-
When Terrorists Deny Each Other
May 7, 2013 | 166 comments
-
Barack Obama, Gun Enthusiast
February 4, 2013 | 130 comments
-
Principled Compromise
June 22, 2012 | 56 comments
-
Obamacare’s Preemptive Regulatory Strike
March 29, 2012 | 69 comments
-
Santorum’s College Lesson
February 29, 2012 | 102 comments
Special Report
America the Beautiful
In the Bush years and since, America has moved further to the right.
Last May, the Campaign for America’s Future and Media Matters for America released a report that laughably claimed America was a center-left nation. The report, “America: A Center-Left Nation,” claimed “all indications today” are that America leans politically to the left.
The primary sources of this claim were Barack Obama’s job approval ratings and politically meaningless poll questions, such as “Would you like to see major corporations have more influence in this nation, less influence, or keep their influence as it is now?” The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder commented on such bad polling at the time, remarking, “Even if you’re conservative, do you necessarily want major corporations to have ‘more influence’?”
The study proudly cited Gallup polling data on Obama’s approval ratings. Its authors said they used Gallup and two other sources because of their “reputations for methodological rigor and nonpartisan analysis.” So they must have no complaint then about Gallup’s finding that America is, in fact, a center-right nation.
“The increased conservatism that Gallup first identified among Americans last June persisted throughout the year, so that the final year-end political ideology figures confirm Gallup’s initial reporting: conservatives (40%) outnumbered both moderates (36%) and liberals (21%) across the nation in 2009,” Gallup announced on Thursday.
“The rather abrupt three-point increase between 2008 and 2009 in the percentage of Americans calling themselves conservative is largely owing to an increase — from 30% to 35% — in the percentage of political independents adopting the label,” Gallup said in its press release. “Over the same period, there was only a slight increase in professed conservatism among Republicans (from 70% to 71%) and no change among Democrats (at 21%).”
Since 1992, conservatives have outnumbered moderates three times in Gallup polling. Liberals have never outnumbered moderates in that time. The CAF/MM claim that “all indications” show a left-leaning nation is the exact opposite of what is demonstrably true. All indications are, and have been for years, that America is a center-right nation.
That is not to say that America is a Republican nation or even a conservative one. Self-described moderates outnumber conservatives most years. But far more Americans lean to the right than to the left. Only a fifth of Americans describe themselves as liberal, while more than a third call themselves conservative. Maybe the people at the Campaign for America’s Future and Media Matters just can’t do math.
One interesting Gallup finding is that liberals are becoming more liberal but are not recruiting a lot more moderates, while conservatives are moving both themselves and the rest of the country to the right.
In 2000, only four percent of Americans called themselves “very liberal” while 15 percent said they were merely “liberal.” So 19 percent of the country self-identified as liberal that year. By 2009, only 5 percent said they were “very liberal” while 16 percent said they were liberal. That single percentage point increase in each category is within the poll’s margin of error, so that small bump in self-described liberals might be a statistical error. The left essentially stagnated.
Meanwhile, in 2000, 6 percent of Americans self-identified as “very conservative” while 32 percent said they were simply “conservative.” By the end of 2009, 9 percent said they were “very conservative,” but the percentage who said they were “conservative” fell by a point to 31 percent. The percentage self-identifying as “moderate” fell from 40 percent to 36 percent. In the last decade, Americans not only moved to the right, but deeply to the right.
There can be no mistake. America is a center-right nation and has grown more conservative in the past decade. That the trend has accelerated in the past year does not bode well for the president, his party, or their policies.
About the Author
Andrew Cline is editorial page editor of the New Hampshire Union Leader. His Twitter ID is @Drewhampshire.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (174) | Leave a comment
More Articles by Andrew Cline
More Articles From Special Report
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/01/08/america-the-ever-beautiful
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
Stephanie| 1.8.10 @ 6:54AM
If the country polled conservative, then why do we have communists running the US?
Appleby| 1.8.10 @ 7:26AM
Because most of the new conservatives discovered their conservatism after King Zero was elected.
Ret. Marine| 1.8.10 @ 7:29AM
This can be explained very easily. First understand how "historic" they first started out telling the mindless, second understand that the pounding the "liberal meida" did to the Bush Admin. had a direct impact upon the persuaging that a "change" was needed, and the rest just hoped all of the above was true. So wahla, they voted for the hopey and changey thing. The pretender-n-theif, thy name is Obama.
Not too hard to figure if you look at it in reality. The reality is, they have elected a foreigner, and please don't start calling names such as "truthers" or whatever. Name a President in recent history that was NOT vetted properly, you can't. Who in the hell spends 2-million+, using tax payers money to boot, to hide their identity. If he was legit, he'd damned sure want to flout it, like he says Ayers was just another friend on the block huh.
Al Adab| 1.8.10 @ 10:47AM
For the most part Stephanie, those who think of themselves, and identify to pollsters as Conservative, have little understanding of exactly what the term means.
Look at all the hyphenated Conservatives: neo-cons, paleo-cons, fiscal cons, social cons etc, etc.
Unless one actually studies the definitions are widely variable.
Appleby; Actually don't forget all the great media talk about Centrist Obama. We all knew better, but many (enough) got sold a bill of goods. You remember, "tell a lie often enough..."
Alan Brooks| 1.8.10 @ 10:48AM
Bush ought to get a medal for shrinking the increase in the increase in the increase of the size of govt.
Good thing Bush disliked govt. so much;
be thankful for small favors, if we hadn't had Bush for president for eight years, the federal govt. might have become bloated-- and eventually a Democrat would have been elected President.
Whew, that was a close one.
