2016 Postmortem

We need to do away with the notion that pointing out how bad the GOP is is fearmongering, and stop with coddling people on our side who state they will stay home or vote third party. That should be shamed, not featured as a tactic. We continue to hobble ourselves with that nonsense and will always be on the fringes as long as it prevails. Should Dems run quality candidates? Absolutely and they should be called on it when they don't. But that does not absolve voters their duty and obligation from being informed and I don't give them a pass either. If we encourage our own base to sit elections out or throw their votes away, it only weakens our voice and our power, not the other way around. Politicians are skittish and will only run where the safe and reliable votes are. It's cheaper that way, too. Often when Dems are running the bad candidates, it's because they think they're running safe. We can encourage more with carrots than we can with threats.