The Enthusiasm Gap Is Killing Democrats in the 2010 Election

Reader Comments

Back to blog

GOP's only chance to win has been to suppress the majority of voters and invigorate their nutty contingent, but this strategy is backfiring as the nutty contingent are the GOP candidates.

The current crop of GOP candidates are so radically far right, they are unrecognizable as Americans, and all the foreign money getting poured into the election for the GOP just reinforces that.

Jeri of PA 2:46PM October 13, 2010

So I did have a thought about the Democratic dillemma, and that was just about Absentee ballotism. Without calling it "bologna", a repetitious Republican response would probably entail more rampant , sexual antagonism by the popular people dwelling within Democracy.

Danton of WA 4:43PM October 11, 2010

What do you mean WE'RE in big trouble, progressive face?

An article about the nation's problems, and no mention of Af-Pak. Such couldn't be any more telling about 'progressives.'

After November, progressive Obamalove can finally make themselves useful. As there will be a snowball's chance in hell of THEM getting yet more federal debt spending for pet domestic issues, they'll have no reason to remain joined at the hip with Bush-Cheney-Palin war-n-waste mongers in supporting President Obama's 2010 (and counting) Af-Pak war of Presidential Candidate Obama's 2008 campaign necessity.

The shirts (silent r) excoriated Bush for Iraq, rightly so, but then patted Typhoid Barry on the back heartily when he promised to show them and the whole world how much better and smarter he was than Bush -- by escalating the no-win boots-on-ground sit in Af-Pak to a ho notha lebel of no-win -- because of course, Bush bent TB over at the waist, twisted TB's weakling arm behind TB's weakling back, shoved TB's face into the pillow, and made TB do it. And that completed the set-up for Pelosi, Reid, et al's 2006-2008 thumb-up-the-behind anti-war-n-waste disingenuity payoff -- the Feb. 2009 $800 billion plus stimulization.

So smell the coffee, arugula lovers. YOU won't be getting any more domestic federal debt spending. Which means after November only the Bush-Cheney-Palin crowd will get THEIR federal debt spending, via's TB's Af-Pak -- unless YOU finally crawl out of the Af-Pak bed with them.

But watch what likely happens after November. True to form, two-faced progressive Obamalove will remain deaf-dumb-blind about Af-Pak. They will be too busy trying to keep progressive Obamacare from being dismantled.

And that July '11 drawdown date? Pure fantasy, eagerly lapped up by progressive Obamalove. Karzai's term runs to 2014.

dom youngross of OH 4:40PM October 10, 2010

The reason the Republicans voted NO was bad Democrat legislation. Reason Republicans are bound to change face of Congress is because they said NO and that is what voters want.

In power Republicans will turn the direction of Congress as well as reverse obamacare, etc…

Bill Hedges of MO 5:13AM October 09, 2010

Since the Dems too control of Congress in 2007, our country's economy has fallen off a cliff. The Democratic president lobbies for more stimulus and bailout money and increased spending in a lot of other areas while telling us the deficit spending is 'unsustainable'. Well, at least he knows it isn't sustainable. Too bad he's making things worse.

So you're arguing the Dems need to get more enthusiastic about voting to keep things on the same downward spiral? Is that really smart?

TomKattt of CA 6:33PM October 08, 2010

Like warthogs, political partisans of the conservative stripe are forever in a bad mood. It is an odd thing that those who are well-off seem to be the most enthusiastic complainers. It is easy to be against extending unemployment benefits, for example, when you are employed, and against universal heath care when you have your own coverage.

Being a conservative means being always mad about something -- enthusiastically angry, to be precise, except when asleep. As it is, sleep is only allowed to the partisans when the GOP is in power doing all the things that would otherwise make conservatives mad if Democrats did them. For me, the whole point of being a liberal is to be rational, sane and even-tempered, which is why talk radio isn't a liberal strength.

It doesn't take enthusiasm to go to the polls and vote against the crazy and angry candidates. This is called patriotic duty. This is called recognition that, if reasonable people stay home, the bitterly enthusiastic folks may have the chance to rejoice and say "Get over it!" (like they never did themselves).

Reg Henry of PA 2:13PM October 08, 2010

So,frankly there are three reasons why there is an Enthusisam Gap among the

Democrat Voters in 2010 now then. And,they named 1.Barack Hussein Obama,

2. Nancy Pelosi,3.Harry Reid and that alone explains it all. Enough Said!

Ralph of AZ 11:26AM October 08, 2010

This couldn't happen to a nicer group - as they took the 2008 election as a mandate to transform the country's economy and culture. It is clear that their class warfare approach to politics and love-in with special interests is not what most American citizens want. We want a federal government that does what is expected of them - not one running our lives, communities, and economy.

JR Gordon of FL 11:09AM October 08, 2010

Its amazing that the media thinks that because of voter turnout in the primaries in which there were few contested democratic races compared to the republican tea party primaries, that there is an enthusiatism gap between the two parties. Lets get real change does not happen easily nor timely in election terms. There is large uncertainty in the effects of the passed legislation regarding health care reform, financial regulation, and taxes that drags on the business ceo's and employers. But the democrats know that the whole country will be better off to continue the chase for change than to allow the conservatives to slash and burn what has been acccomplished. Further the idea that we need to privatize social security, abolish the education department, disband the EPA, and keep the tax cuts for the rich is inane and absurd. So why would they sit at home and allow the proponents of such strategy to win the elections and either block or institute these actions? No this is just another story for the media and talking heads to argue about and spread fear among the populice who voted for Obama and change.

John M. Stutsman of NM 10:28AM October 08, 2010

If the Republicans/Tea Party win control of the House and/or Senate, we are in for 2 more years of nothing happening. Obama will simply veto anything passed against his will. The only hope for the good ole USA is that decisions will be made in the future for the good of the people and not for corporations and billionaires. That means the Republicans, as they are now constituted, everything for big money and not for the people, must go.

Gene 10:26AM October 08, 2010

Add Your Thoughts
Your comment will be posted immediately, unless it is spam or contains profanity. For more information, please see our Comments FAQ.

Back to blog

Brad Bannon

Brad Bannon

Brad Bannon runs Bannon Communications Research, a political polling and consulting firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups, and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. Brad guest hosts Leslie Marshall’s nationally syndicated radio talk show and is a commentator on America’s Radio News Network. Follow him on Twitter @BradBannon.

advertisement

Robert Schlesinger

JFK's Virtuoso Turn at the Bully Pulpit

Kennedy presented a radical idea: Peaceful coexistence.

Mary Kate Cary

A Democracy in Crisis

Can the country long survive an ever-growing government?

Latest Videos

advertisement