JP| 1.8.10 @ 3:04PM
Sorry Alan,
But Bush never ran as a fiscal conservative. He ran as a compassionate conservative who said quite famously, "When people hurt the government's got to move!." The alternative back in 1999-2000 was our poet emeritus ALGORE.
And Bush in running those large defecits had a big assist from the likes of fiscally conservative RINOS such as Snarlin Arlen, Pete King, Lincoln Chaffee, and Susan Collins et als.
Alan Brooks| 1.8.10 @ 8:26PM
"And Bush in running those large defecits had a big assist from the likes of fiscally conservative RINOS such as Snarlin Arlen, Pete King, Lincoln Chaffee, and Susan Collins et als."
More's the pity.
Alan Brooks| 1.9.10 @ 9:47PM
Technically the author is correct, America the Wealthy and Free and Creative (but not Beautiful, "beautiful" in a conservative context means virtuous-- and America is largely devoid of virtue at all levels) has moved to the Right.
But again again, again, what is it that has been conserved in Dubya's time, and what is being conserved today?
jason| 1.10.10 @ 9:03PM
Apathy, polititical correctness,and good old fashioned lazziness.Most of America is sitting on their asses with the remote in their hand pressing the next button.
Joellen| 1.8.10 @ 7:27AM
Will believe this when we start SWEARING in CONSERVATIVES and not RINOS in the next election. Until then I suggest we keep educated, and then educate but above all - PRAY! PS Keep an eye on the LIBERAL COMMUNIST CATHOLIC BISHOPS; they are now PUSHING the ILLEGAL ALIEN MELTDOWN - make calls and let them know we will no longer SUPPORT them (If you are) and you will fight them like we are fighting the Communist who have taken over our government. These so called Catholic Bishops are as dangerous as the so called Catholic Politicians.
La Realidad| 1.8.10 @ 11:03AM
First of all I don't appreciate your bigotted and hateful comments about the Catholic bishops. Words like this give the Left ammunition that those on the Right are a bunch of hypocrites preaching love thy neighbor and turn around and do the opposite. If I may quote a famous late Catholic bishop, "The atheism of the left: love thy neighbor, not thy God. The atheism of the right: love thy God, not thy neighbor".
The Catholic bishops and the Catholic faithful/laity focus on the dignity of the human person more so than politics even though the media (on all sides) tell you differently. We can achieve sensible immigration reform doing this while maintaining the well being of this great nation. This post is not the forum for this debate, but I'm sure the wonderful contributors of "American Spectator" will continue to have good articles about this.
Let's keep dear our traditional American values and stop the onslaught of reckless liberalism on our country. If I were you I'd continue to be MORE worried about the "Catholic" politicians that make up their own belief systems and confuse the heck out of those who are Catholic and especially those who are not.
Margie| 1.8.10 @ 12:20PM
Loving your neighbor means caring enough to tell them the truth. Without that you aren't loving them. Allowing illegals into our country isn't loving them. It's breaking the law. And it's enabling. There's no dignity in it either, for the enabler, or the enabled. We are supposed to keep the laws of the land.
Just saying.
Alan Brooks| 1.8.10 @ 8:35PM
"Allowing illegals into our country isn't loving them. It's breaking the law. And it's enabling. There's no dignity in it either, for the enabler, or the enabled. We are supposed to keep the laws of the land."
We are going to have to admit that 'give us your... huddled masses, yearning to be free'
doesn't cut it anymore.
The Commies sort-of hijacked it with their own 'arise ye wretched of the earth.'
There's an extreme contradiction; a legit welfare system that helps the deserving poor is necessary, but to overwhelm it with illegals?? SELF-DEFEATING & SELF-DESTRUCTIVE.
Now both are outmoded. This isn't 1848-- though sometimes I wish it were 1948.
victor| 1.8.10 @ 9:56PM
Alan B
"We are going to have to admit that 'give us your... huddled masses, yearning to be free'
doesn't cut it anymore."
That was when we needed people to come here and because we invited them. We also had laws for orderly LEGAL immigration.
We did not invite the ILLEGALS.
Alan Brooks| 1.10.10 @ 10:20PM
Sure, victor, but without [legal] anchor babies, the situation would be different.
Alan Brooks| 1.10.10 @ 10:23PM
Of course you know that, Vic. Legals can find ways to sneak their kin into America.
Open a door a crack, and you can push your way in.
Joellen| 1.8.10 @ 1:55PM
As usual, instead of debating my facts, you throw out accusations. My words are neither hateful nor bigoted - they are facts. Just go into the website of Pewsitter.com and you can read for yourselfthat these so called "CATHOLIC" bishops are applauding themselves for imposing Socialized Health Care onto us, and now they want to impose the ILLEGAL ALIENS plight onto the American taxpayer. That is the arugument, so stay focused. I will not go onto the defense and state I am for immigration - most Americans are! I will continue to promote truth and justice and obeying the law. You cannot justify any type of illegal action (i.e., abortion, theft, etc.) without endorsing it. So, again I say to you - PRAY, and La Realidad - pray for common sense and wisdom, for it is sorely needed in these times.
Joellen| 1.8.10 @ 2:41PM
La Realidad, my response to you is below Margie's. However, I forgot to ask you to go into the website of RealCatholicTV.com and listen to Michael Voris on the VORTEX. This man will educate you into the truth as to what is going on with the Catholic Bishops. Also, in case you need to know Michael IS A SERVANT OF THE CATHOLIC faith and speaks truth - and isnt that what we all seek. So dont be angry with me when I espouse the facts, be angry with those who continue to snooker the people.
mimiC| 1.9.10 @ 5:57AM
I agree about the Catholic Bishops - through a misguided sense of "helping the poor" and improving the bottom line in their parishes/schools, they support universal health care and have undermined those of us who don't want it and think it's bad for the country. I don't, however, equate them with the Kennedys, Pelosis, etc. who go along with anything to cement their power. I remain a conservative Catholic who hopes the conservative backlash will save the country from big mistakes which might not be able to be rectified. And may the Catholic bishops soon be enlightened by God to the damage they have done by supporting pedophile priests and universal health care.
