Democratic Postmortems, the Media's Non-Predictive Powers, and WaPo Editors Say: ‘Back to Work!’

In 'Party of the People,' Patrick Ruffini provides a thorough and nuanced analysis of the demographic and cultural trends reshaping the Republican and Democratic coalitions. The book uses robust data and clear analysis to debunk the narrative that the Republican party is solely a party of white, rural voters. Instead, Ruffini argues that the GOP is increasingly a party of non-college-educated voters, and its future lies in appealing to the multiracial mainstream middle class. The book explores how Donald Trump's presidency and subsequent elections have influenced these trends, highlighting the significant gains made among nonwhite voters and the implications for future elections.

In this book, Thomas Frank explores the transformation of Kansas from a state with a radical past to a stronghold of conservative politics. He argues that the culture wars have allowed the Republican Party to capture the populist language of social class, presenting themselves as the embodiment of working-class anti-elitism. Frank analyzes how conservatism, once associated with class privilege, became the creed of many ordinary Americans, particularly in Kansas, where workers and farmers support policies that often harm their own economic interests. The book critiques the role of the Democratic Party in neglecting its traditional support base, such as organized labor, and how this neglect has contributed to the rise of conservative politics[1][2][4].