Robert Reich: The Dis-Uniting of America (2): Social Issues and The Demographic Split
The Dis-Uniting of America (2): Social Issues and The Demographic Split
Friday, April 19, 2013
My first reaction on hearing of the Senates failure to get 60 votes for even modest measures to regulate the flow of guns into the hands of people who shouldnt have them, such as background checks supported by 90 percent of Americans, was to be furious at the spinelessness of the four Senate Democrats who voted against the measure (Mark Begich, Max Baucus, Mark Pryor, and Heidi Heitkamp), as well as the Republicans. And also with Harry Reid, who wouldnt lead the fight on changing the filibuster rule when he had the chance.
The deeper message here is that rural, older, white America occupies one land; younger, urban, increasingly non-white America lives in another. And the dividing line on social issues (not just guns, but also abortion, equal marriage rights, and immigration reform) runs between the two.
Yes, I know: Plenty of people who are rural, older, and white arent regressives on guns, abortion, equal marriage, and immigration. And plenty who are urban, younger, and non-white are. My point is that if you want to explain whats happening in America on these non-economic issues you have to understand whats happening to the nation demographically and why the demographic split is important. ......................(more)
The complete piece is at:
http://robertreich.org/post/48371515228