From Politico.com :
Conservatives continue to make up the largest segment of political views in the country, outnumbering liberals nearly two-to-one, according to a new poll Thursday.
The Gallup survey found that 40 percent of Americans consider themselves conservative; 35 percent consider themselves moderate; and 21 percent see themselves as liberal. The figures did not change from 2010
For the third straight year, conservatives outnumbered both moderates and liberals.
Conservatives began outstripping moderates in 2008, and the percentage of moderates has declined steadily over the past two decades, from 43 percent 1992 to 35 percent in 2011.
In fact, both self-identified conservatives and liberals have risen in number since the early 1990s, indicating a growing polarization in American politics.
While self-identified conservatives dominate the Republican Party, making up 71 percent, the Democratic Party is more split — 39 percent of Democrats view themselves as liberal, and 38 percent consider themselves moderates.
Meanwhile, independents are mostly moderate (41 percent), but skew more toward conservatism (35 percent) than liberalism (20 percent). [Editor: Bold is mine.]
The last 2 paragraphs speak volumes and should not go unnoticed. The fact that moderates have a tendency to seek the Democratic umbrella is probably because the Republican Party is, frankly, inhospitable to those who might have varying points of view. There is little room for those who don’t quote the party line in the Republican Party. The Democrats don’t want to throw you out if you want to reduce welfare and actively support the death penalty but I have felt the sting of perhaps being too tolerant of Republicans, many times. I just haven’t felt that sting as often coming from Democrats as I have Republicans. It also depends on where you live. Different areas of the country grow different types of Democrats and Republicans. I would probably be a Republican if I lived in New Hampshire.
Sadly, as a nation we have become more polarized and less willing to accept of other points of view. What I notice the most is ‘degrees.’ It is becoming increasing more difficult to express a middle ground on a topic. Take immigration, for instance. Why is it that you are an “open borders illegal alien apologist” if your feelings are anywhere short of rounding up everyone and deporting 12 million people? Why are solutions that contain a modicum of humanity enough to send some folks over the edge? Those kinds of responses are what keep us from establishing a dialogue that will generate solutions. Immigration certainly isn’t the only topic.
Until the American people can feel comfortable moving off the bedrock of topics that have been solidified in granite, at least for discussion purposes, this country will be awash in hatred and never discover solutions to that which drives and keeps us apart. Every issue will be a trump situation where there are only winners and losers rather than people who have compromised.
Every issue has more than one side. If we can’t look at the other guy’s side, our own must be pretty shaky.
“Meanwhile, independents are mostly moderate (41 percent), but skew more toward conservatism (35 percent) than liberalism (20 percent). ”
“The fact that moderates have a tendency to seek the Democratic umbrella”
But the article shows that the moderates are leaning conservative.
Moon,
Kinda supports my whole premise how much trouble the Democrat party is really in, would you not agree?
Also, this would challenge perceptions held by some on this blog, as to what “mainstream” really means.
Steve,
I don’t WANNA be mainstream! I don’t! I don’t!
Remember….if you follow the crowd…you can’t see where its going.
@Cargosquid
But they don’t lean evenly. Most moderates are mixed. Liberal here, conservative there.
It actually says that more independents lean conservative but they are mostly moderates. Awkwardly written, I will admit.
@Steve,
That doesn’t explain the win in 2008 then.
The problem is, people are affixing their own labels. My husband would look you dead in the eye and tell you he was conservative. I have been telling him for a long time he isn’t.
I never said democrats weren’t in trouble. I just think it is way too early to call an election. More people might say they are conservative but there are different kinds of conservatives and obviously many in the republican party can’t decide which kind they are.
Additionally, the moderates and liberals combined outnumber the conservatives. That makes it tricky for the republicans. First off, they have to come up with a candidate that will lure the moderates in by being…moderate and not too conservative. (excluding Bachmann, Perry, etc) and who will be able to generate enough enthusiasm amongst reublicans to get the nomination.
Because things are so polarized, that is a difficult task. Let’s face it, do you really have a candidate out there that you like? I see about as much enthusiasm for Romney as I saw for McCain…maybe even less. Meanwhile, Newt and Perry are doing their best to give him the final knock out punch.
This one is far from over. Math scmath…..I don’t see it as an easy call. Too many factors.
@Steve,
I have to think about mainstream for a minute. That is actually a good topic of conversation. Is mainstream sheer numbers?
I don’t think conservatives are not mainstream, necessarily. Solme liberals definitely aren’t mainstream. I think I would define mainstream as ideas where most people are at least comfortable, even if they don’t agree.
