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My personal musings about anything that gets on my radar screen--heavily dominated by politics.

2005-03-15

Re-Alignment Even In Defeat

John Zogby, whose polls have had some very. . .interesting. . .tendencies over the last three election cycles, has penned a very interesting Op-Ed in tomorrow's OJO.

It has been no secret that Mr. Bush and Karl Rove have their sights set on a political realignment not experienced since FDR built a coalition of urban ethnics, liberal ideologues and Southern conservatives under the Democrats' big tent. Like the New Deal, the president's "ownership society" is a compelling new vision and veritable redefinition of a society less dependent on government largess, of a middle class more independent and more capable of securing financial security on its own.

This stunning realignment is possible by virtue of a new class of American voters--the self-identified "investor class"--which is itself a coalition across a broad spectrum of demographic groups. . .

Self-identified investors comprised 46% of the total vote in 2004, a significantly higher figure than pre-election polls suggested. The group is neither dominated by the wealthy nor do members necessarily aspire to become wealthy. According to a series of polls we did on behalf of PBS's "Wall Street Week with Fortune," this group tells us they simply are saving for a retirement that maintains their current lifestyle and for college for their children. Importantly, their worldview remains middle class, modest, and basically conservative. . .

To the Democrats: Just saying no is not a policy and demographics are not destiny. Ignore the "ownership society" at your own peril.

It does, to a degree, seem almost intuitive that the country is moving ever-so-slowly to the right. Consider all the forces arrayed against the President in the last election, and the fact that he still won, and you have to be optimistic that the general electorate has tendencies that defy politics as usual. If Zogby is correct in his assessment of investing as the catalyst to a long-term GOP majoritarian coalition, then the future is very bright.

When even McDonald's advertises its retirment plans, you can be sure that the "investor class" is growing, and will be a central player in the future of the country.
Posted by: Michael / 3/15/2005 12:52:00 AM

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