Does the country know the difference between left and right?
No, I don't think so.
I think that a horrid public education system has trained useful idiots to THINK they are informed when they are simply manipulated by Newspeak language.
If only the rich would pay their fair share, then everyone would be able to live a comfortable upper middle class life and have plenty of time off of their government job in National Healthcare serving single mothers.
If only we could eliminate tax breaks for the wealthy, we could erase the deficit and feed the hungry world wide.
If only the peaceful Muslim Palestinians were given their land back their would be peace in the middle east.
If only we could dedicate more money to public schools we could reverse the steady fifty year decline of the 60% that graduate.
The Federal government owes Social Security to the retired, so the money is in a trust fund for that purpose.
See what I mean? Most American don't have the tools to conclude from their own observations which of those statements are true, or what philosophy purports them to be true. They only envy the guy that they think has more than they do, and they act accordingly.
It is easier in the short run (2012) to identify a target with a failure and disaster than to properly educate the electorate to the true results of the left or right.