Let us pray for The Democratic Party. They got the “daylights” beat out of them in the 2010 elections.
But it didn’t have to be that way. Democratic leaders were told time and time again how they could win races in 2010 but they ignored all of the advice but the wrong advice.
Republicans blazed a trail through America’s polling places just like Sherman blazed through Atlanta during The Civil War, turning Democratic contenders into burned-out political pretenders.
Will this trend continue in 2012? Will President Barack Obama be victimized by a future GOP onslaught? Perhaps, but he doesn’t have to be.
All Democratic candidates have to do is make some critical election adjustments to do better in elections. Democrats have to:
(1) Discard their medieval strategy. The idea of winning by being reactionary is ridiculous. Democrats have been trying to win using tactics they used in the 1950s. They can’t compete with Republicans technologically. They can’t compete with Republicans philosophically. They have no solid, effective campaign plans. They’ve tried to win by parroting conservative Republicans instead of designing their own vote-generating mechanism.
(2) Don’t blame money for political success or failure. Democrats will never out-raise or out-spend Republican money people. Democrats wrongfully joined with Republicans to allow American and foreign corporations the legal authority to buy elections. Many Democrats who lost were overwhelmed by Republican-based PACs, 527s and other groups that flooded races with “outside money.” Democrats win elections by out-working their opponents, not by out-spending them. Even when Democrats had money to spend, it was spent with the wrong vendors, the wrong
people.
(3) Dismiss the poor performing Democratic consultants. The Democratic Party has never sought to retain and hire the most professional political consultants. No matter how many elections they lose, Democrats will always go back to the losing consultants they hired before. The political advice given to Democratic candidates was criminal, fraudulent and somewhat racist. Any consultant who advised Democrats to ignore their strongest supporters in a crucial election should not only be fired but also should be permanently barred from ever working for Democratic candidates again.
(4) Discover an effective way to better motivate and influence black and other minority voters. In recent elections, Democrats have chosen to try to be more Klan-like, so to speak, than Republicans. They have chosen red-neck
running mates and refused to address issues of concern to minorities, like job creation and immigration reform. Democrats continue to disrespect their most loyal bases. Even organized labor is disrespected by Democrats much too often.
(5) Diversify their media placement. Democrats have been tricked to believe that they should spend all the money they can on broadcast advertising. The people are not convinced by negative ads, regardless of how many are bought. Negative advertising reduces voter turnout, not increases it. Also, voters who make up the Democratic base are more influenced by their own media and their own people. Black voters, for instance, prefer to vote for people they know.
The “Any Negro Will Do” philosophy endeared by Democrats will never generate the necessary black voter turnout needed for Democratic victories. Instead of using minority consultants who suck up or bow down to Democratic leaders, Democrats should seek to hire minority consultants whom minority voters trust and respect. “Who can deliver?” has always been the only question of importance when deciding who should be hired to generate votes.
Blacks in America shouldn’t be dismayed by the Democratic Disaster in the 2010 elections. They can turn political lemons into lemonade. They have two years to register and educate black voters about what is important in American elections: money.
In 2011, a non-election year, blacks can have a serious impact on 2012 by standing up and speaking out about reapportionment. If blacks and minorities don’t protect their political interests in 2011 by making sure that new political districts are drawn fairly and allow for increased and improved political opportunities, it won’t matter what blacks and the Democratic Party they love do. They will lose again and again and again.
Lucius Gantt is a consultant and author of Beast Too: Dead Man Writing. He may be contacted at www.alworldconsultants.net).
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