Colin's Last Stand, Episode 23: Why Do Democrats Keep Losing?

I think people who rail against Citizens United have the right idea, but it's all slightly misguided. There's so much evidence that money simply doesn't matter as much as people think it does. Romney raised and spent an asinine amount of money in 2012 and lost. Clinton outspent Trump 2-to-1, and lost. On and on. It's just food for thought.

Colin Moriarty

Well, that's why I'm so fucking good at Monopoly. Win at all costs. =D

Colin Moriarty

=)

Colin Moriarty

Thank you for your thoughtful feedback. Per Obama in '08 versus '12, I'm actually reading Double Down right now (almost through it), and I really did forget how Obama really only won because of how dysfunctional the GOP was, and how terrible that process was for Romney (who I love). Gingrich and (especially) Santorum almost snuck through as a result. I think Gingrich would have actually beaten Obama; Santorum, no chance. Also, good point about gerrymandering, as far as the GOP has been in control as the data, algorithmic tools, and technology have been at their absolute best. So, they obviously get to nail the districts down in a way that was never done before. That said, Democrats have long, long, long gerrymandered, and I think it's disingenuous that people implicitly or explicitly state otherwise.

Colin Moriarty

They have to calibrate, quickly! That 2018 Senatorial map is... yikes.

Colin Moriarty

There's one point that you made that really got me thinking. In regards to how Georgians felt about outside money coming in to tilt an election in their state. Is the irony lost on anyone? Obviously, there is a huge difference in the relationship between our states and the federal government, we are one country, versus nation to nation. However, the outrage at manipulating elections flies in the face of that behavior from big political money between states. It's playing local politics to gain advantages in national politics. There is no moral difference, at least not a significant one. Anyway, I liked that point and it really got me thinking. Shines a light on some double standards? maybe.

Spytle

Haha. Well, I wish I could offer you some advice but I'm afraid I know even less than you about the matter! I'm sure you will work it out. It's just too bright on your face, really.

Samuel

As someone interested in progressive politics and typically voting Democrat, but NOT a Bernie Bro revolutionary by any stretch... I have to agree with the notion that Democratic politics has been exasperating. Have you ever played Monopoly, or any other similar board game, with someone more interested in keeping all other competing players happy rather than playing ruthlessly and logically to win the game? I have. That's what it feels like following Democratic politics some days. Moral victories have their place but aren't any useful end unto themselves. While I don't fully agree with Maher's prescription for Democrats to basically go negative, I do hope for some changes in the machinations of the party, which I think would be a net gain for American voters of all political stripes.

Josiah Lambert

When an atheist tells me there isn't a literal prayer in hell, I'm really not sure what to think...

Ryan Berry

As ever, I'm a frustrated liberal centrist, who mostly throws my hands up at the Sanders contingent and their allergy to compromise. However, I don't feel, as a white male, especially alienated by the party's premature rush to build a stalwart coalition around racial and ethnic minorities (since it generally conforms to my broad hope more for systemic equality), because politics are politics, and parties need "reliable" constituencies. Many of these people have felt under siege for a long time, and in many cases, it’s absolutely true, and they should be heard, defended, and their opportunities elevated. But this should not become the core conceit of the party, both for political and rhetorical reasons. Regarding the political nut and bolts, it’s just impractical. In general, Democrats tend to be passion voters, and the trouble is so few have the charisma and credibility to turn them out in large numbers. Obama certainly had it in ’08, but clung more tightly to the minority coalition to deliver him in 2012. This was Obama’s coalition and the Democrats, as a whole, took it for theirs, and have largely botched the wielding of it. Much like the Republicans with their zeitgeist issues of guns, abortion, taxes, etc, they attempt to spur passion by reinforcing routine injustices inflicted on this coalition (which exist, albeit not as pervasively as in the past), but they don’t temper the message enough to make their other coalitions, especially the much discussed blue-collar whites, feel anything but guilt by association. Through over-appropriation and frankly misappropriation, the power behind the word “racist” is largely gone, as it has become conflated with any notion of bias toward an “other”, real or imagined, instinctual or malicious. And frankly, the quickest way to alienate generally good people is to flippantly equate them with the most tragic parts of our history and the most frayed edges of our society. That said, I don’t really blame most Democrats for fumbling on this play, since most Democrats aren’t Barack Obama, who many felt had not just a responsibility to engage with questions of race, but also the historic momentum to be above it. I just wish they’d use it with a little more grace and precision. Obama was a phenom in his own right, but he was also a bellwether for the progressive ideal of racial equality that mobilized not just minorities and lifetime Democrats, but also the normally politically apathetic part of the public. More than any Presidential election in recent memory, it felt like history was being made. However, it also cannot be understated how much he and the Democrats benefited from the broad repudiation of the Bush Administration in its final years, and their wave election was as dangerous then as the Republicans’ is now (as it squanders debate and compromise). Of course, it precipitated in the wave election of the House and State Houses by the Republicans in 2010, engineering their now systemic majority for the foreseeable future (and Obama the Tyrant gave way to Trump the Tyrant). I’ll make more of gerrymandering than you, Collin, given that the data driven precision of the past few years puts the power of this sort of manipulation into another echelon, and it has resulted in such a dearth of moderate candidates. I’m also not as disheartened by the recent losses in the special elections, since even a sturdy hatred of Donald Trump isn’t going to persuade most establishment and moderate Republicans to wipe away their historic majorities before the bulk of their agenda is attempted, but I still doubt the Dems will retake the house in 2018, for the above reasons, but I suspect they’ll make sizeable gains. Most of these candidates were weak in their own ways, and these races were closer than they had a right to be. And the less said about Clinton, the better. She was a weak candidate, as a person (while exceedingly qualified, unlike our present dingus), with 40 years of baggage and a demonstrable example poor judgment following her for the entire campaign, and since the Sanders contingent pushed her too far left, she had to enlist milquetoast Tim Caine to make a play for moderates, instead of some one like Cory Booker who would have helped her close the enthusiasm gap with the Obama Coalition, or Sanders who would have locked down the far left, who were otherwise driven to Stein in protest. I have more to say, naturally, but I’ve already said too much. Thanks, as always, for the engaging topic.

