Democrats better embrace progressive millennials or get used to losing

[Algernon Moncrieff]

LA Times

While Democratic Party officials are at it, they should also question whether their wishy-washiness on things their people care about, such as universal health care, liveable wages, affordable higher education and reining in Wall Street greed, is limiting their ability to win elections. Maybe it even had something to with the fact that Democrats managed to lose an election that even the lying, misogynist, racist, populist bully who won didn’t think he had a shot at.

It’s a good time to take stock because if Democrats don’t ramp up their game now, they may well lose the most important midterm elections in modern history and doom the country to at least two more years of Republican-controlled chaos from which we may never recover.

They can start by dumping their insipid “Change that Matters” slogan, which is even more of a loser than Hillary Clinton’s “Stronger Together.” If Democrats want to rile up their voters to Trumpesque proportions, they should try something catchy, more assertive and more likely to be painted on a protest sign. May I suggest “Take America Back from the Billionaires” or simply “Throw the Lyin’ Bum Out.”

The Democratic Party can either start embracing the millennial progressives — and their issues — and harness that effervescent energy in the November elections, or they can get used to losing.

[BigmanPigman]

1. Maybe when they think about not being able to get a legal

abortion they will finally wake up AND VOTE.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

6. The memory of the horrors of back alley abortions are fading

A woman would generally would be in her mid 60s or older to remember pre-Roe v. Wade times if they took place in her child-bearing years - and abortion was legal in some states by '73.

A woman would have to be nearly 80 to remember a time when the pill wasn't legal in her child bearing years.

It's an important issue, to be sure. However, when I talk to a millennial, the first topic I generally hear about is student-loan debt and how it is crippling their generation. If access to birth control goes away, that financial distress will only get worse.

[BigmanPigman]

15. I just watched Malcom Nance on MSNBC

and he was saying that McConnell and Ryan aren't fearful of tRump destroying the country since they are safe and it won't effect them. He said that Schumer and Pelosi are bringing butter knives to a gun fight because they aren't directly in danger and fearful. The same applies to most people who are going about their everyday lives without concern about the political future of our country since they are not directly effected and fearful either. I think this is true for most citizens and it is really, really disappointing but not surprising. So many will not wake up and stand up until it is too late. I think it is already too late. I am so happy I chose not to have kids since I don't want to feel guilty about the future my child will grow up in.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

23. The second issue I hear the 20 somethings talk about is climate change

They know it is real, and that the current administration will do nothing.

You are correct - many in Congress now don't have a long run stake in what happens.

[calguy]

31. That's why we lost control of Congress in 2010

Democrats controlled congress and the White House. They weren't concerned. They were complacent. They didn't show up to vote. The rest is tragic history.

[emulatorloo]

60. We lost control of Congress because Dems saved the economy and passed universal healthcare

And the Koch Bros and their faux grassroots organization Americans for Prosperity lied about Dems and smeared them. They lied and screamed at town halls. They convinced naive voters that Democrats were creating a “socialist takeover of health care.”

Meanwhile, anti-Obama fake “progressives” on DU joined in the smear job and discouraged people from voting in the 2010 midterms.

[deurbano]

68. They were extremely concerned about deficits and "death panels"...

[EffieBlack]

104. They insisted Obama needed "to be taught a lesson" and stayed home

And helped Republicans take over, not just the U.S. House, but also state legislatures - in a redistricting year (duh, geniuses).

They can try to rewrite history now, but we were there and have receipts.

[NYC Liberal]

115. President Obama was held to a higher standard than any other president has been.

Actually, it was an impossible standard because no matter what he did, it was not good enough. Either what he did was wrong, or if he did the right thing (by their standards), it was still wrong because he didn’t do it fast enough.

[tonyt53]

226. Boy, ain't this the truth!!!!!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

128. And that's why we should, can and will give them reason to show up in 2018!!

tRump has to go... impeach 45 in 2019!! Then implement an agressive Progressive agenda, showing middle-class folks we know how to govern with their best interests in mind.

[brush]

230. Not really true. Dems controlled the Senate in O's first term for about...

59 days and it wasn't contiguous. Kennedy's death and the Coleman/Franken recount took up months of that time.

And in the 2010 election many stayed home because they were uninformed in thinking the Dems had control and didn't pass their pet issues. The repugs gained control in the election because of this.

Google it.

[SergeStorms]

66. The vast majority of Americans...

are not aware of 1/10 of the things we political wonks are aware of. All they get are snippets from the nightly network news and that, my friends (and a few enemies) is nothing! I'm always amazed when I talk to other Democrats of their complete ignorance of what's actually going on in this country at the moment. I don't think it's laziness on their part, they just don't have the time to devote to learning the truth. That does not bode well for the upcoming mid-terms. Democrats don't have a 'FOX Noise' that devotes it's entire nightly broadcast time to Trump propaganda. Democrats don't have a Sinclair News Corporation to gobble up every local TV station possible for their right-wing forced propaganda. Democrats don't have a foreign enemy state(s) hacking into our election results, and forcing their fascist propaganda down our throats.

It's an uphill battle people, and anyone who's giddy about a "blue wave" this coming fall had better not be resting on their laurels already. It's going to take more hard work than we've ever expended before, and that might even be found to be lacking. We're in for the fight of our lives, a fight for the what used to be called, "the American way", and it's certainly NOT a given that we'll succeed.

I suggest we stop nit-picking and fighting among ourselves about purity, or political correctness, or hurting someone's feelings. If Democrats don't toughen up and start fighting with fire the battle is already lost, because the GOP certainly isn't standing still. They're out to win it all, permanently, and will use any low-down, dirty, thieving tactic they can to make it so. After almost 60 years of political awareness, and being a Democrat, I've come to the conclusion that if we use the same old cliches and techniques we're a doomed party, as well as a doomed country.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

80. Amen...+millions. Nt

[CrispyQ]

157. Pelosi & Schumer calling for civility was about the last straw for me with dem leadership.

While they didn't call out Maxine Waters by name, their message was clear, "Play nice."

Like it or not, the dems are perceived as weak & this is one reason why. Dem leadership should call out the other side! "You want civility, start from the top. You want civility, get your president under control & then we'll talk." That's what the message should have been, not, "Okay, we'll be good silent dems like we always are, & even take one of our own to task, & work for unity from sea to shining sea*." The Con's laughing at their pathetic civility comments as he takes a sledge hammer to our country.

* Pelosi's actual tweet: In the crucial months ahead, we must strive to make America beautiful again. Trump’s daily lack of civility has provoked responses that are predictable but unacceptable. As we go forward, we must conduct elections in a way that achieves unity from sea to shining sea.

And a response to that tweet: “If you run on unity from sea to seas rather than stopping the evil of the Republican Party, you’ll leave Congress in their hands,” one commenter replied.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

205. The time for playin nice is fuckin OVA!!! #StandWithMaxine

[EllieBC]

24. That loan debt will seem like nothing

once they no longer have control of their own bodies. Bigger picture here. No control of your reproductive system? You have very little room to advance economically.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

26. Could not agree more.

[treestar]

88. Maybe they should study history and not take it for granted

the right wants to do away with freedom they are taking for granted. They are old enough to vote; that means old enough to study recent history.

[Skidmore]

134. Which is exactly why we much maligned

older Democratic Party women fight so hard. We remember. We remember and we don't want our daughters, our nation's daughters, to go back to a time of fewer rights and to continue progressive path we have set for all of us. In all of the internecine quarreling, "progressives" are missing that Democrats hold very progressive values. Labels aren't rights. The powerbase forged by years hard work is a tool, one much coveted by Sanders who feels entitled to the fruits of the labors of others. We persevere because we understand how great the cost if we don't. Perhaps a little understanding of the fact that changing the package doesn't make a product different.

[betsuni]

137. +1

[brer cat]

145. *This* nt

[ehrnst]

158. +1000. (nt)

[Tarheel_Dem]

166. POST! OF! THE! YEAR!

[xmas74]

167. I'm 43

And I remember driving a friend across state lines for her abortion. She ran off a week after high school graduation with a truck driver. They married and he made her life hell in short order with constant physical and psychological abuse.

