People should be asking why.
We all know that the last 2 presidential elections have been very close. More people voted for Gore than Bush in 2000, but Bush won more states. Don't you think there has been a lot of people who voted for Gore or Kerry wondering why on earth they didn't win? Especially since the states that went red, should be blue if they were voting with their pocketbooks instead of their bibles? It sure is easy to feel that way. The election results have been kind of nuts and I think this book is, in part, a reaction to the frustration that many on the left have over the closeness of the elections given the circumstances.
Yes, Bartel gives valid empirical data that does weaken Frank's argument. But the fact that the income voting gap has increased and not decreased doesn't mean that much to me. The income gap should be an abyss. The fact that there has been a decline at all in lower incomer's identification with the Democratic Party is absurd.
(To regress) Or is it? How much more is the Democratic Party going to help the bottom third income-wise? I would definately argue more than the Republican Party, but I still don't see leaps and bounds here. Especially with Clinton's more moderate and globalized approach to economics.
So there is a search for answers.
Maybe it is because of disallusionment. Maybe it is because people are consumed with the idea that the Republican Party is saving America's Christian soul. Maybe it has everything to do with what state border you happen to fall under. Maybe it is a race thing. Maybe people really just dislike politicians who speak with proper english as opposed to what Bush says. Maybe economics are important but complicated to many average-types. Maybe there is peer pressure and people would rather not get into a culture war at the local bar. At least the search is interesting.