Pew Report: Americans Undergoing a Shift in Values

It can be argued that Republican control of Congress came about in 1994 because Americans underwent a change in attitudes and values that brought them closer to what the Republican Party supposedly stood for. This shift led to twelve years of Republican control in Congress, which came to a screeching halt in November 2006.

But was it simply the result of an unpopular president and an advantageous political environment? A new poll by the PEW Research Center suggests that the 2006 election was not a sheer anomaly but the beginning of a nationwide shift in values and concerns back to those of the Democratic Party.

The latest Pew Research Center poll, conducted December 2006–January 2007, shows a massive exodus from the GOP. According to the poll, 50 percent of respondents now align themselves with the Democrats, while just 35 percent align themselves with the GOP.

What this shows is that the American public—specifically independents—are undergoing a change in values and attitudes that favors the Democrats, not that the members of the party are bringing about this change with their actions thus far.

Some other results:

According to the Pew poll, more Americans now believe that the government should care for those who can't care for themselves and should help the needy even if it means going further into debt.

As the GOP continues to try to preserve tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and claims that the economy is booming for all Americans, the poll shows that the public has lost faith in the Republicans' economic policy. The poll shows that 73 percent of people now believe that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.

American attitudes about foreign policy appear to be changing following endless blunders by the Bush administration, as Americans are becoming more skeptical of the value of military strength as a peacemaking tool.

Another important aspect of changing American values indicated by the Pew poll is the deteriorating religious fervor of the American public. For example, the poll finds greater public acceptance of homosexuality and less desire that women play only their traditional role in the household.

For more visit www.ncec.org