In the midst of every GOP resurgence, the defeated Democrats take solace in the idea that shifting demographics will eventually make this nation Blue.
The demographics the Democrats are looking at is the increasing population of Hispanics, Other Minorities, and Immigrants. All these are groups that are strongly democratic today.
Unfortunately, this is just a dream. It won't save the Democrats. That they keep waiting for this magical event just shows how badly the democrats have lost.
So why won't this demographic shift make America Blue ?
The Democrats assume that these groups will continue supporting democrats because the Democrats are better for them. This assumption will fail because people do not vote their interests. We do not make rational decisions. Man is NOT a Rational Animal.
We think we are being rational but we rarely are. If people were rational, if people made decisions based on a carefully evaluation of what is good for them/America, then Blue Collar White America would be voting strongly Democratic. This group (as an example) has voted against their interests and for the GOP for decades now.
The GOP continues to win because they understand that people look at things through Frames (of thought). They spend most of their time creating these Frames to guide how people see various events.
Democrats instead spend their time collecting facts to prove that they are right.
Unfortunately, when the facts don't agree with your Frame, the facts are discarded and the Frame is kept (as Joseph Romm has put is so well in his book on Language Intelligence).
The thought leaders of the GOP are masters in communication and influencing people. They understand this.
Once upon a time Blue Collar America used to vote Democratic. The GOP gave them a new way to look at things and won them. They vote against their interest and make their life worse with each election but even in their hardship they are happy because they are voting for what they believe is right (even though in reality it is wrong). Their actions fit the Frames they have adopted.
The GOP has mastered this over decades. As the demographics shift, they will provide these new voters with the "correct" Frame with which to look at things and they, like the Blue Collar Voters, will happily vote against their interest.
If the Democrats want to change this, they need to provide the right Frames to make people see what is right. However, there is no indication that they can do this or are even trying.
Hence this Diary.
In politics, Perception is Reality. Control the Frames used to Perceive events and all the facts against you will be forgiven and you will win.
Democrats need to win the battle of the Frames. Today, we are not even fighting on that front.