2016 Postmortem

I think we need to take optics into account. Obama isn't going to be in office anymore. The Clintons will be away from politics as well. So who are the Republicans going to tie Democratic house and senate candidates to? Nancy Pelosi, a wealthy, establishment figure representing a wealthy, liberal San Francisco district. The attack ads in rural, middle America districts practically write themselves. Would these Democratic house candidates get attacked by Republicans trying to compare them to Tim Ryan, an Ohio representative- representing a struggling area- who took on the establishment? Doubtful. Republicans don't win because they're on the right side of policy. They win because they're smarter with their attacks and they know how to play the game. Democrats don't have many efficient attack dogs, they fold too easily, and they don't know how to play the game. We won't find our way back if we can't take back the house (and we have been hemorrhaging seats the last handful of years.) Time to reflect and change.