I have to disagree with that statement. A quantum leap to the left happened in 1992.November to be exact.The "base" "punished" Bush41.They were so good at that, they spread the joy to the rest of us.
The truth of the matter is that the second choice of most Perot voters was Clinton. It makes sense if you think about it: People motivated to vote for Perot were disillusioned with the status quo and wanted an outsider. Of Bush and Clinton, which one more closely represented that ideal?
If not for Perot, Clinton would have won by a larger margin. The claim that the base deserted Bush in 1992 is an urban legend.
LOL! Are you saying the Clinton administration was leftist? Who'd have thunk it! I agree it was a leap to the left. I don't know where the statistics come from that it was the conservatives who abandoned the party but that seems to be a popular notion.
Anecdotally, based upon people I know or have had conversations with, it looks to me like a lot of blue collar and Joe 6 Pack types went for Perot. Many of these people had voted for Reagan and had been the famous "Reagan Democrats." I admit there are disillusioned or disgruntled true believing conservatives but I find them few and far between. I do, however, find amongst the nonpolitico centrists, a lot of head scratching about what this administration is doing. Since '92 I guess it's been more of a snowball rolling downhill, gaining size, speed and momentum to the left with the aid of the Washington establishment Republicans under Clinton and their endorsement under Bush.
Personally, I have a hard time not viewing this as pandering at best or blatant buying of votes. Sad to say, the welfare state is winning.