In 2002, John B. Judis and Ruy Teixeira published a book entitled The Emerging Democratic Majority. Judis and Teixeira posited that historic voting patterns, urbanization, and growing minority populations could lead to Democrat party electoral dominance. However, the Democrats misinterpreted “could” to mean “would” and missed the point of the book. It wasn’t telling them what would happen. It was suggesting what could happen, if they played “big tent” politics.

Due to that misinterpretation, their book became the holy grail of the Left -- and a big justification for keeping our borders open. All the Democrats had to do was flood the country with enough people of the preferred demographic, and they’d never lose another election -- so they thought. And since electoral dominance was destiny, the Dems decided to charge ahead and indulge all of their leftist fantasies. What could possibly go wrong? After all, Judis and Teixeira promised them that they had it in the bag.

It turns out plenty could go wrong. Teixeira has been sounding the alarm for some time now. In 2021 when he wrote “Will Census Trends Save the Democrats?” he noted that voting patterns, especially among Hispanics, were shifting towards Republicans. He explained, and I’m paraphrasing: When he and his pal John said the Dems were on the right path in 2002, it wasn’t meant as advice to make a hard Left turn onto another path leading to something America is not.

He argued that the Democrat party’s embrace of radicalism isn’t a winning argument with the emerging demographics who wanted things like health, freedom, and prosperity. Those are the things that make America great -- but are anathema to the left.

Teixeira recently wrote a three-part series of articles in which he recommends a political strategy to the Dems (here, here, and  here). He gets into several specifics, but the thumbnail version is to distance themselves from the radicals and cozy up to the normies. The “normies” are what Teixeira calls common working-class Americans -- i.e., mainstream Americans. Isn’t it interesting that what the Democrats call right-wing extremists (or even semi-fascist) is what Teixeira considers the normal people? There’s a message for the party in that.

Teixeira offers up three points of strategic advance:

• Move to the center on cultural issues
• Promote an abundance agenda
• Embrace patriotism and liberal nationalism

Culture

On point 1, Teixeira argues that the “no compromise” radicalism of the Left is losing the cultural debate. He says:

Culture matters and the issues to which they are connected matter. They are a hugely important part of how voters assess who is on their side and who is not; whose philosophy they can identify with and whose they can’t.

Teixeira notes that supporting violent criminals, rioters, illegal aliens, DEI initiatives, and gender-affirming care is not aligned with normie values. He argues that the Democrats have embraced radical positions, because leftists have oversized influence on the party. That influence is driving the Democrat party to lose touch with the normies, who are still the vast majority of American voters.

Teixeira recommends that the Democrats remake themselves into the normie party -- the party that represents mainstream American values. He puts the issue succinctly:

Democrats need to convince them (the normies) that they are not looked down on, that their concerns are taken seriously and that their views on culturally freighted issues will not be summarily dismissed as unenlightened.

In other words: listen to them, don’t cancel them.

Abundance

On point two Teixeira says that the Democrats have an abundance problem. He explains:

Abundance means just what you think it means: more stuff, more growth, more opportunity, being able to easily afford life’s necessities with a lot left over. In short, nicer, genuinely comfortable lives for all.

He’s getting really close to what should be an epiphany for Democrats. Voters want to be prosperous -- surprise! However, his research shows that voters are not happy about their current state. They are increasingly concerned about their ability to buy a home, start a business, or care for their family.

Teixeira notes that the Democrat agenda seems at odds with promoting business growth -- which is required for economic prosperity. As an example, he points out Senator Joe Manchin’s permitting reform legislation. It would have streamlined permitting for many new business ventures, but it was killed by Manchin’s fellow Democrats. To the normies, when the Democrats take such positions, they don’t appear to care about economic prosperity.

Relative to the issue of economic prosperity, Teixeira gives the Democrats credit for messaging. They’re talking about the right things. But he notes that conditions on the ground don’t match the messaging -- and the voters know it. He doesn’t say it, but I will: The gaslighting isn’t working.

Patriotism

On the third point of his strategy, Teixeira claims that the Democrats have lost their patriotism bona fides. He says:

It’s kind of hard to strike up the band on patriotism when you’ve been endorsing the view that America was born in slavery, marinated in racism and remains a white supremacist society, shot through with multiple, intersecting levels of injustice that make everybody either oppressed or oppressor on a daily basis.

He recognizes that America is not perfect, but suggests that inspiring patriotism is a sounder electoral strategy than condemning the country that most voters still love.

Teixeira claims that the Democrat party should promote:

…nonsectarian, quasi-religious faith based around national symbols, founding documents and ideals, holidays, heroes, epic events, rituals and stories that has bound -- and can bind -- Americans together across social and regional divisions.

Imagine that. A winning American electoral strategy should include:

• A return to founding principles rather than pursuing socialism
• Honoring those who created our country rather than tearing their statues down
• Celebrating our past accomplishments rather than dwelling on our mistakes
• Working to make America better

Ruy Teixeira is a really smart guy and he’s done a great deal of research to support his recommendations. He is recommending a right turn for the party of the left -- to return to a path of electoral viability. The Democrats would be well advised to pay close attention to him -- as would the Republicans too. The short version of his advice is to:

• Moderate culturally
• Embrace that which creates prosperity
• Celebrate America unabashedly

That sounds a bit like MAGA, no?

John Green is a political refugee from Minnesota, now residing in Idaho. He has written for American Thinker, and American Free News Network.  He can be followed on Facebook or reached at greenjeg@gmail.com.

Image: Center for Americna Progress