2016 Postmortem

BainsBane

(55,525 posts)

64. People don't vote based on issues and policy

Tue Dec 20, 2016, 11:02 AM

Dec 2016

And that goes for many Democrats as well as Republicans. To this day, many of Clinton's progressive critics still have not read her policy positions. They disliked HER. That has nothing to do with policy or issues. People will make excuses, but ultimately issues matter less than cultural signifiers. I was called elitist yesterday, just like Clinton, the poster said. I'm not rich. I couldn't imagine what was so elitist about me. But them I realized the comment was about being an uppity woman. People vote based more on that kind of thing than policies, which is evident when they vote against candidates with positions they claim to support.

There is a social science research that shows this. It's also born out in election results.

Click here to purchase valentine hearts!

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

148 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Please stop with this b***shit that the Democrats are out of touch with the voting population [View all] DetlefK Dec 2016 OP

Sheer Gaslighting no_hypocrisy Dec 2016 #1

Its pure FOX NEWS yuiyoshida Dec 2016 #29

Joe the Intern Killer was peddling it this morning. lastlib Dec 2016 #30

Morning Joe on MSNBC? yuiyoshida Dec 2016 #42

You are referring to the movie Gaslight, right? still_one Dec 2016 #33

Oh yes. That movie no_hypocrisy Dec 2016 #43

That isa great analogy, thanks still_one Dec 2016 #44

One further reference to the Cinema no_hypocrisy Dec 2016 #52

TWO THUMBS UP still_one Dec 2016 #53

I am not, either. duffyduff Dec 2016 #60

+1 uponit7771 Dec 2016 #109

Most of America agrees with most of the views Democrats hold. Many by large majorities. tecelote Dec 2016 #2

People don't vote based on issues and policy BainsBane Dec 2016 #64

Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2016 #146

A couple of things. CrispyQ Dec 2016 #69

You make great points. It seems the Dems are always fighting the OhioBlue Dec 2016 #97

Yeap, the GOP has to lie about their positions uponit7771 Dec 2016 #110

We lost the Presidency, the House, the Senate and have gotten killed at the state level. Ace Rothstein Dec 2016 #3

yeah, people voted based on fear of "others" rather than hope. boston bean Dec 2016 #4

I never said that. Ace Rothstein Dec 2016 #15

You do know they cheat, hack, suppress and tamper, right? brush Dec 2016 #21

...AND gerrymander! lastlib Dec 2016 #32

You can't Gerrymander governor races... Yurovsky Dec 2016 #89

Can't gerrymander statewide Senate races IronLionZion Dec 2016 #105

Either that... or Electoral College, partisan gerrymandering and suppression of the black vote. DetlefK Dec 2016 #5

Those issues play into it. Ace Rothstein Dec 2016 #16

Because of gerrymandering, why is that concept having to be explained on DU? Gerrymandering is uponit7771 Dec 2016 #111

Obama didn't have time for these excuses in both of his elections IronLionZion Dec 2016 #80

Obama's messaging was undergirded with real policies EffieBlack Dec 2016 #104

Maybe not resonating in your den. Jakes Progress Dec 2016 #14

My den? Speak for yourself. I voted for Hillary. Ace Rothstein Dec 2016 #17

So Jakes Progress Dec 2016 #85

I'm saying it isn't only about the Presidency as way too many here are focusing on. Ace Rothstein Dec 2016 #87

Google gerrymandering and census. Jakes Progress Dec 2016 #148

+1!!! Absolutely! Dustlawyer Dec 2016 #19

Russian hackers also targeted congressional races, so that is at least part of it ehrnst Dec 2016 #22

Republicans are dangerously close to passing constitutional amendments IronLionZion Dec 2016 #74

But there's nothing to see here. Ace Rothstein Dec 2016 #78

We could stick our heads in the sand and shelter in place IronLionZion Dec 2016 #81

Yup, and I know what it is.... Adrahil Dec 2016 #95

It is an urban vs. rural divide oberliner Dec 2016 #6

We need to revitalize the urban areas in red and swing states so we can tolerate moving there JudyM Dec 2016 #66

Thank you mcar Dec 2016 #7

They are feeling guilty. Jakes Progress Dec 2016 #13

They have seriously been on a roll. nt LaydeeBug Dec 2016 #37

Guilt makes them blind. Jakes Progress Dec 2016 #86

We may as well have... it's like we lost a national election to Dan Quayle. Nt dionysus Dec 2016 #98

