The Democrat’s Independent Dilemma
To me this is the biggest message the Obama administration needs to hear right now. Stop rallying the left wing cheerleaders and start working on the middle. We may be politically polarized nation on the fringes but on most things we agree. We know what we like, and we know what we don’t. However, when looking at the election – President Obama seems to draw distinct lines between people, and if he doesn’t discover that big whopping group in the middle who don’t know what to think – his re-election may not be as easy as he imagines. Democrats are going to cheer and vote for him. Republicans are going to scowl and vote against him (they don’t seem to want to vote “For” anyone in particular – they just want to vote “against” him). But the group that will make the difference is the independent voters and Obama is not doing enough to get the message to them.
Since there is no Democratic challenger, the Dems have layed pretty low this election so far. But its time to get out the message in a way independent voters need to hear it — what is President Obama going to do for them -for their jobs – for their mortgage – for their college age kids — and how does he plan to work with that stumbling block known as congress? The Independents want specifics, not dreams. If those questions can be suitably answered, I think the independents will fall in line. We’ll have to keep an eye on Buddy, and see what she has to say.
I’ve said this before on another person you know’s website, but Obama’s single biggest problem is that he’s been a complete pussy.
His party had clear majorities in both House & Senate for two years (with an asterisk mind you) and STILL has a majority in one house and a substantial presence in the other. Yet despite this, the general perception is that for almost 3 years he’s been as isolated, alone and powerless as a senior citizen put on an ice flow. He pissed away all the momentum, all his “mandate” by trying to “reach out” to people who want to bite his arm off. In return, he hasn’t even gotten so much as a “reach around” from them.
The Republicans are batshit crazy morons with an abysmal track record. They’ve been -and will continue to- destroy America with their batshit crazy policies that benefit only a small minority of Americans. Yet the Pussycrats, even with their impressive Nubian God at the helm, couldn’t beat these vile clowns EVEN AFTER being given the keys to the car by the electorate. Obama thinks that by being smart, polite and reasonable that America will magically get behind him and Congress will eventually follow. Forget Kenya. What PLANET is this guy from?
That isn’t how Congress works and that isn’t what Americans respond to. Americans respond to a guy who stands for something and is willing to fight to the death for it (right OR wrong). Americans respond to grabbing the other guy by the lapels and punching him in the face until he cries for his mommy. THAT’S how you win over Independents. Conviction and demonstrations of strength! For the last 3 years he’s been weak and barely offered up any defence as the Republican minority roared like mighty, insane, lions about to bring down a zebra (Uh, on 2nd thought, perhaps not the most political correct of analogies, but..)
And I almost forgot how he won. He won by (aside from not being Bush) attracting a small percentage of the biggest political demographic of all: the folks who care so little they never bother to vote. Forget firing up the Left, or even wining Independents, nothing that has happened during his term has done has inspired these non-voters to vote again, let alone for him.
Despite being vastly superior to all other options Americans have, all one of them, he stands a damn good chance of losing something that should be a no-brainer.
Thanks for your comment. I definitely agree that if he isn’t re-elected its not because the republicans won but because Obama lost. That’s what concerns me about the low-level of his campaign.
I do find the idea interesting that he won the first time by getting largely non-voters to vote — and I agree. The results were so disappointing I’m not sure he can do it again.
However, this State of the Union speech was certainly more forward than his others – and I’m hopeful a new era of him standing up for this country and the middle class sector is approaching.
I almost wished I watched it. But then again, the only thing it could possibly do would be to fill me with more false hope for the future, like he did the first time. And there isn’t even 5% as much reason to hope as there was then.
If he can’t get ME (who just can’t quit the political) to care anymore, how the hell is he going to get the folks that don’t care to care enough to vote for him again? That vote drop may contain the difference between winning and losing all on its own.
Here are some givens to remember.
1)Today’s political climate is very polarized as both parties are stuck in their all-or-nothing positions.
2) Today’s independent block is larger because of the degree of typical Republicans who left their party in the past 8-10 years. But, the are Independents in name only and will predominantly vote Republican in 2012.
3) The left is complaining that President Obama has not delivered, but in the end, will still vote for him – yet, independent moderates have not seen him deliver the center.
Keep in mind that many independent moderates typically are fiscally conservative and socially liberal – a combination that neither party is currently willing to deliver. So, how will this group vote? Ask one in mid October.
PS: Stop wavering Belle because I know you were really cheering Palin!
Ha ha ha– When I told Belle what you said about Palin she just looked away but her tail was wagging. (Dog tails make it very hard to lie – unless they are lying about whether or not they have already had dinner). Like all hard-liners — Belle lifts people way up – but when the crash (like Palin) she’s super disappointed in them. (which is why she’s against the Boehner/McConnell pair).
Your view on independents is certainly spot-on in my case. I’m socially liberal and fiscally moderate – I like social programs to actually help people, but hate gvt waste and intrusion. I can’t imagine any one of the current GOP slate getting my vote. Santorum too socially fascist, Newt too…well…Newt, Romney too self-opportunistic (and out of touch – he would be a aristocratic president at best), and Paul to “out there”. So I’m currently an Independent looking left again. But honestly – there really is nothing compelling me and that’s concerning.
Thanks for writing, Frank – always great to see you.
I’d be here more often if I wasn’t on a project that is beyond control. Hope all is well.
Point #2 is an EXCELLENT point! It more than makes up for being slightly off on #3.
Most Independents are Republicans who just couldn’t stomach being associated with Bush and/or want to avoid being tarred with the insanity brush of the Teabagger set. “I’m not one of them, I’m Independent!” even when they’ve only voted Democrat once, back in university…while they were high. Most of them will vote for Newt or Romney with minimal hesitation.
Most of the rest just go through the motions every election for the sake of it. “I’m a good citizen, so I vote. I have no idea what party to vote for or why, but I won’t let ignorance of the issues stop me.” They go back & forth like a game of table tennis, usually on the flimsiest of grounds. It’s often about who looks stronger and Obama has shown precious few examples of strength.
I wouldn’t waste much time pandering to Independents. You’re not going to win this election appealing to their “socially liberal” side. I think he should concentrate on “rallying the base” because some have given up to the point where not voting at all is a distinct possibility. You can’t win if they stay home. The best way to defeat Frothy Republicans is to get arenas full of hopped-up Democrats behind you. Closing the “strength gap” is the only way to get those non-Republican Indies to seriously consider you.
Believe me, I have my eye on Buddy. I’d like to see his reaction to the general election campaign.
Buddy Roemer? Saw him on Bill Maher. Good to know there’s at least one Republican out there with a reasonable grasp of what’s actually wrong with America.
Which is why he’s completely ignored by a party & media obsessed with insanity.
I think she means Buddy the beagle — the white dog – who represents the Independents in “the beaglez”. But now that you mentioned Buddy Roemer – I’m going to check him out…