I recall predictions following President Obama becoming President that he would be “transformative.” That seems to be an accurate description if you are considering the strength of the Democratic Party. I heard a radio report that there are 900 fewer Democrats serving in elected state offices than when he came into office. It doesn’t end there. An NPR article published in March 2016 had some somber information for Democrats. As of the date of that article, there were 14 less Democratic Senators, 69 less members of the House, and 9 fewer governors. Democrats hold fewer elected offices nationwide than at any time since the 1920s. The recent election didn’t change control of the House and the Senate, but, absent any progress on overthrowing the Electoral College, it did give Republicans the Presidency.

The NPR article also had some information that might have warned Democrats about what would happen in the recent Presidential election. It said Democratic votes are clumped together. “You could say that for the purposes of winning elections, Democratic votes are just not efficiently distributed.” The article ends with a comment that should really frighten Democratic leaders. “This November, the stakes for Democrats couldn’t be higher. Without the White House, assuming party control elsewhere remains the same; Democrats would be truly out in the cold.”