She was pregnant when she came home. She applied for assistance but at the time DFS said they were required to contact her husband. She was hiding from him, couch surfing almost nightly so he couldn't find her. An abortion was her only way to get away from him.

That was 25 years ago in September. That's not all that long ago.

[riversedge]

181. Thanks and well said.

[TheRealNorth]

2. or birth control for that matter

[Tatiana]

3. Agreed.

I don't think I'm quite ready to nationalize Ocasio-Cortez's victory, but there is definitely something brewing.

History is cyclical, and in some ways, this reminds me of the long-term civil rights struggle. Washington/DuBois, X/King... we have always had incremental/establishment versus radical action. The pendulum is swinging more toward the radical side of Democratic politics, IMO. We should embrace it where we can and use establishment means where necessary.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

8. I'm a centrist that supported Hillary in 2016.

I resented Sanders for not being a party member (I-VT), and was mad at the party for letting him run.

But here is reality. When NE -2 had its primary, former Congressman Brad Ashford - a good older guy on the conservative side of Democratic politics, lost to Kara Eastman in the primary, I realized that while the voices of the Boomers and Xers matter, the millenials -- the folks here that principally supported Sanders -- are the ones that matter more. When a candidate appeals to them, they show up; they give money; they do ground game. Ocasio-Cortez demonstrated that same principle again.

Re: 2020 - Since Truman, 4/5 elected Democratic Presidents were young guys in their 40s. Johnson was an outlier because of his taking over for JFK. JFK, Carter, Clinton, and Obama were all young and able and spoke to a generation. Our next candidate needs to have that quality.

[Tatiana]

21. When a candidate appeals to them, they show up; they give money; they do ground game.

You nailed it right there. My daughter is almost 21. I literally dragged her to the polls to vote for Hillary.

Obama, on the other hand... people stood in lines for 3+ HOURS to vote for him. My daughter, though she wasn't old enough to vote for him, stood for over an hour with me to cast my ballot. Without complaining! He inspired and energized millenials and young people. The donated via text. I worked the first campaign and I was just astounded at the number of young people (18-21) that showed up to volunteer. We had so many volunteers, we were able to send people to canvass in Indiana and Missouri.

Obama had it. Clinton (Bill) had it. JFK had it.

We need to find that person that speaks to this generation. There are some great contenders. These are the times that are going to show us what our Democrats are made of. I 100% agree with you... we need to look younger, not older.

[radius777]

53. Exactly, but all of those were cosmopolitan center-left Dems.

JFK, Bill (who modeled himself after JFK, his hero), Obama were all cosmopolitan, pro-business, pro-international minded Dems who viewed progress as a partnership between business forces and social justice forces.

They weren't populist/nationalist at all, and neither were the young people who supported them.

We'll see about Gen-Z, they may be, having come of age in the Great Recession.

[Tom Rinaldo]

216. RFK had the magic also

and a vision for America that still speaks to young Americans. JFK may have been pro-business and in favor of lowered corporate tax rates, but the rate he was comfortable with equates with hard core democratic socialism by today's standards.

[Blue_true]

9. I disagree that something is brewing.

She caught the perfect wave. Her district is majority minority, she is smart and well spoken and had a message that spoke to people's daily concerns (high rents, high costs in general, no one listening to them), the message was right for her district. Also, we have seen it expressed here on DU, many voters want younger leaders, they are tired of the seventy something people running for office - she is a vibrant person who went up against a stodgy 73 year old man.

[Trumpocalypse]

34. Exactly, she won because

Of the deomographic changes in the district. She was a better fit than Crowley. Not to say that say that she isn’t an impressive person who I expect to vote for for President one day.

[Jim Lane]

62. Crowley is 56, not 73.

I'm going by the information in his Wikipedia bio. If that's wrong, let me know and I'll correct it.

[Blue_true]

122. No, I got his age wrong. Sorry. nt

[Squinch]

153. Ocasio-Cortez is a good Democrat who won a good win. She is slightly to the left of the

typical Democrat.

Five miles away from her district, Eliot Engel won his primary in a landslide. He's an old guard Democrat with a good solid record.

Something IS brewing. Democrats are trying to take back what they lost.

Any "faction" within the Democrats that takes either of these wins as proof of the ascendancy of their pet position is a moron.

[Blaukraut]

4. So who will the millennials turn to instead?

And how effective is their alternative choice going to be in shaping policy in the US instead of just making promises it can't keep, being in no position to initiate any change?

[oberliner]

5. What a poorly written article

With an extremely weak argument.

[manor321]

7. Garbage

All of these garbage articles ignore the MASSIVE conservative media that pumps propaganda 24 hours per day. That is what is hurting us.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

10. Do people under 40 watch cable news in large numbers

The millennials I meet don't listen to "radio"; they largely ignore conventional cable TV. They pick and choose from an array of pre-recorded shows and podcasts. I take your point - the MSM is stacked. It's also decreasingly relevant.

[shanny]

16. Nope. They don't.

Good point.

[The Genealogist]

127. What you say is very important

Even if we have a perfect message, it isn't going to get to younger folks unless it is in a form of communication that they actually use. Not just what you say, but where you say it.

[crazycatlady]

147. I'm 38 and have cut the cord

I used to watch cable news all the time. NOw I only watch it at my parents' or when I'm staying in a hotel. It gets rather tiring fast.

I also don't listen to the radio either (just music).

I feel more and more unwelcome at this forum because it seems to be full of people who are watching cable news all day (that and the get off my lawn vibe many here give).

[Caliman73]

101. Not really.

It certainly makes it more difficult to operate on a bipartisan level to solve problems, but there are less conservatives than progressives among the electorate. Our biggest problem, aside from the cheating by right wingers, is apathy not conservative media.

[Mariana]

148. Who's watching and listening to that propaganda?

It isn't the millennials. It's mostly old people who've been sucked in by that, and most of the old people vote Republican because of it. That's WHY we need to make a special effort to appeal to the young people, so they'll come out in enough numbers to outvote the brainwashed seniors.

[NoMoreRepugs]

11. LA Times..... time for u and every other newspaper, magazine,

online site and TV station other than those parroting the Repug drivel to take a stand. Pound this douche every damn day and explain how he is destroying our Democracy and the future for our children.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

14. There is an amazing array of journalists out there, but they are not getting read

Newspapers are for my parent's generation; we've yet to find a way for top-notch investigative reporters to make money in the age if internet reporting. We need that now more than ever because there is an amazing array of corruption out there right now.

[NoMoreRepugs]

20. Agree, every damn form of communication to the masses has to kick it into high gear. Newspapers may

be passe, but they still reach millions.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

37. Maybe some shot-in-the-fanny millennials

can go into reporting and start informing their peers and us in better words than us...if they think they can do it. Please...have at it. I want to see some millennials at the shs news briefs. Lets see their derring do. Don't tell us, SHOW US.

[radius777]

12. Millennials are more globalist than populist,

as they grew up online, which is essentially a global village, and they elected Obama, who views America in a global context, like most normal American presidents did.

Millennials also admire success/wealth, and are not into class resentment, but fairness and opportunity, especially for those who have been historically oppressed.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

18. If you are 18-22

In 2020, you won't have the visceral memory of 9-11, but you grew up in its shadow. You might remember a little of W Bush -- especially if Mom or Dad were overseas in the Service, but your early political memories probably center around Barack Obama and the Great Recession. I'd guess that Trump seems at odds with the "global village" and he's not addressing the issues that concern most voters under 30.

[Demsrule86]

75. These kids will live in a right wing America thanks to allowing Trump to stack the courts.

Unlikely that Roe survives...I hope that Lawrence vs Texas survives and what's left of the civil rights bill. Those who didn't vote for Clinton in every and any demographic have done so much damage that it will take years to fix. This article reads as a threat to me...'you better' and if I don't, you blow up the country again? Screw this author and his threats.

