… With the legality of same-sex marriage being argued on Tuesday, the court could allow Republicans to abandon an unpopular position without abandoning their principles or risking a primary challenge. History would effectively be bailing out the party. CONT. Nate Cohn, New York Times Recent polls: Same-sex marriage Read more »
Brown, Gray, and Urban
… In our era, the United States is experiencing two demographic transitions: It is growing more diverse, especially in its youth population, and it is also aging, as the predominantly white baby boomers move toward retirement. … These two giant blocks—what I’ve called “the brown and the gray”—have become the […] Read more »
A New Formula for a Real Democratic Majority
What is the biggest obstacle to Democrats truly winning a national election and pursuing a progressive agenda? What is the biggest obstacle to Democrats winning big enough, geographically broad enough, and deep enough to overcome the constitutional barriers to a governing majority in America? I posed that first question in […] Read more »
Would a Hillary Clinton Victory Map Look More Like 1996 or 2012?
As Hillary Clinton begins her 2016 campaign, one of the big questions around her is the size and shape of her base. If she makes it to the general election, how will her supporters compare with those of President Barack Obama or her husband, former President Bill Clinton? CONT. Dante […] Read more »
The GOP’s Voter-ID Problem
One of the more interesting changes in U.S. politics in recent years has been the increasingly parliamentary nature of voting behavior. Fewer people are straying beyond their party affiliations, we are seeing more straight-ticket voting, and the characteristics of individual candidates mean less than ever. Entering this 2016 presidential cycle, […] Read more »
Clinton campaign: Less a breath of fresh air, more an air-freshener ad
Hillary Clinton’s video launching her campaign for the Democratic nomination was a montage of the New America. … The New America is now the Democratic Party. To win, Clinton has to do more than Obama ever managed. She must do two things at the same time: hold the New America […] Read more »