Antonio the Sixth
Antonio V
Atlas Institution
Posts: 58,063
Political Matrix
E: -7.87, S: -3.83
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« on: February 21, 2009, 02:40:09 PM » |
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Great historical realignings have been elections like 1828, 1856, 1896, 1932 and 1980.
I don't think that 1968 was a realigning election. People consider that it was a beginning of a conservative realignment of the country, and a solid republican government period. It's true that republicans after that won 7 of the 10 next elections. However, it's important to consider that Nixon won by a very narrow margin ( 0,7% ) in a particular context ( racial and anti-war riots, Bob Kennedy's assassination, hardly fought primaries... ). In this time, the marority of the population was liberal or at least moderate. The real conservative realignment happened in 1980.
Is 2008 a realigning election ? Obama managed to make people accept very progressive ideas ( fiscal raising for more wealthy, dialogue with muslim community... ). People is gradually accepting social progresses like homosexual civil unions. Obviously there are still a lot to do... In political terms, democrats have a 2% structural advantage. We won't know if 2008 was a realigning election until several years, but for the moment it looks like.
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