[Recursion]

110. If you are 18-22, you aren't a millennial

None of the kids at Stoneman-Douglas were millennials, for instance, though two of the teachers who died were. The oldest millennials are going to turn 40 soon.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

111. At this point, I'm not sure who is considered a Millennial

I have one kid born in the 90s that I'm told is a Millennial, and one in born in the 2K1s that I'm told is part of "Generation Next."

I thought if you were turning 40 (b 1978) you were still a Gen Xer?

[Recursion]

112. Millennials "came of age" around the Millennium (hence the name)

The usual birth years listed are 1980 to some not quite agreed upon year after 1990 but before 2000. If your parents had a "baby on board" sign and you remember a time in your childhood where you didn't have a cell phone or access to the Internet, you are a millennial.

People turning 40 this year are pretty much the youngest year that is unambiguously Gen X (we didn't get the "baby on board" signs).

But, in terms of the cultural milestones: if you were too young to remember 9/11 (or weren't born yet) you're in whatever we end up calling the next cohort.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

120. OK so what happened to Gen Y?

[radius777]

126. Gen-Y are the Millennials. /nt

[GreenEyedLefty]

140. I heard someone use this general formula

Pretty much everyone can identify a Boomer... generally people born 1945-65.

If you were old enough to vote in 1996, you are Gen X.

If you remember 9/11 but were not old enough to vote, you are a Millennial.

Politically I stand firmly with progressive Millennials.

I am a quintessential Gen X and resent being lumped in with the Baby Boomers - with all due respect and no offense to the Boomers on DU, I have to say that generation has screwed Xers over, badly. The Boomers old enough and financially able to retire, need to fucking retire already.

[Wwcd]

190. I stand firmly with Democratic Millennials. ✌

[jwhitesj]

221. I wasn't old enough to vote in 1996

I missed being able to vote in 1996 by 1 week. Obviously I remember 9/11 and was old enough to vote at that time. So these generation measuring sticks, just like anytime I look up generational measuring sticks for myself, put me in the middle of Gen-X and Millennial's. Most of my issues are the same as Millennial's. Crippling student loan debt. Having the economy tank right when I was getting started on a career path and watching my company shut its doors. Trying to save up for a down payment on a house but the housing prices are going up faster than I can save the down payment. At the same time, I can remember Just say No, the challenger explosion, the fall of the Berlin wall, the Russian Coup, Desert Storm etc. I feel like there should be a separate generation for those born between 1976 and 1984. People born between these 2 years are not very similar to the older Gen-Xers, but not closely enough related to Millennials. That's just my thought on the issue though.

[xmas74]

168. My kid just turned 18.

She will emphatically tell you she is NOT a millennial.

[treestar]

89. if they elected Obama, why did they let Orange Asshole get elected?

[radius777]

125. some bought into Hillary hate

promoted by the right as well as the alt-left.

Young people in general are more driven by something new; both Bill and Obama were new to the national political stage, and viewed as cool.

It's sad they didn't take the threat of Trump seriously as we hoped, but young people can't be blamed for things like this, which is much more the fault of adults.

[treestar]

141. We could raise them to care

which is what real patriotism would look like. But if they are not responsible then they are not old enough to vote or serve in the military.

[DonCoquixote]

130. they did not vote for him

although older women who were white DID.

[treestar]

142. More believable than the young people

Older white women might be OK with a black man but not another older white woman. Though at this point even the older women were aware in the 60s. My mother's generation in their 80s were definitely raised to believe women were not leaders.

[Cha]

13. Hillary Won.. the fucking russians and their enablers

stole it from us.

the Democratic Party is Winning.. Bullshit on this article that isn't based on reality.

Conor Lamb won on ACA Healthcare in his district in PA.. these types of scare tactic articles never mention wins like that.

[Raastan]

17. Lol! Right on!

[Cha]

19. Thanks, Raastan..

[Tarheel_Dem]

29. Are you as sick of the threats as I am? The OR types are the only ones still threatening to.....

withhold their votes. Who cares? They'll suffer right along with the rest of us.

[Cha]

32. I'm way beyond sick and tired of all

the Bullshit being pushed on us, Tarheel. Better the media should spend their print calling out the FAKE NEWS FUCKER.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

30. The Russians, and I'd score a solid assist by James Comey

You and I both voted for Hillary and she won the popular vote -- but she isn't in the White House. I doubt anything can fix that prior to 2020.

And I'll grant the Connor Lamb vote, and Doug Jones -- but I wrote upthread about Kara Eastman in NE-2 knocking off Brad Ashford; Ben Jealous in Maryland beat the establishment favorite Rushern Baker for a shot at the Governorship; Ocascio-Cortez in NYC is young and a self-proclaimed socialist. For my money, the two most effective activists I've seen recently aren't even 20 and aren't running for office (yet) - David Hogg and Emma Gonzalez. Youth and energy are what the party and the liberal/progressive movement needs right now.

[Iliyah]

39. And they are a part of the Democratic Party.

I am a progressive/liberal member of the Democratic Party. 35 years old. The Democratic Party embraces diversity.

The Democratic Party is not a single cell organism that marches to one beat and does what ever their master's order and I'm not talking about shithole but Putin and crew.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

38. This

x100. Let us not forget it.

[Cha]

40. Gracias, Crutchez_CuiBono

[uponit7771]

72. +1, Article author, " ... hunh ... what Russians !?!??!"

[Cha]

74. Yeah, a little grizzly detail that

escapes those with their own special agenda.

[yallerdawg]

97. 16,000 votes in NYC, and THIS is our Blue Wave?

Alabama elects a Democratic senator to replace Jeff Sessions, and that's just an accident?

[Cha]

116. Is that all the votes she got?

Thanks, yallerdawg And, some in the media start threatening us!

And, Conor Lamb won in a Red District.

Here he is now..

Link to tweet

Nate Silver had the same take as Nancy..

Nate Silver's take on Ocasio-Cortez's victory.

Looks like soon we’re wrapping up for the evening, so I’d like to reiterate one last time the not-so-hot take that primaries are extremely idiosyncratic and one ought to be cautious about global conclusions from local events. On the one hand, Ocasio-Cortez’s win was extremely impressive in New York 14 tonight against the establishment Democrat Joe Crowley; on the other hand, Chelsea Manning received only 6 percent of the vote in her challenge to establishment Democrat Ben Cardin in Maryland’s U.S. Senate primary. (Cardin won with 81 percent.)

I think pundits might do better to focus on the particular combination of attributes that Ocasio-Cortez brought to the table: young, Latina, from the community, media-savvy enough to draw a lot of coverage from lefty outlets (but not very much from mainstream outlets, which she may not have wanted anyway), ran some good ads, very openly and proudly a progressive Democratic socialist, but also running against an old white dude who, while mostly a party-line Democrat, was asleep at the wheel in a district that had undergone a lot of demographic change. And the race was maybe in an in-between zone whereas it was just competitive enough that her voters were excited and turned out, but also enough to the periphery of the radar enough that Crowley’s voters didn’t.

Which of those elements were most essential to her success? Which of those factors might be replicated elsewhere? It’s hard to say. My personal bias is to think being cut from the cloth of the district is pretty important, whereas candidates who are famous for other reasons, such as Cynthia Nixon (who hasn’t made up her deficit with Andrew Cuomo in the polls) aren’t going to resonate in the same way and won’t have the same underdog quality. But maybe the combination is pretty unique — and will be hard to replicate — given that she’s the first challenger to defeat a Democratic incumbent for the U.S. House since 2014.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/live-blog/june-26-election-results/

[yallerdawg]

118. I just don't trust the media spin. Can you imagine why, Cha?

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is a wonderful candidate and a great Democrat, great win, but NOT a "better embrace" movement.

[Cha]

119. So that was all the votes she got?

Yeah, NOT a good way to go about it.. with Threats about something that's not even real.. just their made up agenda.

I stopped trusting media in 2002. I rely on sources and reporters who have earned my trust.

yallerdawg

[yallerdawg]

123. Ballotpedia.

I'd call this a trickle, not a wave. They split an 11% turnout.

[Cha]

124. Wow.. a spit in the Ocean.. Wonderful

Thank you so much, yallerdawg!

[happynewyear]

155. +1,000

Nailed.

