Slog - Comments on A New Democratic Coalition, and a New Generation http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener This article in The National Journal is well worth a read. It looks at the demographics of this year's surging Democratic turnout and finds the makings of a new Democratic strategy, a new Democratic generation, and a new Democratic governing majority: From New Hampshire to California, and from Arizona to Wisconsin, exit polls from this year's contests show the Democratic coalition evolving in clear and consistent ways since the 2004 primaries that nominated John Kerry. The party is growing younger, more affluent, more liberal, and more heavily tilted toward women, Latinos, and African-Americans... The implications for the general election could... Copyright 2008 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:35:17 -0800 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:16:21 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by COMTE It's that last unhighlighted section in your block quote that is the key: Democrats must not only get elected, but they also MUST enact policies in line with the socio-economic-political beliefs of their supporters.

If they end up "playing safe" (ala Dems in the WA Legislature - who arguably have a somewhat more tenuous hold on Olympia at the moment), or otherwise trade-off electibility over policy-making, they're simply inviting a reactionary pendulum-swing back toward the GOP.

]]> COMTE http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952147 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952147 2008 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:51:39 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle The article matches what I'm seeing.

The only real problem is that the old guard, who are mostly Clinton supporters, hold the elected district (LD), county and state positions - and as a group they (I guess I should say we, even if I am Obama) are much older than the new PCO-based younger groups that Obama is feeding into the Dems.

Should be some turf battles over who gets elected at the next reorganization meetings - and the old guard has been having problems adapting to the focus on real issues that the younger groups that Obama has brought out have.

(personally, I like the change)

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952156 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952156 2008 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:55:12 -0800 Comment by Jason I've long thought generation was the elephant in the room during heated Clinton/Obama supporter debates: not race or gender.

]]> Jason http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952175 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952175 2008 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:01:26 -0800 Comment by geezer Try not to get carried away with the generational issue. I am old enough to remember talk of the "woodstock nation"
and how they alone would change everything. There are a lot of other factors.

]]> geezer http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952187 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952187 2008 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:13:10 -0800 Comment by Franklin Delano Roosevelt I pledge to myself and the Deomocratic Party a new deal for the American people.

I am baaack! And I came in the form of a black man from Chicago!

]]> Franklin Delano Roosevelt http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952189 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952189 2008 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:13:58 -0800 Comment by ivan Typical youth-cult narcissistic crap. I'll believe it when these newbies are here a year from now doing the scut work of party-building.

We get a few with staying power every election. This one will be no different.

As for Will's comment that the "old guard" who hold the elected positions in the party are mostly Clinton supporters, that is bullshit, and Will knows it perfectly well.

This generational bullshit didn't stop much of this state's Democratic leadership from endorsing Howard Dean in 2004. The Obama/Clinton propostion in state and local party leadership today roughly reflects the 2-1 Obama margin among caucus voters.

]]> ivan http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952287 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952287 2008 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:54:01 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle tsk, Ivan, I saw into their hearts, and have talked with them - and it's true.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952304 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952304 2008 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:04:55 -0800 Comment by Andy Niable "alllll we are sayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyiiiiing/is Giiive hiiim a chaaaaaaance"

]]> Andy Niable http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952368 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952368 2008 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:45:24 -0800 Comment by Beguine @6-

So this scutwork, does it involve going
uphill both ways through 6 feet of snow like you used to have to back in the day?

]]> Beguine http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952700 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952700 2008 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:14:07 -0800 Comment by ivan @9:

If you mean talking to your neighbors about politics and mobilizing them to action, and getting out the vote and lobbying in Olympia, yeah. That's the same. Interested?


]]> ivan http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952867 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/a_new_democratic_coalition_and_new_gener#c952867 2008 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:16:21 -0800