Obama's New Realignment

Are we still a center-right nation politically? Does Barack Obama's victory represent a realignment to the left? He not only attained a decisive victory, he will take the oath of office on January 20 with Democratic majorities in the House and Senate.

In the 20th century, America witnessed two significant realignments during the 1932 and 1980 elections.

From 1932-1968 Democrats, led by Franklin Roosevelt, won the presidency seven out of ten elections. Moreover, Democrats controlled the House of Representatives from 1953 to 1994.

Ronald Reagan ushered in the era of center-right domination. From 1980 to the present, Republicans won the White House Five out of eight elections. Republicans dominated the presidency from 1980 to 1992, it marked only the second time in the 20th century one party controlled the White House in at least three consecutive elections.

Led by the "Contract with America" in 1994, Republicans became the majority party in the House for the first time since 1952.

America as a center-right country was also aided by conservative talk radio. Over the years, they have deified the Reagan legacy, morphing it into something that hardly resembled conservative orthodoxy. It was more conservative in its rhetoric than how Reagan actually governed.

This cyclical, bipartisan process is a leading indicator when a political party, resting on its laurels of yesteryear, is intellectually vapid.

Former House Majority Leader, Tom DeLay decried this year's election results by suggesting the expanded Democrat majorities in the House and Senate meant Democrats would run the American economy into the ground.

Huh? Listening to DeLay, one might conclude the ensuing Obama administration was inheriting a budget surplus instead of record deficits.

Those who maintain America is a center-right nation are encouraged by preliminary exit polls from this year's election that indicated little ideological shift. Those self-defining as Democrats comprised 39 percent, while those aligned as Republicans were 32 percent. In 2004, the numbers were practically even.

In 2008, 22 percent of voters identified as liberal, 34 percent conservative, and 44 percent moderate, according to exit polling. These numbers were virtually unchanged from 2004.

If America is indeed a center-right nation, it has little to do with the exploits of the incumbent administration.

The current administration was a McCarthy replicating, Constitution ignoring, torture justifying, deficit inducing, Machiavellian acting, Justice Department manipulating, fear inciting, AIG saving, Main Street depriving, and Karl Rove influencing conundrum.

The raison d'etre of the Bush administration was not based on a center-right philosophy; it was based on a single day, September 11, 2001.

If Obama closed Guantanamo Bay upon assuming office and included a line item in his budget for costs associated with Iraq and Afghanistan that alone would mark a 180-degree departure from his predecessor.

I don't know if America is still a center-right nation politically. The history of America suggest that it is driven more by whatever works, or what appears to work, especially during moments of crisis. America has always possessed a philosophical pendulum that swings right and left.

Events on the ground had more to do with Abraham Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation than whether or not the divided nation was center-right on slavery. The same held true for Roosevelt whose New Deal programs during the Depression did more for America's psyche than its actual economy.

Whether or not America is a center-right nation misses the point. More than America being center-right or center-left post Election Day, the Obama campaign may suggest America is now party neutral.

Obama's successful social networking may have weakened the influence both political parties have on the election process going forward.

The Obama machine does not require the services of the Democratic Party to fundraise or organize. It has become its own gatekeeper, providing itself with more leeway as to how it governs.

We may be on the verge of a whole new brand of politics, offering a different realignment that moves away from Democrat and Republican as we have traditionally known them.

While those of us in the chattering class are demanding the Obama campaign buy Boardwalk, they may be playing a new game that simply says, "Checkmate," before declaring victory.

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Comments

[seeker1of2truth]

As an Obama volunteer and donator, I can truthfully say that this is the first election
in my 59-years that I've ever been physically active in any political campaign. The
hope and inspiration delivered by Obama was unlike any I had seen since JFK. One
of the Obama groups here in So.Calif. has a 'leaders' meeting/brunch this Saturday
and a victory party planned for the following Saturday. Currently, the plan is to
discuss how to keep the grassroots involved, contribute ideas and support (and
critical opinion when necessary), how to help educate the public about policies that
affect the nation, and be ready for the 2010, 2012 election cycles. Long-term planning
is necessary for the country as a whole and for Obama supporters if we really want
change in this country.