Doesn't matter if you are a generation X, Y, Z, etc.

The Russians stole the election for dump!

Fuck Dump!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

171. Well said Cha

Always love the bit of sanity you bring to these discussions.

[Cha]

192. Thank You, Yo!

Backatcha!

[Eko]

22. I work in a store with about 50 people.

Only 3 of us are over 40, one over 30, and the rest under 30. Out of the over 40 I am the only Liberal/Democrat. The other two are solid right. For the rest of the store they lean liberal in policies but believe the conservatives lies about Democrats. The Democratic party has embraced the liberal policies they believe in for a while now, it has made very little change.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

25. Over 50 here.

I'd say of my high school classmates, they trend conservative 4 to 1. I'm told the term is "white nostalgia."

[Eko]

27. On second thought

there are two people who I could call liberal. As to if they vote? No idea. I cant ask as I am the boss.

[3catwoman3]

215. White nostalgia is a very interesting term.

I'd not seen it until reading your post.

The Leave It To Beaver/ Father Knows Best/ Donna Reed Show days weren't all they were cracked up to be, in many ways, unless you were a white male - limited rights for women and minorities, hiding under our desks during duck-and-cover drills in case of nuclear attack, etc.

[Tarheel_Dem]

28. "Embrace" them? What's with the threats? They can withhold their votes, but is it "Democrats" who...

lose? Or the American people, "millenials" included. My message to "millenials" is, "Embrace Democrats, or get used to losing". You haven't even begun to fathom the loss of your basic human rights yet.

[Wwcd]

156. Last time they withheld their votes in protest, we got Trump

I admire the millions of millennials who have the smarts to simple call themselves Democrats.

Trends come & go, afterall.

Remember the trend of big hair!

The higher the hair, the closer to god!

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

33. Democrats need to embrace millennials(?),

but millennials can harangue the Democrats? Got news for the up and coming millennials....you wouldn't have a platform if Democrats hadn't broken ground on all the stuff referenced above. We are your Godparents, not the enemy. Some respect for how far we have brought the party to date eh? Any time you can cogently take over the baton...let us all know.
"Take America back from the billionaires'.....real catchy. (And every candidate can buy signs 4 foot wide for the message...that sounds...well...imho, NOT an improvement on the 2 or 3 word slogans that fit on buttons etc.)
"Throw they lyin bum out"...another real classy sentence...ahem.
A slogan should be as short as possible to be useful. 2-3 words is about right. should invoke a vision, and attempt to be somewhat wholesome. imho.
All the above sounds like a threat...issued from the same people who didn't vote bc Hillary reminded her of her cackling aunt w canckles (their words), and pant suits. These very citizens who won't have the alternative of an abortion if they absolutely need to, bc they haven't learned the basic lesson...try for your first pick, but, if that person loses, you vote for the party nominee. That's how we get better either way.
Don't tug on Supermans cape, don't spit into the wind, don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger and you don't mess around with Dems. Have some respect. If Millenials can't see that Dems, as a whole, are always incrementally better for them as they "grow up", maybe some remedial civics would help.
I think it's easy to pick on Dems bc they're terrified of the gop.
PS...You're welcome for where the party has brought us since FDR.

[EffieBlack]

84. THANK you!

When I first started voting, I never once found myself whining that I “couldn’t relate to” Jimmy Carter or that Walter Mondale was “too establishment” or that Michael Dukakis didn’t “embrace” me or refuse to support him because Jesse Jackson didn’t get the nomination. I supported and voted for the primary candidate that I wanted to get the nomination and then voted for the Democratic nominee. I didn’t demand that my ass get kissed before I would support them.

This “embrace me or else” demand in a diverse party is ridiculous.

[AwakeAtLast]

35. Oh yeah

LIEBERMAN!!!

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

43. Joe was a major fake out.

Had me fooled at first. I will admit that. Man, was I wrong.

[tirebiter]

36. Crowly did not lose to a Republican and would not have in the general.

The article needs another election to prove it's point. I'm bettin' the young Democratic Socialist would have lost to the Republican sex offender in Alabama

[JI7]

46. the only thing elections show is politics is local. look at Conor Lamb's district.

Crowley would have a more likely chance of winning there than Cortez .

also , Hillary won that District also every time she ran as did every other democrat.

this is just lame and desperate attempt to use it to push something they were previously hoping to push but didn't work with all the other election results.

[JI7]

41. most Millennials expect to be wealthy in their lives. and Social Issues like Gay Rights matter

more than "throw the billionaires out" .

[nini]

42. Did any of them ever reac the Democratic platform?

I'm guessing not if they think those are 'their' ideas.

[JI7]

44. only the Billionaires ? how about the Millionaires ?

how about those making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year ?

there aren't enough billionaires or even millionaires to win elections by votes .

why are those who aren't billionaires voting for candidates that support policies that benefit mostly the wealthy ?

[JHan]

45. as a young person myself... I laughed at this article.

I showed my friends, they laughed too. And btw we're all Dem supporters.

And we're also really tired of insipid takes. All the things Garza hopes Dems would address have been talked about by Dems, where has she been living?

Further, Republicans have thoroughly gamed the system, abused their majority power to steal judgeships from a Dem president, won the presidency with outside influence and without the popular vote, and continue to change the rules on who can vote and who can't...

And apparently, the solution to this bullshit is that dems should have better slogans.

See this is why I have pundit fatigue.

EDIT: I Mean FFS, in primary elections across the damn country, healthcare was the major thing Dems candidates talked about - again, what reality is this author living in ?

[Cha]

48. Mahalo for your perspective, JHan

that's my take, too.. from this side of the cloud.

[JHan]

50. thanks because I really have to wonder..

Is this the Season of Really Bad Hot Takes? If so , will it ever end?

[Cha]

51. By now I expect nothing more out of

some with obvious agendas in the media.

They manufacture and manipulate to push whatever pos they're invested in.

[emulatorloo]

61. It's the season of hot takes and the false "Democrats in Disarray" narrative that the pundit class

is addicted to.

[JI7]

58. the article read like it was already planned and they needed some election, some event

they could use as proof . and with all the other losses they desperately went with this.

[vercetti2021]

47. You're forgetting Gen Y

They are likely to be extremely liberal. They are doing so much more than us millennials have so far. They need to reach them just as much

[aidbo]

92. Gen Y are Millennials.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Y

Millennials (also known as Generation Y) are the generational demographic cohort following Generation X.

[vercetti2021]

93. Oh meant Gen Z nt

[LiberalFighter]

49. It is not up to the leaders.

It is up to the people going to the polls and voting.

[FiveGoodMen]

114. You don't see any connection there?

[miyazaki]

52. Millennials better embrace progressive democrats or get used to losing. nt

[wasupaloopa]

54. Why do we always feel the need to divide our party and love OP's that have that as it's purpose.

We all have to vote in November or no one's agenda will be on the table.

I don't care if you are a millennial or an old white guy like me, we need your vote in November

[pnwmom]

55. Did this person even bother to read the Democratic party platform?

Which was agreed upon by both Hillary and Bernie?

[Cha]

56. Either they did and are ignoring the reality or

they couldn't even be bothered to do any real reporting for this poHogwash.

[Historic NY]

57. Maybe they should get "awoke" because they are the ones going to pay and pay they will.

They certainly aren't parting with their money to support candidates.

[KPN]

59. In a nutshell, yes.

[emulatorloo]

63. Pundits can start by dumping their insipid "Democrats in Disarray" narrative

AOC is great, congrats on her victory. To hell with the pundit class and their shitty hot takes.

[Cha]

64. In a nutshell NO.

[LuvLoogie]

65. My favorite new analogy for these millennial progressives and "their effervescent energy" witholding

Last edited Fri Jun 29, 2018, 10:53 PM - Edit history (1)

votes:

So you're not going to eat your breakfast unless your pancakes are shaped like Mickey Mouse?

[still_one]

70. If I recall Cornell West was part of the DNC rules committee as part of the group to help guide the

direction of the Democratic party, so input from all sides of the Democratic party's nominees would weigh in, and when the committee was finished, Cornell West enthusiastically, and very publicly and proudly, to show his willingness to be part of it all, promptly and enthusiastically went on to endorse Jill Stein

Gee, because some of these self-identified progressives didn't get their pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse, they really showed the rest of us.

