[Tribune7]

The Dems have bent over backwards to chase away men and get themselves stigmatized as the anti-God party in a nation in which over 90 percent of its citizens believe in God.

It's turning out, too, that most women are strongly pro-life, and as the Republican message starts reaching the blacks most of them will go Pubbie too.

Most importantly, the Dems hammerlock on information has been shattered. Network news and urbane dailies no longer have a monopoly on the media and are in fact dying.

[Reverend Bob]

The secret to the Dems long term collapse (and, yes, they will -- eventually -- be back) is hidden in an odd place in this article. Republicans are cited as having a "mature array of institutions that are partisan" but also independent of the party (or somesuch). This is true. What is unsaid is that the Democrats have their own such institutions (the NAACP, NARAL, NOW, the AFL-CIO). The difference is that, while the Dems' institutions are likewise independent, the Democratic Party is not independent of THEM!

Whenever a political party allows a narrow segment of it's base to exercise a veto over it's candidates and policies it will, by neccessity, begin to shrink. That's why Reagan Democrats, gun owners, pro-lifers, etc have been moving toward the Republicans for the last 20 years. The Republicans are trying to build a big-tent party and a long-term governing majority while Democrats continue to focus on placating narrow segments of their base.

Personally, I think that, barring some major scandal or disaster, we're heading towards a long, several decade run as America's majority party. Then again, I've thought that before. Old voting habits die hard however, and baby boomers continue to be a problem. :-(