Welcome to "The Way Forward"

[EarlG]

This discussion thread is pinned.

Here's the Statement of Purpose for this forum, which you can find on the forum's About page:

Discuss the future of the Democratic Party and the left, strategies to rebuild the party's influence and reach, and tactics to retake political power from the right. REMINDER: Forum Hosts are only responsible for locking off-topic discussions in this forum, they are not responsible for locking discussions which may violate the DU rules. Please be aware that while the rules prohibit "bashing" of Democratic public figures, the rules also allow for constructive criticism. Between those two positions lies a large grey area, and if you want to avoid getting posts removed by Jury in this forum, remember that not everyone on DU may have the same appreciation or dislike for the same politicians that you do. If you treat your fellow DU members with respect and try to post in a civil manner, you will rarely have any problems. Posting derogatory nicknames for center-to-left politicians, groups of DU members, or individual DU members, will increase your chances of getting a post removed.

I fully expect that during the next couple of years, we are going to have plenty of discussions about where the Democratic Party should go next. I don't think DU should be afraid of that, even if it is going to feel like infighting a lot of the time. As you know, I don't think it does any good to knock down our chosen nominee during the weeks and months leading up to a presidential election, but General Election Season is over. Now is the time to discuss how Democrats should move forward.

YOU ARE VERY LIKELY TO READ THINGS IN THIS FORUM THAT YOU DISAGREE WITH, OR THAT MIGHT MAKE YOU ANGRY. I wish that were not the case -- I am not interested in manufacturing outrage in exchange for clicks. I tell you this merely to set expectations. My belief is that when we are not in General Election Season, members should be able express their opinion about the activities of Democrats that disappoint them, and members should be able to debate how the party, and Democratic public figures, should act going forward -- provided that it is done within the rules of course.

It is much easier to have these discussions if we can keep the environment relatively civil. The DU rules still apply in this forum. Try not to personally attack your fellow members. Try not to give labels to groups of other DUers that disagree with your position. Try not to give rude nicknames to Democratic politicians that you disagree with. If you can avoid all of that, you should have no problems in this forum.

[ck4829]

1. In the process of building my own network, this could be a way for us to connect

Build our own grassroots/netroots system. I look forward to it.

[Drum]

2. Thank you EarlG!

I was holding off on my 10,000th post, looking for something important, and THIS IS IT !!!

Bravo…thanks for this.

[Marthe48]

3. Congrats on your 10,000th post!

Here's to another 10000!

[littlemissmartypants]

9. Congratulations! 👏🎉💫🏆❤️

[Clouds Passing]

11. 10,000

[Bluethroughu]

23. Congrats!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

32. Congratulations on you 10,000 post

[Silent Type]

4. Excellent. Thank you.

[JoseBalow]

5. Should PIN this thread, and also the welcome thread the drumpf dump forum

[EarlG]

7. They're getting replies at the moment so they will keep getting kicked to the top

Once that stops happening, I'll likely pin them for a while.

[Tesha]

6. Every registered D who failed to vote

Must be contacted and asked how the party failed to move them to the polls

This is where the party can address what they missed

[electric_blue68]

18. That's an interesting idea. 👍

[Bluethroughu]

24. That is an excellent idea...

Spread sheet the results to upload.

[Tansy_Gold]

35. Yes, because non-voters is where the election really was lost

An analysis of the various demographic groups and how they voted, how they shifted from Biden '20 to 💩 '24, is fine, but the real shift was in the did-not-vote-at-all demographic. (Registered Dems or not)

This is also, imho, a demographic that's disproportionately targeted by the GOP -- they're the ones most easily discouraged and/or prevented from voting or even trying to vote. Poor, no ID, less educated, etc., etc.

[Alice B.]

8. This is my first ever subscription!

I wanted to make it a good one.

[littlemissmartypants]

10. I came here for that very reason...

To subscribe! ❤️

[Alice B.]

