The United States is a Center-Left Nation

The Campaign for America's Future released a report saying the United States is no longer a center-right nation, but has shifted to a center-left nation.

The media still calls America a “center-right” nation, but “center-left” is closer to the truth.

On issues ranging from health care to energy, the public is more progressive than people think. Demographic groups from youth to Hispanics are voting farther left and in larger numbers than ever before. The new report the Campaign for America’s Future is publishing with Media Matters for America—"America: A Center-Left Nation"—documents the trends and challenges the mainstream media to recognize reality.

David Sirota takes a look at what this policy-wise...

The question is no longer whether America is progressive - the question is how that progressive bent can be transformed into policy, and why it isn't being legislated into law already? Why, for instance, with the majority of the public telling pollsters for years that we support single-payer health care, is that concept nonetheless "off the table" in Washington? Why, with most Americans supporting serious trade reform, is our government still considering a push for NAFTA-style trade policies? The list of similar questions is endless.

One obvious answer is the power of money: The interests that support the status quo have lots of cash, and they use the legalized bribery system known as campaign finance to preserve that status quo. Another obvious answer is that corporate conservatives in both parties have dominated Washington for the better part of three decades.

If you look at the political ideologies of the Millennial generation, those 18-30, you see a strong possibility of a progressive majority for years to come.