Democrats think the way they do in the light of day; and they intend to fix things with more of the same stuff that crashed and burned in 2014
Even after they’ve gotten their clocks cleaned, Dem-libs have to say to themselves, “We were right all along” and “We just didn’t let people know all the good we do and how good we are”
Most of the time Kip’s “Bay Ridge Journal” giving us the view from her block is refreshing in it’s honesty and straight forward presentation of the more liberal political view of things in Bay Ridge. Today’s post about the Bay Ridge Dems’ debrief of the mugging that they took at the hands of Marty Golden, Mike Grimm (who broke them all in half like they were “boys” ?), Mike Long, Jerry Kassar, John Quaglione, Ray Riley and the rest of the vast national right wing conspiracy was no exception (See “Bay Ridge Democrats Compile a List of Suspects” by Kip, 11/14/14, Bay Ridge Journal Blog [http://bayridgejournal.blogspot.com/2014/11/bay-ridge-democrats-compile-list-of.html]).
Panel helps Bay Ridge Dems figure things out at post-election meeting
This will give you a flavor of how Kip reported on a recent meeting of the Bay Ridge Dems:
“... Bay Ridge Democrats and an invited panel of political experts mulled the causes of the midterm rout on November 4 that saw Conservative Republican incumbents Marty Golden and Michael Grimm re-elected and Republicans seizing control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress and the New York State Senate....
“Michael McMahon.... blamed record low voter turnout, gerrymandered districts, and the fact that older, more dedicated voters, who tend to be Republican, vote in midterm elections, while younger voters show up for presidential elections, as the root causes of the Republican bloodbath...
“Gotham Gazette Executive Director Ben Max saw Democrats, both locally and nationally, being out-messaged and out-maneuvered by Republicans...
“Capital New York's Azi Paybarah commented on the unfortunate disconnect between... Recchia's campaign ... and the DCCC, spinning in its own separate, uncoordinated orbit...
“Alison Hirsh, Political Director for 32BJ SEIU, lamented Recchia's loss... which she blamed on a campaign that failed to highlight Recchia's real strengths and accomplishments [in] Coney Island....
“James Kemmerer [the Democrat nominee against State Senator Marty Golden], said he was taken aback by the depth of voter frustration and rage he encountered as he knocked on doors in the district ... Voters, he said, are so preoccupied with their own misery, and what they see as the broader failures of American politics, that they have little patience for local races....
The Democrats’ view of their road back from 2014
According to Kip, the Bay Ridge Dems’ “expert panel” believe that Democrats need to come out of the closet and boldly assert their progressive values. They gave as an example Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, as demonstrating the kind of political forthrightness and clarity that Democrats should embody going forward. And, even though the Bay Ridge Dems’ speakers saw no easy fix for the flaws exposed by the midterm election results, there was a “consensus” among the Bay Ridge Democrats at the meeting that Democrats nationally, have to do a better job of asserting and messaging progressive values, and bringing policy discussions into the political process. At the same time continuing to engage in the nuts and bolts of registering, educating, and turning out voters, particularly younger voters.
Harry Nilsson's "Coconut" [and lime]
I’m sorry, but to this conservative Republican all of what Kip described in the piece on her blog about "...Suspects..." for 2014 really sounds like the kind of analysis, diagnosis, medicine and cure described by Harry Nilsson in his song “Coconut”:
Brother bought a coconut, he bought it for a dime
His sister had another one, she paid it for a lime
She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up
She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up
She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up
She put the lime in the coconut, she called the doctor, woke him up
And said, Doctor, ain't there nothin' I can take
I say, doctor, to relieve this bellyache?
I say, doctor, ain't there nothin' I can take
I say, doctor, to relieve this bellyache?
Now let me get this straight
You put the lime in the coconut, you drank them both up
You put the lime in the coconut, you drank them both up
Put the lime in the coconut, you drank them both up
Put the lime in the coconut, you called your doctor, woke him up
And said, Doctor, ain't there nothing I can take
I said, Doctor, to relieve this bellyache?
I said, Doctor, ain't there nothin' I can take
I said, Doctor, to relieve this bellyache?
You put the lime in the coconut, you drink 'em both together
Put the lime in the coconut, then you feel better
Put the lime in the coconut, drink 'em both up
Put the lime in the coconut, and call me in the morning....