Reports

Yesterday, Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais, of NDN fame, presented the findings of an online poll they conducted from June 1-7. The report, "The Changing Coalitions of 21st Century America," explores how the parties are adapting to rapidly changing demographics in America.

The data affirms what we have been noting for some time now.

While most Americans continue to favor activist government focused on promoting economic equality, those components of the electorate that identify most strongly with the Democratic Party are much more likely to want to see that approach reflected in legislation on such issues as health care, education, and off shore drilling. In addition, while both party's coalitions want action on the economy and financial reform, only major groups within the GOP coalition are strongly concerned with reducing government spending and the federal debt. These deeply felt differences are likely to be reflected in the 2010 midterm elections campaigns and on Capitol Hill in the years ahead.

Democrats retain a clear lead in both party identification and the congressional generic ballot that is virtually unchanged from the lead they held in the project's first survey conducted in February 2010. The core groups of the Democratic Party's new coalition - Millennials, African-Americans, Hispanics - remain solidly Democratic in both their partisan identifications and vote intentions, but the current lack of political intensity among these Democratic groups give Republicans an opening to make gains in 2010.

In short: the Democratic coalition has the demographic trends in their favor, but whether or not they can effectively mobilize these voters in a hostile environment is the big question.

Morley and Mike's presentation can be found here and the executive summary is here.

Free Exchange on Campus has just released an incredibly useful primer on the history, tactics, funding of the "academic freedom movement" (read: conservative astroturf): Manufactured Controversey. Some of the bigger players in this "movement" are well known around these parts - David Horowitz, Young Americas Foundation, Leadership Institute, etc.

The report offers a detailed summary on who these players are, how they are funded, and what tactics they have employed in the past. It also offers basic advice on the best ways to respond should they appear on your campus.

This report is very timely. I've been hearing rumors from people I trust that the Leadership Institute is planning a new project along these lines called Campus Reform. The website is a mess at the moment - really more of a joke than anything else - but I've heard that they are planning on sinking some serious coin into building out a huge website capable of supporting and aggregating the work of hundreds of chapters. The purpose, of course, will be to target specific professors and course syllabi. Best get ready now to fight that back once it launches.