海角大神

A 鈥渞eal conservative.鈥�

That鈥檚 what Republican Sen. Bob Corker called Republican Sen. Jeff Flake this week. The two men share leanings. They also share such disdain for the current tenor of US politics that they鈥檝e both announced their end games. (Francine Kiefer writes about their near-term aims, below.)

Do the old labels work? Senator Flake has a 93 (out of 100) lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union, the Monitor鈥檚 political editor, Liz Marlantes, points out. 鈥淵et [blasting 鈥榯he regular and casual undermining of our democratic norms and ideals鈥�], he said that a candidate like him, who is devoted to limited government and free markets, who favors free trade and is pro-immigration, 鈥榟as a narrower and narrower path to nomination in the Republican Party.鈥� 鈥�

There may be a deeper story. A new cites an evolving 鈥減olitical typology鈥� 鈥� something Pew updates every few years 鈥� that lands Americans in groups based on values and attitudes, not just party affiliation. (Flake鈥檚 umbrage appeared rooted in his .) The reclassification is as prevalent on the left as on the right, and it鈥檚 not just about outliers 鈥� Second Amendment liberals, or conservative environmentalists. Think 鈥淢arket Skeptic Republicans鈥� versus 鈥淣ew Era Enterprisers.鈥澛�

Election-trackers will be watching to see what comes of this. 鈥淓ven in a political landscape increasingly fractured by partisanship,鈥� says the report, 鈥渢he divisions within the Republican and Democratic coalitions may be as important a factor in American politics as the divisions between them.鈥�

Watch CSMonitor.com for news updates, including on Spain鈥檚 response to Catalonia鈥檚 declaration of independence. Now to our five stories for your Friday, highlighting determination, compassion, and reinvention at work.