America's political tilt: 'center-right' or altered by Barack Obama's win?

The great debate, in the wake of the solid Democratic showing at virtually every level in Tuesday's election, is now fully engaged: What is the nation's ideological slant?

Jon Meacham of Newsweek fired an early shot in the verbal battle in mid-October with an article declaring that "America remains a center-right nation -- a fact that a President Obama would forget at his peril."

With the votes counted, Republican politicians and their allies in the commentariat class -- while chagrined at the outcome -- quickly have taken up this mantra.

Indeed, in some cases they did so while the votes were being counted.

Interviewed on the BBC Tuesday night, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton said: "It's important for viewers around the world to understand that fundamentally the United States remains a center-right nation. This will be a substantial victory for Sen. Obama ... but that doesn't necessarily mean there's going to be a divergence from the basic core values of the country."

A conservative activist group, the American Issues Project, sought to buttress this argument with a poll it released today. The findings, the group says, show that "the decisive defeat Republicans suffered in Tuesday's election came because conservative voters decided the party had lost its way, not because the electorate has shifted to the left."

Liberals have lost little time firing back.

In a New Republic article posted Wednesday that is well worth ruminating over, John Judis asserts that a far-reaching political realignment toward the Democratic Party "reflects the shift that began decades ago toward a post-industrial economy centered in large urban-suburban metropolitan areas devoted primarily to the production of ideas and services rather than material goods."

He adds:

Clustered in the regions that have undergone this economic transition are the three main groups that constitute the backbone of the new Democratic majority: professionals (college-educated workers who produce ideas and services); minorities (African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans); and women (particularly working, single, and college-educated women).

And today, a newsletter from the Progress Report -- headlined "The Center-Right Myth" -- makes its case that the country has "both rejected conservative ideology as well as embraced new, progressive priorities."

Our guess is that the immediate focus of the Obama administration will be less on matters of dogma and more on embracing whatever policies result in an economy that a year from now doesn't feel like it's cratering.

-- Don Frederick

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Photo credit: AFP/Getty Images

Comments

[GOP RIP 2008]

It is clear that the Republican Party is out of touch with how much their base will tolerate. To have forced the dimwitted Palin on their members and independents, and expect no dissension is indicative of the arrogant misread of party leaders.
If they dismiss the renunciation of a political charcature for a genuine candidate as bad packaging, they will more than likely repeat their blunder in the future.
The party needs to grow or die.

[keith]

Obama was elected based on the color of his skin. Granted, McCain is an old fool and proved it time and time again (John, it was your fault you lost, heck you were on the comeback until you opened your mouth & that "my friends" thing couldn't have rang more tinny and hollow, who's dumb idea was that?) - but Jesus C. himself couldn't have beat the O-man. But that skin tone thing is a one note samba, don't forget that 46% of the people voted against him and as the liberals show their true colors that tide will turn again. Poor old Obama couldn't have picked a worse time to get elected, and I'll bet his bag of miracles is really pretty thin. You can't serve two masters and the ultra lib left is looking for it's piece of flesh immediately. Let's see what happens when the next round of elections comes up. Oh, and Lindsey Graham, he's the type that needs to leave the GOP anyway, good riddance.

[vice grip]

Flag this messageeconomical pressure obama will make life be better for people from all racesThursday, November 6, 2008 9:41 PM
From: This sender is DomainKeys verified "danna b brown" View contact details To: subscribe@jamaicaobserver.comCc: browvoicedon@yahoo.comMessage contains attachments01 Track 1.wma (3255KB) Flag this messageeconomical pressure obama will make life be better for people from all racesSunday, November 2, 2008 1:51 AMFrom: This sender is DomainKeys verified "danna b brown" View contact details To: colin@classactpro.comCc: browvoicedon@yahoo.com Flag this messageFw: ECONOMICAL PRESSURE OBAMA WILL MAKE IT BETTERThursday, October 30, 2008 12:29 PMFrom: This sender is DomainKeys verified "danna b brown" View contact details To: memorylanefl@hotmail.comCc: browvoicedon@yahoo.comMessage contains attachments01 Track 1.wma (4331KB)

--- On Wed, 10/29/08, danna b brown wrote:

