Weekend Digest: Post-Election Advice

PARTY ID
The Washington Post has a revealing story to show a clear and simple chart that graphs what happened with the election in 2012 and in years past.

Thanks to GOP pollster David Winston, who has gathered national and state exit polling data from 1984-2012 right here, we can do that in a single chart.  

Click here to see “Winston’s chart of national party ID over the past three decades as culled from exit polls”.

In addition, find out which party has been the most consistent as well as three key points that should be taken from the numbers.

POST-ELECTION LESSON FOR THE GOP
Not only was it a loss, but the recent election results were shockingly one-sided for the GOP, which lost every swing state but one.  What happened and how can those trends be reversed?  The Wall Street Journal took a post-election look-see and has its own analysis.

Tactically, Republicans must rigorously re-examine their “72-hour” ground game and reverse-engineer the Democratic get-out-the-vote effort in order to copy what works. For example, a postelection survey shows that the Democratic campaign ground game was more effective in communicating negative information. It would be good to know why—and how to counter such tactics in the future.
 
Republicans should also emulate the Democratic “50-state” strategy by strengthening the ground game everywhere, not just in swing states.

And what should the GOP do to “resonate better with middle-class families?”

Go inside the WSJ article for more lessons for the GOP.
 
WHAT SHOULD OBAMA'S PATH BE FOR HIS SECOND TERM?
That's an intriguing question and a writer for the Economist gives his analysis while taking a look “at the presidential bully pulpit, and signs that President Barack Obama plans to use public opinion to pressure Republicans in Congress into helping him govern.”

The bully pulpit can work, as Ronald Reagan proved when he pressured Democrats into agreeing historic tax cuts, and Bill Clinton showed when he browbeat Republicans into supporting his balanced budget plans. But it can also fail.

How have past presidents handled the “bully pulpit” in their second terms and how narrow is Obama's path to success?  Click on this link to get answers.

ARE GOP GOVERNORS NOW SOFTENING UP?
“Elections do have consequences” says one GOP governor and, according to Politico, those consequences could be a softening stance on higher taxes for the rich.

“The people have spoken, I think we’re going to have to be [flexible] now,” said Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, when asked if his party would now have to be open to taxes on the highest earners.  The president campaigned on that.”

Which GOP governors are echoing McDonnell's thoughts and what compromises and concessions are they seeking for that softened flexible stance?

Click here for the full story.

UP IN SMOKE
The times they are a-changing.

Following Colorado's marijuana legalization from Amendment 64, Boulder's district attorney is dropping all drug-possession cases against anyone older than 21 who was caught with less than an ounce of pot or marijuana paraphernalia.

USA Today has posted a video featuring that district attorney who explains his rationale.  Click here to view.