Not Too Left, Democrats

[Toro]

Which way does the American public lean—left or right—on the dominant questions of public policy these days? The following essay takes a look at public attitudes within five domains: the economic crisis, health care, the environment, immigration, and foreign affairs. Judging from recent surveys, Americans appear to have tilted toward the Democrats on some matters but not others. Indeed, the data would appear to counsel caution for Democratic policymakers eager to press too radical a progressive agenda. Much of the public remains divided or doubtful about the capacity of government to meet the nation’s greatest challenges. In this climate, tolerance for new policy excesses and misadventures, or even mere underperformance, may prove quite limited. The governing party, in other words, is operating with precious little margin for error.

Center-Left America? - Brookings Institution