This is a very interesting site even if I don't particularly agree with their results. They attmept to classify Americans into core groups. They do a pretty good job of it IMO, but I think there are some areas they might want to re-evaluate.
First, something that is not clear at first glance is that they are essentially trying to classify these groups into nice neat packages to make sense of the latest results. If you look back at their previous reports you will see that some totally different categories exist. The upbeats are a good example of a forcefully reallocated group. (In addition, in some instances it looks like distinct groups are lumped together --- perhaps not accurately. I take enterprisers to be small businessmen, corporate management, and staunch conservatives. Those are three distinct groups to me.)
Even the questions asked are a bit stilted. Some of the questions that they use to classify respondents are worded in too much of pointed manner to create good valid responses IMO ("Poor people have hard lives because government benefits don't go far enough to help them live decently").
I think it is telling that over 1/3 or the group classified as liberals do not consider themselves liberals---only 62% of the group classified as liberals identify themselves as such. I think that suggests they are not asking the right questions with regards to evaluating the size of that group. If you look at the 1999 breakdowns, there was a group called the New Democrats --- now they are lumped in with the liberals.
I think perhaps many of their conclusions are tainted by a desire to have a product that might bring in funding --- strictly an unresearched guess. Still the information gathered is interesting. Maybe I'll do my own little survey.
Here are their groups as of the 2004 election.
ENTERPRISERS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Staunch Conservatives, Enterprisers
9% OF ADULT POPULATION
10% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 81% Republican, 18% Independent/No Preference, 1% Democrat (98% Rep/Lean Rep)
2004 ELECTION: Bush 92%, Kerry 1%. Bush's most reliable supporters (just 4% of Enterprisers did not vote)
SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Moralists, Moderate Republicans
11% OF ADULT POPULATION
13% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 82% Republican, 18% Independent/No Preference, 0% Democrat (97% Rep/Lean Rep)
2004 ELECTION: Bush 86%, Kerry 4%.
PRO-GOVERNMENT CONSERVATIVES
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Populist Republicans
9% OF ADULT POPULATION
10% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 58% Republican, 40% Independent/No Preference, 2% Democrat (86% Rep/Lean Rep)
2004 ELECTION: Bush 61%, Kerry 12%. Fully 21% said they didn't vote in November.
UPBEATS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: New Prosperity Independents, Upbeats
11% OF ADULT POPULATION
13% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 56% Independent/No Preference, 39% Republican, 5% Democrat (73% Rep/Lean Rep)
2004 ELECTION: Bush 63%, Kerry 14%.
DISAFFECTEDS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Embittered, Disaffecteds
9% OF ADULT POPULATION
10% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 68% Independent/No Preference, 30% Republican, 2% Democrat (60% Rep/Lean Rep)
2004 ELECTION: Bush 42%, Kerry 21%. Nearly a quarter (23%) said they didn't vote in the last election.
LIBERALS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Liberal Democrats/Seculars/60's Democrats
17% OF GENERAL POPULATION
19% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 59% Democrat; 40% Independent/No Preference, 1% Republican (92% Dem/Lean Dem)
2004 ELECTION: Bush 2%, Kerry 81%
CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Socially Conservative Democrats / New Dealers
14% OF ADULT POPULATION
15% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 89% Democrat, 11% Independent/No Preference, 0% Republican,(98% Dem/Lean Dem)
2004 ELECTION: Bush 14%, Kerry 65%.
DISADVANTAGED DEMOCRATS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Partisan Poor
10% OF GENERAL POPULATION
10% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 84% Democrat; 16% Independent/No Preference, 0% Republican (99% Dem/Lean Dem)
2004 ELECTION: 2% Bush, 82% Kerry
BYSTANDERS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Bystanders
10% OF ADULT POPULATION
0% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 56% Independent/No Preference, 22% Republican, 22% Democrat
