Judis and Teixeira end their important study by noting that a Democratic Party that is liberal on economics and “moderate and conciliatory” on cultural issues would be broadly successful. They are not advocating an abandonment of liberal values or a split-the-difference moderation but a return to commonsense views held by the party as recently as a decade ago.
Their real problem is they just have no legitamate competition. Until the republican party implodes and reshingles as the wigs2 or something the dems won’t improve. That or we get away from the two party system.