The GOP is so far to the right these days that moderates are liberal in comparison

Does that count the mid term elections of 2006 when a staggering amount of dyed-in-the-wool Republicans suddenly became "Independents" overnight?

(except they still voted GOP party line)

They also support liberal policy as long as it isn't labeled "liberal".

People are wishy-washy morons.

Poll after poll makes it clear that Americans have no idea what "liberal" means. They want the same income equality as socialist countries, but they hate socialism. The Democratic Party is the Republican Party platform from 15 years ago, but suddenly its "liberal".

The GOP is fringe of fringe conservative at this point. The sooner they collapse under the weight of their incompetence the better.

Well there's your answer. Obviously to win the majority of the electorate the next GOP candidate has to move further to the Right than ever before. Just look at how well guys like Santorum and Perry poll at the national levels within their own party.

EvilEgg: Now ask how many self identify as Republican. I wonder how much the 41% would change.

My wife identifies as a moderate.

My step-father identifies as the same.

My wife thinks my step-father is a right wing authoritarian bootlicker (and she's right, but I digress).

My step-father thinks my wife is a crazy, crunchy, hippie progressive.

Me? I'm a dirty lib, even though my wife says I'm a slightly left leaning moderate, which is probably closer to the truth than what is evoked by "dirty lib".

I'm staunchly anti-authoritarian though, which puts me far to the left of most of the conservatives these days.

NewportBarGuy: Most Americans couldn't identify their own ass with both hands and a picture chart.

Well, I came in here to tell Subby how ideological affiliation and actual stances on policy don't necessarily correlate directly to one another, but this covers it much more concisely.

Most Americans are moderates and moderates do not identify themselves as liberals although they may very well vote Democrat. There was a study a while back about this but I cant find it.

Subby FAIL for using the word "facts" in a link to TownHall.

skullkrusher: HotWingConspiracy: They also support liberal policy as long as it isn't labeled "liberal".

People are wishy-washy morons.

what liberal policy?

Everything President Fart proposes, according to them.

Take his name off of it, restate the position, and the approval numbers go up.

Do you know what? I would probably identify as moderate. I also do not want anything to do with the Republicant party.

I identify as conservative, but you won't catch me voting Republican above the state level. Hawaii. YMMV. For example, were I in Wisconsin, I wouldn't vote for Republicans at the state level either.

NewportBarGuy: Most Americans couldn't identify their own ass with both hands and a picture chart.

Which is why so many people love those web tests that diagram it for them.

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the commonly accepted (modern) perception that "conservative" means "Christian"? That isn't a left / right position. "Conservative" stopped being o political / economic / policy position a while ago. You ask someone if they are conservative they are going to respond according to their religious beliefs, nothing more.

41% of people identify as conservative...until asked about specific policy positions. Suddenly they begin falling in the Moderate or even Liberal category. Then asked again, they again state they are conservative.

It's like religion folks; you generally identify with your parents' choice, but most likely you don't go to the meetings and you don't agree with the gospel anymore.

ginandbacon: So 56% of Americans identify to the left of conservative. Is that not most?

This.

And 80% think that Katie needs to get with the topless photos and STFU with the blogging nonsense.

skullkrusher: HotWingConspiracy: skullkrusher: HotWingConspiracy: They also support liberal policy as long as it isn't labeled "liberal".

People are wishy-washy morons.

what liberal policy?

Everything President Fart proposes, according to them.

Take his name off of it, restate the position, and the approval numbers go up.

so for the sake of this discussion, He's no longer a Republican but rather a liberal again liberalizing the day away with his liberal liberalizations?

Well I didn't purchase the 2012 Derp-a-Day calendar, so I'm unsure what nefarious form he has taken today. But for the sake of the discussion, sure.

skullkrusher: JDDMichael: Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the commonly accepted (modern) perception that "conservative" means "Christian"? That isn't a left / right position. "Conservative" stopped being o political / economic / policy position a while ago. You ask someone if they are conservative they are going to respond according to their religious beliefs, nothing more.

I think this is actually pretty true. You wouldn't find an evangelical caught dead copping to being a liberal on any matter. I think for a lot of people conservative and Christian are interchangeable

If that is true, we have a serious problem in this country.

Conservate != Bible-thumping ,Ayn Rand-reading, Tea Partier to most people.

