Support for gay marriage, legalizing illegal immigrants and decriminalizing marijuana all are at new highs. Three-quarters of Americans favor federal regulation of greenhouse gases. Two-thirds support establishing relations with Cuba.In one respect, a lot of this reflects where Americans have been trending--these are basically the opinions of the young. But I also think it shows how a strong leadership can transform how people see an agenda.
Frak me, I've already said too much. It could just be a bad poll. The temptation to pontificate is strong. My only salvation is to get my kicks by watching you guys go at it.
The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood 
Well those who support President Obama also among those who applaud Nate Silver's recent comments that "Support for gay marriage, legalizing illegal immigrants and decriminalizing marijuana all are at new highs. Three-quarters of Americans favor federal regulation of greenhouse gases. Two-thirds support establishing relations with Cuba."
So we should not really consider his support being so large. Those people were bound to support him. A truer picture of his popularity would be to measure those who disagree with him on such issues.
Allow me to pontificate. This poll indicates two things to me. One, the economy has forced people to consider what will actually, as opposed to symbolically or cathartically, help them. Expelling bogeymen doesn't bring home the bacon. Two, I believe Obama has unleashed a sense of possibilty that had been damned near choked out by Bush. People feel that issues can be rethought without demonization.
I think Obama will be all over Cuba and greenhouse gases. I think he's going to stay the hell away from marijuana legalization, cos he doesn't want that albatross in 2012. I think it's going to be a state by state thing, just like gay marriage.
More and more I can't help but wonder if we might see a third party gain a toehold. Right now there is a chart on Nate Silver's blog that shows that %35 of the country identify as independent (about equal with democrats) while %20 call themselves republicans.
Hurray!!! I'm excited to live in a kinder gentler nation than we seemed to be even one year ago. I hope that we're seeing the death throes of discrimination and hate (seems a bit too utopian, however!).
Wow, it is as if I am dreaming. Next your going to tell me that creationism is at 21%
I'm in shock, really. I love politics and I love Statistics and I am gay --I was almost sure we were going to lose in Cali, for example-- and I have been reading the later polls on gay marriage and I am just starting to believe them. I thought they were outliers. But it is one, then the other...
Same for the Cuban issue.
What the hell is going on, you guys?
I read this one in the morning suggesting a conservative drift on some issues
http://people-press.org/report/513/public-takes-conservative-turn-on-gun-control-abortion
It is also dicy trying to pin a change on Obama, the retirement of Bush, or a kinder, gentler turn in our people. According to this ABC poll, the support for torture is just about 50/50, with support for it increasing since Obama took office. So support for torture just isn't in the furthest reaches of the right. Also, those opposed to legalizing the herb has hardly changed since Bush was in office when the previous poll was taken. It is just that support has for legalization has increased slightly as there are fewer undecideds.
Also, Obama doesn't support legalizing gay marriage or legalizing weed, and his most recent stance on Cuba is to not lift the embargo at this time. And immigration reform was pushed by Bush, and even this poll has contradictory messages on immigrants.
I don't mean to throw cold water on this, I am for total legalization of marijuana ( not just small doses as the poll asks), for gay marriage and against the Cuban blockade.
DougEMI,
You ever seen the SNL skit "Debbie Downer?" I like the angle you bring to the comments, but you are definitely the Debbie Downer of this thread. WHA-WHA-WHA...
I've seen it, and I did hold back a bit. I had more material but didn't feel like being a turd in a punchbowl.
Though to strike a more positive note, think gay marriage will be widely legal in 10 years, and for the first time in my life, I think weed will be legalized. I just don't think it is the election of Obama or the force of Obama that will bring these about.
Much of this has to do with the fact that on most of those issues, you really had few mainstream organizations--and neither of the big two political parties--willing to raise those issues. Gay marriage, legalization of marijuana and normalization with Cuba were all political third rails, and even the Democrats were afraid to take a stand on these issues against the status quo (for fear of losing the Cuban American vote, or looking soft on crime/drugs, or . . . well who knows what they were afraid of with gay marriage, since they weren't getting the Christian Right votes anyway after embracing Roe v. Wade).
The change though hasn't really come about due to political leadership--if anything, it was popular opinion that changed first and the politicians that tended to follow. But what made the popular opinion change? Younger voters coming of age. That's my bet, anyway!
Did you check out the data on gay marriage broken out by race here">http://documents.nytimes.com/new-york-times-cbs-news-poll-obama-s-100th-day-in-office#p=16">here? Blacks and whites basically the same. For the ongoing argument with Andrew Sullivan.
Great post! Unlike me, those at The Atlantic are too busy to actually read the PDF file, and thus won't see that - despite what ABC says in their full article - the legalization question doesn't mention anything about citizenship.
Here's the question: "Would you support or oppose a program giving ILLEGAL immigrants now living in the United States the right to live here LEGALLY if they pay a fine and meet other requirements?"
If the citizenship were rolled into that question no doubt the results would be lower. And, if all of the impacts of that legalization plan were rolled into the question, the results would plummet. And, ABC News, the Politico, The Atlantic, and other hack sources clearly don't want that.
If you want to know what's really going on with this issue, see my site.
Okay, so in 5 more years you'll be able to have your Big Fat Gay Wedding on the beach in Havana and hand out joints as party favors.
However, the guests will have to row or swim there, because plane tickets will cost $9000 each.
Future's so bright I gotta wear shades.
hey, 24ahead..... it's Lonewacko from Hit&Run, isn't it? wow, far out! man you frequent blog commenters get around. (e.g. i feel like i've seen sgwhiteinfla and tony comstock comment on every single blog i've happened to glance at that takes comments, from liberal to conservative to other)
Before you get too excited, keep in mind that many of the people surveyed were black.
Change You Can Believe In? Try proof that Obama IS the anti christ and this is the end of days!