Why Democrats lose: they’re smarter than you

Here’s Roger “No L” Simon in US News & World Report trying to explain why the Democrats keep losing elections in “Dem Blues”:

Others say message isn't really the chief problem. Over and over again, critics say that Democrats have become tainted by a "cultural elitism," the sneering belief that "blue staters" are better educated, more sophisticated, and morally superior, compared with "red staters." "We do sneer at red staters," said [Gore campaigner Bill] Daley. "We convey that we are out of touch with the average person. We are truly a Washington, D.C.-focused party, and that includes unions, feminists, et cetera." Many also say that while Hollywood has been good for the Democratic Party in terms of contributing money, the Hollywood connection reinforces the notion that the Democrats are a condescending, leftist elite.

This superciliousness translates to the Social Security debate where the Democrats will not deign to admit there is a problem, much less propose their own solutions. Above all, the Democrats stand athwart a program that – by all reports – will be voluntary. If personal accounts are a terrible idea destined to rob future retirees of a secure future, the opposition can certainly make that case. If younger workers believe that the accounts are a scam, they can stick with the current system, no harm no foul. But the Democrats, who know that you shouldn’t be allowed to shop at Wal-Mart, who know you should embrace wind power (but not in Nantucket!), also know that personal accounts are the pathway to penury. Therefore, poor misinformed America, they’re going to make up your mind for you.