POLICY PAPER
A Raucous Political Year for America

Derek Burney, CDFAI Senior Research Fellow

Judging from the results of the Iowa caucus, the political mood of Americans is fractious and fluid and augurs for a bitterly divisive presidential campaign in the ten months ahead.  If nothing else, the Occupy Wall Street movement has provided a compelling theme.  President Obama is already pitching his remarks at the 99%, running against Wall Street and seeking to corner the Republicans, and whoever his ultimate competitor will be, as the “defenders of the 1%”.  It is being judged by some as “class warfare” – echoing a theme attempted unsuccessfully by Democratic  contenders in the past – from Dukakis to Gore to Kerry – but conditions generally in 2012  are markedly worse than they were for previous campaigns. Obama may get more traction because the gaps between rich and poor in America have become larger and middle class voters, on whom elections ultimately turn, are beleaguered with concerns about jobs, housing, education and health care.  Underpinning the mood is a stark divide in America over the role of government as a driver of economic investment and the redistribution of wealth.

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