alabama.
---

hollow_shrine posted...

I would say we did that with 'boring' establishment 2016 candidate Hillary Clinton.

If the 2016 voting demographics are any indication we already have the numbers in sympathetic potential voters. The issue is overcoming the enthusiasm gap and getting those voters to polls. So long as Dems don't run someone a significant portion of the base finds to be morally repugnant, most of them will eventually rally behind them in the general election much in the way they rallied behind Obama in 2008 after a heavily divided primary season.

TLDR: I agree with TC. I think we've done this before and I'd like to see a curveball.

You guys tried that with Bush jr,too, remember John Kerry?
---

They need to fucking stop this bullshit. Centrist fucks are going to hand Trump another term.
---

Is there a case for... ANY Democrat at this point? Everything the Republicans have said ended up being true. The media was extremely left biased, cutting regulations did spur economic growth, and when cutting taxes results in more jobs, basically the entire Democratic platform will be proven wrong and rendered moot.

Jones won by a country hair against a child rapist. That doesn't mean he was good or that there's a case for more of his type, it means he wan against a child rapist. Do I need to say child rapist again? Should I also include he was an unrepentant child rapist? Looking at that Alabama election as a template for the future shows just how desperate the Democratic party is.
---

Paper_Okami posted...

They need to fucking stop this bullshit. Centrist fucks are going to hand Trump another term.

Coming back to center is what the Democrats NEED to do because Trump has obviously proven that basic, sound rational conservative tactics on the economy do indeed work. When cutting regulations immediately spurs economic growth, "Hey, how about socialism?" isn't going to get the moderate vote that decides the elections.
---

r4X0r posted...

Jones won by a country hair against a child rapist. That doesn't mean he was good or that there's a case for more of his type, it means he wan against a child rapist. Do I need to say child rapist again? Should I also include he was an unrepentant child rapist?

the night of the election you were saying, look, these conveniently timed character attacks aren't going to work any more
---

The Dems cutting hard left will be the death of their party. The people most avidly fighting for a far left Democrat party are those with the least power in society, and not in nearly enough numbers to be a winning voting bloc since that same group hates republicans with a passion so you already have their vote.
---

s0nicfan posted...

The Dems cutting hard left will be the death of their party. The people most avidly fighting for a far left Democrat party are those with the least power in society, and not in nearly enough numbers to be a winning voting bloc since that same group hates republicans with a passion so you already have their vote.

OTOH, you could have said this about the size and scope of trump supporters prior to his win
---

I mean, almost any Democrat will be better than almost any Republican in the Senate. That said sure I'd prefer someone who shares my more socialist values, but how practical is that in getting legislature passed? Anyway it's Alabama so he can't look too left wing.

My 2
---

Balrog0 posted...

s0nicfan posted...

The Dems cutting hard left will be the death of their party. The people most avidly fighting for a far left Democrat party are those with the least power in society, and not in nearly enough numbers to be a winning voting bloc since that same group hates republicans with a passion so you already have their vote.

OTOH, you could have said this about the size and scope of trump supporters prior to his win

Trump had a relatively centrist campaign, though. Outside of a few key issues, he swung left on a lot of social issues (even if he didn't follow through as president). He was basically a centrist democrat with a hard right stance on immigration. He was certainly more left than many of his primary challengers.
---

hollow_shrine posted...

I would say we did that with 'boring' establishment 2016 candidate Hillary Clinton.

For the most part, if Hillary Clinton had a shred of charisma, she would have had massive voter turn out. The issue is that her image made it very easy for people to dismiss as a two faced robot.
---

I want a moderate liberal but it seems like the radical left can't bother to vote if they don't have a full commie.
SJWs are already damaging the brand. Damn straight I'll take a generic Dem.
---

Anarchy_Juiblex posted...

I want a moderate liberal but it seems like the radical left can't bother to vote if they don't have a full commie.
SJWs are already damaging the brand. Damn straight I'll take a generic Dem.

But those 'full commie SJW' dems aren't getting elected to any offices, let alone the presidency. This can't be the case.
---

I don't think you should say this guy won on his own merits when his opponent was called the lowest scum of the earth who should resign and literally appalled people that he existed.

Calling Doug Jones victory an upset is kinda weird in this case.

It would be like if some Repub beat Al Franken if Franken didn't resign.

Would that be because that Repub is appealing or because Franken groped women?

Now yes, the first statement I made could be said of Trump too, lol, but I still feel it is slightly different. Although, it very well could be anyone but Hillary would have beat Trump.
---

darkphoenix181 posted...

Now yes, the first statement I made could be said of Trump too, lol, but I still feel it is slightly different.

how so, though?
---

yeah, if every single republican candidate can just be a child molester, it'll work out great for the democrats
---

Balrog0 posted...

darkphoenix181 posted...

Now yes, the first statement I made could be said of Trump too, lol, but I still feel it is slightly different.

how so, though?

1. Trump was a celebrity not just some politician
2. Trump makes up stuff all the time which makes it plausible that his "grab the pussy" comment really was nothing more than bravado (not saying he don't do this, just saying it makes sense how a person might believe that)
3. It really isn't that you need a candidate to beat Trump, but a candidate that isn't as hated as Trump
4. Trump was also a symbol to many as a rejection of a certain culture of PC, Moore was not. So voting Trump for many was about making a statement rather than supporting a man.
5. Trump's win is what caused the ousting of sexual assault\harassers. That is, what made Roy lose happened after Trump already won.

point #5 may be the most important, we will see in 2020
---