If you believe some of the blogs, the Democrats lost Massachusetts, and Obama’s approval is plummeting nationwide, because he alienated his left-wing base. Perhaps that does account for an absence of turnout among young voters in the Virginia gubernatorial or Massachusetts Senate races, but the polls have not shown growing dissatisfaction among young, minority, or liberal voters–the three voting blocs that accounted for Obama’s strongest support in 2008. Where he has lost ground–and where the Democrats have lost ground–is primarily among white working and middle-class voters and senior citizens.
The Suffolk University poll in Massachusetts, which like the PPP poll, was pretty much on target in the final result, singled out two white working-class towns, Gardner and Fitchburg, as bellwethers. Obama won Gardner, where Democrats hold a three-to-one registrations edge, by 59 percent to 31 percent in 2008. Brown won it by 56 percent to 42 percent. Obama won Fitchburg, with a similar Democratic edge, by 60 percent to 38 percent in 2008. Brown won it by 59 percent to 40 percent. That suggests a fairly dramatic shift among white working class voters.
This is a very good piece. With respect to the first line, above, see the comments of SEIU Labor Leader Andy Stern from his press release:
[blockquote]”The reason Ted Kennedy’s seat is no longer controlled by a Democrat is clear: Washington’s inability to deliver the change voters demanded in November 2008. Make no mistake, political paralysis resulted in electoral failure,” Stern said.
“During the past year, Republicans refused to do anything but stand in the way of change and Democratic Senators took too long to do too little. And tonight, the Senate bears the consequences for its failure to act decisively but the American people are the ones left paying the price. If our elected officials don’t recognize that every day more working families fall victim to Washington’s failure to act, the elections next November will result in the same.
“Today’s vote must be a wake-up call that now is the time for bold action. Time to stand up to politics as usual. Time to stand up to Republican scare and stall tactics. And time to speak up for working families.
“The Senate may have squandered the trust the American people gave to Washington in 2008. But now, every member of Congress and the Administration must act with a renewed sense of purpose to show working families whose side they are on and deliver meaningful change to every American. This is not the time for timidity. It is time to show the courage and strength of conviction to move this country forward and bring working families the change they need. It starts by passing health insurance reform…[/blockquote]
Source: http://www.seiu.org/2010/01/massachusetts-voters-message-to-washington-its-time-for-action.php
Frankly, I think this is lunacy, but I’m sure Republican leaders are praying that the President and his Congress will follow this advice.
Yes, the best thing for Republicans is for Obama to recommit to forcing his agenda. If he does so, the bottom will drop out for him entirely.
I wonder what the unemployment rate in Fitchburg and Gardner is.
Sidney, it is pretty high. Gardner used to be a furniture manufacturing center, but those days are gone and there is little industry. Fitchburg had a broader industrial base, but they have been losing companies as well.
The official stats say that uneployment in Fitchburg-Gardner-Leominster is around 10.8 %. It’s actually not as high as some places in Massachusetts, e.g. Lawrence, Lowell, Athol, Springfield. etc. President Obama and the national democrats are out of touch, but so is Gov. Deval Patrick and the Massachusetts democratic party. Patrick continues to support one of the largest office staffs in the history of the Commonwealth and even hires more people to work in the governor’s office while services to the people get cut. And because there has been such a one-sided majority in state government, there has been little challenge. Scott Brown’s election is a wakeup call to the democrats and to republicans that the people have a way of dealing with the arrogance and deafness of politicians to their plight. It’s called an election!