From: danna b brown
Subject: ECONOMICAL PRESSURE OBAMA WILL MAKE IT BETTER
To: florida@barackobama.com
Cc: browvoicedon@yahoo.com
Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 8:56 AM

Flag this messageeconomical pressure obama will make life be better for people from all racesMonday, October 27, 2008 6:19 PMFrom: This sender is DomainKeys verified "danna b brown" View contact details To: inoor@floridaforchange.comCc: browvoicedon@yahoo.comMessage contains attachments01 Track 1.wma (3255KB) Flag this messageFw: economical pressure obama will make life be better for people from all racesMonday, October 27, 2008 4:19 PMFrom: This sender is DomainKeys verified "danna b brown" View contact details To: fl@barackobama.comCc: browvoicedon@yahoo.comMessage contains attachments01 Track 1.wma (3255KB)

--- On Mon, 10/27/08, danna b brown wrote:

From: danna b brown
Subject: economical pressure obama will make life be better for people from all races
To: info@meetup.com
Cc: browvoicedon@yahoo.com
Date: Monday, October 27, 2008, 1:24 PM

Biography of Donavon Brown Alias Vice Grip

Jamaican Reggae Artist.

With the failure of the American economy and all the negativity that it brings especially as it relates to the global economy, we are introduced to a shining Jamaican Reggae artist (Vice Grip) born Donavon Brown, who captivates the minds of people every where with his hit single “Economical Pressure.”

Vice Grip a native of Jamaica, started his career about four years ago. Vice Grip (born September 01, 1966) at the Percy Junior Hospital in Spalding Manchester, as a youth, spend most of his time with his grandmother in Lester field Clarendon. He later migrated to the United States of America in November 1989. His musical career kicked off in April 2008 with his hit single “Economical Pressure;” however, he out rightly endorses Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States.

This single demonstrates all the hardship and crisis with which the American people and people all over the world are faced. According to Vice Grip, only one individual can correct this economical crisis and that is Senator Barack Obama, who brings a breath of fresh air to not only Washington, but also the American people and people all over the world.

Vice Grip not only mention the failure of the American Economy, but he also explores the notion of people from all races living together as one. He also attributes this song to iconic figures such as; Marcus Garvey and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who he claims are mentors though gone, theirs memories live on today in a positive nature.

“The great Marcus Garvey history is calling to make Martin Luther words come to pass. To make

his dreams come through to make people from all race live as one. Oh yeah oh yeah oh

well…economical pressure only poor people a suffer. Economical pressure Obama will make it

better. “

Vice Grip who currently resides in Fort Lauderdale Florida, is not only a Reggae artist but also a sole supporter of Senator Barack Obama who he spends most of his time campaigning for when he his not busy promoting his hit single “Economical Pressure.” Vice Grip urges that as it comes closer to the general election the American people should take this election very seriously and go out and vote for barackobama

[Aaron]

Republican leaders and commentators are now suffering from a common ailment among those who rely on deception- they're believing their own lies. For at least the past 8 years- and really even back to Reagan, Republicans have willfully eschewed any facts which contradict the mantras of conservative ideology, and now I fear it is contributing to a state of complete denial among the party.

Is the condition terminal? We'll find out in the coming years. There are some voices of reform in the party- people looking to reintroduce actual ideas into the platform; but at the same time others seem content to rely on partisan politics and empty mantras like "this is a center-right country"-- as if that statement actually *meant* anything anymore.

Obama was not elected as a centrist Republican candidate. He has advocated a whole host of policies that are certainly not "center-right", and a majority of Americans have voted for him, and 2 years prior to that they handed control of Congress to his party.

The Republicans were so keen to point out how liberal Obama is, but now that he's won the presidency regardless, they simply refuse to believe that more people side with the Democratic agenda now than the Republican one.

At what point do we dispense with the nonsense and realize that Americans are looking for progress on issues that have been left stagnant for decades, and solutions to the problems that the so-called "center-right" platform has given us?

BTW, I see PUMA is still around. Why bother keeping up appearances... just go register Republican, get it over with, and enjoy your new bedfellows (tell Harriet I said hello). Or, alternatively, get over yourselves. Hasn't your party, and your country, made it pretty clear where your complaints stand?