Permanent Democratic Majority: New Study Says Yes

[Nonno]

Permanent Democratic Majority: New Study Says Yes

"A growing number of political scientists, analysts and strategists are making the case for a realignment of political power in the U.S. to a new Democratic majority based on two trends: 1) the increasing numbers of black and Hispanic voters, and 2) a decisive shift away from the Republican Party by the suburban and well-educated constituencies that once formed the backbone of the GOP.

Arguments supporting a Democratic realignment are based on well-researched population and voting data. Nonetheless, at a time when the economy remains in crisis and when international tensions are intensifying across the globe, any claim that Democratic (or Republican) ascendance is inevitable should be viewed with caution.

In a March, 2009 51-page paper [PDF] "New Progressive America: Twenty Years of Demographic, Geographic, and Attitudinal Changes Across the Country Herald a New Progressive Majority," Ruy Teixeira makes a strong case that "progressive arguments are in the ascendancy," that demographic and geographic "trends should take America down a very different road than has been traveled in the last eight years. A new progressive America is on the rise."

To further buttress his case, Teixeira has put together "a very cool interactive map that includes 7 levels of exit poll demographics and county-level vote shifts going back to 1988."

Teixeira is by no means alone. The New Republic's John Judis, who collaborated with Teixeira on the 2001 book The Emerging Democratic Majority, wrote an article titled "America The Liberal" the day after the November 4, 2008, election. Judis made a similarly well-argued case that the election of Obama "is the culmination of a Democratic realignment that began in the 1990s. ... The country is no longer 'America the conservative.' And, if Obama acts shrewdly to consolidate this new majority, we may soon be 'America the liberal'."

[Toxick]

Originally Posted by Nonno

Permanent Democratic Majority: New Study Says Yes

"A growing number of political scientists, analysts and strategists are making the case for a realignment of political power in the U.S. to a new Democratic majority based on two trends: 1) the increasing numbers of black and Hispanic voters, and 2) a decisive shift away from the Republican Party by the suburban and well-educated constituencies that once formed the backbone of the GOP.

Arguments supporting a Democratic realignment are based on well-researched population and voting data. Nonetheless, at a time when the economy remains in crisis and when international tensions are intensifying across the globe, any claim that Democratic (or Republican) ascendance is inevitable should be viewed with caution.

In a March, 2009 51-page paper [PDF] "New Progressive America: Twenty Years of Demographic, Geographic, and Attitudinal Changes Across the Country Herald a New Progressive Majority," Ruy Teixeira makes a strong case that "progressive arguments are in the ascendancy," that demographic and geographic "trends should take America down a very different road than has been traveled in the last eight years. A new progressive America is on the rise."

To further buttress his case, Teixeira has put together "a very cool interactive map that includes 7 levels of exit poll demographics and county-level vote shifts going back to 1988."

Teixeira is by no means alone. The New Republic's John Judis, who collaborated with Teixeira on the 2001 book The Emerging Democratic Majority, wrote an article titled "America The Liberal" the day after the November 4, 2008, election. Judis made a similarly well-argued case that the election of Obama "is the culmination of a Democratic realignment that began in the 1990s. ... The country is no longer 'America the conservative.' And, if Obama acts shrewdly to consolidate this new majority, we may soon be 'America the liberal'."

From a two party system, to a One Party system.




Next step: Monarchy.

How exciting to live in modern times.

[SamSpade]

Yeah.

Believe it or not, it wasn't that long ago I was hearing exactly the opposite, in favor of the Republicans, for all kinds of demographic reasons. For example, the transition to the Southwest, loss of representation in the blue states and so on.

On the face of it, it's absurd, because quite frankly, even if the Republican party goes belly up, factions WITHIN the Democratic Party will fill the vacuum and form another party. Americans may not give a crap about politics much, but they won't stand for one-party rule.

So forgive me if I add this to "global cooling" as yet another forecast based on wishful thinking.

[SamSpade]

"America the Liberal" will soon be followed by "America, the bankrupt and indentured servant of foreign governments".

You just can't max out all of the government's credit cards, plunge us into everlasting debt on some swindle of a gamble that the Democratic vision of all their dreams fully realized will usher in an age of prosperity.

If Americans have any faults, one of them is the desire for swift if not immediate gratification. They won't wait 70 years like the Russians did. They'll kick 'em out in two.

[Toxick]

Originally Posted by SamSpade

On the face of it, it's absurd, because quite frankly, even if the Republican party goes belly up, factions WITHIN the Democratic Party will fill the vacuum and form another party.

Or maybe (hopefully) several parties.

Maybe the implosion of the GOP would be the best thing that's happened for America in centuries.

[SamSpade]

Originally Posted by Toxick

Or maybe (hopefully) several parties.

Maybe the implosion of the GOP would be the best thing that's happened for America in centuries.

It sure makes sense. Take DC for example. What would happen if the GOP just threw up its hands and stopped running candidates at all? And someone who lost in the Democratic primary - say - shudder - Marion Berry - what would stop them from jumping to another ticket and running against the Democrats in the fall?

It happens. Absent a party, and ambition for control steps in, not policy. Take away the Republicans, and the best Democrats can hope for is its OWN breakup into factions, because people want to vote.

[Larry Gude (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Nonno

Permanent Democratic Majority: New Study Says Yes

"A growing number of political scientists, analysts and strategists are making the case for a realignment of political power in the U.S. to a new Democratic majority based on two trends: 1) the increasing numbers of black and Hispanic voters, and 2) a decisive shift away from the Republican Party by the suburban and well-educated constituencies that once formed the backbone of the GOP.

Arguments supporting a Democratic realignment are based on well-researched population and voting data. Nonetheless, at a time when the economy remains in crisis and when international tensions are intensifying across the globe, any claim that Democratic (or Republican) ascendance is inevitable should be viewed with caution.

In a March, 2009 51-page paper [PDF] "New Progressive America: Twenty Years of Demographic, Geographic, and Attitudinal Changes Across the Country Herald a New Progressive Majority," Ruy Teixeira makes a strong case that "progressive arguments are in the ascendancy," that demographic and geographic "trends should take America down a very different road than has been traveled in the last eight years. A new progressive America is on the rise."

To further buttress his case, Teixeira has put together "a very cool interactive map that includes 7 levels of exit poll demographics and county-level vote shifts going back to 1988."

Teixeira is by no means alone. The New Republic's John Judis, who collaborated with Teixeira on the 2001 book The Emerging Democratic Majority, wrote an article titled "America The Liberal" the day after the November 4, 2008, election. Judis made a similarly well-argued case that the election of Obama "is the culmination of a Democratic realignment that began in the 1990s. ... The country is no longer 'America the conservative.' And, if Obama acts shrewdly to consolidate this new majority, we may soon be 'America the liberal'."

Nonno, do you enjoy sounding like Karl Rove? Imitation is, they say, the sincerest form of flattery.

[SamSpade]

Originally Posted by Larry Gude

Nonno, do you enjoy sounding like Karl Rove? Imitation is, they say, the sincerest form of flattery.

I thought it was Rove who said that!