Gallup poll of percentage of Americans who are liberal, moderate and conservative

[NJmaverick]

http://www.gallup.com/poll/120857/conservatives-single-largest-ideological-group.aspx

[onehandle]

1. The problem is that most people don't know what those terms really mean.

Details are not for most people.

[yurbud]

14. exactly. ask them about policies and the picture would be different.

[jgraz]

70. Yep. Ask about policies and Americans are downright socialist.

[Ian David]

15. I was Conservative until I was about 19, but thought I was Liberal.

Because, for example, you know, I didn't want to kill gay people.

I have, since then, become ACTUALLY Liberal.

[slackmaster]

67. And you do?

Aren't you special!

[robinlynne]

2. That can't be true. Democrats are an overwhelming majority. Even adding all the moderates to

liberal, whihc is really what modertae is, I still dont believe we have 40% conservative. How many people were polled, and what sort of cross section?

[depakid]

21. Of course it's not

though that won't keep people (especially Republicans, Fox "news" and hate radio hosts from trying to use nonsense like this to promote their destructive agenda.

Let's see- numbers on the public option repeatedly came in at +70% (and then some).

Sound "conservative" to you?

What label people choose to self identify to a telephone pollster with often has little to do with how they objectively score on a whole range of issues.

[rem3006]

57. Several polls show

the same results. Liberals are the most vocal and empassioned which is why we assume there are more than there actually are. Moderates move elections by voting AGAINST a party or candidate rather than for. They were sick of Bush and voted AGAINST his party but not neccessarily FOR Obama and Democrats. Democrats got power because we weren't "the other guy". This is what the professional pols don't get. They always think that they have a mandate when they don't. The overreach and the middle slaps the snot out of them for it. Look at the massive losses in 1994 caused by gun control legislation. The Brady Bill and Assault Weapons ban wern't what scared Americans into such a learch to the right, it was all of the extreme gun legislation being proposed like confiscation and 10,000% tax on ammo that did it.

[Uzybone]

3. Another reality check for those who think this is a center left country

The US has been solidly center right since the late 60s.

[NorthCarolina]

24. Many who would be considered "Liberal" when questioned on the issues self ID as conservative

because (a) Liberalism has been demonized by the right and the MSM, and (b) there is confusion over the labels Liberal vs Conservative. In no way do I believe that this is a center-right nation. I believe that it may identify as a center-right, but that is due to (a) and (b) above.

on edit :typo

[EmeraldCityGrl]

26. What's the breakdown between economic/social

Often when asked, people seem to find a distinction between the two

[Enthusiast]

48. Perfect explanation.

No further explanation necessary.

[nyc 4 Biden]

71. +1

"(a) Liberalism has been demonized by the right and the MSM,"

[leftygolfer]

4. I'd like to see the sample

Maybe if they did the entire poll in Georgia...

[slampoet]

5. The poll doesn't count the Labor vote, Progressives, True Socialists, Greens, or Radicals Left or RT

[Patchuli]

6. Gallup lies because it's a RW tool. nt

[paulsby]

12. when in doubt, attack the messenger. that worked SO well in the coakley/brown

election.

...

[Patchuli]

42. I'm not "in doubt" nor am I "attacking the messenger"

I watched Gallup whore for W and for McCain.

I blame Coakley's loss on her own lack of campaigning and the elected Democrats who've done little but disappoint those who have supported them. They have demoralized a very strong grassroots movement.
Spare me your judgments.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

63. Gallup's Final Daily Tracking Poll

Had Obama 55 - 44 over McCain. The actual result was 53 - 46.

Some Whoring, that.

The perpetual response to negative polling data is that the pollster is "in the tank" for the other guys. That's almost never the case. While it may be that the pollster is conducting a private poll using methodology provided by its client, the major polling organization (like Gallup) are reasonably reliable.

[paulsby]

84. excellent. you counter rhetoric with facts

like i said, when polls showed brown leading, the response of the ignorati.???

attack the POLLS!

it never fails.