2004 ELECTION: 96% did not vote in presidential election.
As of 1999
Profiles of the Typology Groups
STAUNCH CONSERVATIVES
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Enterprisers
10% OF ADULT POPULATION
12% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 72% Republican; 24% Independent, Lean Republican
1996 VOTE: 73% Dole, 6% Clinton, 6% Perot
ISSUE PRIORITIES: Morality and Taxes
MODERATE REPUBLICANS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Upbeats
11% OF GENERAL POPULATION
12% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 76% Republican; 22% Independent, Lean Republican
1996 VOTE: 50% Dole, 19% Clinton, 8% Perot
ISSUE PRIORITIES: Social Security and Education
POPULIST REPUBLICANS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Moralists
9% OF GENERAL POPULATION
10% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 72% Republican; 25% Independent, Lean Republican
1996 VOTE: 37% Dole, 21% Clinton, 14% Perot
ISSUE PRIORITIES: Morality and Social Security
NEW PROSPERITY INDEPENDENTS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: None
10% OF GENERAL POPULATION
11% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 69% Independent, 21% Republican, 5% Democrat
COMMENTS: Affluent and less religious, this group is basically non-partisan with a slight lean toward the Republican Party. New Prosperity Independents are highly satisfied with the way things are going in the country. A majority approves of Bill Clinton, yet tends to be critical of government. One-third consider themselves Internet enthusiasts. Two-thirds favor having a third major political party in addition to the Democrats and Republicans.
DEFINING VALUES: Pro-business, pro-environment and many are pro-choice. Sympathetic toward immigrants, but not as understanding toward black Americans and the poor. Somewhat critical of government. Tolerant on social issues.
WHO THEY ARE: Well educated (38% have a college degree), affluent (almost one-fourth earn at least $75,000) and young (70% less than age 50). Slightly more men than women (55% to 45%, respectively). Less religious (only 13% go to church weekly).
MEDIA HABITS: Above average news consumption. Some 59% read a daily newspaper regularly. More than 40% go online for news at least once a week.
LIFESTYLE NOTES: More go online than any other group -- 75%. Seven-in-ten (71%) exercise regularly. More than one-third (39%) trade stocks and bonds. Slightly more than half have a friend, colleague or family member who is gay.
POLITICAL ACTIVISM: Politically knowledgeable, but average voter turnout.
1996 VOTE: 28% Clinton, 25% Dole, 16% Perot
ISSUE PRIORITIES: Education and the Economy
THE DISAFFECTEDS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Embittered/The Disaffecteds
9% OF GENERAL POPULATION
10% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 73% Independent, 8% Democrat, 6% Republican
1996 VOTE: 33% Clinton, 16% Perot, 10% Dole
ISSUE PRIORITIES: Social Security and Health Care
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Seculars/60's Democrats
9% OF GENERAL POPULATION
10% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 56% Democrat; 41% Independent, Lean Democrat
1996 VOTE: 70% Clinton, 4% Perot, 2% Dole
ISSUE PRIORITIES: Education and Health Care
SOCIALLY CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: New Dealers
13% OF GENERAL POPULATION
14% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 70% Democrat; 27% Independent, Lean Democrat
1996 VOTE: 63% Clinton, 7% Perot, 6% Dole
ISSUE PRIORITIES: Social Security and Health Care
NEW DEMOCRATS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: New Democrats
9% OF GENERAL POPULATION
10% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 75% Democrat; 21% Independent, Lean Democrat
1996 VOTE: 71% Clinton, 3% Dole, 3% Perot
ISSUE PRIORITIES: Social Security and Education
PARTISAN POOR
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Partisan Poor
9% OF GENERAL POPULATION
11% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 85% Democrat; 12% Independent, Lean Democrat
1996 VOTE: 70% Clinton, 4% Perot, 3% Dole
ISSUE PRIORITIES: Social Security and Poverty
BYSTANDERS
PAST TYPOLOGY COUNTERPART: Bystanders
11% OF GENERAL POPULATION
0% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
PARTY ID: 54% Independent, 25% Democrat, 10% Republican
1996 VOTE: 90% didn't vote.