Timothy Monnig

I couldn't agree more with you all regarding how the Democrats are alienating potential supporters. I have voted republican in the past because it was supposedly fiscally conservative (not so sure that has been true either), but I can't ever seem to convince myself to vote democrat because I feel as a white male it is voting against my and my families best interest. That is truly a shame that I even have to consider my race and sex when voting. I am sure others have similar considerations while deciding where to place their support.

Brian Fuller

Moulton's quote is an important one. It's easy to say you care about the little guy and that you're the voice of minorities, but that didn't seem to be backed up by voters. In my opinion, social policies like national healthcare don't really translate well to local elections, which as you pointed out, is a massive weakness moving forward.

Josh Squires

Thank you!

Colin Moriarty

=)

Colin Moriarty

Good, interesting insight.

Colin Moriarty

I lower the lights down more and more each video to no avail. I think they're on 25 of 100 brightness right now. Gonna try 20 the next video. Now I understand why there are lighting professionals.

Colin Moriarty

LOL.

Colin Moriarty

Very well said. My mother, in particular, was (and I think is) a Democrat who has nothing in common with the party and is starting to resent what it stands for.

Colin Moriarty

Thanks!? =) 311's new album comes out tomorrow. LOL.

Colin Moriarty

When it comes to demographic shifts, they've jumped the gun by decades. Foolish.

Colin Moriarty

I'm glad to hear that. Thank you for watching.

Colin Moriarty

Thank you!

Colin Moriarty

Bravo, Col. Great work. 👏🏻👍🏻

BettyAnn Moriarty

Step your game up. Marcus. PSP

Jonathan Perez

Nice vid, if not a little bright! Enjoyed once again,

Samuel

As much as I would like a progressive turn I understand that the democratic socialist area cannot be the definitive answer to the democrats' nightmare. But it is absolutly neccesary I think to take some of the motions and issues this wing is bringing up while fighting the illiberal ones (which luckly don't seem to be brought up by the leaders of the wing such as Sanders). The unfair distribution of wealth is one of the biggest issue the whole world is facing and it is not just a moral imperative to move away from this situation, it's also an economic disaster as money and wealth in general could move faster and better if people who want to consume had the chance to do so. The Democratic Party won't win with socialism in the US just like it won't win with establishment politics and rethoric, I strongly believe in the need of a true liberal movement inside the party which will have to speak for the ones most in need. I think THAT is going to make Democrats winners again.

GabrieleEU

I can appreciate this too. I have voted democrat for a decade or more. In no way did I support or vote for Trump but I couldn't vote for Hillary either. To your point I've felt the exact same way. The identity politics have completely turned me off the platform. The overwhelming need to see people by their group and not them as individuals is such a contradiction to what I thought liberalism was all about. While I can accept that certain biases are in place, legislating a solution is rarely the right way to go since the biases are greatly different from person to person (lets face it, Obama's daughters are far more privileged than you average white kid, to use an extreme example). It also reinforces racial differences when legislated, something I thought we were all trying move past.

CTE

If I ran Amazon, I'd put a new Aaron Sorkin show on prime asap.

Jeremy Meyer

Democrats, use some of that science you have a monopoly on. Do a study. Accuse black men of toxic masculinity. Then ask them to vote for you. Collect some data on how that works out.

Jeremy Meyer

Georgia 6 is dominated by Rubio republicans. Hollywood could have financed 30 art films by female directors, the money they put in this. Instead they lost at checkers.

Jeremy Meyer

I say this as someone who has voted for Democrats since I was old enough to vote. In 2012, I registered as an Independent because I didn't identify or understand what the Democrats anymore. I think they are losing because Democrats come off as disingenuous. Hillary Clinton didn't really take a stand on anything of substance. She dodged questions & every public appearance seemed contrived. There is an Ideological split in the party. Everything is seen through the lens of "Race" They blame everyone except themselves for their losses. They have alienated a lot of working class voters ( like my parents) who use to be loyal Democrats. My parents are Boomers and are very Patriotic people. They don't like how anti American the Democrats have become. They don't like being referred to as "White Privileged" when they worked hard for everything they have & don't judge people on skin color, wealth, religion. That's how I was raised.

Hey col just saying that I love when you give music recommendations. Every single time I fall in love with them! Thanks 😁

Avi

It's infuriating to be a democrat right now. The party has seemingly left so many Americans behind in its rhetoric, particularly lower class whites.

Jackson

I just don't get it man. I am a registered independent voter who loves balance in politics. I think having to much of a majority is a bad thing. While it allows for things to get passed, when you look at something like this healthcare bill the GOP has cooked it up... it ain't necessarily a good thing. I want there to be balance so that we can get that middle ground that this country needs. - And I just don't, fuckin, get it. The Democrats have this prime position to run the table in 2018, and they have no idea what they're doing. "If liberals are so fuckin smart, how come they lose so god damned always" - The Newsroom I want them to right the ship, I think to much of either is a bad thing for the country in the long run. The GOP is doing an awful job with Trump in office, and yet somehow is still winning elections... I don't get it. Anyways keep on learning folks.

Owen

I really enjoyed this episode.

Haven't said this in a while, but you are loved Colin. Keep up the great work.

Steven Camilo