[Junkdrawer]

37. Yep n/t

[d_b]

7. Good

Now let's see a poll where Americans stand on the issues.

[anonymous171]

8. This is common knowledge. The goal of both political parties has been to move the center

Just like Ronald Reagan did in the 80s.

[depakid]

18. The common "knowledge" is false- see below

Never fails to impress though- so many people look at ridiculous polls like this and accept them as Gospel.

Part and parcel to the increasing inability among Americans to think critically.

[anonymous171]

30. The common knowledge that I was referring to was that most Americans consider themselves moderate

I was not saying that most Americans support moderate policies though, because that would be stupid.

[depakid]

35. Hell, I like to think of myself as "moderate" -as opposed to radical

Generally speaking, "moderate" is descriptive of temperament and reasonableness- but its denotation with respect to politics is anything but.

[Enthusiast]

49. And that was well illustrated by

the context of the Sunday Morning talk shows.

[JohnnyLib2]

9. Y'all come to Kentucky and you will believe that chart!

:(

[TicketyBoo]

44. In Nebraska,

there wouldn't be half that many Liberals.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tom Rinaldo]

11. Liberal was defined as a curse word for 25 years, Conservative was defined as "responsible".

That slants self identification. There are plenty of people who would say stuff like "I'm conservative but I don't think the government has any business telling adults how to live their sex life" or "I'm conservative but I'm a strong believer in public education", or "I'm conservative but people deserve to make a living wage if they are willing to work for it" etc.

[DainBramaged]

13. We still outnumber them 56% to 40%, what worry?

[depakid]

16. Again with the meaningless self labeling- it's almost as if some need to delude themselves

to deal with the cognitive dissonance. Which wouldn't be so bad if they weren't actively engaged in psreading propoganda

Here's how it breaks down on the sets attitudes, beliefs and values- reflected in positions on issues which makes up a progressive or "conservative" ("moderate" is meaningless here- as it is in real life).

And it's largely derived from credible data- as opposed agenda driven corporation like Gallup- who are out to influence public opinion NOT reflect it.

The Progressive Majority: Why a Conservative America is a Myth.

http://mediamatters.org/static/pdf/progressive_majority.pdf

Summary: http://mediamatters.org/static/pdf/progressive_majority.pdf

Conventional wisdom says that the American public is fundamentally conservative - hostile to government, in favor of unregulated markets, at peace with inequality, wanting a foreign policy based on the projection of military power, and traditional in its social values.

But as this report demonstrates, that picture is fundamentally false. 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.

This report gathers together years of public opinion data from unimpeachably nonpartisan sources to show that on issue after issue, the majority of Americans hold progressive positions. And this is true not only of specific policy proposals, but of the fundamental perspectives and approaches that Americans bring to bear on issues.

Nor is the progressive majority merely a product of the current political moment. On a broad array of issues, particularly social issues, American opinion has grown more and more progressive over the past few decades. In contrast, it is difficult to find an issue on which the public has grown steadily more conservative over the last 10, 20, or 30 years.

The issues covered in this report include the following ... The role of government ... The economy ... Social issues ... Security ... The environment ... Energy ... Health care...

In short, a look across the scope of American public opinion reveals a public that holds progressive positions and supports progressive solutions on economic issues, on social issues, on security issues - indeed, on nearly all the key issues confronting the country. For years, the conventional wisdom has maintained just the opposite, but the facts are impossible to ignore.

And there's more:

Pew: Trends in Political Values and Core Attitudes: 1987-2007.
Political Landscape More Favorable To Democrats

http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/312.pdf

Summary: http://people-press.org/report/?reportid=312

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[depakid]

25. Charts such as the sample below (there are many others) put the lie to the OP

And in your case, it shows that not only are words like "conservative" over broad in application, but also nebulous in meaning.

