"DCCC University" to train campaign managers, field directors, & finance chiefs

[Technocracy Timmy]

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/democrats-vs-trump/democrats-hold-american-idol-events-take-trump-n749546

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Dear lord. This sounds far too technocratic even given my namesake. It just sounds like it's gonna be a lot of top down, data driven drivel with no coherent message or uniting vision that screwed us last year.

[cinyc]

Why is this a bad idea, exactly? 

[Virginiá]

This isn't a bad idea

But the Dems still have no core message or principles

This isn't really something Congressional Democrats or the DNC can provide. They can try, but it likely won't catch on. It's going to take a Democratic president people actually like to set the agenda and imprint the ideas onto the public. This generally seems to be how it has worked throughout American history.

As for the article - I like this idea. Set up training classes for candidates and operatives, and use it to raise talent. The party is branching out and utilizing anti-Trump energy to expand the party's infrastructure and candidate bench.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     It's an interesting notion, but I suspect these roles rely too much on skills that cannot be learned in a classroom. I think it would make more sense to host "extension courses" to further train people who already have some experience in these roles.

[Technocracy Timmy]

    It's an interesting notion, but I suspect these roles rely too much on skills that cannot be learned in a classroom. I think it would make more sense to host "extension courses" to further train people who already have some experience in these roles.

This is what I was thinking. Having had relatives work on campaigns, most of these skills aren't gonna be taught to newcomers in a classroom. Plus the nature of campaigning is changing and I don't think having baby boomers who ran campaigns from decades ago are gonna be able to teach people how to run the campaigns of the future.

[Santander]

We already have Trump University to train the Republicans.

[Virginiá]

This is what I was thinking. Having had relatives work on campaigns, most of these skills aren't gonna be taught to newcomers in a classroom. Plus the nature of campaigning is changing and I don't think having baby boomers who ran campaigns from decades ago are gonna be able to teach people how to run the campaigns of the future.

It sounds like there are at least some basic things that junior operatives/managers often get wrong:

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Personally I was wondering how long these classes are and if you can really convey the knowledge needed in maybe just a few sessions, but if they can reduce the number of amateur mistakes then I don't see a problem. Plus I'd like to think they wouldn't be wasting money on something like this if they thought it wouldn't help.

It also says the most promising students will be guided towards campaigns, which could help better find & utilize talent, rather than just waiting for someone to come around and hoping they can do the job.

[The_Doctor]

This can go either way. The Democrats will spend a number of years experimenting until their return to power. I do expect that a new generation of political activists and staff will need to come up through the ranks to help the Democrats reach a majority.

[Technocracy Timmy]

This is what I was thinking. Having had relatives work on campaigns, most of these skills aren't gonna be taught to newcomers in a classroom. Plus the nature of campaigning is changing and I don't think having baby boomers who ran campaigns from decades ago are gonna be able to teach people how to run the campaigns of the future.

It sounds like there are at least some basic things that junior operatives/managers often get wrong:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Personally I was wondering how long these classes are and if you can really convey the knowledge needed in maybe just a few sessions, but if they can reduce the number of amateur mistakes then I don't see a problem. Plus I'd like to think they wouldn't be wasting money on something like this if they thought it wouldn't help.

It also says the most promising students will be guided towards campaigns, which could help better find & utilize talent, rather than just waiting for someone to come around and hoping they can do the job.

I mean I would go as far as to say that even the little mistakes that are made on the campaign trial are typically the result of being thrust into a a new situation. I'm not positive to what extent this kind of training will prevent those kinds of mistakes since a lot of people learn by trial and error instead of being drilled into their head the ins and outs of what to do during the course of an event be it in sports, social work, or campaigning.

Besides I'm not sure anybody really knows what qualifies as a serious mistake in the post Trump, post fake news world. I think the Democrats would be better off testing the waters in 2018 without spending money on these kind of training seminars and instead invest in a much more robust social media presence combined with stronger outreach programs to rural areas.

Campaigning in this era is changing so rapidly due to technology and the political environment.

This can go either way. The Democrats will spend a number of years experimenting until their return to power. I do expect that a new generation of political activists and staff will need to come up through the ranks to help the Democrats reach a majority.

My views as well.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

So they think they just need more training to sell ice to Eskimos? Sad!

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

So they think they just need more training to sell ice to Eskimos? Sad!

Implying you'd ever approve of anything the DCCC did   The fact is that you and some of the other folks here just like to whine about "muh evil establishment" and will always find something "wrong" with anything D-trip, the DNC, etc do.

[Maxwell]

I think this is actually useful - in states where Democratic Parties are worse than the National Democratic Party (see: Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio).

[Technocracy Timmy]

I think this is actually useful - in states where Democratic Parties are worse than the National Democratic Party (see: Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio).

Not that I'm denying that this is true, but how do you underperform as the Democratic Party in already deep red states? Are the Democrats just completely shut out in those states similar to the GOP here in California?

[Maxwell]

I think this is actually useful - in states where Democratic Parties are worse than the National Democratic Party (see: Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio).

Not that I'm denying that this is true, but how do you underperform as the Democratic Party in already deep red states? Are the Democrats just completely shut out in those states similar to the GOP here in California?

Both of those party's are dysfunctional in a way that not even California's GOP can match, and in ways that can be fixed by DNC and DCCC intervention.

[Technocracy Timmy]

I think this is actually useful - in states where Democratic Parties are worse than the National Democratic Party (see: Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio).

Not that I'm denying that this is true, but how do you underperform as the Democratic Party in already deep red states? Are the Democrats just completely shut out in those states similar to the GOP here in California?

While the GOP is dead on a statewide level in California, they've hardly reached their floor in the state. There's 7 Clinton-Republican Congressional seats, 6 State senate seats and 11 Assembly seats. There are no Democrats in any seats Trump won. That indicates that California Dems are more at their floor and have the potential to blow the downballot Republicans who remain into oblivion in districts where Trump was destroyed. Meanwhile, Democrats in deep red states are already at their floor, unlike the California Republicans.

Could gerrymandering in Alabama or Tennessee be a bigger culprit here?

I'm pretty sure that the California Democratic Party could redraw our districts to make the overwhelming majority (if not all) of them Democratic districts. There's no doubt in my mind that they could make the Republican-Clinton districts here gerrymandered into Team Blue obediency.