I don't see where they've learned anything.
They SHOULD have learned that since there are more conservatives than liberals in America, they need to be a "big tent" party. That means tolerating centrists, giving them real roles in the party, and recognizing that, at times, a moderate compromise is better than no advancement at all.
Do you have ANY statistical proof that there are more conservatives than liberals, after the GOP lost the popular vote six times in the last seven elections?
Pretty solid evidence. Even 17% of Democrats consider themselves to be conservatives.
What did Republicans learn in 2008 and 2012?
I'd say they learned it by accident, but it's pretty clear that wealthy, college-educated Republicans are much more loyal to the party than "working class" voters, and an effort to appeal to working class voters pays off electorally.
Anywho, I'd say this is what they NEED to learn:
- The Democratic Party wins elections when it focuses on "kitchen tables issues," and that's actually what Obama did. (I suppose the fact that he was the first Black President distracted from this.)
- There is a ceiling for the Democratic Party among affluent voters, and they have reached it. (Sorry, Non Swing Voter, your dream is dead. Seriously, if you're not fighting for economic justice and progressivism, why the HELL are you a Democrat?)
- It is impossible to have any meaningful political power without millions of votes from ALL of the cities, the suburbs and the rural areas
- The Democratic Party was winning far more "Working Class Whites" than they had imagined, and those voters were a part of their "Blue Wall."
Despite what Fuzzy Bear and Lief will contest (very ironic, given their respective parties), I think it's clear that more than enough Democrats definitely learned this lesson the hard way and know they have to change/get in touch with the party's roots to regain power ... and if you don't have power, what is the point of politics? Senate Democrats saying they would work with Trump on his more economically progressive ideas (and of course fight him on everything else) and CHUCK SCHUMER (can't emphasize enough who authorized this move!) putting people like Bernie Sanders and Joe Manchin in very important leadership roles says a lot about what they think they have to do going forward, and it's not double down on being a coastal party of socially liberal yuppies and minorities (which, of course, they never have been and never could/will be).
