Technology Means Being More Republican

As Americans embrace technology, specifically the Internet, they will become increasingly more conservative and, therefore, more Republican.

That's the assessment of Karl Rove, President Bush's political adviser. In an article appearing in the June 4 issue of The New Yorker magazine, Rove theorizes that Republicans, despite losing Congress in the 2006 elections and facing low approval ratings, will dominate future elections because Americans are becoming more technologically savvy. His quote from the article:

"There are two or three societal trends that are driving us in an increasingly deep center-right posture,” he said. “One of them is the power of the computer chip. Do you know how many people’s principal source of income is eBay? Seven hundred thousand.” He went on, “So the power of the computer has made it possible for people to gain greater control over their lives. It’s given people a greater chance to run their own business, become a sole proprietor or an entrepreneur. As a result, it has made us more market-oriented, and that equals making you more center-right in your politics.

(The other societal trend driving Americans to the right, Rove says, is baby boomers becoming more spiritual as they grow older, which translates into being more conservative. But that topic is for another blog.)

As for the technology-Republican-link theory, we're waiting for a rebuttal from technologist and Democrat Al Gore.