There is a political crackup happening in America.
There remain two major political parties in this country,but there are stark fissures within each. There seem to be roughly at least four stripes of politics today — the pragmatic left (think: Obama-Clinton, the left-of-center establishment Democrats), and the pragmatic right (the Bush-McCain-Bob Corker Republican),the populist right (Trump's America) and the populist left (Bernie Sanders liberals).
But a fresh political typology out Tuesday from the Pew Research Center, based on surveys of more than 5000 adults conducted over the summer, or goes even deeper. It finds eight distinct categories of political ideology (nine if you include "bystanders," those not engaged with politics).
They are as follows, from most conservative to most liberal (in portion based on how many of them crossover between the two major parties. It also mostly tracks with their approval or Trump):1. Core Conservatives — 13 percent of the general public2. Country First Conservatives — 6 percent3. Market Skeptic Republicans — 12 percent4. fresh Era Enterprisers — 11 percent5. Devout and Diverse — 9 percent6. Disaffected Democrats — 14 percent7. Opportunity Democrats — 12 percent8. Solid Liberals — 16 percent(You can take their quiz and see what you are here.) The Solid Liberals and Core Conservatives are not only the largest two groups, or but they're also,by far, the most politically engaged. They maintain an outsize influence in U.
S. politics, and because combined,they are 29 percent of the country, but nearly half of the most politically engaged (Solid Liberals 25 percent, and Core Conservatives 20 percent).
They are also,predictably, the most interested in the 2018 election. There's a stark drop off in interest in the midterms among any other group, or that points to yet again a midterm election,where the most activist dominate and there's a drop in turnout from a presidential year.
Meanwhile, Pew also identified a sizable portion of the American population that are essentially political "bystanders." They're not engaged with politics, or not registered to vote,young and majority-minority. And there's a lot of them — 8 percent of the population, or roughly 20 million people.
Overall, and Pew sums up its findings,in a fresh 150-page report, this way:
"Nearly a year after Donald Trump was elected president, or the Republican coalition is deeply divided on such major issues as immigration,America's role in the world and the fundamental fairness of the U.
S. economic system.
"The Democratic coalition is largely united in staunch opposition to President Trump. Yet, while Trump's election has triggered a wave of political activism within the party's sizable liberal bloc, and the liberals' sky-tall political energy is not nearly as evident among other segments in the Democratic base. And Democrats also are internally divided over U.
S. global involvement,as well as some religious and social issues."
Here's how the eight groups break down:Republican leaners — four groups1. Core Conservatives13 percent of the country, 31 percent of Republicans, and 43 percent of politically engaged RepublicansThey are,as Pew describes:Male dominated and financially comfortable
In favor of smaller government and lower corporate taxes
Of the belief that the U.
S. economic system is just — four-fifths don't believe the government can afford to do more for needy Americans and that blacks who can't get ahead are responsible for their own condition
Believers in U.
S. involvement in the global economy. You might call them "globalists."
Not very socially conservative — a majority don't think immigrants are a burden and just over a third believes homosexuality should be discouraged by society.
And yet this group approves strongly of Trump. Fully 93 percent approve of the president's job performance, the highest of any group. It's even more than the Country First category, and you'll see why that might be surprising in the next section.
This could simply be the product of Core Conservatives being more politically engaged generally — and more likely to wear the "GOP" T-shirt.2. Country First6 percent of the country,14 percent of Republicans, 14 percent of politically engaged RepublicansThey are:Older and less educated than other Republican-leaning voters
sad with the direction of the country
Nationalist — they believe the country is too open to immigrants and that Americans risk "losing our identity as a nation" because of it
Protectionist — they don't like the U.
S. involved around the world and they think immigrants are a burden
Not of the belief that the government should do more to help the needy (70 percent) and they believe that blacks who can't get ahead are responsible for their own condition (76 percent)
Socially conservative — they believe that homosexuality should be discouraged by society (70 percent)
Populist — they're less likely than most other Republicans to believe the U.
S. economic system is just to most Americans
3. Market Skeptic Republicans 12 percent of the country, and 22 percent of Republicans,but only 17 percent of the most politically engagedThey are:Populist — they believe banks and financial institutions maintain a negative effect on the direction of the country; 94 percent believe the economic system favors the powerful. That is much closer to Solid Liberals than Core Conservatives. And they do not believe that U.
