Posted on 06/27/2014 11:11:11 PM PDT by PoloSec
In the most recent poll from the folks at Pew Research we learn a lot about the differences between people on the right and left of the political spectrum. As you can imagine, there are quite a few differences (and a couple of similarities) between us.
The stat that might jump out the quickest to the average American sifting through the data is the one that tells us that only 40% of liberals are actually proud to be American. Only 40%! Shouldn't national pride have something to do with your ability to vote? I mean do we really want people who arent proud to represent their nation making the decision for our nation? That seems highly counterproductive.
Another interesting tidbit in the poll showed that as anti-gun as most liberals seem to be, more than 1 in 4 have a gun in their home! Somewhere between 25% and 33% of all liberal surveyed keep one of those crazy right-wing death machines in their own homes.
Now, to be sure, the number of liberal gun owners is far lower than conservative gun owners but it seems a bit hypocritical of the left to be conducting an all-out assault on gun rights when 1 out of 3 or 4 of their own voters have guns too.
Hard Work seems to be another area of division between the right and the left. Conservatives believe that with hard work often comes success. Liberals are much more pessimistic of that idea. Interestingly though, while most conservatives believe that hard work brings success liberals seem split on the matter. Perhaps this basic belief that hard work is no predictor of success is why liberals are so hell-bent on supporting our failing welfare state system?
One interesting place where the right and left seem to come together is over privacy and safety. Most Americans, no matter their political stripes, do not believe that we should give up our privacy in order to increase our safety!
Moreover, the most conservative and the most liberal are practically tied at the hip when it comes to our hatred of the tactics used by the NSA to fight terrorism. We dont like the idea of the NSA sweeping up all of our data even if it means a safer America.
Three more points to take from the poll:
1. Groups in Americas political middle are less partisan, less predictable, and less engaged in politics.
Which is why it should worry everyone that the middle is where elections are won. Liberals may be wrong about almost everything but at least theyre paying attention. The moderates in the middle dont care enough about their country to even pay attention. Squishy moderates are what is wrong with our country.
2. Majorities of all typology groups, especially conservative groups, express low levels of trust in government.
Nobody trusts the government because we can all see that the government is corrupt, inefficient and full of uselessness. But only conservatives put that understanding to practical use and try to shrink the government. Liberals know they cant trust the government but keep trying to make it bigger, more powerful and more necessary. What kind of sense does that make?
Most conservatives believe our countrys best years are behind us, most liberals believe they are ahead of us.
Sadly, I believe that many conservatives are pessimistic about our ability to win back the future. We can see the steady slide toward socialism and moral decay that has been happening since the Gilded Age of the late 1800s, and its hard to see a way for us to turn back the tide. Fighting against the continued decay of many of our most important national pillars is becoming overwhelming.
Conversely, liberals can see that they are winning. Theyve won all of the most important victories since Teddy Roosevelt and the Progressive Era, including FDRs New Deal, the Sexual Revolution, the Great Society, Roe v. Wade, and now Obamacare and Gay Marriage. In fact, the reelection of President Obama when every quantifiable statistic or measure was against the Democrats is in and of itself a HUGE victory. It speaks very clearly to the sad state of the American electorate.
Polls like this one from Pew can be alternatingly causes for optimism and causes for pessimism but we must try to remain even keeled. While we may have reason to be pessimistic about the future, we also must remain hopeful. Our nation is worth fighting for and our past is a wonderful foundation for our future if we remain faithful to our cause and dont lose heart
we may still win the day.
Most liberals don’t know what it means to be an American.
I wonder if the Mooche is still proud to be an American? (for the first time in her life)
They have successfully screwed the country by putting their agenda first; terrible path for every citizen; and they are still unhappy. Why how shocking is that! Not. Typical feel- good logic versus a solution driven alternative. I am sure they must keep the physicians in this country rather busy asking for their anti depression drugs. Obama’s and his party’s polices are insane. i.e. this backwards immigration stance which is all lies ( A cover for amnesty) Come illegals to America..be happy.. you are illegal.. no problem.. and you get to stay and have lots of free services as America can’t afford much more handouts. No worries. Insane liberalism.
>> only 40% of liberals are actually proud to be American.
And there would be fewer in any other form of govt. They’re just not a self-respecting bunch.
I have something in common with them... I'm not proud that they are Americans either.
I call BS. No way were that many willing to lie.
Plenty.
Liberals are just as patriotic as conservatives; but..
Liberals feel that patriotism is pointing out all the bad things about America -- which in their feeling is just about everything.
Only by emphasizing the "bad" can America be made "better" and thus
. . . most liberals believe [America's best years] are ahead of us.
Their government will make it so. They really feeeeeeeeel that.
Liberals honestly feeeeeeeel that they are patriots.
Liberals are not proud to be American? They’re not proud to be anything. They don’t like themselves. Most liberals are angry, self-hating, druggie cry babies.
It’s not most Liberals. It’s most TRUE Liberals!
I wonder if the Mooche is still proud to be an American? (for the first time in her life)
She’ll never be proud to be an American. She’ll continue to game the system and take as much from the country that she hates.
Yes, they really ARE evil, aren't they?
Very evil. Discernment is foreign to too many in our country and they can’t recognize that anything at all is wrong with these people.
Very evil. Discernment is foreign to too many in our country and they can’t recognize that anything at all is wrong with these people.
They equate the strength of a person's liberal bona fides to intelligence. So they watch MSNBC and the Daily Show, so they can find out what their opinions on issues are, and then by having those opinions they fancy themselves intellectual and worldly.
Being highly critical of America is expressing a strong liberal bona fide, it's practically European, so when a liberal expresses anti-Americanism, it makes them feel really smart.
To further distance themselves from Sarah Palin's America, they pretend to like English football or French cinema. They drink Orangina and do the tres euro wrist shake before they open the little round bottle. When they do these things, their friends stand in awe at how intelligent they are.
These are the sort of dopey mental social exercises liberals fill their days with.
Yep, as long as they get their Obungler phones and welfare checks, all is well in their world, where the sky is green and the grass is blue. Something that I saw Brent Bozell say yesterday, kind of confirms this. He said (paraphrasing) that that America is broken down, and there are not many people who have any desire to fix it.
.....where the sky is green and the grass is blue.
Perfect!
I’m beginning to wonder if it’s worth fixing for all the ingrates who wouldn’t appreciate the sweat and tears of those who fixed it for them anyway. I don’t know....it’s all so damned disgusting.
That is a conundrum isn't it? I am wondering the same thing, and I am not liking the things that are popping up in my mind.
That is a conundrum isn’t it? I am wondering the same thing, and I am not liking the things that are popping up in my mind.
We’re on the same page. I look at liberals and all the morons who don’t have a clue as the enemy. They are a threat to our security, prosperity and freedom and should be treated as such.
When TSHTF we’ll see some surprising things happen.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.