Is a Democratic realignment afoot in the middle class?

[applegrove]

Is a Democratic realignment afoot in the middle class?

By Steven L. Schweizer at the Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/09/07/is-a-democratic-realignment-afoot-in-the-middle-class/

"SNIP........................


In the past 40 years, the industrial economy has evolved into an information economy. This economic change has transformed the middle and lower classes, culminating in a partisan realignment in the middle class. If there is an ascendant Democratic coalition, it is centered here.

The new information economy is more service oriented, less industrial, and more dependent on the creative use of knowledge and computer technology. Anthony Carnevale and Donna Desrochers and the National Association of Colleges and Employers note that the new economy prizes such skills as critical thinking, problem solving, working in teams and analyzing quantitative data.

This economy is dividing the higher skilled and the lower skilled. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the fastest-growing jobs among less-skilled workers will be low-paying occupations such as home health aides and medical secretaries. The fastest-growing jobs among more-skilled workers will be higher-paying occupations such physical therapists, post-secondary health-care teachers, information security analysts and interpreters/translators.

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Why would these economic changes push the middle class toward the Democratic Party? Because an increasing number of the middle class are employed in the relatively lucrative knowledge, professional and high-tech sectors, and they benefit from Democratic initiatives in education, alternative energy, scientific research and civil rights. Moreover, younger people, whites and men who have encountered deepening employment challenges profit from Democratic employment initiatives. In addition, a byproduct of increasing educational attainment among these groups is a rising social liberalism, including support for gay rights, legalization of marijuana and women’s reproductive rights.



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[brush]

1. All that's well and good but . . .

we all know that the repugs are constantly initiating policies that make higher education more and more expensive, therefore making college unattainable for many younger people, whites and men, the very people you cite as benefiting from higher ed.

What's up with that glaring disconnect, and also no mention of people of color at all?

[RadicalGeek]

2. And this article might be why

Also it means that may mean that many folks are more likley to stick to smaller, local, mainly religious colleges.

[msongs]

3. democrats have initiatives? what are they?

the ought to be

strengthening social security
medicare for all
jobs program for infrastructure not related to military welfare
elimination of privatized prisons/jails
supporting public schools and their teachers

and lots more

unfied agenda coming from all democrats across the board

[brush]

4. No argument with any of that. nt

[Psephos]

5. Exactly. n/t