New Poll: The Emerging Center-LEFT- Majority (The American Prospect)

[kpete]

The Emerging Center-Left Majority

Conservatives dismiss the notion that this election represents the solidifying of a center-left America. A new poll shows they are wrong.

"2008 may well mark the beginning of a new era of progressive reform and the consolidation of a center-left America."

Robert Borosage and Stanley B. Greenberg | November 13, 2008


The scope of Barack Obama's sweeping victory hasn't yet registered in much of the media. Conservatives and Republicans have responded to defeat with one constant refrain: they can take solace in the fact that America is a "center right" nation. That reality means defeat is only temporary, its causes largely transitory. The losses this time are attributed to Bush's many failures, from Iraq to the economy (the explanation varies from faction to faction).

But election 2008 was not simply a testament to the remarkable candidacy of Barack Obama, nor a product of Bush's catastrophic presidency. Rather, the results suggest that this may not simply be a change election but a sea-change election. An extended election-night survey undertaken by Democracy Corps and the Campaign for America's Future suggests that we may be witness to the emergence of a new progressive majority, that contrary to conservatives' claims, America is now a center-left nation.

The conservative claim to a center-right majority comes from addition. More voters say they are conservative than liberal (by a margin of 34 to 22 in this election). Add conservatives to the 44 percent who say they are moderates and you've got the majority.

But the addition doesn't hold up under any analysis. It assumes that moderates are without definition and more likely to swing right than left. This simply ignores reality. In 2008, self-described moderates, about 44 percent of the electorate, voted 60 to 39 for Obama. And, as has been increasingly true in polling going back to 2004, broad majorities have a world view far closer to liberals and Democrats than to conservatives or Republicans.

more at:
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_emerging_centerleft_majority

[bunnies]

1. Thats because the pukes are no longer center anything.

The entire party has been co-opted by far right ideologues. Uneducated, intolerant, hateful bigots. Palin types.

Its their own fault.

[Overseas]

2. K&R !!

Glad to read about the chance of a deeper change.

The "center" has been moved way over to the right, so I'm glad to see it move back.

[hughee99]

3. If America is center left...

Why are we seeing the Prop 8 travesty in a very blue state? How is it that we put up a very good candidate, while they put up a turd that their own party had rejected 8 years ago, all the while, the economy is in the tank, we're in an unpopular war, and there are a host of other issues that can all be laid at the feet of * who has the worst approval rating in the history of presidential approval ratings, and yet Obama only gets about 52% of the popular vote?

I WANT to believe them, but you'll have to forgive me for taking the conclusions of a survey performed by these organizations at face value.

[melody]

4. Political chicanery ... prop 8 was going down until they turned it into a school thing

The proponents were very good at making it about everything but what it was about -- bigotry.

[hughee99]

5. So a bunch of progressives were tricked into voting for it?

It from what I've seen the proponents seem to be appealing to bigotry to get people out to vote for it.