?Conservatives? Are Single-Largest Ideological Group

[Patranus]

Thus far in 2009, 40% of Americans interviewed in national Gallup Poll surveys describe their political views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal. This represents a slight increase for conservatism in the U.S. since 2008, returning it to a level last seen in 2004. The 21% calling themselves liberal is in line with findings throughout this decade, but is up from the 1990s.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/120...Ideological-Group.aspx

Now, if only the GOP can run a conservative candidate they might be in business.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Or it could be the Socialist in the WH driving people more to the right?

(Such was Limbaugh's claim on the radio today.)

 

[blackangst1]

Originally posted by: Patranus

Thus far in 2009, 40% of Americans interviewed in national Gallup Poll surveys describe their political views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal. This represents a slight increase for conservatism in the U.S. since 2008, returning it to a level last seen in 2004. The 21% calling themselves liberal is in line with findings throughout this decade, but is up from the 1990s.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/120...Ideological-Group.aspx

Now, if only the GOP can run a conservative candidate they might be in business.

If only

 

[OCGuy]

It warms my heart that there are so few true liberals in this country.

If the GOP base can get into this century, and come around on civil rights for gays, and make fiscal conservatism a main platform......

 

[MovingTarget]

In my experience, the labels 'liberal' and 'conservative' have been so overused and overplayed that they have lost all meaning. Where I am, everybody calls themselves a 'conservative', but when you talk to them about their political positions and goals, they are quite moderate. I'd like to see a breakup of 'social' and 'fiscal' conservatives in that poll.

 

[bamacre]

The words "conservative" and "liberal" don't mean much without the preceding words "fiscally" and "socially."

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

It's interesting that the number of "conservatives" is increasing while the number of self-described Republicans has gone down over the same period. The party has drifted so far from its traditional small-government/libertarian vision that it's hard to know what the party itself stands for anymore.

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: bamacre
The words "conservative" and "liberal" don't mean much without the preceding words "fiscally" and "socially."

Neither one would tip the scales towards "liberal."

 

[JSt0rm]

Originally posted by: Patranus

Thus far in 2009, 40% of Americans interviewed in national Gallup Poll surveys describe their political views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal. This represents a slight increase for conservatism in the U.S. since 2008, returning it to a level last seen in 2004. The 21% calling themselves liberal is in line with findings throughout this decade, but is up from the 1990s.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/120...Ideological-Group.aspx

Now, if only the GOP can run a conservative candidate they might be in business.

i dont think you even know what you are aside from a headcase

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: JSt0rm01

Originally posted by: Patranus

Thus far in 2009, 40% of Americans interviewed in national Gallup Poll surveys describe their political views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal. This represents a slight increase for conservatism in the U.S. since 2008, returning it to a level last seen in 2004. The 21% calling themselves liberal is in line with findings throughout this decade, but is up from the 1990s.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/120...Ideological-Group.aspx

Now, if only the GOP can run a conservative candidate they might be in business.

i dont think you even know what you are aside from a headcase

Do you have a comment on the actual gallop poll or no?

 

[sandorski]

"Liberal" is a dirty word in US Politics. So it doesn't surprise me that so few identify themselves as such. If those same people were asked specific questions on Issues, I think the end result would show a much higher percent of "Liberal".

 

[Craig234]

Originally posted by: OCguy

Do you have a comment on the actual gallop poll or no?

The gallop poll is pretty useless except for turning elections into a horse race.

 

[Jaskalas]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Or it could be the Socialist in the WH driving people more to the right?

(Such was Limbaugh's claim on the radio today.)

That's a moronic assessment as the Democrats haven't even warmed up to their newfound power. How can the people move away from what they haven?t even gotten a taste of yet? Let alone a full helping

 

[JSt0rm]

Originally posted by: OCguy

Originally posted by: JSt0rm01

Originally posted by: Patranus

Thus far in 2009, 40% of Americans interviewed in national Gallup Poll surveys describe their political views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal. This represents a slight increase for conservatism in the U.S. since 2008, returning it to a level last seen in 2004. The 21% calling themselves liberal is in line with findings throughout this decade, but is up from the 1990s.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/120...Ideological-Group.aspx

Now, if only the GOP can run a conservative candidate they might be in business.

i dont think you even know what you are aside from a headcase

Do you have a comment on the actual gallop poll or no?

no

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Originally posted by: OCguy
Do you have a comment on the actual gallop poll or no?

