Running Head: Dissecting My Typology Group 2

Running Head: Dissecting My Typology Group 2

Dissecting My Typology Group

Leticia Zavala

Texas A&M University Corpus Christi

Author Note

This paper was prepared for U. S. Government and Politics 2305 taught by DR. Melissa Stewart.

Abstract

There is more to the parties of a Democrat and a Republican; they are not the only faces that are set for us to see and support. Under those two main parties lay typology groups that define every single American into one of this parties. With a straightforward survey taken online can help you identify in which typology group you mostly correlate. I was defined as a Post- Modern for the way I think and believe the government is performing their obligation to maintain this country out of trouble. Comparing each typology group gives us a better understanding of the points of views that each typology have over the government and how they support the government.

Leaning to the right, left, or staying undecided, but firm in your position, can say more than on what side of the politics party you agree on. All citizens fit into a category called a typology group. A typology group compares which social issues are more important to us, than to others. It also defines us and what we believe concerning the government. There are nine typologies that make up the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The nine typology groups are: Staunch Conservatives, Main Street Republicans, Libertarians, Disaffected, Post- Moderns, New Coalition Democrats, Hard- Pressed Democrats, Solid Liberals, and Bystanders (Typology Quiz, 2011). I identify myself as a Post- Modern because of what I believe the government is doing right, wrong, helpful, and beneficial compared to the other typology groups. The Post- Modern typology group generally supports the government, since we believe that they are the ones that know what will make this country successful. Getting to know Post- Modern ideas requires a breakdown of the policies. Taking each and every issue of this country and dissecting it. This process shows why we think the way we do.

This typology survey consists of questions as to how we view the government dealing with the national issues. This typology survey analysis is based on telephone interviews made during February 22- March 1, 2001 and March 8- 14, 2011(Red vs. Blue, 2011). On this survey 3,029 people were interviewed with the age of 18 and over. The interviews were conducted both in English and Spanish, which were held by Princeton Survey Research Associates International (2011). This survey was conducted mainly to sort Americans into cohesive groups based on their values, political beliefs and party affiliation. This same survey can be taken online on www.people-press.org/typology/quiz. You answer the same questions that were asked for the survey that was conducted on February and March. This online survey contains twenty questions that will classify you into one of the typology groups. Once you have finished answering the questions of the survey, and you submit your survey it will show your results and in what typology group you most fit in. If you read your results you would see that it lets you know in details what percentage of your typology group feel about the issues.( Typology Quiz, 2011)

I fit under the typology group of Post- Modern which makes up 13 % of the public. Post- Moderns are the youngest of the typology groups. The majorities that form this group are non- Hispanic white and have at least some college experience. A majority of 58% live in the suburbs and 63% use social networking. Post- Moderns generally support the government; strongly support regulations, and environmental protection. Fifty six percent of the Post-Moderns say that Wall Street helps rather then it hurts the economy. Post- Moderns are liberals on social issues also as a post-modern we favor diplomacy rather than force (Red vs. Blue, 2011).

I, as a Post- Modern, do look like the average members of my typology group. I am 19 years old which places me under the age of 30 as the majority of the group. I am liberal on social issues. I care about the environment, and I feel that the government at this point is not doing much to protect it. The government should input regulations into the environmental protection, after all Post- Moderns strongly support regulations. Post- Moderns have some college experience which sets me in the group considering that I’m attending college. There is just one area where I truly don’t fit and that is the area of religion. Post- Moderns are one of the groups with less religious aspirations. To me religion forms part of who I am, my beliefs, and my values. I also believe that immigrant strengthen society by bringing in their talents, therefore I agree with the New Coalition Democrats group since they are hospitable to immigrants and are very religious (Red vs. Blue, 2011)

New Coalition Democrats and Bystanders are the typologies that most match my ethnic group. In the Bystanders there are 38% Latinos that make up the percentage of their typology group. New Coalition Democrats have a 26 % Latinos that make up their typology group. Also Bystanders are another group with the youngest public 51 % is under the age of 30. The Solid Liberals have a highly percentage of females that make up the typology group that me as a female will fit in the percentage. Main Street Republicans is another typology group that supports government making effort to protect the environment as Post- Moderns support that as well (Red vs. Blue, 2011).

