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| Source:James Miller Center- President Jimmy Carter (D, GA) accepting the 1980 Democratic Party nomination for President, in New York. |
From the James Miller Center
I don't believe what Democrats are facing going into the 2012 general elections are as bad as they were in 1980 politically. Even though the economy I believe the economy now in 2011 is worst or similar shape as it was in 1980 but hopefully improving by 2012 or in 2012. But the Republican opposition in 2012 is not nearly as good as it was in 1980.
Today's GOP doesn't have a presidential candidate that can unite the entire party. All of their current presidential candidates have issues with at least on faction of the party if not multiple factions of the party. And it looks the best they'll be able to do is nominate someone who agrees with them on most things but has serious issues with the party. So for them to win in 2012, the GOP will be left with a presidential candidate that the party doesn't love and they'll be stuck with swallowing the aspects of the candidate they don't like. Something the GOP has never been good at. Unlike in 1980 with Ronald Reagan where the had a presidential nominee that united the entire party.
But even with the weaker opposition that democrats face in 2012 from the GOP, they still have their own issues. That if they don't resolve will lead to another Republican presidency going into 2013 and with that almost certainly another Republican Congress. Which as a Democrat myself, is a scary thought. The Far-Left flank of the Democratic Party, (the Democratic Socialist faction of the party) that had a lot to do with putting Barack Obama in the White House, is clearly unhappy with the President. To the point where they've called President Obama another George W. Bush, which as a Democrat myself I find insulting. Where they've even flirted with running their own candidate for President, like Representative Dennis Kucinich.
This is the faction that didn't bother to vote in the 2010 mid terms, a big reason why Democrats lost the House. And if the President is unable to bring these people to the polls and support him, no matter how he does with Independent voters, he won't get reelected President.
"United we stand, divided we fall" is something that Democrats need to to remember going into 2012. Because when they are united they tend to do very well and win. Look at 2008, 1996, 1992, 1976, 1964, 1960. But when they are divided, they usually get whipped, look at 1984, 1980, 1972.
