The Democrat Party has disengaged from the American conversation

[Grummgug]

The Democrat Party has disengaged from the American conversation.

Winning both houses of congress plus the White House in 2008 seems to have radicalized the party when it comes to US politics. It seems like the period of 2008-2010 caused them to move so far to the left that they can no longer win rural voters at ALL.

In modern to be a truly mainstream party with an ability to govern, a party needs to attract rural voters, because they dictate who wins the House. They have become the party of Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Elizabeth Warren, and Steven Colbert. None of these people have any connection with rural voters. Furthermore, they almost look down with disdain at rural America as if it is something to be discarded and forgotten. They don't share their cultural beliefs or seemingly respect them anymore. Rural voters have no need for new government programs, and they are happy with religion. In response, Obama talks about bitter people clinging to guns and religion, which helps drive rural voters away.

Rural voters have power. They offer the ability to govern the US. Playing the blame game and saying the reason is gerrymandering instead of looking inwards to CHANGE and maybe find a way to connect with the rural voters will leave the democrat party forever a minor party, always in opposition as it is right now.

The democrats will not offer a ticket that will resonate with rural voters in 2016. The House has now swung FAR toward the GOP. Its at 247 republicans and 188 democrats. That is the largest GOP majority since before FDR and the 1929 crash. You cannot explain that away simply by gerrymandering.

But how can they move to the right at this point? They almost seem to have gone too far. Any attempt to win rural voters will be met with calls that it is going backwards by the democrat base. And if they DON'T move to the right, they are OUT of the national conversation and can never govern again.

Its like the democrats are trying to govern Europe when they live in America. They are two different places with two different cultural beliefs. This is why the GOP holds both houses and is very unlikely to ever give them up.

[Rukh]

This picture states otherwise: http://i.imgur.com/sm8L82v.jpg

But seriously. What?

[Zecora]

Democrats?

Left-wing?

Only in America!

[Deleted]

The Democrat Party has disengaged from the American conversation.

Winning both houses of congress plus the White House in 2008 seems to have radicalized the party when it comes to US politics. It seems like the period of 2008-2010 caused them to move so far to the left that they can no longer win rural voters at ALL.

When talking about American politics radicalized is a term that you can use, but using it in connection with "democrats" doesn't really fit.

Its like the democrats are trying to govern Europe when they live in America. They are two different places with two different cultural beliefs. This is why the GOP holds both houses and is very unlikely to ever give them up.

Govern Europe? Is that a thing?

[Tokru]

What is the "American conversation"?

[Dendrek]

"So far to the left" Yeah... those damn Democrats not being the anti-science, anti-civil rights, gun toting, religious zealots like the good old patriots of the Republican party. So far to the left indeed.

You also seem to be ignoring the fact that rural areas historically favor the Republican party. I won't go into why that is *cough* but if the Democrat party were to cater to them, this nation would be well on its way to the 1950s.

[Grummgug]

Can anyone name ONE major party figure for the democrats that resonates with rural voters? I cannot. There's nothing. Its a complete vacuum. That's why they don't have both the white house and congress right now.

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"So far to the left" Yeah... those damn Democrats not being the anti-science, anti-civil rights, gun toting, religious zealots like the good old patriots of the Republican party. So far to the left indeed.

You also seem to be ignoring the fact that rural areas historically favor the Republican party. I won't go into why that is *cough* but if the Democrat party were to cater to them, this nation would be well on its way to the 1950s.

You cannot govern in America if you look down your nose at a large chunk of its population with such demeaning terms. You can't say "America you are a piece of crap....now vote for us." Guess what, they won't vote for you!

[Rukh]

Can anyone name ONE major party figure for the democrats that resonates with rural voters? I cannot. There's nothing. Its a complete vacuum. That's why they don't have both the white house and congress right now.

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You cannot govern in America if you look down your nose at a large chunk of its population with such demeaning terms. You can't say "America you are a piece of crap....now vote for us." Guess what, they won't vote for you!

Ooooohhh you're talking about the fake bogeymen Democrats portrayed in Republican propaganda, not anything to do with real life. Yeah well fuck those guys! They eat babies and punch kittens.

[Dendrek]

You cannot govern in America if you look down your nose at a large chunk of its population with such demeaning terms. You can't say "America you are a piece of crap....now vote for us." Guess what, they won't vote for you!

The Republicans have been doing nothing but that for the last 6 years.

The problem with a lot of rural voters is that they've centralized their political interests into a small set of issues that are simply a no-go for the Democrat party. Of course the Republican party is feeding into that so that they can profit from it. But for a Democrat to resonate with rural voters, he'd pretty much have to stop being a Democrat, or only be one by title.

But if you insist it's possible for a Democrat to actually resonate with rural voters, tell me: what platform would he have to run on?

[Deleted]

"So far to the left" Yeah... those damn Democrats not being the anti-science, anti-civil rights, gun toting, religious zealots like the good old patriots of the Republican party. So far to the left indeed.

