Quote:
Originally Posted by Snake Doctor
The other factor is just demographics in general. If the electorate had the same ethnic makeup in 1980 as it did in 2008, Reagan would have lost by a healthy margin.
In 1980 the electorate was 88% white, in 2008 it was only 74% white. The more the republicans try to ignite the "culture wars" the more they drive away minority voters.
Nixon's "silent majority" doesn't exist anymore. They're now a minority and loud as hell, and their numbers are shrinking every year.
I agree about the bloated/corrupt thing. I hope that doesn't happen. I'm a big believer in term limits and public financing of campaigns....but since that's not going to happen anytime soon (if ever) I just have to hope the legislative branch fights to keep it's independence from the executive instead of them basically being the same thing the way they were from 2000-2006.  |
That is true the general demographic and ethnic makeup of the country is changing. Also I think we are seeing more and more younger voters who are less effected by social politics. I saw a poll a few weeks ago about gay marriage. They broke it down by age group. As you would assume older people (mostly 50+) were pretty strongly opposed to gay marriage, but as the groupings got younger the approval rating of it went up. The group that was 15-18 year olds had a huge approval rating for gay marriage. Sure, when those voters get into their 40's they may change their views, but over the next 3-5 years will will still be more socially liberal.
What is helping the democrats most is that after the defeats of the last two years the republican party is left in shambles and is fighting among itself to find an identity. If they want to start winning elections they will have to come to some kind of common ground again and that doesn't see likely to happen for a little while.