Harris Poll: Self-Identified Conservatives Now Outnumber Liberals 2-to-1 - Democrats hit new low

Harris Poll press release ^ | January 30, 2003

[HAL9000]

FYI

[US_MilitaryRules]

Someone post this over at the DU low lifes site!

[The Great Satan]

The axis of lying weasels just got smaller.

[eureka!]

Trending nicely. Thanks for the post...

[Happy2BMe]

"For much of the last thirty years, more Democrats voted for Republican candidates than vice-versa, and majorities or pluralities of independents voted Republican.

Otherwise, Republicans would have won far fewer elections.

So, obviously, the continuing decline in Democratic identification does not bode well for Democratic candidates."

Super!

Al Sharpton will run in 2004 after all...

[Free the USA]

fyi

[winin2000]

Actually, an article, I think posted here on FR, pointed out that once you factor in how those vaunted "independents" lean, the voting patterns are very predictable: seldom do those who say they "lean" toward one party or another then vote differently. And on that score there is actually a fractional advantage for the GOP.

[Reeses]

There has been little change in the proportion of adults who describe themselves as conservative (35%), liberal (18%) or moderate (40%) over the years.

What's really happening is both the "Democrat" and "Republican" parties are moving to the left. JFK would have no problem running as a Republican these days. The Democrats have moved too far left. The percentage of conservatives and socialists has not really changed over the last 100 years.

[FreePaul]

I wonder about the accuracy of a poll in which people are asked to identify themselves as Democrat or Liberal. I listen to a lot of talk radio, both local and national. Very few of those who call up spouting the latest Dem/Lib positions want to be identified as such. Most claim that they are moderates and some even claim to be disillusioned Repubs. It appears that it is not fashionable to be identified as a Liberal except among some select groups.

[Paul Atreides]

I didn't think that Dims could get any lower.

[Irene Adler]

Am I reading this wrong? Conservatives are said to outnumber liberals "more than two to one," but the percentages I see are 35 percent and 18 percent. That's not more than two to one; it's slightly less than two to one. Eighteen doubled is 36. Was there some other set of current percentages in the article I missed, somehow?

[WhiteGuy]

Shhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Don't be a buzz-killer

[The South Park Republican]

Actually, an article, I think posted here on FR, pointed out that once you factor in how those vaunted "independents" lean, the voting patterns are very predictable: seldom do those who say they "lean" toward one party or another then vote differently. And on that score there is actually a fractional advantage for the GOP.

I "lean" Conservative/Republican on the Abortion Issue. But the hardcore Pro-Lifers freak me out more than the hardcore Pro-Choicers. Even though the latter group includes some of the most shrill, disgusting and clueless liberals I can think of.

I'm a Broken Glass Republican. The one and only issue where my votes is in doubt is if hardcore Pro-Lifers are involved.

[Right Wing Professor]

Am I reading this wrong? Conservatives are said to outnumber liberals "more than two to one," but the percentages I see are 35 percent and 18 percent.

One possibility: C=35.4% ~ 35%

L=17.6% ~18%

C/L >2

[deport]

I think they got the number mixed up in the body of the article.... From the table it should be 17% not 18%.....

---

"How would you describe your own political philosophy – conservative, moderate, or liberal?"

Year	President	Conservative	Moderate	Liberal
		%	%	%
2002	Bush	35	40	17

[No Truce With Kings]

"So, obviously, the continuing decline in Democratic identification does not bode well for Democratic candidates."

I think the Democrats are today are at the same stage as the Whigs in the 1840s -- about ready to disintegrate into irrelevance. The question is who replaces them? The Republicans became a coherent alternative to the Whigs in the 1850s, but around what principle could a new central-left party form? And yes, I am a conservative, but absent a competent, ethical opposition party any political party will become corrupt.

[eureka!]

Re#9 I would tend to agree. I do think, however, that the pendulum is swinging back towards the right for many of those that thought the liberalism of the 60s was the end all. Time will tell....

[k2blader]

*LOL*

Yes. Nice. C/L = 2.0114. :-D