Outline for Victory (I)

        “the truth will make you free”
        — John 8:32

Let’s go over basic facts. As Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)  tells us, Democrats are the party of the rich, Republicans of the rest of us. This shift began with Nixon’s “silent majority,” ran through the “Reagan Democrats” (with George H.W. Bush a caboose rider), received new life under Newt Gingrich (1994-1999), and culminated when Trump’s presidency caused the entire elite to coalesce against Big Orange Man’s attack on their power.

The “elite v. populist” clash simplifies to class versus money. Populists have the votes if it’s us against the elite, while going the other way, wealth can buy both message and mass votes. 

The forces are roughly evenly divided. Except for Obama’s victory in the Big Recession election of 2008, no president in 42 years has won with more than 51% of votes cast.

Democrats’ coalition is the elite including well-paid professionals (top 10%), elite wannabes in government, media, academia, nonprofits, culture and entertainment, and three core groups formed from the middle class and below: 1) unmarried women, 2) Blacks, and 3) youth. The coalition is big and messy — look at how hard it is for families with children to put up with unionized teachers keeping schools closed.

Democrats talk about winning the future through demographics — non-whites will soon be a majority, women already are. But it’s not so simple.

I want to look at four battlegrounds in our current elite v. populist political struggle:

  • Women

  • Minorities

  • Youth

  • Culture

 Each battle deserves a separate post.

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