What a perfect analogy

Perhaps Noam Chomsky said it best: Progressives who refused to vote for Hillary Clinton made a ‘bad mistake’

“I think they [made] a bad mistake,” said Chomsky, who reiterated that it’s important to keep a “greater evil” from obtaining power, even if you’re not thrilled with the alternative. “I didn’t like Clinton at all, but her positions are much better than Trump’s on every issue I can think of.”

Chomsky also attacked the arguments made by philosopher Slavoj Zizek, who argued that Trump’s election would at least shake up the system and provide a real rallying point for the left.

“[Zizek makes a] terrible point,” Chomsky told Hasan. “It was the same point that people like him said about Hitler in the early ’30s… he’ll shake up the system in bad ways.”

https://www.rawstory.com/2016/11/noam-chomsky-progressives-who-refused-to-vote-for-hillary-clinton-made-a-bad-mistake/

[Cha]

79. Perhaps Noam Chomsky said it best: Progressives who refused to vote for Hillary Clinton made a 'bad

mistake’

Yeah they did and they're not "progressive".. they helped take us back to the fucking dark ages.

Mahalo, still_one

[still_one]

85. You are right Cha, they are phony progressives. No real progressive

knowing that the SC was at stake would have not voted for the Democratic nominee

[LuvLoogie]

129. It borders on human malpractice.

I wish I could sue.

[Honeycombe8]

67. They changed from "A Better Deal" to "Change that Matters"?

When did that happen? I'm glad to hear they dropped the awful "A Better Deal," but "Change that Matters" isn't much better.

They need to get some more creative people in on deciding the call to action statement.

But I think the LA Times is speaking from the California viewpoint, as for pushing millennial progressives. The Dem Party has to embrace all sorts of people across a very large country. Most of them are not millennials. And many are not progressives.

The Democratic Party has a wide umbrella for many types of people, unlike the Republican Party. It needs to include all of them. If it becomes too progressive, it will lose the moderates. The moderates are the swing votes that decide close elections, along w/Independents.

What works in CA won't necessarily work in West Virginia or Pennsylvania, and vice versa.

I think they should use something in the slogan that uses the word "democracy." That is the Dem Party's strong point. It is, after all, th DEMOCRATIC Party. Dems are the governing party, the ones more respectful of democracy. Just a thought.

[Awsi Dooger]

69. Both slogans are absolutely incompetent

It is surreal how inept our slogans are. I didn't read the remainder of the article simply because I was so impressed that the early going spotlighted the pathetic slogans.

"Make America Great Again" was pure genius. I understand Trump copyrighted it very early in that cycle. He may be one of the worst Americans of all time but he understands communicating with his base and just enough outsiders.

Imagine dueling partisans side by side, one sporting a hat with "Make America Great Again" and the other a hat with "Change That Matters."

Seriously, how is it humanly possible not to fall to the ground in laughter, given that visual? The words from each would be meaningless.

I would like to believe that nobody on the planet could be boring enough and out of touch enough to propose a slogan like, "Change That Matters." But every time I listen to Chuck Schumer I know where that type of thinking comes from.

Middle aged bland white males should be kicked out of every room where slogans are contemplated.

[Honeycombe8]

91. Totally agree!

I said from the start that "A Better Deal" was pathetic...but there were those that disagreed.

I mean....get some younger, more creative ad men in that room. How hard is THAT? Something that inspires!

"YES WE CAN!"

[R B Garr]

138. Bill Clinton said Make America Great Again in the 90's.

It’s in a clip in CNN’s 90”s series that they replay from time to time. He was talking about jobs (It’s the economy, stupid). Donald could have heard it there from Clinton.

I swear that Bill Clinton is one of the most copied Presidents ever. I remember a CSPAN Road to the Whitehouse show about Bush Jr., and they talked about how he studied all Bill’s campaign tapes to see how he beat his Daddy.

[lapucelle]

154. Why are you refering to the Democratic Party as "they" rather than "we"? N/T

[Honeycombe8]

187. Gee....let me guess. Why are YOU trying to start disagreements among the Dems?

I hope you're not insinuating I'm not a Dem. I've been participating in this forum quite a bit for at least 10 years. You joined not long before the election. Why are you trying to start disagreements among the Dems?

Oh, and "they," the leadership, decided on the slogan. Not "us." (As you can probably tell from the dissatisfaction among the Dem voters with the wishy washy slogans.)

[lapucelle]

210. Sorry, but I don't know any "Dem" voters who vote based on slogans.

[Honeycombe8]

222. I don't believe the OP or any of the responses claimed that.

But slogans express the enthusiasm, or lack of it, among the voters & the candidate.

"YES YOU CAN" is inspiring, as were others by other politicians. "A BETTER DEAL"... say what? "CHANGE THAT MATTERS"...what?

The slogan, IMO, should reflect what is going on in the country & among the Dems & others on the left. This is a critical time. If the leaders were creative, or hired some creative people, they could, and should, come up with something that reflects the emotions of the voters and what's going on, and hopefully inspires.

[lapucelle]

225. ,,,

Oh, and "they," the leadership, decided on the slogan. Not "us." (As you can probably tell from the dissatisfaction among the Dem voters with the wishy washy slogans.)

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210807070#post187

I suggest that anyone interested in taking back the House work as hard as they can to elect Democratic candidates locally.

My local woman's caucus resumed meetings in February 2017 and helped to flip our county blue in the November election. I'm working for my own Democratic congresswoman and was just invited to a strategy meeting next week in a neighboring district where we will do our damnedest to replace an odious Trump enabler with a wonderful, dynamic Democratic woman. I'll be sure to pass on your suggestion about the slogans.

[beachbum bob]

71. plain BS, if "progressive millennials" want a future, not going to happen by throwing tantrums and

no being involved in getting democrats, all democrats of all poliitical views, elected...otherwise expect a harsh reality just as we are dealing with now because "progressives" didn't want to suppport "lesser of 2 evils"...THEY are the most accountable for trump

[Demsrule86]

73. Gen Y is actually bigger than millenials...so consider that.

[xmas74]

170. They're the same thing.

You mean Gen Z is bigger. That is the generation that is coming into their voter eligibility.

My 18 year old emphatically states she is not Gen Y or Millenial.

[Demsrule86]

191. Yep typo...GenZ

[NCTraveler]

76. Progressive millennials need to get on board...

With the Democratic Party or continue to watch the horror show.

These articles are simply stupid and geared toward LIV’s.

[samnsara]

77. i guess i dont cotton to being told what to do and who to support..or else..???

[samnsara]

78. Ramp up our game?? wtf? look at the wins by dems of ALL kinds! ..sorry i dont agree with LA times..

[EffieBlack]

81. And, progressive millennials can grow the fuck up and stop expecting to be "embraced"

before they’ll step up to do the right thing, fight for the people progressives are supposed to protect and help to improve their futures by voting whether or not they get their asses kissed first.

Yeah, that can work, too.

And, btw, I love how people bash Nancy Pelosi because she’s a lightning rod who pisses off Republicans and conservative Dems and insist she must be replaced by someone more palatable to them, but then folk turn around and demand that Democratic leadership turn themselves into fire-breathing, name-calling, Republican-baiting radicals in order to win in November.

[dembotoz]

82. after reading the posts....guess we are doomed

[Adrahil]

83. Many of us see this as self-destructive bullshit.

I'm fine with millennials preferring progressive candidates. But not voting because their perfect candidate didn't get the nomination? That's fucking stupid.

[dembotoz]

86. i have seen that cut both ways

if you want young folks in the party they sort a have to be allowed in the party
and too often i do not see that happening

[Squinch]

159. Give an example of where you have seen them "not allowed" in the party.

Because from where I sit that assertion seems to just be feckin' nuts.

[dembotoz]

163. Being talked down to during discussion, left of lists for notifications, ganged up on and made to

Feel stupid....
Seen it some places, others are ok.
Don't have to be an Einstein to know when u are not wanted.

