Most of those drawn to both groups feel passionately that large forces beyond their control are wreaking havoc on their lives. They’ve lost faith in the basic social compact of America, that working hard and playing by the rules will bring a brighter future.

In the past, Republicans have made common ground with these kinds of voters by fighting for individual tax cuts and smaller government. Those are still basic principles that voters support, but their electoral power has faded. Mitt Romney won the majority of households making $50,000 a year and up. That’s household income, not individual, so we are talking about a husband and wife making $26,000 a year as falling into the pro-Romney camp.

But Romney lost households making less than $50,000, and for most of those voters, the promise of federal tax cuts has little appeal. These voters are not happy voters, and they have suffered greatly in the Obama years. But they don’t hate government and understandably welcome any help they can get from any source. A fight over the debt ceiling is as alien to them as a strike by professional athletes. And while most are troubled by the uncertainty of Obamacare, they are not the epicenter of the anti-Obamacare movement. These voters are restless and frightened, and deeply cynical about politics.

In all likelihood, the next two elections will be “change” elections, and those defending the status quo will suffer. But the tone of that change is critical.