Dems need to start outselling repubs
Posted by: Krista
Donna’s rightcorrect, the right is better at selling ideas. We play the “let’s be better than them” card, and it doesn’t work. We need to fight them on their own level.
For example, last week, I went to the healthcare forum at Central Arizona College. The main road to the college was littered with repub signs telling people to say no to Ann Kirkpatrick and to vote repub. There were no Democrat signs.
I asked the Pinal County Democrats about it when I got to the forum, and the reply was basically, “They look foolish, and we don’t want to step down to their level.” If only! It’s not the signs that make the republicans look foolish, heck, it’s not even the wackos who yell at their elected representatives (OK, that does make them look a little foolish). It’s us for thinking we’re better and making a stronger statement by not getting our hands dirty. But the truth is, by not having our own signs up, we didn’t make a single statement to the hundreds of people who drove down Overfield Road that day. The repubs had free access for a full day, and it reinforced the repub’s anti-healthcare reform message to the people who actually knew what the signs were for. Furthermore, it made us look disorganized. When I saw all those signs, I wasn’t thinking the republicans looked foolish, I was lamenting the fact that they beat us – again.
Winning isn’t just about who makes the most phone calls, talks to the most people, or knocks on the most doors. It’s about who plays the best game. We’re so worried about not stooping down to their level that we’re only able to win when they pull us down so far there’s nowhere to go but up.
I’d like to close with a rah rah speech about how each of us needs to get more involved because we can make a difference, but if you’re reading this, you’re probably already involved and don’t have time to do more. We’re only part of the solution. The real solution needs to come from ADP HQ as an organized counterattack. We need ADP HQ to give up the funds and manpower to fight back on the repub’s level. Based on what I saw from the healthcare forum I attended, that equates to signs, people to put up the signs, and getting people to those meetings. Additionally, we need to keep up the fight on the ‘net. That means facebook, Twitter, the comments section on newspaper articles, etc.
Now, before the ADP gets all huffy with me, I’d better note that there have been organized sign-making events and healthcare reform rallies. I don’t think that’s enough. We can’t give the repubs anymore freebies like we did at this healthcare forum.
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of losing.
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I agree, the AZ Dem party seems to have lost the wind in it’s sail with Napolitano leaving. However, it think the fiasco of the budget deal left a bad taste in lot of peoples mouths for Repub “leaders”. C’mon, locking doors, shutting off the clock, unconstitutionally late, last minute budget to Brewer? Three Stooge government.
I don’t mind being a big stooper when it comes to Repubs.
(hey,it’s friday)
I’ve been known to jump to the defense of the state Dems a time or two, not because I don’t think we can make substantial improvements to our strategy, but because it’s over-simplistic and one-sided to point the finger at us for “failing” to pull off electoral victories without looking at who and what was opposing us. The Arizona Republicans didn’t beat us in 2008 and aren’t going to beat us in 2010. They are broke and in disarray. They are nothing. We haven’t run against them in years. We are really up against powerful and well-funded national organizations like Club for Growth, NRA, American Legislative Exchange Council. Focus on the Family, the LDS Church, Grover Norquist and his “taxpayer’s” group, etc. Then you have corporations and their media outlets like FOX News and Clear Channel spreading propaganda and division. A lot of people are not aware just how much astroturfing is going on to tip the balance of elections and to thwart populist movements like health care reform. When I ran for State Senate in 2006 I had a voter tell me that he got robocalls against me and the area code was Northern Virginia. Who in the DC area would be taking an interest in podunk little legislative race in Arizona? Actually, lots of people would, and do. The ADP needs to start calling this stuff out, loudly and often. “Why is this group in DC telling Republican legislators what to do and why are they doing it?”
There are many reasons we keep losing, and I don’t see the ADP learning from their mistakes.
To say that we lose because of well-funded groups bombarding us with phone calls is, perhaps, part of the problem. But when you’re handed a no brainer like health care reform forums and don’t have people/signs in place to show Democratic support is- well, it’s not that bright and doesn’t give me much hope for regaining ground in 2010.
I just want the ADP to quit missing opportunities. I don’t want to constantly ask myself why the Democratic party isn’t getting our voice out there.
Well!
If you’re going to stand up for Dems, to be fair and equal I will stand up for the other side.
Jan Brewer is talking of running for re-election. Hah,take that! She’s as talented as our last Repub governor……………Jane Hull.
Sigh. Oh well, I tried.
The Last Campaign: How Harry Truman won the 1948 Campaign AND Tip O’Neill, Man of the House should be required reading for every person who wants to be in leadership for the Democratic Party.