[Squinch]

164. What utter bullshit. If they didn't vote or voted for whiny donnie because they felt "talked down

to," or "felt unwanted" by strangers, they are assholes.

[dembotoz]

165. Talking about good potential Dems totally turned off

They came
They saw
They got shit on
They never came back

[Squinch]

173. They came, they saw, no one applauded them, they voted for trump.

By definition those are not good potential Democrats. Fuck them. Much better to spend our time getting out the vote of actual Democrats.

[xmas74]

176. We need to work on the next generation.

They're ready to step up.

[dembotoz]

177. Have trouble reading????

They voted for hrc and said never again...

[Squinch]

183. Have trouble remembering??? You never said they voted

for HRC. You said they came, they saw, they left.

But you know what? I really don't believe there are a whole lot who voted for Hillary and after THIS election decided they wouldn't vote Democratic again because people didn't pay them enough attention.

After voting Democratic in THIS election they're now going to switch to republican? Bullshit. And if it isn't bullshit then they're insane and we shouldn't be gearing our behavior to pleasing them anyhow.

[dembotoz]

189. no what i said is that they were treated like shit by the local party.

they will just fucking stay home

we need to build our volunteer base for canvas....ain't gonna be those folks.

[Squinch]

194. If their level of dedication is that they see what is going on

in our government but they still take their ball and go home because people didn't pay them enough attention, they were never going to be part of the canvas base.

[bettyellen]

204. Are you claiming new volunteers weren't welcomed? My friend complained about something

Happening in Wisconsin and it was all about them not being hired to work after the convention. Which was weird. Never heard about volunteers being turned away or dissuaded from joining the local party either. I know local parties used to be kinda shitty to women and hand them all the leg work, while dudes preferred to delegate, ha ha. Hopefully that’s better these days.

[xmas74]

206. I know with my local party just this season

We had a few who fit the Gen Y profile offer to volunteer only if we declared for their candidate of choice. This is primary season;we don't actually endorse until after the primary. They each in turn left when informed of the no endorsement rule.

The next day I see someone posting all over the local pages on Facebook about how the Democratic party turned away youth voters and refused to listen to their concerns. My child also informed me that the same information was spread around on Twitter.

Maybe some locals do turn people away but from my experience the volunteers were problematic from the beginning, making demands that we could not give.

[xmas74]

208. Do you know the best way to be treated well by

The local party? Get involved and show up to meetings. Offer assistance at GOTV booths, pay some dues, sit down and talk to a member over a cup of coffee.

I'm a local party officer. I've witnessed too many times when people come in, especially younger people, offering to volunteer but only if they can do certain things. Sometimes they just don't have enough work that day and they send people home. Often the only thing available is canvassing and almost no one volunteers to do it. No one. If five people walked through the local office tomorrow at eight am and offered to canvass the local coordinator would jump for joy and probably buy a pizza.

Most local groups want younger members and will welcome them. They just don't show up to meetings. They don't show up to Young Democrats meetings either. They don't show up to public events.

[dembotoz]

209. Spent too much of my life in sales

Ow my own company.
To grow a company,u must take care of ur customers.
Just that simple.
New party members are ur new customers
Companies that shit on customers don't do well

[bettyellen]

213. Which makes older hardworking party members what, LOL?

I don’t get this analogy at all.

[xmas74]

218. It makes us shit and unworthy

In some minds.

[xmas74]

217. You just seem to shit on Dems.

Why are you here?

[dembotoz]

219. why we lose........

[xmas74]

220. Think again...

[dembotoz]

223. I have

[xmas74]

227. Try again

Millenials have proven to be a bust, time and again. Several studies have shown that their generation shows heavy narcissistic characteristics and that, as a generation, they care less about politics than other generations before them. (Of course there are exceptions.)

You want to focus on a generation? Focus on Z, sometimes referred to as Delta. If a younger generation is going to make a change it's them, not the Millenials. And Z is just beginning to come into its own.

[dembotoz]

234. Lol hey kids get off my lawn

[xmas74]

237. How about looking at the next generation.

You refuse to acknowledge any other except Millenials.

[dembotoz]

240. U r completely wrong but why worry about that now

[xmas74]

243. And you've offered nothing substantive

You're pretty bad at this.

Btw-I love how you've dismissed an entire generation because you have a strange savior complex about Gen Y.

[treestar]

87. Baloney

if they are going to be Republicans, that is on them. They take the freedom older generations got for them for granted if they are going to let Republicans win. The base is AA. The base is RELIABLE. Any group that threatens to go elsewhere if they don't get something they want that others don't want is not part of a base. There are other groups we can go after.

[Kentonio]

180. Sorry but this is bullshit

You think we could afford to lose the millennial vote and have any prayer of winning? Seriously, invest in a fucking calculator.

I’m sick and tired of hearing people here high-handedly talking as if it’s a privilege for people to be allowed to vote for us. Did you miss the last year and a half? Did you miss the evil fucks in the GOP gaining control and trying to rip apart everything good and worthwhile left in the country?

We need every damn voter we can get and we need them now. Anything that pushes away potential Democratic voters is aiding and abetting the enemy.

[Squinch]

186. Do you really think millenials are a block and we'll lose

all of them, or even most of them, if we don't pay whatever ransom some asshole is demanding?

And do you really think if we appease that asshole and alienate the loyal base we have any chance of winning?

Seriously, invest in a fucking calculator.

[Kentonio]

188. Hey if you keep building strawmen this quickly..

You’ll have your own little army.

Did I say one single fucking word about appeasing Trump? Did I say one single fucking word about alienating the base?

What I do have a very real problem with, is hearing the complacent, self-satisfied attitudes of people here who talk about voters as if they should automatically vote for us, and if they don’t they can go screw themselves.

Sorry to have to remind you, but the phrase is ‘winning elections’ for a reason. You have to actually compete for voters, and that means sometimes putting your own pride away and focusing on their issues and problems.

[Squinch]

193. Lol! I never said a word about trump. And this has nothing

to do with pride. This has to do with numbers.

The complaints come mostly from a fringe of the party that fancies itself more progressive, but actually tends to demand that their economic wants take precedence over civil rights issues which they consider "fringe" because they don't directly apply to them.

If we appease that sliver of the party, the one that tends to say things like "appease me or else get used to losing," then we DO lose the most loyal segments of the party.

And not for nothing, that asshole wing keeps threatening that they are going to take their ball and go home, again, as Democrats since 2016 win election after election and turn red places blue one after another.

So they can threaten all they want, but the serious people are out there working - and by the way working from the most progressive platform that has ever been created- and winning and they aren't home to hear the threats.

[Kentonio]

195. Many of the people you're insulting are the ones helping win those victories

The party doesn’t have to just choose between civil rights and economic justice, yet apparently wanting a strong position on the latter makes people selfish? Bullshit.

You win elections by convincing people their lives will be improved by your election. If we tell young people that their lives and problems don’t matter, they won’t be motivated to come out and campaign and vote for us.

It’s not complicated.

[Squinch]

196. We have a strong position on economics. Read the platform. What

do you, or they, want that isn't in there? And exactly where or when were "young people" told their problems don't matter? Nothing of the sort has ever happened.

[Kentonio]

197. How about you try actually listening to them?

Instead of this constant insistence that the platform is great and they should just be grateful.

There are a large number of posters in this thread alone who make it extremely clear that the problems of millennials are basically irrelevant, because they should just automatically vote for us anyway. I don’t remember that attitude doing us many favors in ‘16.

[Squinch]

198. I'll take that to mean that there is no policy or position that

you can think of that millenials want that we aren't already committed to fighting for.

And by the way, do you not think it is insulting to act as if they are all the same and are all part of this, "Do what I want or else" bullshit? Because it does insult them.

[Kentonio]

199. Exactly the level of discussion I was expecting sadly

You have a great day now.

[Squinch]

202. You're saying we are not fighting for what they want us to fight for. I ask what they want

us to fight for that we have not already committed to fight for. You say that is a low level of discussion.

Gosh. You must really be lofty.

