I had a political science professor in college who wrote a book about the Democrats' demographically securing a more-or-less permanent edge in presidential elections, a strategy where they can essentially ignore the south and still win the White House. Since reading (parts) of his book and hearing this strategy, I felt the exact complacency the author of this article describes. The White House is a big deal, no? But looking at maps of not only Republican counties but the maps of state legislatures, it's enough to make your pants wet if you're a progressive/liberal: There's no question about it, the Republicans own the majority of states. And our little laboratories of democracy are experimenting all the time. John Oliver has an excellent take on the effects. It's all a little dispiriting.