Democrats search for answers to stem a spreading Republican tide

...but cite plenty of reasons for the decline. These include a muddled economic message; an overemphasis on emerging demographic groups such as minorities and millennial at the expense of white voters; a perception the party is elitist and aligned with Wall Street; a reluctance to embrace the progressive populism of Senator Bernie Sanders, the former presidential hopeful; and failure to field strong candidates in key states.

James Oliphant is right on some of this... there wasn't a cohesive economic message - just small targeted ones for the various groups that are not really 'stronger together'.. but are pitted against each other for 'the goodies'.

The party IS 'elitist' - well, the white part that is propped up by a large black poor underclass...

But James Oliphant - the biggest mistake is to confuse Bernie Sanders with the 'ideas' of Bernie Sanders. This is not a socialist country. Bernie's ideas in the hands of a Hillary Clinton would not have sold. (If your much loved father says he'll leave you his house if you send a thousand dollars to handle the paperwork... that's different than a Nigerian Prince telling you the same story)

What 'sold' was the feeling that Bernie was a man of his word... and that he would do his best to make the things he was saying ... actually happen. HE was believable. His ideas (outside of college campuses) are NOT believable.

As far as "UNDER-RESOURCED" is concerned... that's not the problem. The problem for democrats is their funding comes from a small group of billionaires who have attached THEIR POSITIONS to the cash they give. Their concerns are NOT the concerns of the vast majority of Americans. Also, Hispanics are NOT like blacks... what appeals to them isn't the same. Most of the Hispanice in twenty years will be Republican.

I have a humble suggestion for the Dems for a starting point: love your country. Stop treating it and its history as a blot on mankind to be wiped out and replaced by something utopian. Stop treating its people as oppressive monsters when it's their system (and their blood) that are allowing you a voice. If you don't do that you will always be the dystopic cranks you are at the moment.

The thing is, there's practically no politics involved in those changes, only respect. That isn't a lot to ask.

For nearly half a century now a lot of people have carved out lucrative careers cursing America, which is ironic in itself. It was always an affectation. You don't need liberation movements when you have a vote. But you do have to use it. The monumental hypocrisy of grievance activists in thousand-dollar suits, protected by the very society they're trying to tear apart is bad enough; when we find out they don't even bother to vote it's off the charts. Discard them or go down with them. What just happened was the latter.

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