No matter how bad you want it to TownHall.

/People complain about Media Matters but they're ok with this shiat?

Also, here's the thing: 41% say they're conservative meaning that 41% are the type that would vote 100% of the time for the Republican, regardless of their qualifications. It's called being a sheep. 21% of liberals fall into that same trap. Notice there's a lot less of them, though. They're typically smarter than that. The remaining 35% are people who have common sense and KNOW BETTER than to assume that any party is always right. And I guarantee the majority of them are taking a few steps left these days.

DarnoKonrad: Darth_Lukecash: Most people hate change. That is why the say they are conservative.

Unless they need the abortion. Or want to fark before marriage. Or smoke that weed. Or their kid is gay, because their kid are not like any other gay people.

It's like my conservative co-worker who hates 'frivolous lawsuits' and then comes in one day threatening to sue the local car wash because it blew some piece of plastic trim off his SUV -- great injustice that it was.

Did you have to stop yourself from chuckling at that?

I identify as fiscally conservative and socially liberal. Does this mean I'm a Libertarian?

Glicky: I identify as fiscally conservative and socially liberal. Does this mean I'm a Libertarian?

Depends. Are you also a moonbat?

Well I'm rather liberal and what conservative means to me is .... SCARED FLAMING RETARDS
who want to eliminate or control everything they can wrap there pitifully small minds around.

IXI Jim IXI: And 80% think that Katie needs to get with the topless photos and STFU with the blogging nonsense.

Strangest thing, when I see Katie Pavlich's boobs I start salivating.

Glicky: I identify as fiscally conservative and socially liberal. Does this mean I'm a Libertarian?


Depends. Do you think the financial crisis was caused by blacks being on welfare and able to get mortgages due to the CRA? ;)

/I keed

CravenMorehead: ginandbacon: So 56% of Americans identify to the left of conservative. Is that not most?

This.

Republican math.

sparkeyjames: Well I'm rather liberal and what conservative means to me is .... SCARED FLAMING RETARDS
who want to eliminate or control everything they can wrap there pitifully small minds around.

meant "can't wrap their pitifully small minds around."

sparkeyjames: Well I'm rather liberal and what conservative means to me is .... SCARED FLAMING RETARDS
who want to eliminate or control everything they can wrap there pitifully small minds around.

I really consider myself as a moderate in that we should reform entitlements without completely trashing them for something shiattier like privatization, and also I do think we should get our fiscal house in order but that's with a combination of raising taxes and cutting spending. Anything else is as feasible as obtaining a rainbow-farting unicorn.

So obviously I vote Democrat.

Lee Jackson Beauregard: /A political campaign is where a bunch of guys call each other fμckheads, and all of them are right.

I really need to update this...

Lee Jackson Beauregard: Rev.K: Fact: the words conservative, moderate and liberal have different meanings to different people.

Some of the other Publican candidates are using "moderate" as a put-down when calling Romney a fμckhead. It's either Gingrich or Perry, but I haven't paid close enough attention to be sure.

/A political campaign is where a bunch of guys call each other fμckheads, and all of them are right.

Gingrich's new thing is to call Ronmey *gasp* "A Massachusetts Moderate".

I weep for this country.

I find most people calling themselves moderate are usually liberal leaning and most people calling themselves independent are more likely to be conservatives.

I self-identify as Moderate, but the Center has shifted so far right in recent years that, against my will, I have been transformed into a Far-Left America-hating Libbylib Dim-O-Turd Libscum.

It's no fun, I tells ya.

Mrtraveler01: sparkeyjames: Well I'm rather liberal and what conservative means to me is .... SCARED FLAMING RETARDS
who want to eliminate or control everything they can wrap there pitifully small minds around.

I really consider myself as a moderate in that we should reform entitlements without completely trashing them for something shiattier like privatization, and also I do think we should get our fiscal house in order but that's with a combination of raising taxes and cutting spending. Anything else is as feasible as obtaining a rainbow-farting unicorn.

So obviously I vote Democrat.

By current GOP standards that makes you one of the libbiest libs who ever libbed.

Of course, by current GOP standards, Reagan would be kicked out as being left of Obama.

The majority of Americans self identify as conservative, but when asked about specific issues, a majority of Americans support liberal views.
If you want things to get better, you need things to change. What's that saying? If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always got.
/Probably butchered the grammar.