Posted on 03/30/2011 9:12:45 PM PDT by curth
That conservatives outnumber liberals nationally is not exactly news. But this is: according to a new poll from Gallup, even traditionally liberal states are drifting rightward.
Business Insider explains that “Conservatives now outnumber liberals in deep-blue bastions like Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Oregon.”
Some specifics:
Mississippi is the first state with more than 50% conservative identification, with Idaho, Alabama, Wyoming, and Utah approaching that level, and Arkansas, South Carolina, North Dakota, Louisiana, and South Dakota (the rest of the top-ten conservative states) 45% or higher. Conservatives outnumber liberals in even the most liberal-leaning states (excluding the District of Columbia): Vermont, (30.7% conservative to 30.5% liberal), Rhode Island (29.9% to 29.3%), and Massachusetts (29.9% to 28.0%).
What explains this trend? Some might point to a conservative backlash against Obama’s liberal policies. And while that certainly may be part of it, Richard Florida, an urban theorist writing in The Atlantic, has a different theory. His explanation is economic:
Conservatism, at least at the state level, appears to be growing stronger. Ironically, this trend is most pronounced in America’s least well-off, least educated, most blue collar, most economically hard-hit states. Conservatism, more and more, is the ideology of the economically left behind. The current economic crisis only appears to have deepened conservatism‘s hold on America’s states. This trend stands in sharp contrast to the Great Depression, when America embraced FDR and the New Deal.
Interesting food for thought.
I don’t believe it. They are dumbing down the definition of conservative.
I don’t think so. Quinn has been saying for a long time that this is a Conservative country and that a lot of people just didn’t know or label themselves as conservatives because it was made out to be a dirty word. Things are changing.
Exactly. Any “conservative” who votes for what now passes as a “Democrat” is not a conservative.
“What explains this trend? Some might point to a conservative backlash against Obama’s liberal policies. And while that certainly may be part of it, Richard Florida, an urban theorist writing in The Atlantic, has a different theory. His explanation is economic”
It is the same effing “theory.” Obama wiped out the economy and it “AIN’T” coming back until he is gone and it could take even longer.
If anyone knows anyone with money - Atlas shrugged on election night the first Tuesday in 2008. Small & medium business owners knew the score. Most do not drool in front of Obama TV either like the idiot masses do. They are too savvy.
Well now it would seem that people just might be getting a clue.I think it will hurt like hell for 2 more years and it needs to so as to wake up these dumb screws.When you smarten up things tend not to hurt so much.One of lifes little lessons.
Call me skeptical. I’ll believe it when the numbers in November 2012 confirm it.
Only 10% of the soviet union was communist. Because the media controlled the information, they were able to lie about the numbers. No different than Tass Lite here in the states.
This is the reason that we need to open another front in the war on the left. We have to go after the MSM.
The Conservative, Liberal and Moderate numbers haven’t really changed much in the last 10 or 20 years.
There are about 40% Conservatives nationally, 20% Liberals, and 40% Moderates.
The outcome of elections depends a lot on what the Moderates do.
Moderates don’t call themselves Liberals, but they do get a lot of their news from TV, and they do vote for Democrats fairly often.
I can say with some confidence that in MA at least, the vast majority of voters are liberal by definition, but do not identify that way, as they feel they are either “independent” or “centrist”.
Yeah, all this talk of people "self-identifying" as conservatives may be true, but a lot of them still vote Democrat. I've had many friends in Buffalo who agreed with me on just about every issue, but didn't make the connection between their beliefs and the actions of the Democrat party.
The fear of voting Republican is deeply-engrained in these supposed conservatives. People who expect otherwise (Limbaugh?) will be continually disappointed.
in the backwoods of VT where my father in law is from there conservative. I’m talking gun toting, 4WD, moose hunting, urinate their name in the snow type of conservative. They are “redneck yankees”
You sure wouldn’t know that to be a fact in Connecticut.
You mean like “gay conservatives”?
Mississippi #1 ping
Soon liberals will ONLY represent the elites and criminal classes...
I don’t believe it. They are dumbing down the definition of conservative.
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I agree. It’s a 5% trend and 95% dumbing down.
Plurality. If MA is 30% conservative and 28% liberal, it can’t be any more than 42% moderate/centrist.
House races went 60-40D...8th was uncontested so probably at least 62-38D, Gov’s race went 49-42D.
There’s a similar story in RI and VT.
So yes, if true then mods are breaking for Dems.
They sure don’t vote like that.
What’s also instructive is that conservative politicians brag about being conservative and claim to be more conservative than their primary opponents, yet you don’t see that on the other side.
Liberal politicians don’t brag about being more liberal than their primary opponents and try to dodge the question in the general election whether or not they’re even liberal, whereas conservatives proudly proclaim their conservatism.
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