[treestar]

235. We are going to "lose" their votes

If we don't do what, exactly? And at risk of losing who else's vote? Maybe they need to get more realistic.

No one said it was a privilege to vote for us. It is on them to vote in their interests. If they do things against their interest, they are as irrational as the Dotard's cult followers.

But I actually don't think they are that way, and this OP is just silly. Why pose it as some type of threat? We have to consider the reliable base first, like any winning party will do. Not cater to people who allegedly exist who won't be satisfied regardless (as they are being falsely painted).

Totally sick of the Bernie wing claiming to be the base yet seeming to threaten to abandon the cause whether it hurts them or not.

[Kentonio]

239. No-one is threatening to abandon the cause

I’m just sick and tired of this idea that everything is perfect and we should keep doing what we’ve been doing (despite just getting our asses kicked in ‘16, plus the 1000 or so seats we’ve lost nationally in the past decade).

Change doesn’t mean abandoning principles, change means refining our message and doing more to include people who don’t currently feel like we represent them (even though our platform would help them already).

Why would our base be scared by that? This isn’t a zero sum game where helping one group means another gets abandoned.

[treestar]

242. I haven't seen anyone claim everything is perfect

But from the keyboard, to judge what the leaders should do that would please us is silly. Maybe they have taken it all into account. They don't want to lose. I don't actually believe there are people out there who would get out and vote if only some better "message" existed. They have to be encouraged to participate. That does not seem likely to happen as a result of the circular firing squad. You have to convince them it is worth getting out to vote for Candidate X, rather than risk them hearing about how bad Candidate X is at messaging, etc.

it's also an "excuse" for losing that Candidate X just didn't do a good job on the campaign.

[madville]

90. What's works in NYC or California

May not work in or be the best message in 40-something other states. If we want to win back some rural congressional districts we are going to have to recruit and support some strong moderate candidates who actually have a chance of flipping their conservative leaning districts. We are actually seeing some of this now with Democratic candidates campaigning against Nancy Pelosi.

[Garrett78]

95. Pelosi is a "strong moderate candidate," though.

Anyway, to your point, even here in California there are many 'red' areas. Same as in New York.

[madville]

98. Pelosi is only seen as a moderate by those to her left

A large majority of the voting public is to her right. Of course there are red areas in every state but it's pretty apparent that different strategies have to be developed to suite the specific electorate.

Gavin Newsome will probably get 65% in the California governor's race but he could never win a state like Missouri or North Dakota or West Virginia, not in his current form anyway.

[Garrett78]

113. An area where Republicans do much better than Dems is in establishing and controlling the narrative.

For instance, the "liberal media" narrative has been allowed to dominate for several decades.

And one of the ways the GOP controls the narrative is through projection. As the GOP has become increasingly extreme and just flat-out crazy (to the point where the likes of McCain and Collins are absurdly referred to as 'moderate'), they've convinced some that virtually every Democrat is a fringe leftist who is "out of touch" (never mind that the Democratic candidate has won the popular vote in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections in spite of numerous barriers). Projection is effective, because it makes the opponent come off as defensive when the opponent rightfully accuses the accuser.

Pelosi is a "San Francisco liberal," which is meant to actuate homophobia and other right wing traits. In reality, Pelosi is a mainstream Democrat. Not much different from Hillary Clinton, who won the popular vote by millions (in spite of Russia, in spite of voter suppression, in spite of a media obsessed with her private server, in spite of Comey's last minute announcement, in spite of the extreme evangelical hatred for her, in spite of the Susan Sarandons, etc.).

While most counties are red (by virtue of being rural and sparsely populated), a majority of people support the liberal or left wing position on almost every issue.

[Garrett78]

94. I can agree the slogan needs to have some punch. Maybe "Saving Democracy from Traitors."

Or "Justice will Prevail." Or "Opposing Putin's Puppet."

[Tipperary]

96. How many of them even vote?

Were they not the group with the lowest turnout last time?

[madville]

99. Just under 50% voted in 2016

55% cast ballots for Clinton while about 40% went to Trump.

Voting blocs as a whole tend to get more conservative and drift right with age though. In 30 years those numbers would be reversed for the same people probably.

[crazycatlady]

203. What was Boomer turnout like when they were 25?

[NCTraveler]

100. Democrats crushed the GP and Republicans when it comes to millenial votes. nt

[qazplm135]

102. EVERY subset of the party

need to embrace the other and stand together or get used to losing.

We could win every millennial progressive in existence, and still lose easily if we don't win the other parts of our coalition.

And Throw the Lyin Bum Out is not some cute winning slogan. He will still be there after the 2018 elections.

Stop focusing on just the presidency, we are getting our asses kicked at every level from local to the top over the last 15 years...and believe it or not, that ain't all Hillary's fault or centrists or neoliberals.

[Wwcd]

103. Geezus! "Like, you better or else!"

My little grandkids don't even talk that indulgent, snotty & spoiled.

Who the f are these people

[Skidmore]

105. My first thought too.

People need to step up instead if whining and bullying. And Grandpa isn't gonna bale them out either because grandmas everywhere have their number.

[Wwcd]

106. I'm blown away by their total absense of historical awarness

"You BETTER!"

Truth. .grampa & grama

Grandpa isn't gonna bale them out either because grandmas everywhere have their number.

[Skidmore]

107. One thing I taught

my children was that there is unfairness in life but they had a responsibility to find solutions and that mom would not be around fprever to fix their problems. One got it early on and the other did a little later. There is a point at which they stop handing out participation medals.

[Wwcd]

109. + a million. K n R

They'll just stand there waiting for someone to tell them what to say & do next.
And wait for their participation free key chain or something trivial.

Duh! You better like me or else!!! 😐

[Mariana]

149. Grandpa certainly isn't going to bail them out.

Grandpa fucked them over by voting for Trump.

[Wwcd]

160. Not all grampas. Careful who you accuse.

[Mariana]

161. That's true, not all. Just most of them. nt.

[Wwcd]

162. We don't know the numbers of good grampas who remember & see the past history as a threat

and those grampas who got their's so too bad for you kid.

[Cha]

131. Yes, "People need to step up instead of whining and

bullying"! Exactly, Skidmore.. show us what they're made of.. it has to be more than that.

'Cause That don't work.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

108. And progressive millenials better embrace Democrats

or get used to losing (works both ways)

[Cha]

132. Yes, it does.. In their

arrogance they forgot about that detail.

[Wwcd]

151. That's why millennials who call themselves Democrats, are our future

They get that the Dem Party is everyone that adhere's to Equal & Human Rights.

[Wwcd]

150. Millennials politically id'd as simply 'Democrats' don't seem to have the same tone of priviledge

Its weird isn't it?

[JCanete]

117. In the short term, I'm not sure this is true. Also, I think they've signaled with some lip-service,

if nothing else, that they intend to speak to the more progressive wing of the party and voters at large, but while I agree that it isn't enough for us simply to make the midterms and the 2020 elections about Trump, I still think this will be a referendum on him .

The question is less whether or not we will have the majority, but whether or not the massive gerrymandering, the voter purging, the hackable voter machines, and the stacked power-structure against us will simply tell a different story than is the reality.


Also, "throw the lyin bum out..." seems like a contradiction of focus from what is being suggested. Also, I thought stronger together was fine, good even. It encapsulated what Clinton ran on...it inspired on this side. As to independents and right wingers, it probably made the exact impression that they were afraid of. Now granted, Clinton thought she could win without appealing to that swath of the population, and this sort of slogan was a doubling down on that, but its not the sort of slogan that should turn off left-wingers. Frankly, whether you are talking social justice or class warfare, that slogan makes sense. Unfortunately she wasn't talking class warfare.

[ismnotwasm]

121. Oh for Gods sake

Democrats ARE. Who, WHAT the fuck is this shit right here.

[Cha]

133. Just your average ignorant, arrogant

bullshit.

[honest.abe]

135. Progressive millennials need to figure out which team they are on.

There are two.

[JustAnotherGen]

136. The only thing some Democratics are hesitant on

Is Universal health care.

