Democratic leadership believes that persuading white Republican-leaning voters to switch sides is the key to winning elections and they are 100% wrong.
The last 25 years of electoral history proved that energizing the "base" and increasing turnout among rare/occasional voters on your side is the key to winning elections, but Democratic leadership still focuses on converting white conservatives.
Republican leaning voters will never change parties, and every time Democratic leadership tries to appeal to them it insults the young and diverse Democratic base. It's entirely counterproductive.
The problem is that party Democratic party leadership is (on average) old, white, and stuck in the past.
Their life experience makes them believe a party that centers young, non-white voices isn't capable of winning, but they are wrong. Times have changed.
Their life experience makes them believe a party that centers young, non-white voices isn't capable of winning, but they are wrong. Times have changed.
Every time Dem leadership tries to convert Republicans, they alienate young, non-white people who would show up and vote for Democrats if the party showed it actually cared more about them than white Republicans.
After the complete and utter disrespect they showed for President Obama, the Dem leadership's continued commitment to accommodating Republicans is an insult to passionate, progressive Democrats.
People like Pelosi, Schumer, and Axelrod are clinging to a political worldview that ignores the Republicans' bad-faith obstruction of the Obama presidency for 8 straight years and ignores how that wound is still raw for every committed Democratic voter.
The underlying assumption behind Pelosi, Schumer, and yes, Hillary's political strategy is that Democrats can't win elections and control government if they're not focusing on winning back white, suburban Republicans.
That is wrong.
That is wrong.
Republicans have done nothing but insult and demean minorities, women, and liberals for generations every time Democratic leadership goes out of their way to cater to Republican voters they're insulting those Democratic voters too.
Democrats can win elections without a majority of white voters, but the only way to do it is to recognize that we're a different country now and there's no going back.
