Sir, – Writing shortly after the US midterm election outcomes became clear, Vittorio Bufacchi struck a pessimistic note (Letters, November 5th). He suggests that the results simply showed that “right now, a majority hates the Republicans more than they hate the Democrats”, and concludes that this lack of idealistic motivation means the “planet is doomed”.
I think the detailed analysis of the voting patterns is actually grounds for considerable optimism, or at least less pessimism.
The demographic patterns of voting actually show dramatic differences between generations, ethnicities and genders. Older, less educated, white men favour the Republicans by single-digit numbers. That is unremarkable, and familiar.
In younger voters, those who went to college and among women, the trend is very strongly toward the Democrats. What is perhaps more heartening about these details is the illustration that people change their minds.
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A 30 per cent swing to the Democrats in the Hispanic community, and of 10 and 18 per cent in the African-American and Asian cohorts studied shows something crucial. There are many centrist, active voters who are willing to change affiliation, among rapidly growing demographic groups in the US.
To ambitious politicians this should encourage a move away from recent polarising policies and rhetoric, which deter centrists. The fickleness of the votes of educated people means they are worth pursuing. It is a logical reason for politicians to improve educational standards, as it creates voters who might be amenable to persuasion.
A shift to the Democrats of more than 25 per cent in the under-45 age group is enormous, boding well for their future and showing where their emphasis should lie. To my mind it offers great hope for the future, and shows that the centre, despite concerns for its welfare, can hold. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN O’BRIEN,
Kinsale,
Co Cork.