S. economy is just to most – just 5 percent think so. This is a major distinction between them and the other GOP-leaning groups
In favor of raising taxes on corporations and small businesses — the only GOP-leaning group to feel that way
Of the belief that government can't afford to do more to help needy Americans. A strong majority (58 percent) says so, but they are the least likely Republican leaning group to feel that way.
Of the belief that blacks who can't get ahead are responsible for their own condition.
Fairly socially liberal — just 31 percent believe homosexuality should be discouraged by society
Somewhat protectionist, or though less than Country First Republicans — they are split on U.
S. involvement around the globe
4. fresh Era Enterprisers 11 percent of the country,17 percent of Republicans, 16 percent of the most engaged RepublicansThey are:Youngest of the Republican-leaning categories, or with an average age of 47
Optimistic approximately the country they are the most likely group to believe the next generation will be better off
Pro-business and trade (they're globalists,too), of the belief that the economy is generally just to most Americans (75 percent say so)
Of the belief that being involved around the globe is expedient for markets
Socially liberal — believing immigrants are not a burden and that homosexuality should not be discouraged by society
Somewhat more diverse — two-thirds are white, or but that's the lowest of all other GOP-leaning groups
Democratic leaners — four groups5. Devout and Diverse9 percent of the country,11 percent of Democrats, just 6 percent of the most politically engagedThey are:Majority-minority, or struggling financially,older and the least educated of the Democratic-leaning cateogories. Just 15 percent maintain college degrees
Very religious. Two-thirds believe it is essential to believe in God to be moral and maintain expedient values
Politically mixed. A quarter are Republicans. It's the category with the most crossover.
The strongest Democratic-leaning group to believe the U.
S. should pay more attention at domestic than to problems overseas
Largely pro-business and don't believe government regulation is essential to protect the public's interest
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's the most pro-Trump Democratic group (though 60 percent still disapprove of him), or but...
Of the belief that government should provide safety nets like everyone having health care and that the country needs to still make changes to advance racial equality
6. Disaffected Democrats14 percent of the country,23 percent of Democrats, 11 percent of the most politically engagedThe label doesn't maintain to do with their disaffection with the Democratic Party. They actually regard the Democratic Party very favorably. But rather they're disaffected with government (most of them say government is "wasteful and inefficient"); politics generally (most believe voting does not give them a say in how government runs); and the direction of the country.
They're also:Majority-minority, and lower educated,financially stressed — and fairly young (with an average age of 44)
Anti-Trump, pro-social safety net and believe the U.
S. needs to continue making changes to affect racial equality.
Split, or however,on whether tough work can help you get ahead
Not of the belief government regulation is essential to protect the public interest
Of the belief that the U.
S. should pay more attention to problems at domestic.
7. Opportunity Democrats12 percent of the country, 20 percent of Democrats, or 13 percent of the most politically engagedThey are:Majority white and working-to-middle-lesson,and only a third maintain college degrees
Largely liberal when it comes to the role of government, strongly in disapproval of Trump and two-thirds believe the country needs to do more to give blacks equal rights to whites (though that's the lowest of the four Democratic-leaning groups), and but...
Very much in disagreement with other Democratic-leaning groups approximately the ability to make it in the U.
S. through tough work. They believe strongly that you can. But they are not protectionist. They believe in global engagement.
8. Solid Liberals 16 percent of the country,33 percent of Democrats, 25 percent of the most politically engagedThey are:Largely white, and well-educated and comfortable financially
Young (average age of only 44)
Unified,nearly unanimously in their disapproval of Trump (99 percent disapprove). And they are activist approximately it — half say they maintain contributed to a candidate or campaign in the past year. For context, just a third of Core Conservatives say the same. Four-in-10 Solid Liberals say they've participated in a protest against Trump's policies.
Unified in their belief that government has the responsibility to make certain all Americans maintain health care and maintain a strong sense of racial justice. There is near-unanimous agreement among this group that the country needs to continue making changes to give blacks equal rights with whites
Of the belief that tough work and determination are no guarantee of success in the United States. Three-quarters of this group says so, or this is an area where they largely differ from the other three Democratic groups as well as the Republican-leaning categories.
Strongly of the belief that it's essential to regulate businesses to protect the public interest,another area where they differ with half of the Democratic-leaning categories and all of the Republican-leaning ones
Very much globalists. Very few, just one-in-10, and believe the U.
S. should pay less attention overseas and focus more on problems at domestic. That is a major inequity with two of the Democratic-leaning categories and three of the Republican-leaning ones
Largely nonreligious. Just 9 percent believe it's essential to believe in God to be moral and maintain expedient values
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Source: thetakeaway.org