For instance, what's economic conservative? Pay as you go? Dramatically cut taxes to those who need it it least (and who won't put it to productive use in communities) -while exploding the budget deficit?

[scarletwoman]

23. That certainly is a lot more useful than self-labeling with undefined terms.

Ask any of those people in the Gallup sampling to actually DEFINE "liberal", "conservative" or "moderate" and their definitions would be all over the map.

And people fall for that crap... *sigh*

sw

[Greyhound]

43. It's right there. It's always been there. Thanks for posting. n/t

[goclark]

17. Thanks for posting ~ K

[557188]

20. I'd never call myself a Liberal

Because I am not a Liberal. I am a Progressive, a Socialist or a Leftist. When I think of Liberal I think of Classical Liberalism which I have no desire to be associated with. So if I had been asked that question I'd be in "other" or whatever.

[TicketyBoo]

45. I would identify myself as a Liberal

before I'd call myself a Socialist or a Leftist, but then I grew up when "Socialist" and "Leftist" were terms that were associated with the Communist bogeyman. I just could never go there.

Communism is never going to work, and Socialism is in doubt, too, due to the greed of human nature. You can't legislate that away, unfortunately.

[Enthusiast]

52. Socialism is in doubt?

The Democratic socialistic countries of Western Europe are not working? Why are their economies healthier than the U.S.? How is it that their social safety net takes care of their population far more effectively than in the U.S.?

Greed is a threat to socialism but not to capitalism? Especially the less regulated capitalism we live here in the U.S.?

TicketyBoo, I must confess, I am very suspicious of you. You continue to repeat right wing talking points.

[TicketyBoo]

56. "Right wing talking points?"

What a laugh!

[Enthusiast]

62. That's the way I see you.

[TicketyBoo]

66. Then you need glasses,

or a better instinct for perception.

You are WAY off base.

But, then, I read someone else's post yesterday who said they thought Obama should run as a Republican next time around, so you can take comfort in the fact that you're not the only one who is way off base.

[krabigirl]

75. I do, but it's not like they have a button for my true viewpoints.

I'm a left libertarian, pretty much way out there on left field. I don't see what's wrong with the word liberal? what is it about that word that bothers people, other than what they've been brainwashed by from the tv/other media?

[JI7]

22. why do people refuse to believe this ? why else could people like Reagan, Bush etc win

yeah, i know Bush didn't really win but he got a huge number of votes.

look at things like same sex marriage when it's put up for a vote by the people.

and of course many people still refuse to support tax raises .

i know there is a problem with the media and other things in this country.

but america is still kind of backwards compared to some other nations with comparable wealth.

just like at the percentage of people who don't believe in evolution.

[depakid]

27. Because we don't think in black and white- and we don't buy what every shyster's selling

without analyzing it critically. This ain't a high school football game where we keep score and go rah, rah.

Gallup is noteworthy in this regard- as they repeatedly toss out absurd poll "results" and try to convince folks that say, 75% of Americans believe that angels are watching over them.

(that was an actual "poll" -posted on DU and accepted at face value by poster after poster).

[JI7]

29. it's not just Gallup, it's the fact that dumb asses like Bush could get elected

and yeah, even considering he didn't really win the first time it was still a lot of votes for him.

and then look at individual states and their Senators.

and when states vote on things like same sex marriage.

i said all of this in my post, it's not just Gallup.

but i guess you can ignore all of that and just claim it's all a conspiracy rather than actually getting out there and trying to change people's minds.

[depakid]

31. To understand political dynamics, you have to get out of shallow thought patterns

Sort of like the Nader bashing deal.

If you're interested in how people's attitudes, beliefs and values actually line up, read the credible reports I cited above.

[JI7]

33. none of that changes what i said and the facts i mention

[depakid]

34. and considering the nature of the thought patterns ingrained- it's unlikely to

[JI7]

36. i'm not a conservative , i'm a liberal

[Enthusiast]

53. People like Reagan

because there has been a huge effort by the M$M to make him out to be a kind of hero, a wonderful president. See, the Republicans have no other president they can feel good about, aside from Lincoln. So they have manufactured the Saint Ronnie image.

