A Great Place To Start

In the debate about where Idaho Democrats go from here, Dave Neiwert provides a great starting point at Crooks and Liars [emphasis added].

The profile of the kind of candidate Democrats should be seeking as they work to return to full power in Congress should be someone modeled after a politician like Cecil Andrus rather than a Walt Minnick:  A proud liberal who was skilled at explaining and standing up for liberal positions and policies to rural and suburban audiences because he understood that, at the bottom, these are common-sense positions -- and, if explained and marketed to voters that way, will win voters over to supporting Democratic positions instead of regurgitating Fox propaganda talking points, which is about all Republicans are capable of these days.

Amen.  Otherwise, as Dave says, it's just "lather, rinse, repeat."

Comments

[Thomas]

All that sounds just fine & dandy for a normal, reasonable place...but Idaho it's not. Idaho is not a normal place, it's isolated, cold, and backward. Aside from the few well-educated, and well-paid (generally the tech cognoscenti), who are wondering why the hell they're here...those in charge of Idaho "inherit for a living" (on the family corp farm or ranch). They're not about to turn over the reins of power without a fight, and weenie Idaho Dems will never be able to give them one, let alone raise an army.

I personally know about 2 dozen young professionals under the age of 40, who are absolutely despondent, re: their careers, their families' futures and remaining in Idaho. They see nothing ahead but the same old shit, from both the Republican bozo gang in power, and their weenie pretender-challengers, Idaho Dems. I tell 'em to leave, it's only gonna get worse...or else find a way to 'inherit' a big farm or ranch.

[Sisyphus]

Thanks for this. I wish I'd seen it sooner. I will quibble with David over labeling Cece a liberal. Cece largely eschewed ideology in favor of pragmatism. But he never shied from a fight with Republicans on advancing a cause they labeled liberal. He had, and has, little use for party central or its apparatus, not that I really blame him. And while I agree that Andrus makes a good model campaigner for Democrats in western states, and that he's our last great candidate, we shouldn't forget that it was Cece who recruited Minnick.

[Sisyphus]

Thomas I would agree with you if Democrats continue to fight campaigns as Republicans. They're not offering choices to the voters and most everyone is staying home for lack of anyone or anything to vote. Its not just Neiwert's or MGR's opinion, we've crunched some numbers and Minnick had a 25,000 vote shortfall from his 2008 tally in Ada county alone. Likewise Allred's "I'm an independent" campaign failed to excite or otherwise entice Democrats into the voting booth by significant margins. And since over 60% of the voting age population sat the election out, I think its premature to say that its hopeless here.

And I take personal umbrage to the Idaho as a hick state since I resemble that remark. The reasons you and your friends came to Idaho still exist despite the political fortunes of elections. These are also the reasons I chose not to become a refugee from Idaho. You just need to apply some of that brain power with the rest of us in picking a way forward.