Politics -- The New Progressive America

March 12, 2009

by Faiz Shakir, Amanda Terkel, Satyam Khanna, Matt Corley, Benjamin Armbruster, Ali Frick, and Ryan Powers

POLITICS

The New Progressive America

This past November, President Obama was elected with "the largest share of the popular vote received by any presidential candidate in 20 years" after running on the most progressive platform of any presidential candidate in at least 15 years, which included "a promise of universal health care coverage, a dramatic transformation to a low-carbon economy, and a historic investment in education." As soon as he was elected, however, conservatives and many in the media rushed to claim that despite Obama's resounding victory, "America remains a center-right country." More often then not, this claim was based on the fact that in polling that asks Americans to identify themselves as conservative, liberal, or moderate, "nearly twice as many people call themselves conservatives as liberals." But two new studies released yesterday by the Progressive Studies Program at the Center for American Progress challenge this conventional wisdom. Instead of relying on the conservative/liberal/moderate framework, Center for American Progress Senior Fellow John Halpin and Karl Agne broke down the electorate on a new 5-point scale of political ideology that reflects the primary ways people think about themselves today. Under this approach, 34 percent of the country self-identifies as "conservative," 29 percent as "moderate," 15 percent as "liberal," 16 percent as "progressive," and 2 percent as "libertarian." After moderates were asked which label they leaned towards, the overall ideological breakdown of the country divided into fairly neat left and right groupings, with 47 percent of Americans identifying as progressive or liberal, 48 percent as conservative or libertarian, and the rest unsure. Combining the ideological identification questions with 40 specific ideological statements equally divided between progressive and conservative beliefs, Halpin and Agne found the nation is evenly split in its stated political identity but is decidedly center-left in its policy orientation.

AMERICANS WANT PROGRESSIVE POLICY: Halpin and Agne's survey found that when it comes to domestic policy, a majority of Americans increasingly favor progressive ideas such as sustainable lifestyles and green energy; public investment in education, infrastructure, and science; financial support for the poor, elderly, and sick; regulation of business to protect workers and consumers; and guaranteed affordable health coverage for every American. The progressive approach was also preferred on the international front, finding that after the Bush years, the American public is "far more interested in restoring the country's image abroad, fighting climate change, and pursuing security through diplomacy, alliances, and international institutions than in the continued pursuit of national objectives through the sole projection of military might." In fact, most of the ideas with the strongest consensus (approximately two-thirds total agreement and 40 percent strong agreement), are all progressive positions. Seventy-nine percent of Americans believe that investments in education, infrastructure, and science "are necessary to ensure America's long-term economic growth;" 76 percent agree that America's economic future requires a transition to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar; 73 percent of Americans believe that "government regulations are necessary to keep businesses in check and protect workers and consumers;" and nearly two in three Americans agree that "the federal government should guarantee affordable health coverage for every American." In all, the study found that Americans are "solidly center-left in their ideas about [the] role of government, the economy and domestic politics and somewhat less so on cultural and social issues."

TRENDING TOWARD PROGRESSIVISM: One of the most striking findings of the survey was the significant increase in public favorability towards the "progressive" political identification. Favorable ratings of "progressive" increased by 25-points from 2004 to 2009, with almost all of the gains coming from people who previously were unaware of the term or unable to rate it moving into at least a "somewhat favorable" position. At the same time that awareness of progressivism is spreading, the American electorate is moving in a progressive direction both demographically and geographically. In his New Progressive America report, Center for American Progress Senior Fellow Ruy Teixeira finds that an "array of growing demographic groups" have "aligned themselves with progressives and swelled their ranks." Between 1988 and 2008, the minority share of voters in presidential elections has risen by 11 percentage points, while the share of increasingly progressive white college graduate voters has risen by four points. As the share of white-working class voters, who have remained conservative in their orientation, has plummeted by 15 points. Additionally, the young Millennial Generation, which supported Obama by a stunning 66-to-32 percent margin in 2008, is adding 4.5 million adults to the voting pool every year. Geographically, "progressive gains since 1988 have been heavily concentrated in not just the urbanized cores of large metropolitan areas, but also the growing suburbs around them. Even in exurbia, progressives have made big gains." Within states, fast-growing dynamic metropolitan areas have shown "a persistent pattern of strong pro-progressive shifts."

