In aftermath of post-Civil War Reconstruction, Virginia, like much of the South, was a solid Democratic stronghold for almost 80 years. Then, in 1952, the state shifted and was reliably Republican for over 50 years until it was won by Barack Obama in 2008. Today, Virginia’s swing between red and blue represents what is a new normal in politics. As the Economist pointed out in a description of the Commonwealth’s recent electoral history, the state couldn’t be much “swingier.”
In a country where a shift in demographics is changing the face of politics, we also might contend with similar swings in the country’s economic order that is marked by dramatic volatility– at least according to futurist Paul Saffo. In front of a Commonwealth Club audience, Saffo explains how the global economy has entered a period called “The Great Turbulence.”
Paul Saffo: A Crazy, Turbulent Economy Is the New Normal from Commonwealth Club on FORA.tv
