Conservatives, morals linked in poll

Americans have come to perceive conservatism as a stronghold of traditional ideas: According to a new Harris poll, the public believes conservatives support moral values and oppose same-sex "marriage," homosexual rights and abortion. And liberals provided almost a mirror image of the findings. According to a survey of 2,209 adults in mid-January, 85 percent said conservatives opposed same-sex "marriage." When asked the same question about liberals, 78 percent said the group would support same-sex "marriage." Another 81 percent said conservatives opposed homosexual rights while 82 percent said that liberals would support the same issue. In addition, 77 percent said conservatives opposed abortion rights and 84 percent said liberals supported those rights.

From the linked portion of the article...

For example, "Political Conservatism as Motivated Social Cognition" — a joint study released two years ago by psychologists from the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University and the University of Maryland — found that "common psychological factors linked to political conservatism" included "fear and aggression, dogmatism and intolerance of ambiguity, uncertainty avoidance and need for cognitive closure."

Hmm. let's translate from newspeak to English, shall we?

"fear" = the belief that evil has consequences

"aggression" = the belief that evil should be opposed

"dogmatism" = the belief that truth matters

"intolerance of ambiguity" = belief in the Law of the Excluded Middle

"uncertainty avoidance" = the belief that Truth should be sought for

"need for 'cognitive closure'" (that one need extra quotation marks) = the quirky idea that things should make sense

So yes, I agree entirely.

"Since 70% of voters also reject homosexual marriage, perhaps it would be better to refer to conservatives as "mainstream'."

Tell it to Andrew Sullivan. Oh, I forget, he's given up his credentials as a conservative on account of supporting gay marriage. Are you sure you might not need the support of the likes of him to maintain power in the coming years? Are you really?

While you're roughly correct with respect to your 70% figure, you fail to mention that almost half of that number support civil unions, leaving the number who support denying all federal benefits to gay and lesbian couples in the distinct minority.

(Me, I generally think it's funny when conservatives get this worked up because big federal government has been having trouble with those pesky little states. What can I say? I find my irony where I can.)

This is an extraordinarily useful poll since loser Dumbocrats are going after conservative Republicans with a vengeance.

Over the weekend, newly-crowned DNC chair Howard Dean declared "I hate Republicans." Dean then preceeded to demean conservative Christians.

At the televised DNC "meeting" a so-called "reverend" gave a "benediction." The Democrat "reverend" quoted scripture from Jeremiah, inserting "Republicans" whenever the text refered to "evil people"--and she exhorted Howard Dean to be strong and take them on.

Howard Dean nodded happily and gracefully accepted this so-called benediction. Dean then proclaimed Republicans lack moral values. "How can Republicans get to talk about moral values when they don't have any?" Dean asked. "I don't want to hear any lectures about Christian values from the Republican Party — they are the Pharisees and the Sadducees," Dean said — referring to religious sects condemned by Jesus, who Christ referred to as a "brood of vipers."

Clearly, loser Dumbocrats--out in the cold with a dwindling voter base---will need this "brood of vipers"---Republicans of faith----to win anything. Now the Dims are sending out mixed signals; Hillary slithers slowly to the right, while Chairman Howie declares war on Christians. They can't have it both ways.

Howard oughta study up on American history, and heed the words of distinguished early Americans:

"Christianity is part of the Common, or Natural Law. Therefore it is Christianity that is the basis of our government. Religion of any other type is not synonymous with the American experience of Liberty!" Justice James Wilson signer of the Declaration, the Constitution, Original Justice on the U. S. Supreme Court, and the father of the first organized legal training in America.

"It is the duty as well as the privilege and interest for our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians to be their representatives, as this is a Christian republic." Justice John Jay Supreme Court Justice

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was not founded by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum prosperity, and freedom of worship here." Patrick Henry

WORTH REPEATING! Well said.

"Political Conservatism as Motivated Social Cognition" — a joint study released two years ago by psychologists from the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University and the University of Maryland — found that "common psychological factors linked to political conservatism" included "fear and aggression, dogmatism and intolerance of ambiguity, uncertainty avoidance and need for cognitive closure."

Hmm. let's translate from newspeak to English, shall we?

"fear" = the belief that evil has consequences

"aggression" = the belief that evil should be opposed

"dogmatism" = the belief that truth matters

"intolerance of ambiguity" = belief in the Law of the Excluded Middle

"uncertainty avoidance" = the belief that Truth should be sought for

"need for 'cognitive closure'" (that one need extra quotation marks) = the quirky idea that things should make sense

So yes, I agree entirely.
4 posted on 02/14/2005 12:16:37 AM PST by Credo_in_unum_deum

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