America Is Getting More Progressive/Liberal

A lot of right wingers are hoping that Barack Obama’s election was just part of the back and forth cycle of politics. And while there’s probably some truth to that theory, I think there’s a deeper movement towards progressiveness (or liberalism, whichever term you prefer) in this country.

Simply put; America is getting more liberal. For the Republicans to survive as a national party they must adapt and move left (particularly on social issues.) The center is moving left while the Republican party is moving right and that’s why the GOP is shrinking so quickly.

The GOP is kicking it’s moderates out (see Arlen Specter and maybe Maine’s Olympia Snowe next) in an effort to make the party ideologically “pure.” This is, of course, shrinking their party and making them even less appealing to the new center of America. What they are doing is making Republicans unelectable anywhere except for the south (which lags approximately 30 years behind the rest of the country.)

The best proof I’ve found for this movement left is in the exit polling for the 2008 election. Those in the 18 to 29 age group voted for Obama over McCain 68% to 32%. Meanwhile McCain beat Obama 51% to 47% among those over 60. Next election there will be less of those who voted for McCain and more of those who voted for Obama. The trend looks quite obvious.

Another great example of what I’m talking about is found in this ABC News story on changing views.

Of particular interest to me is this: “On an entirely different issue, 46 percent of Americans now favor legalizing small amounts of marijuana for personal use, the most in data back to the mid-1980s and more than double its level 12 years ago.” Support for the legalization of marijuana has *doubled* in just 12 years.

While it’s obviously quite sad that there are still so many people against what should be an obvious civil liberties issue (the right to smoke whatever you want in your own home) it is very encouraging that more people are beginning to understand that the “land of the free” slogan doesn’t mean anything if it’s not backed up with actual freedom.

And that’s the thing that’s going to kill the Republican party moving forward unless they leave their old fashioned social conservatism behind. Americans are starting to understand that civil liberties are important and that people should be able to do what they want with their own personal lives.

The message to Republicans is clear: Adapt or die.