This is plain to many of us. To those that were alive during the Reagan years we watched him systematically attack the working man. And we know Reagan deserves no credit for the collapse of the Soviet Union.

On the raising taxes issue it depends entirely how the question is asked. The American people are for increased taxes if it could give them something tangible-like universal single payer health care.

People in the U.S. don't believe in evolution because their knowledge of science in general is lagging far behind the rest of the industrialized world. That and powerful fundamentalist Christianity feels threatened by the very concept of evolution and an old earth. It is not because people are more conservative-it is because they are less well informed.

I think you are victim of the misinformation many of us fight against on the DU every day. Try another source of information.

[JI7]

72. just because they are fucking stupid doesn't change things

of course conservatives are ignorant which is why they are conservative.

i never said there was no misinformation or anything like that.

there are ignorant liberals who think stupid shit also. doesn't change where they are.

you are the one who is misinformed.

[Enthusiast]

77. Sorry, but

I won't concede that Reagan was anything but a two bit actor that was instrumental in the deregulation that set our path to ruin. I'll challenge anyone that praises Reagan.

Tell me some of the stupid shit liberals think. I am interested to hear.

[JI7]

79. Bush caused 9/11, the Tsunami was caused by some American weapons

just look at the 9/11 forum.

i agree that Reagan fucked up the country. that doesn't mean there aren't dumbasses who think he was a great president. of course they are stupid .

[krabigirl]

76. I'd like to see how they got their samples.

I do things like this for a living, and it's so easy to manipulate the data. Take it with a grain of salt as it's coming from a right-leaning organization.

I was often bribed in a former company about data I collected from their customers. (And this was just about a website!) Don't even want to go there but different parts of the company, or really, just the CEO, will want to massage the data to meet their agenda.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

28. So? Why should that influence the way anyone votes?

[NJmaverick]

32. Even Congress?

[Hamlette]

38. can someone tell me why the hell this thread gets unrecommended?

Are we anti science now? Do we not believe in polls? Do the dems have to believe in a flat earth to pass muster with you so called progressives?

[MadHound]

39. Polling is hardly a science, especially coming from Gallup

There have been other studies done where they didn't use the terms "liberal", "conservative" and such, but rather a set of questions that were later defined, using a mathematical formula, to determine who fell into what category.

These labels have become so loaded that many people who have actual liberal viewpoints don't self label themselves for a number of reasons including because the label "liberal" has become poison in this country.

But hey, why are you getting your knickers in a twist over an unrec. What, you so called moderates have to have everybody on message or otherwise that's it, you're out of the party?

[Hamlette]

40. who the fuck said I was a moderate or that I was out of the party?

I'm not the one spending 24/7 trashing dems.

[NJmaverick]

46. There are people trying to push the Democratic party to the far left

and this poll shows how that is not practical, unless the Dems want to be a permanent minority party

[Enthusiast]

54. Gallup's polls are misleading.

And this one especially so.

[dysfunctional press]

41. most americans have liberal values, even if they aren't really aware of it.

that's how well the right was able to demonize the word 'liberal'.

[Enthusiast]

55. Thank you for pointing that out. NT

[Enthusiast]

47. They have no idea

what these terms mean. In this country the most widely held understanding of "liberal" is the definition Rush Limbaugh foisted on his listeners.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

61. Yes, bet....

I agree that many voters are more "liberal" than they would admit. But words (and labels) mean something. And in this case, it means that a large percentage of voters will shy away from something labelled as "liberal" even if it's a policy or an approach that they would otherwise approve.

[boston bean]

50. I call bullshit on this poll....

can anyone read what the three choices really are??? Ferchrissakes. read the top sentence above the graph.

[Spheric]

51. Hasn't anybody noticed this is a blatently deceptive poll...

Look at the top. It says:

How would you describe your political views -- very conservative, conservative, (or) moderate, liberal, (or) very liberal?