I have a couple. First, I think it's amusing that you earlier stated the Republicans would be a better party if they became more fiscally conservative and more socially liberal (supporting gay civil rights), then when another poster pointed out that there is a difference between being fiscally conservative and socially conservative, you act as though the difference is irrelevant. It struck me as ironic.

Second, I agree with what sandorski said; liberal is a dirty word in politics. You will hear right-wing pundits rail on and on about the harm that "liberals" are doing to this country, but you do not hear the same vitriol towards "conservatives" from left-wing commentators. Democrat politicians have actually had to deny being liberal, whereas Republicans wear the conservative tag like a badge of honor, regardless of whether it's true or not (there have been a whole lot of fiscally irresponsible Republicans who called themselves conservative). So I think that definitely plays into public perception of what those words mean. I think if you listed a series of positions and ranked people, you'd see most people grouping towards the middle as moderates, a smattering of people on the far left and far right, and quite a few people who were surprised to learn they were more liberal than they expected.

 

[Liberator21]

Originally posted by: Craig234

Originally posted by: OCguy

Do you have a comment on the actual gallop poll or no?

lol...

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: OCguy
It warms my heart that there are so few true liberals in this country.

If the GOP base can get into this century, and come around on civil rights for gays, and make fiscal conservatism a main platform......

Hmmm yes, see if privatizing social security, keeping healthcare free market only, or deregulating wall street further will win the GOP any votes.

The era of Reagan is dead (thank god), there will be no GOP candidates that run on fiscal conservativism as you know it.

See if running Sarah Palin as your candidate will help you in 2012 (the base conservative's choice) (Hint: "Liberals" want her to run)

 

[Vic]

But not a majority.

 

[IGBT]

and there's PLENTY of democrats like myself that greatly object to the secular progressive/eco-KOOK takeover of todays democrat party.

 

[fskimospy]

My response to the Gallup poll is the same one I've given time and time again on here when people try and talk about how the average American is 'conservative' or that it means something if the majority of people describe themselves as 'conservative'.

One of the seminal studies in modern political science is 'The nature of belief systems in mass publics'. Its basic premise is that nobody even knows what the hell the term 'conservative' means, much less has some sort of coherent set of principles based off of that ideology. This is why the majority of Americans might describe themselves as conservative but when polled on the major wedge issues tend to favor the Democratic positions.

Short version: People have no clue what they are talking about, it wouldn't help the Republicans one bit if they shifted their policies to be more truly 'conservative'. In fact, it would probably hurt them.

 

[bamacre]

40% of Americans are conservatives. No wonder the Republicans lost.

 

[herm0016]

Originally posted by: IGBT
and there's PLENTY of democrats like myself that greatly object to the secular progressive/eco-KOOK takeover of todays democrat party.

thats good to hear.

i myself am pretty liberal socially, but that will never trump my fiscal sense. the pole is interesting, how about they ask what each person things those words mean, i bet that most have no clue.

 

[Craig234]

nm, the need for this post was removed

 

[Mean MrMustard]

Originally posted by: blackangst1

Originally posted by: Patranus

Thus far in 2009, 40% of Americans interviewed in national Gallup Poll surveys describe their political views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal. This represents a slight increase for conservatism in the U.S. since 2008, returning it to a level last seen in 2004. The 21% calling themselves liberal is in line with findings throughout this decade, but is up from the 1990s.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/120...Ideological-Group.aspx

Now, if only the GOP can run a conservative candidate they might be in business.

If only

Very few people actually know what being conservative means. There is a reason the Republican Party is the physical manifestation of these so-called "conservatives". And why Republicanism has gone astray. Most of the people I know, talked to, and read about even here on this forum that call themselves conservative are anything but.

There's a reason every argument I've had about my libertarian views is followed by a lashing out by my so-called conservative friends.

I peg true conservatives at about 5% of Americans and they have nothing to do with the Republican party.

 

[BarrySotero]

More bad news:

"Voters Now Trust Republicans More than Democrats on Economic Issues "

Voters now trust Republicans more than Democrats on six out of 10 key issues, including the top issue of the economy.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% now trust the GOP more to handle economic issues, while 39% trust Democrats more.

This is the first time in over two years of polling that the GOP has held the advantage on this issue. The parties were close in May, with the Democrats holding a modest 44% to 43% edge. The latest survey was taken just after General Motors announced it was going into bankruptcy as part of a deal brokered by the Obama administration that gives the government majority ownership of the failing automaker.


http://www.rasmussenreports.co...issues/trust_on_issues