Doesn’t Matter Who Wins the K Race; We’re All the Same

[ThurgreedMarshall]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

For everyone here, but especially TM since we were arguing about Dems turning out the base vs. persuading marginal voters:

https://www.salon.com/2019/08/17/thi...2020-forecast/

Maybe she's wrong, but she reinforces my priors so clearly she must be right. Here's a bit of it:

"I don't know why Nancy Pelosi, the DCCC or many of these moderate members are convinced that moderate Republicans crossed over and voted for them. I have the data for some of these districts and the data tells a very different, very clear story: If Republicans voted in huge numbers, they voted for Republicans."

I'm sorry, but this is almost completely non-responsive to my point.

I do not think the big victory will be in winning over moderate Republicans, although I think there are clear gains that shouldn't be overlooked in the places I mentioned (OH, PA, MI). I think the gains to be made are with moderates of all stripes, independents, and off-again, on-again voters. The fact that both Obama and Trump won the 3 states I mentioned is significant and it doesn't speak to just turnout.

If you think Hillary lost those states because the core Democrats didn't show up in the necessary numbers, you're crazy. White people voted for Trump. Let me repeat that. White people voted for Trump.

Those white people, whoever the fuck they are and whichever party they voted for in 2016, need to be made to feel comfortable. They may be uncomfortable enough to stay home this time--and if that's the case, then yes. Turnout is crucial. But I don't want those assholes sitting at home because they just can't pull the lever for a black person, a woman, a gay man, or a Jew.

I also don't want them staying home because we need white people in states in which the Dem Presidential nominee may have no chance, but which might flip in Senate race. If you think McConnell loses in Kentucky with Harris on the Dem ticket, you're smoking crack. How about Collins in Maine? This shit matters.

Again--and this can't be repeated enough--if your progressive candidate loses and you don't vote against Trump in 2020, you are not fucking progressive. You're a piece of shit.

TM