May 27th, 2009

New report says America is a center-left nation

By Mitch E. Perry

Read the original article at WMNF.

A new report released today by two liberal groups says a majority of Americans hold progressive positions on a broad range of controversial issues and key constituencies that favor progressives are growing larger.

Media Matters and the Campaign For America’s Future says it has come up with the conclusions based on looking closely at polls conducted by respected organizations from CNN/Opinion Research, Gallup, the Los Angeles Times as well population demographics.

Media Matters Eric Burns says that’s despite the mainstream media’s constant drumbeat that the country remains a “center-right" nation.

The Campaign for America’s Future’s Robert Borosage tried to break down the center-right myth.

Burns said there’s been an increase in what he terms as almost violent rhetoric when it comes to describing Barack Obama and his administration.

Heather Smith, executive director with Rock the Vote, said the premise that young people simply don’t vote in substantial numbers is a myth, and that young people’s attitudes are what’s leading the country to change on key social issues.

Page Gardner is with Women’s Voice, Women Vote. She said unmarried women voted for Barack Obama by a 70 to 29 percent margin last November.

Although there has been disappointment among some progressives that Obama has been too centrist in his first four months of office, Borosage of the Campaign For America’s Future disagrees.

WVWV News
15 Aug 11 | 18:38

 

Debt limit and downgrade take a toll on both parties; GOP bears the brunt of voters’ anger

Debt limit and downgrade take a toll on both parties; GOP bears the brunt of voters’ anger

 

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03 Jun 11 | 11:21

The poll released today covers How to Talk About the Economy with the Rising American Electorate  (RAE).

 

From the report: "RAE voters are an indispensible part of the progressive base in this country.  Political outcomes are driven both by their electoral choices and their relative participation in this Democracy.  The 2010 election cycle saw a significant withdrawal from the Democrats among some members of the RAE, mostly because the economic change they voted for in 2008 was slow in coming and progressive messaging often failed to reflect their economic reality.  Progressives’ success depends in large measure on correcting this mistake in 2012."

 

For more, view the poll results (pdf).
View the full memo here (pdf).

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