"Why Don't We Always Win?"

A. The majority of Americans agree with our party on all the important issues. Why doesn't voting reflect this?

The preferred answers include:

1) We haven't given them candidates who are real [conservatives/liberals/progressives/treefrogs.] Barry Goldwater and his supporters preferred this explanation. Goldwater's 1964 Presidential nomination would ensure Republican victory.

2) Rampant voter fraud. Seems to be the current Republican answer.

3) Disenfranchisement of eligible voters. Current Democratic answer.

My answer: Neither party, and no ideology, has a reliable majority of American voters.

B. Why do Those People keep voting against their best interests?

One reason more of Those People don't vote your way: They think you don't respect people like them.

I'm a member of several Those People categories: Jewish, grew up rural, city-dweller by preference, live in the Midwest, senior citizen. And I'm certain that each of these categories is disrespected by the people who run one or both major parties.

Oh -- and maybe Those People have different notions of what their best interests are.