Democrats lead in Party Affiliation
It seems there are reasons why Democrats, specifically liberal Democrats, are in a very good mood. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of same sex marriage. They upheld subsidies for Obamacare absent which would have been the death spiral of the law. They ruled in favor of fair housing. They upheld Arizona’s independent redistricting.
The President’s approval rating has surged to 51% in the most recent Gallup poll. Now Democrats have retaken the Party Affiliation lead in that most recent Gallup poll.
PRINCETON, N.J. — In the second quarter of 2015, Democrats regained an advantage over Republicans in terms of Americans’ party affiliation. A total of 46% of Americans identified as Democrats (30%) or said they are independents who lean toward the Democratic Party (16%), while 41% identified as Republicans (25%) or leaned Republican (16%). The two parties were generally even during the previous three quarters, including the fourth quarter of 2014, when the midterm elections took place.
After the 2014 defeat many Democrats believed, including yours truly, that Democratic apathy may have sealed the Center Right to Right Wing governance of the country inasmuch as the policies people yearn for are generally Liberal. The policies outlined by Bill de Blasio’s Progressive Contract with America are supported by most Americans, Democrats and Republicans alike.
- Raise the federal minimum wage, so that it reaches $15/hour, while indexing it to inflation.
- Reform the National Labor Relations Act, to enhance workers’ right to organize andrebuild the middle class.
- Pass comprehensive immigration reform to grow the economy and protect against exploitation of low-wage workers.
- Oppose trade deals that hand more power to corporations at the expense of American jobs, workers’ rights, and the environment.
- Pass national paid sick leave.
- Pass national paid family leave.
- Make Pre-K, after-school programs and childcare universal.
- Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit.
- Allow students to refinance student loan debt to take advantage of lower interest rates.
- Close the carried interest loophole.
- End tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas.
- Implement the “Buffett Rule” so millionaires pay their fair share.
- Close the CEO tax loophole that allows corporations to take advantage of “performance pay” write-offs.
The President recently touted the successes of Democratic policies in his visit to La Crosse, Wisconsin. In the speech he contrasted Wisconsin with Minnesota, an adjacent state. Minnesota implemented Liberal policies. Wisconsin implemented conservative polices. The experiment revealed what most of us already knew. Minnesota had better employment, much higher median income, and a more upwardly mobile population.
The President once said that eventually good policies become good politics. One hopes this is the new genesis of that realization.