Republicans in Congress and the White House like to use fear and manipulation to control the masses in their favor. After 9/11, that tactic worked like a charm and with their power they brought our society to a level where banks are closing, the economy is in peril and two wars are draining our treasury and inflating our debt to record levels. They won that power with the middle class, but as the Drum Major Institute found out, most of those people support progressive...and dare I say liberal ideas.
From DMI:
DMI’s first annual survey on the Middle Class and Public Policy reveals that America’s middle-class households are fearful families – overwhelmingly pessimistic about the direction of the country, especially the economy and high gas prices. Most have little flexibility in their own economic situations and have little if anything left over each month after meeting basic expenses. The middle class is disgruntled with the direction of the country and politicians and see little coming out of
Washington that would give them cause for optimism.
Middle-class Americans do know what policies they would like to see enacted. Despite media depictions of a sharp red and blue divide, the nation’s middle class displays broad consensus on a range of public policies aimed at easing their economic squeeze: they support a universal national health insurance plan, requiring employers to provide paid family and medical leave, making it easier for employees to join labor unions and allowing bankruptcy judges to change mortgage payments to keep homes out of foreclosure. A majority of middle-class adults – whether they are Democrats, Republicans, or independents and whether they are supporters of John McCain or Barack Obama for President – believe that these policies represent good ideas for the country. Regardless of party affiliation or presidential preference, these Fearful Families think largely alike.
Despite the overwhelming conservative and neo-con messages we have heard through the media in the last twenty or so years, people still believe in these liberal values because programs like Social Security, S-CHIP and national health insurance are things that have and will make our country stronger.
What has weakened us are the Republican policies since Reagan that have widened the income gap and decimated programs that help the least among us survive. In the world's wealthiest nation, most people believe in being good to all Americans and not just the wealthy few that too many politicians get their campaign donations from.
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