The argument that it doesn't matter because electoral college! is so stupid kcr Dec 2016 #8

WE WON YUUUUGLY, but the system is rigged. Coyotl Dec 2016 #9

The margin would have been even larger if not for "cross check" GoCubsGo Dec 2016 #40

The electoral college was reversed by Crosscheck. Coyotl Dec 2016 #45

Maybe out of touch with the electoral college... Joe941 Dec 2016 #10

I'm perfectly fine with Democrats being out of touch with racists and other bigots. LonePirate Dec 2016 #11

The worst is when Democrats Jakes Progress Dec 2016 #12

Do you want to keep losing? IronLionZion Dec 2016 #18

obviously Russian hack, traitorous FBI, media myopia and groupthink hurt greenman3610 Dec 2016 #20

I'll admit I believed the blue wall would hold IronLionZion Dec 2016 #25

More debunked nonsense. NT duffyduff Dec 2016 #61

Ignore foreign interference. duffyduff Dec 2016 #59

There's only so much we can do about bigots and Russians IronLionZion Dec 2016 #71

"Our Mistakes" are NOT Comey, voter suppression and Russia... false sense's of self control wont uponit7771 Dec 2016 #112

Do those excuses work for the Senate and house and governorships? IronLionZion Dec 2016 #127

Yes, voter suppression and gerrymandering work for local and state level. We should know this by uponit7771 Dec 2016 #128

What's your plan of action to fix it? IronLionZion Dec 2016 #130

A laser focus on free and fair elections by bringing as many post election law suites as possible... uponit7771 Dec 2016 #131

Sounds like a good plan IronLionZion Dec 2016 #134

And that's why we won so bigly! Only... Tatiana Dec 2016 #23

The visit my website stuff during the debates drove me crazy. Ace Rothstein Dec 2016 #28

Even if you go purely by the numbers, there's no clear right-wing trend in the US: DetlefK Dec 2016 #34

That doesn't explain Republicans doing better in the House vote than the Presidential vote. Ace Rothstein Dec 2016 #51

I didn't say the country was turning more right-wing in its beliefs. Tatiana Dec 2016 #93

Then why did ONLY 25.6% of ALL ELIGIBLE VOTERS vote for Clinton? Lurks Often Dec 2016 #24

If we're going to fuss about voter turn out and not take into consideration voter suppression. JHan Dec 2016 #26

Again, 74% of voters either stayed the fuck home or voted against her Lurks Often Dec 2016 #27

You are denying voter suppression didn't play a part this year? JHan Dec 2016 #35

Still you miss the point Lurks Often Dec 2016 #49

I've missed no point.. JHan Dec 2016 #56

Explain why 46.9% of the country stayed home Lurks Often Dec 2016 #67

If you want reasons why people don't go out to vote.. JHan Dec 2016 #70

So why do Democrats keep staying home and letting Republicans win? Lurks Often Dec 2016 #73

PBS: more than 58% of eligible voters went to the polls during the 2016 election ucrdem Dec 2016 #76

Thanks URCdem. JHan Dec 2016 #77

It's basically a media deception ucrdem Dec 2016 #83

Interesting, the 2 sites we each used as a source Lurks Often Dec 2016 #88

Because we didn't want Clinton JesterCS Dec 2016 #96

It's unlikely Sanders could have won the general election Lurks Often Dec 2016 #103

You didn't want Clinton, JHan Dec 2016 #115

Oh yes we know, it's all about "her" JesterCS Dec 2016 #135

It was never about "her".. JHan Dec 2016 #136

Yes, they're going to continue to say that in order to focus on the wrong issue to. Voter suppressio uponit7771 Dec 2016 #113

Or that every GOPer is racist. While a vast majority of racist voters are GOP, it doesn't mean dionysus Dec 2016 #99

Yes, unfortunately if we don't win by a landslide True_Blue Dec 2016 #68

That's code for "Shut up, go away, go support some impossible candidates who won't win shit." MADem Dec 2016 #31

No-one is suggesting we abandon those groups for christs sake! Kentonio Dec 2016 #47

It's kind of bizarre, isn't it? OnionPatch Dec 2016 #84

I have nothing in common with racists, and I've seen lots of this "How can we appeal to the MADem Dec 2016 #91

