Democrats' Vanishing Future

National Journal ^ | May 21,2015 | JOSH KRAUSHAAR

[Hojczyk]

Hillary Clinton is not the only Democratic comeback candidate on the 2016 ticket. Senate Democrats are betting on the past to rebuild their party for the future.

One of the most underappreciated stories in recent years is the deterioration of the Democratic bench under President Obama's tenure in office. The party has become much more ideologically homogenous, losing most of its moderate wing as a result of the last two disastrous midterm elections.

By one new catch-all measure, a party-strength index introduced by RealClearPolitics analysts Sean Trende and David Byler, Democrats are in their worst position since 1928. That dynamic has manifested itself in the Democratic presidential contest, where the bench is so barren that a flawed Hillary Clinton is barreling to an uncontested nomination.

But look more closely, and the reliance on former failures is a direct result of the party having no one else to turn to. If the brand-name challengers didn't run, the roster of up-and-coming prospects in the respective states is short. They're also facing an ominous historical reality that only two defeated senators have successfully returned to the upper chamber in the last six decades.

[itsahoot]

so long as there is a D next to their name they’re gonna win.

They can even win if they run dead men as John Ashcroft discovered.

[ncpatriot]

I wonder how many of our conservative leaders are buying land in other countries? Wonder if some have already moved? I can’t afford to leave the US. But at least I am old and won’t survive the disaster facing the country.

[kabar]

Really - how can they do it then?

Legal immigration. We take in 1.1 million permanent legal immigrants a year and have been since 1990. We have just had the two largest decades of legal immigration in our history. 87% of legal immigrants are minorities as defined by the USG. Add to this number the 300,000 children born annually to illegal aliens on US soil. These children are citizens thru birthright citizenship.

[kabar]

Well, I’ll let you do your own Google search on the 7 million figure. BTW, your link simply shows vote totals, nothing more.

Those are the official vote totals. Why should I do a Google search for bogus numbers? The 7 million you quoted was wrong. That's the point.

Yes, I understand you think I’m delusional. Perhaps, but you don’t seem to understand how a few vote swings here and there could significantly change the electoral map from the historical map your presented.

I asked you to be specific on what states were in play in 2016 that the Reps had a shot at. You failed to answer it.

Hey look, I’m okay if you are certain Republicans will lose in 2016. That’s your opinion and you’re certainly entitled to it. It’s okay to be wrong sometimes.

I would be happy to be wrong. The problem is that I don;t live in a fantasy world populated with bogus data. I have seen firsthand here in VA how a red state can be transformed into a blue state. Demography is destiny.

[kabar]

OK, trying to be optimistic here... Look at Table 4, and compare 2000 to 2012 “Pct Republican”... While a generally negative trend, it’s not as sharp as may be expected, with some positive movement.

Surely, you jest. These numbers are not positive in any sense, way, or form It is the profile of a loser.

I believe people want to be lead, and we have not had a true conservative leader in some time. Those numbers could be moved, the same way supposed public opinion has been moved recently on a number of issues. Hearing Ted Cruz lately, I have had a shred of political hope in a way I have not for a long time, that he may be a transformational leader.

And what is the message that will cause this turnaround? Lower taxes? Individual responsiblity? Smaller government? These don't resonate among the Dem constituency.