Melvin| 1.8.10 @ 7:46AM
Another political component that the electorate must look out for is the professional liar. How many politicians ran as Conservatives, talked as Conservatives, and told the electorate that they would lead with Conservationism all but do an about face once elected and instantly became
Progressives.
ncatty| 1.8.10 @ 9:33AM
This statement applies to every Democrat elected in North Carolina.
Spelcheker| 1.8.10 @ 8:14AM
Oy Ret.Marine,please note the correct spelling of thief. Also, did Melvin mean conservatism rather than the environmentally friendly conservation? Add ism and you have a non-existent word.
Melvin| 1.8.10 @ 8:55AM
A thousand pardons for my vocabularian indiscretion, I did not notice it until you mentioned it.
What can I say I am just full of, "Isms" this morning.
Ret. Marine| 1.8.10 @ 7:01PM
My bad, too early in the morning.
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.8.10 @ 8:24AM
Spelchecker,
you forgot to correct voila', dumbunny.
Hey Marine, we got the idea. Thanks.
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.8.10 @ 8:28AM
Mr. Cline, thanks for the reminder.
Personally, I lean right down the center...or what was the center circa 1958. heh.
Grzmlyk| 1.8.10 @ 8:54AM
Hmmmm. Someone better tell our government, because the last time I checked, the party of supposed conservatism, the GOP, had a funny way of acknowledging this fact. On the other hand, maybe becoming a doormat for Marxist ideology is some sort of arcane conservative jujitsu with which I am unacquainted.
I'm not a regular watcher of Greta Van Sustren on Fox, but I've had it on the last two or three nights, and apparently they're doing a running gimmick where some nerdy reporter goes to different cities and asks the first 5 people he sees at some establishment whether they support the health care bill. Virtually everyone I've seen does.
A decidedly unscientific and statistically inadequate amount of data to draw larger conclusions, ok. So I'll throw in every single person I know, and to a person (with the exception of one) they are all happy as clams with the bill; they still love OBAMA, OBAMA, or, at most, the "elite" ones are amused - they think Obama is no big deal, it's business as usual in Washington, and they are happy to live with that. They laugh at conservatives as creating much ado about nothing.
Given the information that's out there about how this monstrosity was concocted, and the administration's - and congress's - open contempt for the people - the fact that so many Americans are still for this "legislation," and still supportive of Obama, doesn't encourage me.
Despite the article above, I honestly think Americans want a Euro-style social democracy. That's where Bush was wrong in his foreign policy - too many people DON'T want freedom.
Rmm| 1.8.10 @ 9:24AM
If your conclusion is even semi-accurate, this country is in deep $(*&^!. Granted, there are a fair number who are too lazy and apathetic for their own good, I refuse to accept the premise that a majority of Americans want more government interference in their daily lives.
Grzmlyk| 1.8.10 @ 9:51AM
When it comes to health care, I don't think they perceive it as such. Among the "elites," I think it's complacency (I've still got my comfy lifestyle regardless) combined with the "boiled frog" syndrome.
Among the more pedestrian folks, I think it's similar. All of these folks seem to have a misplaced sense of compassion. I had a friend say he didn't mind paying a bit more in taxes if it meant poor people would get the health care they deserve.
Now this guy is no idiot, but he's made the calculation that he'll be able to pat himself on the back for "caring" if only an extra $25 a paycheck is deducted for the deserving poor and everybody will live happily ever after.
There's so much wrong with that thinking I don't know where to start, but I might begin by asking him who determines what people deserve? Is a deep-tissue massage "deserved?" A sex change operation? Aroma therapy? AA counseling? cosmetic surgery? And what level of care do people deserve? Do the poorest among us deserve the very best surgeons and level of care, or something less? How much less? At what point do you tell a person he doesn't "deserve" any more, and who's going to tell him that? Some bureaucrat making a political calculation? And which is better - making health care decisions based on your individual situation, or on its impact on "the system?"
Or I might tell them that that's what Medicaid and Medicare were foisted on us for. Weren't these programs supposed to solve this very problem? How'd that work out? Or I might point out the thousands of examples that prove that government can't do anything more cheaply than private enterprise, and isn't intended to.
Or that this will inevitably lead to rationing even as costs go up, which will inevitably lead to the very people my friend wants to help being left out in the cold worse than they are now - along with others further up the food chain.
Lastly, I might tell him that, since this legislation neither lowers costs nor insures everybody, that perhaps the politicians don't see it as a way to help people - perhaps there's another motivation. Perhaps it's a way for politicians to 1) gather up all the illegal immigrants into a perpetual democrat-voting machine and 2) affix a permanent yoke on the American people that makes them subjects of the government, which will be empowered to dictate every single thing they do in their lives under thr rubric of the common good. That, in effect, this legislation makes us serfs, and the day we're born our primary obligation is not to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but merely to serve the state.
But why bother? It falls on deaf ears.
Margie| 1.8.10 @ 12:30PM
We would do much better if you were head of the RNC.. not that you'd want to be, but just my thought after reading your post.
If every Republican spoke that this, truthfully and factually we'd be in better shape. And so would they. You're like Reagan. :)
crookedwren| 1.8.10 @ 2:02PM
You sure you don't want to run for public office?
I'd vote for you.
The "Progressives" and the Communists (aka Socialists) have been at work for a long time. They've brainwashed teachers and "journalists" and those teachers and pseudo-journalists have been busy brainwashing our children. Even I have succumbed to some of the stupidity when I was young.
The Uber Left has infiltrated our local, state, and federal governments in alarming numbers. The comments following the Ft. Hood terrorist act and the actions taken against the Navy Seals lead me to believe that they have even infiltrated our military. I spend my days dismayed by what I know is happening to this great nation of ours.
Yet truth is a stubborn thing. And not all ears are deaf. The pen IS a mighty weapon when it is wielding truth.
So, Grzmylk, keep publishing what you've just written here -- verbally or otherwise.
And if you ever want to run for public office, let me know. I'm poor and can't help you much financially, but I'll pound the pavement or make phone calls, etc. on your behalf.
doug| 1.9.10 @ 11:22AM
well said,grzmlyk....have you ever wondered
why liberals/leftists are in a state of perpetual
anger and bitterness, because, really, they
have been getting, for the last halfcentury at least,
what they want, which is an unrelenting expansion
of the state...one would think they would be a
little happier
Silver Bear| 1.10.10 @ 11:47AM
I have also seen that Van Susteran feature. Her "reporter" was doing New Orleans when I saw it. He conducted his "survey" from the touristy confines of the Dumont.
Seems everyone he asked was NOT native to Louisiana - three were from decidedly Democrat demographics, and two were a couple from Quebec! It had the look of being more a Greta plug for health care reform than an actual survey.
I'd love to see that "survey" retaken from the parishes north and west of New Orleans. Greta might of had some decidedly different results.
However, it is "Jiffy-Bake" journalism, because it is so quick and easy...no real investigation or work...
Louis Jenkins| 1.8.10 @ 8:55AM
So who are these people that flanked our left while we were asleep? If the US is a right leaning nation, and it is my immediate area of the country, how did those left-statist types come to power? Not everyone admits that they voted for the Pretender n Chief, but somebody did in sufficient numbers to influence the electorial college. The only conclusions are: they wore the wheels off their vehicles transporting leftists to the polls, the dead arose and voted (maybe twice or more), and some "right" minded people crossed over the idealogical line.
"Maybe the people at the Campaign for America's Future and Media Matters just can't do math." Math is truth! Those people, and the Obamanation, have made a profession of overlooking the truth. So don't count on actualities. For those guys truth dependens on the color of glasses they're wearing at the time.
As for the comment Retired Marine made about foreigner, there is a general reluctance to point out a lack of citizenship credibility for the president. "Birther" is a bad word, but not necessarily so in my opinion. Again, it is seeking the truth. If GW's college grades, or J. McCain being born in the Panama Canal Zone was so important to the statist media, then why are they conveniently ignoring the Obamator's stats. Again, the truth is unimportant to these folks. What is important is "they have arrived at last!" They are in charge, right leaning nation be damned and if they can continue with the cloak of "winners" so much the better for them, even if they are dancing through a field of bear traps.
Pingback| 1.8.10 @ 9:49AM
Twitter Trackbacks for The American Spectator : America the Beautiful [spectator.org links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Mattled| 1.8.10 @ 10:31AM
Grzmlyk,
I prefer the term Hell-thcare.
I don't understand why leftists love the DMV (deciding who gets treatment) and the IRS (enforcing insurance mandates).
They love tax and Spend but HATE paying taxes.
The ultimate irony in all this is that the left will pay----more taxes. THEN that will finally p**s them off.
Grzmlyk| 1.8.10 @ 10:47AM
You are right on the money, Mattled.
But of course it's ok for the left to cheat on their taxes because they care - and what's one tax cheat, more or less? They want everybody else to share the burden.
Northern Rebel| 1.8.10 @ 11:11AM
I am as frustrated an individual, as you have ever seen. My favorite football team, (Colts) decided it was a great idea, to deliberately lose the last two games of the season, rather than persue excellence.
My favorite baseball team (Red Sox) have decided (Theo Epstein direct quote) that being in the top 5 is OK with him. Congratulations Yankee fans.
My favorite basketball team, (Celtics) thinks it's better to sign 35 year old players, than develop young talent.
And the republican party sends me letters telling me in effect, We're not really trying to beat the democrat party, we enjoy golfing with them. Please donate to us.
I am on my way to Texas, and pray they become a country of their own, and I can vote for Chuck Norris!
Otherwise, my wife will have to rescue me, as I wander into traffic.
Al Adab| 1.8.10 @ 11:21AM
Man Rebel, do I ever share your frustration. Fortunately I don't live up in the people's republic section of the country as you do.
What did happen to being number one or the pursuit of excellence? Remember when the schools starting teaching equality or result rather than competition? It is simply part of the Left's world view.
Maybe if we both ask real nice Old Texican can find us a cabinet position in the Republic of Texas.
crookedwren| 1.8.10 @ 2:14PM
God Bless you, Northern Rebel!
And if Texas secedes, please let me in --
Florida Cracker| 1.8.10 @ 11:17AM
As to those wondering how 40% can claim to be conservatives and yet we have a liberal president, there are two groups of people who can account for this phenomenon. There are hordes of people in the South who will claim to be conservative but always vote Democrat regardless if it contradicts their conservative values. The second group is African-Americans who generally are opposed to abortion and gay marriages but will place those conservative beliefs aside to vote Democrat. I do believe in the current climate, we may see some of these mind-sets of voting Democrat no matter what, may be changing. Oh, how I pray so.
Pat| 1.8.10 @ 12:10PM
Educators say it's important to bolster self-esteem in children so this article must be for Conservative Children who need a healthy doss of self-esteem bolstering - and a major federal income tax cut would also be nice while you're at it. Several respondents to this article apparently remain firmly rooted within reality and pointed out, in various intelligent ways, that the federal govt. is run by Democrats - and the really nasty kind too - the ultra liberals.
Wow, how did that happen? Well, it wasn't through the machinations of the Tooth Fairy, Darth Vader or the Dark Lord Voldemort, it was all those center-right conservatives who made that possible. I mean someone had to vote for Obama and in overwhelming numbers. And no one was under any illusion what kind of Liberal Obama was and intended to be if elected - he's inexperienced in government but he never hid his diabolical intentions within a conservative personna - he couldn't afford to - the folks in Detroit or Chicago who supported him wouldn't have figured out his plan, he was forced to stay with the "vote for me and I'll give you a lot of freebies after I'm elected" message.
And if the intention is to insult our intelligence, this author succeeded admirably. But, it might be better to start a web based support group for those conservatives who need constant reassurance they're in the majority - the rest of us know better, the facts sort of speak for themselves.
Grzmlyk| 1.8.10 @ 12:52PM
I agree that Obama was transparent during the campaign - and not in the way he promised to be.
But the fact is that he positioned himself, as Mort Kondracke never tired of telling us, a "uniter-not-a-divider."
The fact is many "moderates" were fooled into thinking that we had a new kind of politician here. And a portion of the backlash the administration is now experiencing is attributable to the scales being lifted from not a few eyes.
Yes, there were innumerable moments - like the comment about consumers' energy prices necessarily "soaring" - that should have tipped the fools off.
But there's a sucker born every minute, and most of them are Democrats.
In addition, I think you have to attribute at least 5% of the election results to the usual Democrat rigging shenanigans, which are always tactily condoned by even the Republicans (Norm Coleman, where are you now?).
And Obama inspired far more young folks than the usual tired liberal retreads (Gore, Kerry) to show up at the polls. These callow youths predictably vote for liberal candidates.
that said, whenever I see polls telling me that the majority of the country is center-right, I always ask, where? Not in the half-dozen places I've lived over the years.
Grzmlyk| 1.8.10 @ 12:54PM
Oops. Instead of "democrats" above, I meant to say "moderates and independents." Not that it's not true of Dems, too, but the point was that it was the great swath of these feckless, non-committal boobs who are responsible for our first affirmative action president.
Pat| 1.8.10 @ 1:42PM
Grzmlyk, agree, but we also need to recall the unique circumstances surrounding the last election and not just for Obama's political fortunes but for many Democratic Congressmen as well. The Republicans had turned off their Conservative base with an excellent imitation of "Democrat Lite". In addition, there was the Wall St. meltdown, rising unemployment, the mortgage fiasco, the soft on illegal immigration stance, ignoring purely domestic issues such as Social Security/Medicare's eventual financial collapse, etc.. With an undetermined, but significant, number of disgusted Conservatives sitting out the election - plus, as you say, the idealistic youth, and not so youthful, vote for the country's first post-racial presidency, the electorate was ripe for the "Perfect Storm" affect.
The Republican Party is also a functioning business, bills must be paid, high paying careers preserved - so the Republicans tried to widen a perceived shortfall within their support base by going soft on positions where the Democrats had won "hearts and minds" - such as immigration and health care. Plus, demographics are changing within these United States - Hispanics are achieving significant numbers leading to increased political clout and the Republicans wanted to avoid permanently alienating that voter segment similar to what happened with black Americans.
At present, the Repubs are furiously practicing damage control: Don't say stupid things the Liberal Media can exploit, keep a low profile, allow the Democrats to self-destruct as they always do. The question is how long will "self-destruction" take during this round? Probably a 70 to 30 chance Obama will win another 4 years; traditional Dem support factors such as unemployment will remain unusally high for several more years and the Dems are doing their best to keep the economy on its collective knees with high taxes and ruinous foreign borrowing.
Expect to see many future articles such as this one subtlety, and not so subtlety, reminding voters that "you are a conservative by nature" and for the Republicans that is excellent propaganda, assuming it works.
bill carson| 1.8.10 @ 12:23PM
Look, I'm a conservative, but I have to say the first comment here captured my thinking exactly ("if the country polled conservative, then why do we have communists running the US?").
No good comes from all this "center-right" talk. You need to ask yourself why a "conservative" place like North Dakota re-elected Dorgan 15 times. Fact is, if you elect communists, you are a communist, or a fool at the least!
Grzmlyk| 1.8.10 @ 12:56PM
Although, lets face it: Incumbents automatically have about a 90% chance of winning reelection due to the pile of money at their disposal. The playing field is NOT level.
Margie| 1.8.10 @ 1:14PM
Not to mention the corrupt voting issues on the part of the Democrat party. Corrupt voter Registration, illegals voting, dead people, etc.
How many rellay wonder if Obama was really elected honestly? Not I.
Silver Bear| 1.10.10 @ 11:57AM
How did Dorgan get re-elected term after term by "conservative" North Dakota? Because these "conservative" farmers were more interested in keeping their agricultural welfare rolling in, and Dorgan ensured that. It's also why Iowa keeps Harkin and Grassley in office, as well.
Until people are willing to sacrifice their own little bit of enslaving welfare (whatever type it is), then you will continue to see Marxists and Fascists elected in "conservative" areas, dedicated to make sure their share of "bacon and bread" gets brought home.
Margie| 1.8.10 @ 12:41PM
Ronald Reagan quote of the day~
"History teaches that war begins when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap."
ldc| 1.8.10 @ 2:13PM
That succinctly explains Iraq.
Margie| 1.8.10 @ 4:09PM
Nice try.
But no. It has to do with when the government thinks it can get too aggressive over the people, we the people won't stand for it, and have that right to fight against it, according to the Declaration of Independence:
"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation." And this:
"In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."
~Doesn't "the Prince" sound like Obama?
Margie| 1.8.10 @ 12:52PM
Aren't Media Matters & the other org. a bit to the Left anyhow?
Well I don't care what they say. What I know is that most people, if you get to talk to them apart from the t.v. and ask them what they believe and how they live, turn out to be conservative, and they just don't know it.
There's so much confusion in this world. It's crazy.
If it weren't for the polluting of the mind by the Left.. as we all know, we would have a more conservative government right now.
Vote them all out in 2010! Vote for the conservative Republicans that are running.
Remember Reagan!
Seek| 1.8.10 @ 1:00PM
I have to agree with Stephanie. If America is "center-right," why, pray tell, did we elect huge Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, plus Obama as president? If only as the lesser of two evils, we would have retained GOP control all the way around.
Here's an unpleasant truth: The country is more nonwhite than ever. Blacks, Hispanics and Asians -- in roughly that order -- vote Democrat. And their share of the electorate is growing.
crookedwren| 1.8.10 @ 2:12PM
And will grow unbounded when the Illegal Immigrants are amnestied in and their families, extended families no less, are welcomed here with the open arms of Democrats, hands filled with taxpayer money. Well, not Geithner's money, or Dodd's, or Rangel's. But you get the idea.
Let LEGAL aliens come in and bless us with their presence. But this illegal immigration thing is yet another ploy to increase the power base for the Progressives.
Mustn't forget the shenanigans of ACORN, running 200,000 dubious voter registrations in Ohio alone. Not that the Ohio govt. did anything about those registrations. Oh, no. Never that.
So the dead will continue to vote Democratic. You bet.
Margie| 1.8.10 @ 1:45PM
In one of the most Leftist states in the country-NJ- the legislature just defeated the "Gay" Marriage Bill.
We also elected Chris Christe (R) for Gov. last Nov.
~Read it and weep, Leftists!
Thomas| 1.8.10 @ 2:36PM
People still look for reasons why liberals or moderates keep getting elected. The answer is simple. Conservatives do not vote for liberals or moderates, anymore. In 1994, the Republican Party ran Congressional candidates who promised to adhere to certain principles widely held by conservative voters. They were, literally, swept into office. Then they turned around and became mirror images of the Democrats in congress. They betrayed the trust of the people who voted them into office. In 1992, conservatives refused to vote for G.H.W. Bush because he reversed himself on promises that he had made concerning certain conservative principles. In 1996, conservatives refused to vote for Bob Dole, simply because he was a social liberal. G.W. Bush almost lost two elections, one as a wartime President, simply because of his liberal social stands. And finally, John McCain loses because conservatives will not vote for him, not only because of his liberal political leanings, but because of his active work against many conservative ideals.
The number of conservatives has never declined, significantly. But if you want to get them into the polling booth, simply run real, dedicated conservative candidates for office.
Al Adab| 1.8.10 @ 3:00PM
A lot of truth in what you have to say Thomas. If we fail to stand on principle, we stand for nothing. There is more at stake than simply filling seats with Republicans. That alone will not return our Constitutional government. NY-23 proves the point. Better the guilty get the blame than we share it due to Left adhering Republicans.
Grz, you have had a great day today.
Margie| 1.8.10 @ 4:12PM
Ronald Reagan once said something like this~ Principles are great things, but you can't use them if you're not elected.
Do we want a republican form of government or a Socialist fascistic one?
Vote for conservative Republicans both in 2010 and in 2012. Anything short of that and we are in for Obama II!
Pingback| 1.8.10 @ 3:58PM
Poll Would you prefer Oprah Winfrey to Paris Hilton in Virtual US … | Oprah Winfrey C links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Seek| 1.8.10 @ 4:40PM
New Jersey voters, like those in Virginia, almost always vote for the opposite of the incumbent House party. It's habitual contrarianism, not conservatism, that put Christie in the governor's mansion last year.
Margie| 1.8.10 @ 4:48PM
Spoken like a true leftist.
Simon Templar| 1.8.10 @ 5:19PM
It's really not a mystery. Many who knew better did not show up at the polls and vote because they could not find a conservative candidate to vote for, others (moderates) fell for the usual change populist baloney and bought all the MSM propaganda about GW Bush, and the twenty percent dead brained mentally disordered liberals went out in droves and brought with them the 2o somethings that usually do not vote. It added up to 53 percent, a small margin of victory but a win nevertheless. So, what are we going to do about it? Hopefully stop whining and start getting active and involved starting with our schools, churches, universities, and media - all of which helped the poser to get where he is today. My friends, its more than a voting booth or a particular election that will change the direction of a country! This is something that our opponents of freedom know too well.
Northern Rebel| 1.8.10 @ 5:24PM
Al Adab:
I've prepared my wife for our future move to Texas, with or without Ken's blessing. It appears that the home of the Alamo is going to be the last stand for the true meaning of the republican form of Government.
I hope to man the walls, with people like you, and Margie at my side.
I whine about my sports teams compromising, but this is a far more serious issue, and worth giving everything for.
Margie| 1.8.10 @ 6:06PM
Northern Rebel,
I'm honored.. and maybe you and your wife, and me and my husband will eventually meet up in Texas, you never know! It's too cold here in NJ anyhow.
Al| 1.8.10 @ 6:10PM
Rebel, Margie:
When the time comes, I'll be there.
Al| 1.8.10 @ 6:11PM
Been cold here too, a sunny 52 right now.
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.8.10 @ 8:20PM
Hey, Northern Rebel, Al, Margie,
Its not about a "blessing", it is all about "WELCOME" to good folks. OK?
Margie has my contact info. I would just be honored to welcome you first.
One thought:
Houston or San Antone are neater than the Dallas metroplex.
Al| 1.8.10 @ 9:31PM
Thanks again for the Welcome, Ken. I think maybe Abilene or perhaps Fredricksburg.
Kenneth E. MacAlister Jr.| 1.8.10 @ 5:36PM
There is one big factor in why atheistic leftists continually get elected in a country where conservatives outnumber liberals & moderates. Saul Alinsky dedicated a book to him & it's about time Americans give credit where credit is due. You can bet your life the "lord of this world" had a BIG hand in the election of Obama, Reid, Pelosi, et al... Think about it folks. They are making his job here in this country anyway, very, very easy. A country that turns away from Almighty God as this one, through radical leftism has, was bound to fall eventually. Every liberal & Democrat who espouse Alinsky's tactics, which were dedicated to the first radical, Lucifer are complicit in his evil deeds as are everyone who voted for these Democrats. You make adeal with the Devil, you will pay the price eventually. Think about it.
Pingback| 1.8.10 @ 7:15PM
Usury Alert! 79.99% Interest Charged by Sub Prime Credit Card … | Debt Finance Wisdom links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Northern Rebel| 1.9.10 @ 12:10AM
Old Texican:
I've been leaning towards Austin, because of he music environment, and it just so happens, God has given me a kickass singing voice!
I have a nephew who lives in the Dallas area, and I admit, I've only spent 5 weeks in Texas, but I knew the moment I arrived, that I belonged there. Iam 52 yrs old with a toolmaker background, and a patriots heart. Anything you can do to help me and my family get to God's country will be rewarded by my undying loyalty!
You'll be like the Ty Pennington of conservative patriots!
cheers! ;o)
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.9.10 @ 10:15AM
Northern Rebel, and ya'll
I am very afraid we are going to have a "political" revolution before even Texas can generate the great jobs/careers we are known for.
The past center for energy development/manufacturing/drilling /pipeline building etc. for the whole world is right here. We have a LOT of underutilized infrastructure right now, primarily due to the greenie reds.
Regardless of what you have heard or read, we know...we know...that given the right business environment, and the right incentives, we can develop our own US energy supply and flip our balance of trade right upside down.
We now have the tech. to generate a couple hundred years of all our energy needs right here at home. Throw in a modular nuke plants building spree, and our supplies are nearly infinite.
In the meantime...we put ten million great folks to work. (See, those "modular nukes" as opposed to site-built nukes...can be factory manufactured.)
Now then, with a country with a surplus of affordable enery, a pile of extra money, and every country in the world wanting to invest in the action...guess what?
...Our present debt load melts away.
But!
The communists, (pardon the shorthand), just can't have that. Drive through Detroit just any day, and you can see with your own eyes what they want our whole country to look like....and act like.
I read a chilling article on American Thinker this morning. It essentially expounds on my post the other day about how the communists expect to win the next...and every other "election".
If that occurs even in 2010, my suggestion is that if you head for Texas...don't haul furniture in your u-haul trucks. Haul bulk wheat and beans, and lots of tobasco and salt and pepper.
Bring handtools to build a cabin as well.
Margie| 1.9.10 @ 2:37PM
Ken,
Thanks for the welcome! Now we are discussing it which is exciting in and if itself.
You're comment about driving thru Detroit & seeing how the rest of America WILL become under the Communists (you'll pardon my French), is frightening and sobering. I just posted a comment over at The Hill online. It is an article they posted about how the NRSC is going to back Bennett for Senate and isn't going to go for conservatives from the Club for Growth Challengers. I told them to tell the NRSC people to come on over here and take a look at the outrage that is going on toward the Party because of them not backing conservatives. It seems they have a lot more waking up to be done.
Maybe they'll get the hint if we keep on backing conservatives who run in the Party and not their big Committees.
Your thoughts?
Here's the link to the Hill article:
http://thehill.com/homenews/se.....hallengers
Louis Jenkins| 1.9.10 @ 1:05PM
Not a mention of the BBQ Ken? I get hungry just thinking about it. Been to Dallas, San 'tone, New Braufelds (spl), Austin, and through Houston. Got several friends there and as I've said they're a bully bunch of lads. Understand that the state gov. had a $urplus last year. The more I read and hear it sounds like Texas more or less has its act together. Never been to Detriot. I'd just as soon visit a tar pit.
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.9.10 @ 2:42PM
Louis,
Oh yeah. heh. Bring a barbque grill. We already have the makin's....on the hoof.
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.9.10 @ 2:50PM
Thanks for the heads up Margie. You saw the fax we sent to Cornyn didn't you?
Margie| 1.9.10 @ 2:56PM
Yes I read it. It was in another thread here. I've heard faxing to our leaders is far better than e mailing, they just delete them. I think your advice to do the same is a real good idea. It's another way to make our voices be heard.
Pingback| 1.9.10 @ 3:18PM
JJ Lighthouse pewter Signed Pin Brooch Signed | Jewelry Beauty Wisdom links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Sue| 1.10.10 @ 12:48PM
I've been a "conservative" for about fifty years now. Let's see, it included personal responsibility,paying for my own education, house, car, energy uses, children, healthcare, clothing, etc.
I don't waste food, energy, clothes, money, appliances, or time (except on here, but not really a waste).
I've maintained by autos with proper tires (heaven forbid that I have a flat and kill or injure someone else), my health, my home and supported my community.
I've raised my children to believe that "rights" come from God (spirits or whatever you want to call a "higher power), not the government (state). They know that the government can control resources and take resources away if they defind your "living" rights.
I believe in very hard work and perseverence and being industrial in nature and fact. I believe people should be rewarded when their contributions benefit society or their employment positions.
I believe each of us was born with an innate ability to succeed to a level at which we can sustain ourselves with the basic needs of a civilized society. If some can't, I believe it is the government's responsibility to work hand-in-hand with charity to ensure that the most basic needs of our citizens are met.
I believe the above "needs" do not constitute a multitude of electronic devices, TVs, celebrity endorsed clothing/shoes, cadillac transportation, trips, cruises, casino gambling, etc. Citizens who obtain government services and waste their money on their "wants" instead of their needs should be denied services.
Now, take everything I've said and turn it upside down and you have today's liberal. The problem is the 49% who are receiving government dole are also the liberals of today with the powerful who have wealth and don't want to use theirs, but use taxpayers' wealth to redistribute the resources.
The Warren Buffets, Kennedys, Gates, etc. of this Country have no intention of using their own resources to help the poor. They just help the poor to your money via government "elistist" programs.
When the elitists live like me, then we can talk about more welfare and more wasteful government spending to place more people on the government dole.
Pingback| 1.10.10 @ 1:26PM
TwitterGlitter.com – Simon Cowell Signs Paula Abdul to X Factor? | Paula Abdul Celebr links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Osamas Pajamas| 1.10.10 @ 6:34PM
With an improvement in generally-accepted political nomenclature, it would be easier still to characterize the culture. Look at it this way...
The Democrats believe in "statism" ---- not "liberalism." Famous brands of statism in recent centuries have been Nazism, socialism, fascism, communism, and welfare statism [sort of a mix of fascism and socialism].
Liberalism, on the other hand, is a political philosophy of small, cheap government, and the job of a liberal government is to enforce human rights within its own jurisdiction.
I speak of the inalienable and perfectly-natural and universally-valid human rights of life, liberty, private property, and the pursuit of personal happiness.
The first article of private property is "the self" and all other rights are derivatives of and flow from these cardinal rights.
These rights ----The Rights of Man ---- are the gift of nature or of nature's god ---- and they belong to all human beings, everywhere.
Show me a Democrat who subscribes to all of the above, without qualification or weasel words.
The words "liberal" and "liberalism" were hijacked by the Democrats and socialists long ago ---- and the mistake of conservatives and libertarians was to let them get away with it.
It is long past time that liberalism be reclaimed, defined, and explained by its rightful owners ---- by the champions of freedom, i.e.: not by Democrats and socialists.
explosion proof floodlight | 11.25.10 @ 1:16AM
If freedom has a natural home in the modern world, therefore, it is the nation-state
Ken Roberts| 1.10.10 @ 7:36PM
To understand why people voted for Obama is a sort of hard task , I sort of look at it like looking for a five course meal with all the trimmings and a great wine to finish with in a garbage dumpster, in reality what you get is a half eaten (if you are lucky) donut, and just maybe a cup of coffee with 1/3 of it left in the bottom of the cup . And yes voting does make one sick from time to time . And then you get stuck with the artifacts in the bottom of the cup after you have eaten or voted.
Ken Roberts | 1.10.10 @ 7:41PM
One more thing on polls and the gist of the story , I look at polls and where they come from and try my best to understand it has been turned around or is correct I always check all the polls and never ever stick with one , I do favor Rasmussen as they have very little skin in the game. In other words I consider the source. Thank you and good night.
besthdsoft | 1.11.10 @ 3:00AM
More info you can visit: http://www.besthdsoft.com
More Related Products : * Blu-ray DVD Ripper *
rainaki| 1.11.10 @ 11:59PM
There is an arrangement of America the Beautiful in minor. I wish I could play it for you, but as that is impossible.. does anyone have any idea of the publisher and/or composer.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Ultr.....id=3446968
zvq| 3.17.10 @ 12:50AM
Good idea! Welcome brand
vsade| 3.17.10 @ 12:50AM
What a new life! thank you.
karen| 4.2.10 @ 3:33AM
For men always fit the occasion if there is any doubt about what a man should wear. Sometimes an invitation is not very specific about the www.herveleger-outlet.com
; or it’s a place you are not familiar with so you don’t know what the dress code for the venue is likely to be. www.us-chaneloutlet.comIt’s very embarrassing to be asked to put on something more suitable or to ‘up’ one’s dress standards before being allowed to enter a restaurant or nightclub.
d | 4.2.10 @ 3:34AM
d
Black Leather Briefcase | 11.7.10 @ 9:21AM
I was very encouraged to find this site. I wanted to thank you for this special read. I definitely savored every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post.
Garry Jones | 11.16.10 @ 8:00AM
Great Info, America always surprise me like the walking dead amc tv shows
DVDSoft | 3.23.11 @ 2:40AM
With the right tool, you can easily burn mp4 to dvd.
ray bans | 4.28.11 @ 9:33PM
http://www.raybansonsale.net/ cheap ray ban sunglasses
Staffordshire Bull Terrier | 7.25.11 @ 2:39PM
Apathy, polititical correctness,and good old fashioned lazziness.Most of America is sitting on their asses with the remote in their hand pressing the next button.
ride on sweeper | 10.9.11 @ 9:54PM
Yes, you are right. America the beautiful is not appearance, is that democracy, openness, human rights, freedom, which is the world people aspire.