Take child sex abusers, for example. A’ liberal’ judge might give an offender 6 months in jail and then let them back out in the community with an ankle bracelet. I would say that most people, regardless of party or spot on the political spectrum would find this sentence unacceptable and not mainstream criminal justice. Most of us would want to storm the courthouse.
@Moon-howler
“That doesn’t explain the win in 2008 then.”
Oh yes it does. In 2008, the conservative base was pissed at what Bush had done in his second term. They (conservatives) had overlooked a few first-term mistakes such as NCLB and the Perscription Drug Benefit, and supported him against Kerry. Congress pissed off conservatives, mostly dealing with spending, and the GOP lost both houses in 2006. Bush had to move left to get anything done, and that further enraged conservatives. The last straw was TARP. The result was an angry, disillusioned base, coming into the 2008 primaries. When conservatives didn’t fare well (mostly from running poor campaigns), and McCain was nominated, conservatives were very wary. The Democrats settled their nomination rather more quickly. The two front-runners were ideologically similar. However, Obama ran a masterful campaign long on platitudes, short on substance, and never allowed himself to get pinned down. He was clearly the media favorite, and as far as the “generally-informed” public goes, he represented a new paradigm. Not a Clinton. Not a Bush. Rock-star appeal. He won over many independents, and more importantly, turned out first-time voters. McCain, on the otherhand, was never able to reassure the base. If you can’t win over your base, how do you appeal to the R-leaning independents?
Now Obama is a known quantity. I do think they will eventually line up behind the GOP nominee, regardless, but for now everyone is trying to get “their guy” nominated. When faced with hypotheticals it’s easier to hold to a hard & fast standard of your ideal conservative. When faced with a known reality, folks get way more pragmatic.
@Steve many Republicans think that TARP had to happen.
I think how the election looks depends on your circle of friends. Pretty much everyone I hang with (and that includes a goodly number of moderate Republicans) doesn’t want to call it but thinks Obama will probably pull it off.
Now a year from now, we can all look back on this and one of us will be glad we didn’t place large sums of money on our opinion being right.
@Moon-howler
“I have to think about mainstream for a minute. That is actually a good topic of conversation. Is mainstream sheer numbers?
Moon, “Mainstream” is defined by the Mainstream, who happen to be the majority of the people, defining what “Mainstream” is…..and I don’t intend this to be cute or snarky. The same rationale could be applied to “Conservative”, “Liberal”, “Moderate”, etc. I’ll never forget a conversation that I had with my uncle, who I love greatly, a year ago. He said “I’m a moderate”. I asked him why he defines himself as such. He gave me his positions on a series of issues, including social issues. Well, by the standards of where he lives (Boston), he might very well be a moderate, and I told him so. I also told him that by the standards of where I live, he’d be considered very liberal, and I proceeded to share with him the positions of our very own Chuck Colgan. I didn’t identify Colgan’s party affiliation, just defined him as a “moderate”. My uncle said “Geez, he wouldn’t do well here. We don’t elect conservative Republicans here”. When I told him Colgan is a Democrat, my uncle was floored.
Exactly and thanks for providing an example. I can’t disagree with your definition of mainstream. location location location with a touch of math. @ steve
I think the story of your uncle is cute.
Maybe I am watching a different republican primary, but the flavor the week has come and gone pretty consistently and now Newt is doing the work of democrats. Seems to me the Republicans are the ones in crisis.
Ya know…….I think Moon and I had this very discussion years ago, when I first showed up.
Your “placement” on the conservative/liberal line depends upon the observer. Its completely relative. To me….Dubya was a centrist. To many, he was far right. When your “center” is too the left….everything to the right is conservative. Vice versa on conservative.
So, now I define conservative differently. Those seeking less government and more liberty, based upon our Constitution. At one end are the anarcho-libertarians. At the other…communists. Everyone else is in the middle.
That probably works as well as anything else. @cargo
Just don’t make me say the one on the far right.
I wouldn’t say Bush was a centrist nor would I have placed him personally far right. I am not sure where I would place Bush actually. He was a hybrid like me….but the opposite also.
@Moon-howler </a
He was a hybrid.
Oh, you mean……..a moderate? Yeah…that sounds right.
A hybrid isn’t necessarily moderate as much as it is some conservative/some liberal.
Like Will Rogers said “I don’t belong to any organized political party, I’m a Democrat” I believe
Democrat Republican Liberal Moderate Conservative are all labels and when we walk into the voting booth we pull the lever for the person we like and trust. I became a Democrat because I wanted to vote in their primary and in NY only the registered party gets to vote in Primary.
Since then I discovered that Democrats are more in line with what I believe so I haven’t changed but I still support and vote for the person and not party or label. Some of the Governors are a disgrace from Wisconsin to Michigan (they happen to be Republicans but that is immaterial).