CONSERVATIVES STILL DELUDING THEMSELVES: Despite the clear shift in American attitudes towards progressive values and governance, conservatives are clinging to the myth that the American public agrees with them. In his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, hate radio talker Rush Limbaugh bellowed that "we're not a minority" and that President Obama's progressive agenda was an "assault" on America "from within." On MSNBC's Morning Joe yesterday, Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), claimed that Republicans were "fired" because the American people were tired of big government. But as Halpin and Agne demonstrate, American beliefs about government have moved in a progressive direction. Six in 10 Americans believe that "government should do more to promote the common good," versus 37 percent who feel that "government should do more to promote individual liberty." Regarding concepts of freedom, the Progressive Studies Program study found that 57 percent believe that "freedom requires economic opportunity and minimum measures of security, such as food, housing, medical care and old age protection," compared to 38 percent who favor the idea that "freedom requires that individuals be left alone to pursue their lives as they please and to deal with the consequences of their actions on their own."

ENVIRONMENT -- INCREASING NUMBERS OF AMERICANS SAY GLOBAL WARMING IS 'EXAGGERATED': In a Q&A at the Wonk Room yesterday, Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD) was asked why "the media still giving space" to global warming deniers. "I'm hopeful that while the old talking heads are still singing the 'anti-science' tune, most of America doesn’t really believe it," she replied. Unfortunately, a new Gallup poll shows that while a majority of Americans still believe global warming is happening, a record number -- 41 percent -- now say that it is "exaggerated" by the news media. Considering the manner in which the media cover global warming, it's not surprising that the public is confused. For instance, when conservative columnist George Will published demonstrably false claims about climate change in the Washington Post, the paper refused to run a correction. The Post's editorial page editor, Fred Hiatt, defended Will, claiming that he was simply "drawing inferences from data that most scientists reject" and called his critics "irresponsible." In 2007, former vice president Al Gore pointed out that studies have found that "essentially zero percent of peer-reviewed scientific journal articles disagreed that global warming exists," but that "53 percent of mainstream newspaper articles disagreed [with] the global warming premise." Gore says that this is "balance as bias."

RADICAL RIGHT -- TEXAS TO HONOR BUSH WITH 'DYNAMIC TEXAN' AWARD: The Texas legislature is scheduled to vote on a resolution this week that will name President Bush as a "Dynamic Texan" for his dedication to "the safety and prosperity of his fellow citizens." The resolution reads, "The Bush administration met numerous foreign policy challenges, while also making constructive progress in relations with India and sustaining a solid relationship with China." The resolution also says that Bush "lived each day with the safety and prosperity of his fellow citizens foremost in his mind; he took a principled stance on a wide range of issues of great importance to every American, and his tireless efforts will not soon be forgotten." The facts, however, contradict the Texas legislature. Many experts believe that Bush's policies have left America "more susceptible than ever" to an attack involving weapons of mass destruction. Also, the U.S. economy did not prosper as the resolution suggests, as Bush "presided over the weakest eight-year span for the U.S. economy in decades" and handed over the worst financial crises in history to his successor. The resolution is expected to pass unopposed.

NATIONAL SECURITY -- OBAMA CONSIDERING DEPLOYING TROOPS TO CURB DRUG WAR VIOLENCE ON MEXICAN BORDER: Yesterday at a ceremony to nominate Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske as the country's new drug czar, Vice President Biden said that Mexican drug cartels are posing a threat to U.S. national security. "Violent drug trafficking organizations threaten both the United States and Mexican communities," Biden said. Indeed, nearly 7,000 people have been killed -- 1,000 along the border -- "in an upsurge in violence between Mexican cartels since January 2008" and "U.S. officials fear the violence is spreading into the southwestern United States, where there have been abductions and execution-style murders tied to the drug trade." "This is a very serious battle. It could spill over into the United States," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said on PBS last week. Now, President Obama is considering sending troops to the southern border region to quell the violence. "We're going to examine whether and if National Guard deployments would make sense and under what circumstances they would make sense," Obama said yesterday during an interview with local journalists. "I don't have a particular tipping point in mind," he said. "I think it's unacceptable if you've got drug gangs crossing our borders and killing U.S. citizens."