Three choices - very conservative, conservative - moderate, liberal - very liberal.

The liberals are watered down by including them in two categories while the conservatives are all placed in one category to make it seem like there are more of them.

Then on the right, they list the three categories as conservative or moderate or liberal instead of what they really are.

This graph is complete horseshit and probably the poll, too.

The sons a bitches are sneaky and ya gotta watch them all the time.

EDIT: What they don't want you to notice is that in this poll fully one in five Americans consider themselves to be very liberal - on the far left of the spectrum.

[NJmaverick]

58. Isn't that 5 choices?

[Spheric]

69. It's three choices, each seperated by the word "or." /nt

[rem3006]

59. No, but I have noticed

that it's consistant with several other polls I've seen. Empassioned people always think they are the majority because they tend to only associate with those of like mind because they detest those who don't share their views. Passion does that. Hence "everybody believes what I believe". Not.

[Spheric]

68. Well, you have to actually read it to see that it is a trick. /nt

[woo me with science]

81. Yes, the graph is misleading and favors conservatives.

The poll itself has 5 choices that are reasonable, but the way they are broken down and graphed here is extremely misleading.

As you point out, it makes the results look like there are more conservatives than liberals by lumping conservatives together but breaking liberals into two separate groups.

They should have had one line on the graph for very conservative/conservative, one line for moderate, and one line for liberal/very liberal.

Very good catch.

[recoveringrepublican]

60. I said I was republican until I was about 20. My beliefs didn't change all that much

I just realized exactly what the terms meant. I consider myself extremely liberal.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

64. See post #50

Complete horseshit (the poll results, not #50)

[marshall]

65. Location, location, location: It all depends on where you are

Scott Brown would have probably run as a Democrat in most parts of the south, assuming he maintained the same "ideals".

[mdmc]

73. I'm a 21%!

:kick:

[krabigirl]

74. I'd like to see the raw data. nt

[Hannah Bell]

78. the poll is about what name people choose to label their politics with.

it says nothing explicit about their political views.

if the social meaning of the labels shifts, the percentages might stay the same while the views underlying them are dramatically different.

this is the kind of poll that's basically useless.

also: what's the rationale for calling this a "center right" country?

this poll contains no justification for grouping the "moderates" with the "conservatives" against the "liberals" -- because this poll contains absolutely no information about the meaning of those terms.

for all we know, the views of self-defined "liberals" & "moderates" could be quite similar, & the views of self-defined "conservatives" be the outliers. thus this would be a "center-left" country, with 60% of the electorate holding roughly similar views & 40% holding radically different ones.

without defining the terms, any conclusions drawn from the poll are worthless.

[whatchamacallit]

80. So what's your point, that there are more assholes than not? eom

[bunkerbuster1]

82. Let's see--one term is relentlessly promoted as synonymous with "good", the other...

Hell's bells, actual lefties have been pissing all over the term "liberal" since at least Phil Ochs' day.

http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/ochs-phil/love-me-im-a-liberal-11453.html

[Uncle Joe]

83. Which of those has been consistently demonized by the corporate media?

Propaganda has power, the Republicans labeled the corporate media; with all of it's commercial/corporate conflicts of interest, as being liberal for decades. The corporate media in turn bring up being too liberal or liberal as a consistent adjective to describe some political leaders, they rarely to the point of almost never say a political leader is too conservative.

When the American People hear or see a corporate institution labeled as being liberal denigrate overtly or subliminally that same political ideal, the propaganda power is increased even more and the result is more brainwashing and a dumbing down of the American People.

Your poll is a condemnation and direct result of what corporate media propaganda has done to "We the People's" nation.

[branders seine]

85. Gallup

3 ill-defined, poorly understood, diligently misapplied terms


useless poll.

[B Calm]

86. If this is true, then how did the democrats win so big in 2006 and 2008?