It's all about who goes first.
It took several rounds for the Tea Party to find a candidate and take over the party. That, however, took us /all/ way rightward, in the US brand of it, anyway.
Some Democrats /are/ listening. Maybe not enough, and maybe not in influential places. There's potential there, though. In a police state that solves war with carpet-bombing, not so much. (yes, Reagan was WAY worse than Clinton.)