13. Hello!

[littlemissmartypants]

14. Hello!

❤️

[uppityperson]

12. K&R

[MustLoveBeagles]

15. Thanks 👍

[Hekate]

16. Thank you for taking care of us, EarlG

[pfitz59]

17. DU rules against 'ageism' must be relaxed if this Forum is to succeed.

It's not 'bashing' to suggest elderly members step aside and assume 'emeritus' roles in the party and in Government. The party needs fresher, younger leaders. The GOP has 'Turning Point' (aka 'Twitler youth'). The Dems lack the equivalent. Folks such as AOC and Rep Crockett should be given a greater say and bigger voice going forward. Mayor Pete is a dynamo who offers enormous potential. Harris had enormous support in the creative community. Tap into it. If we can't match Musk etal moneywise, we can outthink and out create them. Another advantage of young leadership is the strength and willingness to FIGHT. When Crockett got Mace to challenge her to a fight, we all cheered. We need more of that. Stop playing by the rules and start telling the GOP swine what they are to their lying, cheating faces.

https://www.nbcnews.com/data-graphics/congress-age-2025-third-oldest-us-history-rcna185742

[electric_blue68]

19. Er, it -really depends- on the Individual elder. Also think Younger members who r proving themselves to be active...

with good ideas, and championing currently extra important issues be given more of a role.

Just a "blanket" rule for the elder members would be ageist.

[LiberalArkie]

20. Thank you

Maybe I can prevent being locked on everything.

[electric_blue68]

21. TY, EarlG I'm Very Glad you decided to set this up....

Let the squabbling, er, *debating begin!


*While I've only been here about 3+ years, I also have been on a different forum for waaaaay longer where the usually fractious discussions are of more creative endeavors (vs politics [tho a lively off-topic politics sub-forum exists) 😄 would sometimes happen! So...been there.

Better to aim for passionate civility.

[NewHendoLib]

22. This is great - thanks for the forum, EarlG. It is a needed "safe place" to try out ideas that may be

edgy - and that is so needed. It is going to take thinking out of the box.

[Bluethroughu]

25. We need to allow caucusing seriously Democratic Independents in.

When we do not have Democratic candidates, but Independents that support Democratic values, I think they should be brought in because the INDEPENDENT VOTERS are the future of winning.

Yes, we need to understand why our Democratic members did not show, but there are voter supression obstacles that do effect the turn out, and it does discourage a lot of voters: time off, lines, ID rules, polls, and times can be confusing. Our calls and mailing could be more locally targeted to those areas, not just broad statewide, but areas where there are less polls, to allow people to know all their options, rules and times.

I did the post cards to swing states, but they did not want to be partisan. A LOT of people need to have the dots connected on legislation and which party brought it to them.
Harris loss.

We need the older/wiser generation giving more prominent rolls to the youth, while guiding them. This is not about, out with the old, in with the new...it's an effective apprenticeship on how to lead with wise moves for policy wins.

Lets get all Democratic members running a specific media goal every week. At least three media avenues. We could do this too.

[OAITW r.2.0]

26. Finally....we could have used this in 2005.

[Ranting Randy]

27. I am impressed with the way this site is run!

[ZDU]

28. EarlG ROCKS

Thanks man!

[mahina]

29. Thank you EarlG.

[anobserver2]

30. Glad to see this post

I don't expect to spend much time on DU over the next four years, as I really don't want to think
about politics - yet I feel happy to see this post (and I will renew my star membership soon to
show my support for those interested in moving forward).

One suggestion I have -- and some may laugh at me for saying this and find it naive -- is to rethink how we discuss and describe our fellow voters, whether Democratic voters, Republican voters, Independents or those of any political party and voters of no political party.

What I am trying to say is this: it's one thing to criticize a politician or a policy, but
it's quite another to criticize, humiliate, bash, and put down people who could vote for you.

Elections have consequences. Be kind to all voters, all the time.

[Daleuhlmann]

31. New, Young Blood Needed

Democratic leadership in the Senate has GOT to have new, young blood. Chuck Schumer is 74 and Dick Durbin is 80. Their policy of bipartisanship and negotiation has already backfired with the passage of the useless and unconstitutional Laken Riley Act, and without any.amendments that would have negated its most disastrous provisions Moreover, at least seven Democrats broke rank and voted with the Republicans. Democrats should have used their filibuster power instead. It's the only weapon they have in the Senate against Trump's radical and fascist MAGA agenda.

[Lulu KC]

34. Asking because I have not read everything on this

Do we know if it was only the old folks who voted yes on the L-R Act? I'm not sure if you're saying that or not. I agree it's a bad thing to vote yes on but without doing a lot of clicking on who voted yes and how old they are I'm asking if you've already done that research.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

33. I am still shocked that so many people voted for TFG (the Felony Guy)

I look forward to looking at ways to move forward.