Can't disagree with a single thing you said. The MO the Dims are applying to first gain, then retain power has probably been around since, well, since the beginning. In it's simplest terms it's divide and conquer, but that phrase is too easily brushed off as a tired old canard, not worthy of consideration. The trick is to first slice off a segment of the body politic, take women for example; convince a majority of them(not all that difficult) they are an oppressed class and a victim of "the Male WASP system"; sow the seeds of dissension and discontent; pander to, nay, spread manure, cultivate and raise into a cabal of disinfranchised voters; set yourself up as the champion of the downtrodden; enjoy the harvest. Slice off another group; rinse and repeat...
Oddly enough, all of which has been ususually successful in a nation that has arguably done more to raise the standard of living for more people in more places than any other "sytsem" in the world. Not bad...
Probably nothing really new about any of this, I just wanted to see it in black and white. ;^)