ABSTRACT
In the lurch phase any social change, people become obsessed with the mistakes of the past; they don't even want to hear about its positive accomplishments. Following the adolescent pattern, they overreact and, ironically, in so doing make the same sort of mistake they are reacting against, and for these reasons, the lurch state is extremely unstable and will start to moderate as learning occurs. In the present lurch, Americans are making the mirror image of that same false assumption, namely, that if those on welfare have grown too dependent on government, then somehow or other they must learn to find jobs and support themselves in the market economy. The huge magnitude of gender differences in voting behavior represents one of the great transformations in American political life. By 2000, voters will be ready to curb their lurch-driven enthusiasm for market solutions to all problems, and will adopt a more balanced view reflecting the learnings of recent years.