Under the Social and Domestic Policy the issue about Immigration Reform we can see that Staunch Conservatives have an equal amount of percentage of those that oppose and those that favor providing a way for illegal immigrants to gain legal citizenship. They have a 49% on both opposing and those favoring it. Post- Moderns have an 87% of the public favoring legalization for illegal immigrants. New Coalition Democrats have an 80% on those who favor providing a way for citizenship to illegal immigrants (Analyze Groups “Immigration Reform”, 2011). In the issue about Marijuana legalization 62% of the public that form Post- Moderns think it should be legal. Seventy- three percent of the Staunch Conservatives think that marijuana should be illegal, and 56% of the New Coalitions agree with the Staunch Conservatives that marijuana should be illegal. Staunch Conservatives have the highest percent that it should be illegal; as Post- Moderns, with the second highest percentage, think marijuana should be legal in the United States (Analyze Groups “Marijuana Legalization”, 2011). On the issue about gun rights 54% of the Post- Moderns think that it is more important to control gun ownership. Seventy-one percent of the New Coalition Democrats agree with the Post- Moderns that it’s more important to control gun ownership rather than to protect the right to own a gun. On the other hand 86% of the Staunch Conservatives strongly believe that it is more important to protect the right of Americans to own a gun (Analyze Groups “Gun Rights,” 2011)

Under the Economic stress policy dealing with the Top Economic Worry for the Staunch Conservatives typology group the issue that most worries them is the federal budget deficit which has a 50%. In the other hand Post- Moderns have a 32% major worry on job situation and New Coalition Democrats have a 42% major also on job situation (Analyze Groups “Top Economic Worry,” 2011). Under National satisfaction all typology groups are dissatisfied with the way things are going in the country. Ninth- five percent of the Staunch Conservatives, 52% of the Post- Moderns, and 57% of the New Coalition Democrats public feel dissatisfied (Analyze Group “National Satisfaction,” 2011)t. On the Recession impact Post- Moderns were the only ones that, after a major impact to their own personal financial situation, have mostly recovered, 40% of their public have. With Staunch Conservatives 46% have not yet recovered from their personal financial situation along with the New Coalition Democrats that had a 41% major impact and not yet recovered caused from the recession impact (Analyze Groups “Recession Impact,” 2011)

All in all, I agree among my typology group. I agree on giving the opportunity to the illegal immigrants to gain citizenship if they pass backgrounds checks, pay fines, and have jobs. Anyways they are paying taxes just as anybody else here in the USA being illegal and they don’t complain. There is just one issue on which I don’t agree with my typology group (Post-Modern). I am referring to the the marijuana legalization issue, because I think that marijuana shouldn’t be legal. Due to the fact that it will cause more issues than what we already have, and it will expose younger people to this (proven) harmful drug. I agree with the Staunch Conservatives and the New Coalition Democrats who think that marijuana shouldn’t be legalized (Typology, Quiz, 2011)

This survey labeled me as a Post- Modern because even though I disagree with a few issues I still agree with the remaining issues. Not agreeing on how to deal with one issue doesn’t take away the characteristics of being a Post- Modern, it just shows that in certain areas I have a different belief as the rest of the Post- Moderns. I was surprised when this survey labeled ma as a “Post- Modern” since I always thought I was a Democrat.

A simple “yes” or a “no” doesn’t say as much as when your answer is a “maybe.” For the most part I agree with the results of this survey, because what Post- Moderns believe about our government I also believe in it. The survey needs to be more openly toward our responses. A 2- question survey can’t really explain our true beliefs about the government. This type of survey in some way forces you to choose one answer when perhaps you don’t agree with either of the choices. Therefore, it is limiting the way we actually feel towards the way government is working on the issues that concern to us as citizens. As a Post- Modern I say we should just trust the way our government want to protect us, but then if we let them do whatever they want we won’t be doing our duty as citizens.

Reference Page

Beyond Red vs. Blue: The Political Typology | Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. (n.d.). Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. Retrieved September 13, 2011, from http://people-press.org/2011/05/04/beyond-red-vs-blue-the-political-typology/

standers. (n.d.). Where Do You Fit? 2011 Pew Research Political Typology Quiz | Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. Retrieved September 13, 2011, from http://people-press.org/typology/quiz/?pass&src=typology-report

Where Do You Fit? 2011 Pew Research Political Typology Quiz | Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. (n.d.). Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. Retrieved September 15, 2011, from http://people-press.org/typology/quiz/