Sure you are, you're playing EXACTLY his game. Kentonio Dec 2016 #92

Right back atcha, then. MADem Dec 2016 #94

Dean thought we could convert republicans, and his 50 state strategy is lauded. And just dionysus Dec 2016 #101

That's like saying "The desserts at this restaurant are wonderful, and beets are on sale at the MADem Dec 2016 #107

Many if not most trump fans are assholes. But are you going to extend dionysus Dec 2016 #108

Republicans who voted for him are assholes. You can't parse this. MADem Dec 2016 #122

I know, crazy, isn't it? dionysus Dec 2016 #100

BULL FUCKING SHIT !!! If black supremacist ran like Benedict Donald did there'd be NO ONE on DU uponit7771 Dec 2016 #116

I have to agree with you. The high dudgeon would be "epic" as the kids say.... MADem Dec 2016 #124

Because I'm sick of hearing excuses about Comey and Russia quite frankly. Kentonio Dec 2016 #125

lofl.... huge Ji-Nah... lol uponit7771 Dec 2016 #114

What we DON'T have to do man on the moonshine Dec 2016 #36

So basically any white working voter who didn't vote for us is a 'white racist idiot'? Kentonio Dec 2016 #48

Nice Twist! man on the moonshine Dec 2016 #55

You're the one who appears to have twisted the idea that we should outreach into working white areas Kentonio Dec 2016 #58

Working whites don't have time to show up at Tea Party rallies in the afternoon man on the moonshine Dec 2016 #62

Why are you focusing on who we should exclude? Kentonio Dec 2016 #65

Meanwhile the Republicans run everything for the next 30 years while we wait for demographics... Ace Rothstein Dec 2016 #63

Because of Voter suppression and hacking, I see those who push for anything outside of the ... uponit7771 Dec 2016 #117

Voter supression definitely plays into it. Ace Rothstein Dec 2016 #121

We did win the white working class voters ... the M$M meme is we lost them but according uponit7771 Dec 2016 #123

Who on this board says we should tailor our message to racists? OnionPatch Dec 2016 #82

record low voter participation? LaydeeBug Dec 2016 #38

Lower than 2012, 2008 and 2004. DetlefK Dec 2016 #50

Hearing it is important Wernothelpless Dec 2016 #39

We have a media that demonizes all Democratic positions libtodeath Dec 2016 #41

OMG!!!! THIS. They've been doing this "Al Gore said he invented the internet" LaydeeBug Dec 2016 #72

been true for a long time, and we keep trying to work with the corporations that own our media. It JCanete Dec 2016 #90

the DNC ,,,, Cryptoad Dec 2016 #46

You are right. duffyduff Dec 2016 #54

I don't buy it either True_Blue Dec 2016 #57

RIGHT !!! The people who are continuing to vie for turning the message towards "white working class" uponit7771 Dec 2016 #118

K'n'R, but for the record, voter turnout in 2016 was the HIGHEST ever ucrdem Dec 2016 #75

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THREAD WINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! uponit7771 Dec 2016 #119

Thank you! ucrdem Dec 2016 #144

Those promoting that meme are full of shit. NCTraveler Dec 2016 #79

YESSS!!!!! nt LaydeeBug Dec 2016 #106

people do NOT want to eat kale. pansypoo53219 Dec 2016 #102

A different Democrat with the same message and strategy would have won. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #120

So Comey, voter suppression and Russia weren't an effect in this election!?!? REALLY !?!? uponit7771 Dec 2016 #129

Of course they were. I never suggested otherwise. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #132

I disagree with "never suggested" by not placing on the onus on those factors it does suggest such uponit7771 Dec 2016 #133

I didn't say "a different message." I said "the exact same message." Garrett78 Dec 2016 #138

But the measured and empirical factors we KNOW of are Comey, voter suppression and uponit7771 Dec 2016 #139

We don't know the exact impact of any one factor. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #140

Again, it doesn't make a difference the exact impact... that there .... WAS.... impact at all.. uponit7771 Dec 2016 #145

Your previous reply seemed to be suggesting that certain factors are measurable in their impact. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #147

what did they fail to offer? yurbud Dec 2016 #126

the problem is 50% of the country is completely out of touch with reality. Takket Dec 2016 #137

I wrote about that here: Garrett78 Dec 2016 #141

I think this is the wrong approach. WilliamH1474 Dec 2016 #142

Probably each of those diners had had an anti-Hillary message targeted just for them. ucrdem Dec 2016 #143