You also seem to be ignoring the fact that rural areas historically favor the Republican party. I won't go into why that is *cough* but if the Democrat party were to cater to them, this nation would be well on its way to the 1950s.

I truly hope that those type of people get the power in the US, and keeps it.... Maybe then the rest of the world will finally stop licking the US ass and start forming political views of their own.... *says a disgruntled european who's country is far to enamored by the US*

[fengosa]

Can anyone name ONE major party figure for the democrats that resonates with rural voters? I cannot. There's nothing. Its a complete vacuum. That's why they don't have both the white house and congress right now.

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You cannot govern in America if you look down your nose at a large chunk of its population with such demeaning terms. You can't say "America you are a piece of crap....now vote for us." Guess what, they won't vote for you!

America tends to lean right in general. The democrats usually have an uphill fight in this regard but that hardly means that they are the radicals or their policies aren't better than the right. It's essentially a long term fight to change the culture in America and frankly they should give up because 'America is America' so oh well.

[Paranoid Android]

Democrats do not need the rural vote. The Dems have won the popular vote the past two Presidential elections plus 2000. Actually the popular vote for Congress is pretty much split. In 2008 the Dems had over 200k more vote for their Congress person than Republicans. Thanks to Gerrymandering the rural vote or Republican district is represented more.

Look at the Senate. Wyoming has same amount of Senators as California. Now I will not go as far as changing the Senate, I am again stating that the urban population is getting squeezed.

[Mihalik]

Sigh and facepalm.

American politics are royally fucked by very creative gerrymandering where essentially Democrats get substantially more votes, yet they can't win elections.

Plus...every country that is forced to cater to its rural population is headed for a disaster. The fact is that rural America is not America. Rural America is this bubble universe the leeches on government subvention schemes but cannot fathom the necessity of such things as infrastructure, education, etc. Rural America is not generating the wealth of America, and American politics shouldn't be forced to cater to that obnoxious, over represented and useless minority.

[Paranoid Android]

Rural voters keep moving right. I don't want the Democrats to appeal to them. If the Republicans go too far right, independents will be Democrat voters for all practical intents and purposes.

Yes, if you look throughout history, every issue becomes more progressive. We never regress back into conservatism. Women's rights, minority rights, workers rights, etc.

[Daez]

Are you a rural voter? Do you honestly think you speak for all rural voters? I actually am a rural voter, and lets just say that I have yet to meet anyone that is "happy with religion." Most of the people I know love Stephen Colbert and the like. They hated Mittens Romney and they will probably hate Jebadiah Bush. Nice job of posting a complete opinion piece with NOTHING to back it up by the way. My evidence is anecdotal, but at least I'm not making broad, sweeping generalizations.

[Steelangel]

Yeah... those damn Democrats not being the anti-science, anti-civil rights, gun toting, religious zealots like the good old patriots

There is a strong correlation between anti-vaxxers and democrat voters.
Democrats (and anyone in power, really) support civil rights for their pet projects only, not in general.
Not all Democrats are anti-gun.
And it's not Republicans who can't seem to say the words "Islamic Extremism".

But whatever, neither party can actually tell the truth about what's happening in the country without pissing off the majority of their base who live in a land of cognitive dissonance brought about by a cultural inability to distinguish "loud" from "correct".

[Daez]

"So far to the left" Yeah... those damn Democrats not being the anti-science, anti-civil rights, gun toting, religious zealots like the good old patriots of the Republican party. So far to the left indeed.

Actually, the majority of Dems (and Democratic candidates) in middle America really do favor gun rights, and a great deal of them are actually pro-life (except in cases of rape and incest). To pretend that the Democratic party across the nation is completely on the same page is as realistic as pretending the Republican party across the nation is.

[madmanx]

going to assume that this is a joke....

[Daez]

Can anyone name ONE major party figure for the democrats that resonates with rural voters? I cannot. There's nothing. Its a complete vacuum. That's why they don't have both the white house and congress right now.

You cannot govern in America if you look down your nose at a large chunk of its population with such demeaning terms. You can't say "America you are a piece of crap....now vote for us." Guess what, they won't vote for you!

I'm sure you have examples of talking down to the rural voters... Plus, Hillary Clinton actually resonates quite well with the rural voters. Besides, the rural voters ONLY decided things in heavily gerrymandered districts that have been completely restructured to leave out any actual populous areas. Once you start talking populous areas, even in right leaning states, you are talking (predominately) about largely Democratic areas.

[KrazyK923]

Besides, the rural voters ONLY decided things in heavily gerrymandered districts that have been completely restructured to leave out any actual populous areas. Once you start talking populous areas, even in right leaning states, you are talking (predominately) about largely Democratic areas.

Bingo. And its something the OP doesn't (Or, based on his incessant posting of anti-Dem/Obama/Liberal threads, actively ignores) seemingly understand. The Republicans have gerrymandered the vast majority of rural areas in the US so heavily Republican that the candidate could probably be a slice of bread and still beat a Democrat.

Especially when Republicans are also now heavily trying, and some cases succeeding, in suppressing the vote of those who they disagree with.