Democrats in Self-Destruct Mode: Why?

Because they haven't learned anything, and they won't start now.

From Pete Du Pont at OpinionJournal, Nov. 10:

.... What makes Mr. Barone's analysis even more relevant is that it comes on top of a steady shift in the electorate's political preferences. According to the Harris poll, that 20 years ago 40% of people polled identified themselves as Democrats and just 26% as Republicans. Ten years later that 14-point advantage had dropped to six, and last year the same poll found Democrats had but a three-point advantage.

Ten years ago there were 176 Republican congressmen; today the GOP controls the House with 229 members. Democrats then controlled the Senate; now Republicans do. Ten years ago Democrats held 59% of state legislative seats; now Republicans have a majority. Republicans then controlled eight state legislatures; today it's 21 (some of the remainder are split). Then there were 18 Republican governors; next year--with last Tuesday's wins in Kentucky and Mississippi added to California and possibly Louisiana--there will be 28 or 29.

In other words, there has been a substantial shift in voter party preference in the past decade. If Michael Barone is correct that security, economic issues and information age attitudes are dominating voters' thought process, the change in substantive beliefs will accelerate the political shift and the conservative shape of the political future will be very different from that of its liberal past.

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Fri. 11/14/03 07:44:34 AM
Categorized as Political.