The Democrats' Messaging Problem Is Just A Symptom For What Ails The Party

When a party controls the White House, Senate and House, there is only one pair of messages voters want to hear: this is what we did for you and this is how we will continue making your life better. Anything else is viewed as bullshit-- including warnings that the other party has turned to fascism (even if it has which in the current case is true). That the Democrats can't even come up with a coherent message for the campaign talks directly to a tent too big and to the party's abhorrent and failed "lesser of two evils," post-McGovern campaign strategy.

Conservative Democrats-- primarily, but not exclusively, Manchin and Sinema-- have prevented the Democrats from raising the minimum wage and lowering the cost of drugs, enough of a reason for voters to punish them at the polls in November. But those two issues are just the tip of the iceberg. The Democrats can't get anything worth doing done-- not even things Biden could do with executive orders, like forgiving the federal student debt.

A couple of weeks ago, the House passed a marijuana legalization bill-- 2 conservative Democrats (Henry Cuellar and Chris Pappas, who is even more coward than conservative, although he is both) voting no and 3 Republicans voting yes. Now the bill moves to the Senate where Democratic weenies are probably going to let it die. Republicans will filibuster it and conservative Democrats from another era, Joe Manchin (WV) and Jeanne Shaheen (NH), have signaled they're against it too (despite record high national support).

Climate change is an existential issue for the world-- and for enough voters to swing the election. But the Democrats are unable to get anything done. Gallup reports record numbers of Americans support climate action but the Democrats come across as incapable of action-- because they are. "Forty-three percent of Americans worry 'a great deal' about climate change, and another 22% worry "a fair amount" about it. The public supports a range of policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that can produce climate change, but a comprehensive climate change bill has been an elusive goal for the Biden administration and congressional Democrats. Some of those policies theoretically could attract Republican support in Congress, given that solid majorities of Republican Party identifiers are in favor of using tax incentives to promote the use of clean energy, for example. Those policies may stand a better chance of passing in more limited legislation than as part of a more expensive package that deals with other issues."

The Democrats seem useless on this... and almost every other issue. That the Republicans are worse isn't enough for the voters who will very deliberately just not bother to vote. This morning, Alexander Bolton wrote that "Democrats are scrambling for a message to break through to voters." It's too late. They fucked it up again and the best outcome at this point is that most of the losses are among members of the Republican wing of the Democratic Party, Blue Dogs and New Dems. They had a warning when the Democrats, after nominating a dull corporate whore for governor, lost their asses in Virginia. Now they think they can do the same nationally and not suffer even worse results. Worthless conservative Democrats like Tim Ryan (OH), Val Demings (FL), Conor Lamb (PA), Trudy Busch Valentine (MO), Abby Finkenauer (IA), Cheri Beasley (NC) are not going to win any Senate races no matter how much Schumer wants them to... nor any of the fakers-- Lasry, Godlewski or Barnes-- in Wisconsin. And the situation is just as dire in House races.

Biden has shitty approval numbers but the real problem is WHY he has shitty approval numbers. I asked some of the progressive House candidates this cycle how they would tackle the messaging problem Democrats are facing. How about reading them all and giving $10 to the candidate who you think has come up with the best answer, either here or by clicking on the Blue America 2020 congressional thermometer on the left

• Jason Call (WA)- "Democrats could win if they would run on making life more affordable and less of a daily grind for the working class. There’s more to life than making your boss rich."

• Joaquin Vazquez (CA) had a message predicated on the Democrats having accomplished some basic goals: "We cancelled student debt, lowered gas prices, brought Russia to the table and ended the Ukraine war."

• Lourin Hubbard (CA)- "My slogan is 3 simple words. Working People First."

• Vincent Fort (GA)- "The Democratic Party is fighting to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and to provide true universal healthcare to the more than 30 million people who are uninsured."

• Jamie McLeod-Skinner (OR)- "Biden’s approval ratings are down because Democrats failed to deliver on a complete recovery package, thanks to obstructionists like Schrader. Show up-- then listen, learn, and respond with solutions."

• Shervin Aazaami (CA)- "Economically, I think the Democrats need to do the following three things before election day: cancel student debt, permanent child tax credits, and lower drug prices. Unequivocally, these policies would transform the financial health of hundreds of millions of Americans. But in terms of a bumper-sticker sized message that could really galvanize voters, we must ban stock trades among members and their spouses and communicate it to the American people with a line as simple as: Cancel Corruption, Not Textbooks."

• Daniel Lee (CA)- "Cancel Student Debt"

The Republicans have no trouble telling their own base what their messaging is. Here's what they are running on in 2022-- courtesy of Rachel Bitecofer: