Wednesday, June 13, 2007

conservative america: the myth

Ideology in America

"Republicans tend to be conservative on both [economic and social issues]. That's been a strength in a conservative country."

Mark Halperin of ABC News, October 30, 20061

Halperin is hardly alone in his view that whether one is talking about economic issues or social issues, conservatives have the public on their side. Democrats may win an election here or there, but at its most fundamental level, conventional political wisdom assumes America is a conservative country: hostile to government, in favor of unregulated markets, at peace with inequality, desirous of a foreign policy based on the projection of military power, and traditional in its social values.

This report demonstrates the inaccuracy of that picture of America. Media perceptions and past Republican electoral successes notwithstanding, Americans are progressive across a wide range of controversial issues, and they're growing more progressive all the time.

read article here

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know - I just found out that the 3 most popular radio shows in the United States are Savage, Rush, and Hannity

Beth said...

It's a really eye opening report - I'm gonna post some excerpts.

billie said...

sarah- sure but how many 'librals' listen to regular radio? sirius. also, out of the top 10 ranked blogs on technorati- most are techies but the two that stand out are huffpo and kos. 5 and 8 respectively i think. conservatives don't necessarily embrace new technologies as quickly- and the left has made the internet their own. hence- the net neutrality issue.

Frederick said...

Sarah all that proves it that it is easier to herd and corral the right.

Peacechick Mary said...

I can't help but thing that things are so badly skewed in the country that I don't know where I am and who these people are. Call me disoriented and disgusted.

The Future Was Yesterday said...

What is being completely ignored in that article, is the massive change in what now is called a conservative, vs what a conservative was even ten years ago.

Up until 2000, the ebb and flow of power, between Democrats and Republicans served as a check and balance system for our government. Wrongs were done by both sides, but much good was done as well.

That all changed when Democracy died at the hands of the supreme court, in 2000. It was the worst case of identity theft in history. The Republican party had been hijacked by literal criminals, the label of conservative stolen with it.

There is no yardstick of history to measure by, for this government. It creates milestones as it goes.

Any attempted comparison between pre-2000, and post 2000, isn't just apples and oranges, it's apples and sail boats. There is no comparison possible.

Democrats are now what the real Republican party used to be. There no longer is such a thing as the Democratic Party as defined 25 years ago.

Chuck said...

Brand the GD conservatives on their foreheads so I can steer clear of them.