While Democratic Party officials are at it, they should also question whether their wishy-washiness on things their people care about, such as universal health care, liveable wages, affordable higher education and reining in Wall Street greed, is limiting their ability to win elections. Maybe it even had something to with the fact that Democrats managed to lose an election that even the lying, misogynist, racist, populist bully who won didn’t think he had a shot at.

All the other things - the LA Times is full of shit.

Their choices for slogans are stupid too. Why would a candidate for the House trying to unseat a Republican use that?


I'm so over the "Midterms Must Have One Message" stupidity. It would be an epic failure for my candidate to run on the woman Orcasio(sp) Bronx messaging or platform. Affluent people in Horse Country have time to focus on Human Rights Emergencies and the protection of Minorities, Women, Children and the Elderly.

To each district their own. We can have ONE platform next January. One of the key ones I would like to be made VERY PUBLIC:

Make 45 a one term President. Investigate the ass until it strokes out. It's the patriotic thing to do.

[Jim Lane]

139. Alas, that's not so. Some Democrats are "hesitant" (i.e., in opposition) re other important goals.

To take one recent example: The excerpt you criticize refers to "reining in Wall Street greed". Earlier this year, Congress passed a bill that significantly weakened the Dodd-Frank protections. It passed the Senate by 67-31, meaning that it had quite a few Democratic votes. If the Democrats had been unified, they could have killed it with a filibuster.

You write, "We can have ONE platform next January." That would be nice. How do we get there? For starters, how do we persuade a whole bunch of Democrats in Congress to stop responding to the interests of the donor class and start consistently representing the people?

[JustAnotherGen]

143. You have to appeal to yours

Menendez and Malinowski were at a rally I was at today. Malinowski is "on point" in everything in this district.

I persuade, volunteer, knock on doors, fundraise etc etc for the best America has to offer from NJ.

I'm also a donor. "Maxing out" donor.

Don't confuse donors with PACs and Lobbyists.

That said - I have no sense of urgency on Dodd-Frank. My focus is on a Democratic House and Senate and making 45 a one term President. Mitch is going to push through that SCOTUS seat.

Understand - the worst Democratic is always better than those Republican maggots. Always.

[Jim Lane]

144. The question here is not Democrats versus Republicans.

I'm addressing your #136, which I believe errs by understating the differences among Democrats.

You write, "Understand - the worst Democratic is always better than those Republican maggots." The point of the OP is that we are not going to beat the Republicans by calling them nasty names on a Democratic discussion board. There are a lot of voters, especially younger ones, who are skeptical of both major parties. We need to give them substantive reasons to vote Democratic. Reining in Wall Street could be one of those wedge issues, but we're hampered in making that pitch when a significant number of Democrats join with the Republicans in weakening even the limited restraints that have been placed on the financial sector's misdeeds.

[Cary]

146. Wtf?

I'm so sick and tired of this crap. If millennials want these things then they have to VOTE DEMOCRATIC, not bash them.

If they like fascism, then they will live a lot longer with the consequences than I will.

[Squinch]

152. Every time I see, "Democrats better do X for 'progressives' or else," all I ever think is

"Oh, just shut the fuck up."

True progressives don't hold their party hostage and don't make threats.

[Scurrilous]

200. Amen.

[Blue_true]

224. Bingo. nt

[xmas74]

169. My kid just turned 18.

She is the same age as the kids at Stoneman Douglas.

She expresses a dislike of Millenials regularly, saying that kids in her age group think they are spoiled and they refuse to look at the big picture. I've heard her friends make similar comments.

The Gen Z or Next Generation is extremely savvy on a media/PR/political level. They have a sense of justice that goes beyond just their own needs. They know how to choose their battles at a young age. And I have heard them blame much of the last election on what they consider to be Millenial selfishness-more than anything else.

These kids will be voting in November. They will be voting in droves in 2020. Not only are they voting but they are volunteering at booths, for candidates on all levels, GOTV, driving people to the polls. In my county there isn't a single millennial volunteering as an election official but several 18-20 year old doing so.

The focus is on the Millenials. They aren't the future. The future is this upcoming generation and they're already doing big things.

[Squinch]

174. This is very heartening.

[xmas74]

175. I think so.

Many of the Millenials were heard voicing concerns about health care and student loans in a way that mostly affected them. I've heard Gen Z mention them, along with gun violence everywhere, reproductive rights, immigration, Medicare and Medicaid, climate change, Labor, parental leave, LGBT rights and so much more. I've heard my child and her friends casually debate First Amendment rights while making popcorn and picking a movie on Netflix.

They're still kids. They try to find ways to get alcohol. They talk about stupid pop culture things that make no sense. And they attend a more rural school-they weren't educated in an expensive private school. This generation is a generation of change.

[Squinch]

178. I'm not too in touch with that generation. I know kids and old fogies

and one very informed and hard working and empathetic millennial. (My goddaughter. I take some credit for her fabulousness )

My fleeting impressions of this younger group have been pretty much awe. For example at the rally yesterday there were two boys - looked to be still in their teens - helping people register. I'm glad my impressions seem to be accurate.

[xmas74]

182. You need to work a booth or volunteer a few days.

You would be in absolute awe of these kids. I've noticed a wave of altruism that has been missing for so long. They're optimistic but cautiously so and seem to already know what needs done.

Stop by a campaign office with donuts and talk to them for a few minutes. They're pretty incredible.

[Squinch]

184. I do volunteer. I just haven't run into many.

[xmas74]

185. They're still young.

We'll hear from them more in the future.

[Kaleva]

172. A person who doesn't vote or votes 3rd party can't claim to be a progressive.

A progressive is well versed in the issues of the day and knows just how important it is that they vote in each and every election. It's about the most simple action, voting, that a progressive can do to better this country or at least prevent things from getting worse.

Thus the author isn't talking about getting millennial "progressives" to go out and vote because they already do so every chance they get and have been doing so since they've been legally allowed to vote. What the author is talking about are those millennial's who aren't progressives but could be convinced to go to the polls and vote in our favor if we address issues important to them because we understand that we can't win the White House or control of Congress on just the votes of progressives alone. We need moderates, radical leftists and even sane conservatives in order to win the big prizes.

[xmas74]

179. Or we need to refocus on the upcoming block.

Generation Z or whatever you choose to call them is on the horizon and, as seen on news reports and social media, is ready to make a difference. A few were eligible to vote in 2016 but many are becoming eligible for the first time this year and are putting in the effort to vote.

The upcoming voting block is huge. My daughter is part of it. She just turned 18 and from what I saw at her school each graduation year is getting bigger. I've noticed they're more progressive yet also willing to bargain and negotiate when needed, so most do not have a "my way or the highway" attitude.

We might not turn over as many Millenials as we'd like but we have the perfect opportunity to speak plainly and appeal to the next generation.

[Freethinker65]

201. what utter bullshit

[Scurrilous]

207. Nice bot bait!

[still_one]

211. Some people seem to be going out of their way so hard to setup to divide Democrats, and push that

theme, one has to wonder just exactly how honorable their intentions are

[Orsino]

212. Democrats had better unite as many voters as possible, of all ages. n/t

[Blue_Tires]

214. Millennials better start fighting for that shit, then

because it isn't going to simply get handed to them until they show they're worthy...

[33taw]

228. I think we need to embrace each other or were all screwed.

[stonecutter357]

229. Auto-trash by Keyword / Democrats better !

[Wwcd]

231. Umm..sure ok.

[democratisphere]

232. All the different political factions need to unite against drumpf.

A second drumpf term can not be allowed to happen.

[Hekate]

233. Who was the author? This reads like an Op-Ed and not a Times editorial. Thanks

[Algernon Moncrieff]

244. Per the article, Mariel Garza

LA Times was credited as the source for citation purposes.

[kentuck]

236. There are now more millennials than baby boomers....

For what it's worth.

[xmas74]

238. More Generation Z than Boomers

And Millenials. They're smart, savvy and politically motivated, as seen by the walkouts and rallies this year. And the first wave is in their late teens /early twenties.

This might be the generation we've been waiting for.

[progressoid]

241. And DU responds...