Stubborn Things

This week, Jay and Sean welcome Echelon Insight’s Patrick Ruffini to Stubborn Things to talk about how the GOP went from the party of Reagan to the party of Trump. Patrick discussed the Republican Party’s demographic shift and how Trump began to appeal to working class voters during the 2016 election. Jay, Sean, and Patrick also touched on the idea of economic aspiration, potential reversions in the GOP’s demographic gains, and economic and educational indicators of voting patterns. Plus, hear Patrick’s thoughts about the future of the GOP post-Trump and what to watch for in the midterms.
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Comments? Suggestions? Email us at StubbornThings@aei.org.
Show notes:
Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP
Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream
Steadfast Democrats: How Social Forces Shape Black Political Behavior

The last Stubborn Things episode was so popular that we couldn’t resist doing yet another presidential tiers episode. Take a listen to hear how Sean and Jay rank the first presidents of the twentieth century, from Theodore Roosevelt through Hebert Hoover. And let us know where you’d place these presidents on your own tiers!
Remember to rate and follow Stubborn Things and stay up to date by following us on X @aei_STpodcast.
Comments? Suggestions? Email us at StubbornThings@aei.org.

Back by popular demand, this week, Sean and Jay continue their rankings of America’s presidents. After harshly grading the antebellum presidents, our Stubborn Things hosts sprinkle in a few good grades for the presidents of the latter half of the 19th century. Still, failing grades abound, as Stubborn Things has a strict policy against grade inflation! Let us know in the comments where you agree and where you disagree with Sean and Jay’s tiers.
Remember to rate and follow Stubborn Things and stay up to date by following us on X @aei_STpodcast.
Comments? Suggestions? Email us at StubbornThings@aei.org.

This week, Stubborn Things is laser-focused on the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais. Our hosts discuss the history of the Voting Rights Act, as well as the Gingles test which the majority updated last week. Sean and Jay evaluate how far-reaching the Court’s decision will prove to be, and they correct some of the narratives that have emerged in the wake of the decision. What do they think of Justice Alito’s argumentation? What about Justice Kagan’s dissent? Take a listen to find out!
Remember to rate and follow Stubborn Things and stay up to date by following us on X @aei_STpodcast.
Comments? Suggestions? Email us at StubbornThings@aei.org.
Show notes:
Louisiana v. Callais
Amy Coney Barrett’s Precedent and Jurisprudential Disagreement

Jay and Sean are joined this week by Ruy Teixeira, Nonresident Senior Fellow at AEI and longtime analyst of Democratic politics. Our hosts interview Ruy about the evolving relationship between the Democratic Party and organized labor, whether Democrats can learn from their past mistakes to form a durable electoral coalition, and more. Along the way, Jay, Sean, and Ruy discuss the “Abundance" movement, immigration, class, and if there are any heterodox Democrats who can make waves in future elections. Take a listen!
Remember to rate and follow Stubborn Things and stay up to date by following us on X @aei_STpodcast.
Comments? Suggestions? Email us at StubbornThings@aei.org.
Show notes:
America's Forgotten Majority
The Emerging Democratic Majority
Where Have All the Democrats Gone?
Ruy's last article in The Liberal Patriot