Up until recently I don't think it can be doubted that the national Democrats were heading in a more suburban-libertarian direction, and largely for the reasons Frodo mentioned.
Recent noises from various high profile national Democrats (and the facts that Reid was able to fix himself the Minority Leader spot without too much trouble and that they got Casey to run for Senate) suggests that they've finally realised that what they have been doing is electoral suicide.
I think in the next few years we're likely to see more attention on small town voters from the national Dems.
Hopefully.....for the democratic parties sake. Our nation, whether you like it or not, is a populist nation (yes i know you DO like it Al
). If we voted purely on economics the democratic party would win - every time. However people DON'T vote on economics. They vote on social wedge issues such as gay marriage and abortion. Perhaps this is because they are easier to understand for the average american. When the democratic party stopped representing working class americans and started representing elitist new englanders they lost their edge. The party is a mess right now. We are trying to travel in too many directions at once. The republican party is unified and has a message. We need a message, and fast.