Last night at a Politico/Starbucks "Coffeehouse Conversation," House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) did not "rule out the the idea of a second stimulus package." Asked if "he would be willing to sit down with the White House and congressional Democrats to discuss any new emergency spending proposals," Cantor responded, "You have to."

Nobel-laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz said the stimulus passed by Congress this year was "too small" and "too slow." "We need a larger and better designed stimulus," Stiglitz said at a press conference in Geneva.

"More than 1-in-10 workers were unemployed in four U.S. states in January," according to new Labor Department numbers that “pointed to a rapid deterioration in the job market." Michigan's unemployment rate was 11.6 percent, "up 4.3 percentage points from a year earlier and the highest for any state."

Foreclosure filings rose 6 percent from January to February, RealtyTrac reports, and are up 30 percent from the same period a year ago. Considering government and industry efforts to halt foreclosures, Rick Sharga, RealtyTrac’s senior vice president, said they expected to see a decline. "So the fact that we saw an increase fell between a shock and surprise,” he said, adding, “It’s a little troubling."

Muntadar al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who gained international fame for throwing his shoes at President Bush, has been sentenced to three years in prison. Zaidi reportedly shouted "long live Iraq" as the verdict was read. His lawyers “described the sentence as 'harsh' and said they would appeal."

In Pakistan, the civilian government "banned a national protest march and arrested hundreds of political workers on Wednesday, evoking for many Pakistanis the sweeping security restrictions of the military dictator, Gen. Pervez Musharraf." Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, "vowed to forge ahead" with the protest, which "now appears aimed at eventually toppling the Zardari government."

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) said yesterday that deferring global actions to combat climate change because of the economy amounted to "a mutual suicide pact." "Climate change is not governed by a recession, it's governed by scientific facts about what’s happening to Earth. And you either accept the realities of the science or you don't," he said.

President Obama issued his first signing statement yesterday, "reserving a right to bypass dozens of provisions in a $410 billion government spending bill even as he signed it into law." David M. Golove of New York University Law School "said the prerogatives invoked by Mr. Obama were relatively uncontroversial. Still, Mr. Golove said he was surprised by the scope and detail of the objections."

Obama will appoint former assistant secretary of state for European affairs Daniel Fried as a special envoy on the Guantanamo Bay prison, "a move that underscores the importance the administration places on persuading other countries to accept detainees as part of the president’s plan to close the detention camp in a year."

And finally: Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) has put Rush Limbaugh on notice. Since early February, Sherman has been trying to arrange a debate between the hate radio host and himself. He even sent Limbaugh a letter on Feb. 13, writing, "If you had any confidence in your position, you would agree to my request to have me on your show -- where I'm sure I could demonstrate the merits of my views. You are a coward. Very truly yours, Brad Sherman." Sherman has not yet received a response.

"The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new version of the female condom, allowing it to be sold in the U.S. and distributed more widely across the world. ... Costs will run about 30 percent below current prices."

THINK PROGRESS: "Fair and balanced" Fox News wages assault on unions, distorts the facts behind the Employee Free Choice Act.

WONK ROOM: Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT): Closing corporate tax loopholes is a "stupid, dumb-ass" idea.

YGLESIAS: Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) thinks the essence of America is wasteful giveaways to corporate lenders.

MAJIKTHISE: Bill Kristol's New York Times replacement, Ross Douthat, has strong anti-choice views.

MASSACHUSETTS: State deficit may hit $1 billion again.

ARIZONA: "Lawmakers on Wednesday approved legislation that would impose a string of new restrictions on women and minors seeking an abortion."

FLORIDA: Florida has some of the worst beach pollution problems in the country.

Q: Are you saying you think women have the right to choose abortion?
STEELE: Yeah. I mean, again, I think that's an individual choice.
-- RNC Chairman Michael Steele, 2/24/09

VERSUS

"I am pro-life, always have been, always will be."
-- Steele, 3/11/09

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