Political Realighment?

Today's NYT features a review of a book which is clearly a biased view, but nevertheless, makes an interesting hypothesis about possible political realignment:

"There are two types of major realignments, the authors say. "Idealist" realignments, the last of which occurred in 1968 with the rise of the boomers, are marked by low voter turnout, negative attitudes toward politics and political institutions and 'a focus on divisive social issues involving such concerns as substance use, sexual behavior and socially acceptable roles for women and men'; in the public policy arena 'idealist realignments tend to lead to gridlock, limited use of and even decline in the national government and greater economic inequality.' Since the 1968 realignment the Republicans, who had become the party of traditional values, would win 7 of 10 presidential elections.

In contrast 'civic' realignments -- which occurred in 1860 with the election of Abraham Lincoln and 1932 with the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt -- are characterized, Mr. Winograd and Mr. Hais write, by rising voter turnout (or stable turnout at high levels), positive attitudes toward politics and political institutions, and 'a focus on broader societal and economic concerns rather than social issues involving personal morality'."