Are you conservative, moderate or liberal?

[arivecchi]

Just wondering what the make-up of the active members of this board is in light of other threads. I know that you could come up with some more descriptions, but am keeping it down to 3 for the sake of simplicity. :D

[maylips]

I would say I'm liberal, although I'm moderate on some policies. I hate to be put in a box, though. :) (although now that I'm really thinking about it, I can't say I'm conservative on any political topic that comes to mind)

So....a moderate liberal?

[mommylamb]

I think there are a lot on this board who would put me in the liberal category, but I put myself in the moderate category.

[LarsMal]

I would say I'm liberal, although I'm moderate on some policies. I hate to be put in a box, though. :) (although now that I'm really thinking about it, I can't say I'm conservative on any political topic that comes to mind)

So....a moderate liberal?

This is me, too. I voted liberal, but I would consider myself a moderate liberal- although others might not! ;)

[infocrazy]

When I first graduated college, I considered myself pretty liberal. I registered to vote as a Democrat for example...actually I wonder if I ever changed that? Hmmm...

As I have gotten older and become more interested in politics, I have found that I am much more conservative than I thought. I would call myself conservative now.

[brittone2]

I would say I'm liberal, although I'm moderate on some policies. I hate to be put in a box, though. :) (although now that I'm really thinking about it, I can't say I'm conservative on any political topic that comes to mind)

So....a moderate liberal?

:yeahthat:

[maestramommy]

Usually I'd say Moderate, but I ending up voting liberal because I can't seem to find any moderate candidates! We really need more than two parties in this system.

[arivecchi]

I am most definitely liberal, although that does not mean that I don't ever vote for conservative candidates (which I have done). I lived in a very conservative part of Wisconsin for a while and it was amazing to me how a different political outlook changes the way people view lots of issues. It was eye-opening to say the least. I am safely back in Chicago now. :hysterical:

[ThreeofUs]

Moderate. Some issues I'm "liberal" on, others "conservative"; I make up my own mind, so that leaves me with a definitional problem.

[kayte]

I lived in a very conservative part of Wisconsin for a while and it was amazing to me how a different political outlook changes the way people view lots of issues. It was eye-opening to say the least.

Tell me about... I live in Texas. Although the really die-hards here can't decide between voting Republican or secession from the Union. And no, I am not kidding. There was a huge state wide rally yesterday.

Heck, even the Governor thinks secession is a viable option.

[kijip]

I am very, very liberal on some issues and rather conservative on others. Conservative enough that I have times of strong disagreement "interesting discourse" with some people I interact with in my local political party. Things are too complicated for me to agree with any single party platform wholesale. Like a lot of folks, I have lines in the platform I agree with and some that I don't or don't to the same extent.

Still, I don't mind labeling myself a Democrat or liberal however, because generally speaking the disagreements I have with my party are things that are open to debate in my party and maybe possible change whereas the things I disagree with about the GOP's platform are things that are not really up for debate within their party and are things that I find to be "deal breakers" for me to join their party and support their national platform. I know that at a different point in history, I would have been a Republican but the new wave conservatism that has taken ahold of the GOP is not for me in any shape or form. I am proud of the stands that Democrats have taken in the last 75 years that have made this country a better place to be, a better place to live.

Some call liberals with some traditionally conservative views or conservatives with some traditionally liberal views "moderates" but I don't see it that way. My conservative views do not moderate or alter my passionate liberal positions and my liberal views do not moderate or alter my conservative positions. A moderate to me is someone with a generally moderate view, not a mix of liberal and conservative views.

[billysmommy]

Conservative here

I do have some liberal views on a couple issues but I would still consider myself conservative

[codex57]

I view myself as moderate. I lean conservative, but I have to consider myself a moderate cuz I'd be run off if I ever showed up at a conservative or liberal rally. I'm not "hardcore" enough for either and conversely, I think those people belong in an insane asylum (including my state's senators, one in particular).

[SnuggleBuggles]

If there were a continuum with 0 being conservative, 50 being moderate and liberal being 100 I would be between a 75-80, maybe even higher.

Beth

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

Born in SF and raised in the Bay Area, so If I was more left, I would fall off the coast! I do have a FEW conservative opinions though....

[codex57]

How in the world do you survive AZ? DW is from SF. Now that we're in an area with hot weather, you'd think her skin was melting off her during the walk from Costco's parking lot into the store.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

How in the world do you survive AZ? DW is from SF. Now that we're in an area with hot weather, you'd think her skin was melting off her during the walk from Costco's parking lot into the store.

I live at 7,000 feet in AZ, similar weather to Tahoe.People think all of AZ is hot, not so! It has NEVER hit 100 here, and it has in SF! Flagstaff is the 8th snowiest city in the US! Cold is much more of an issue than heat!
Today our high was 70/low 49 with rain.

From the link at Forbes. (http://www.forbes.com/2007/07/20/weather-storms-us-biz-cx_tvr_0720weather.html)
"Some of Baker's findings are surprising. Who but the most informed would know that Flagstaff, Ariz., is among the top 10 U.S. cities for snow, with 99 inches per year? That's what happens to a city more than a mile above sea level, no matter how close to the desert it might be."

210 nights at or below freezing, I think the coldest was 30 below. It was 18 below since I have lived here in 2003. (http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/fgz/science/cold.php?wfo=fgz)

The snow, ice and freezing temps were an adjustment. Although SF feels cold due to the fog....

And us Dems outnumber the Republicans, so it is a pretty liberal city, with a Gay Pride Festival and all!

[wellyes]

Very liberal but not voting because polls like this never mean that much to libs but always make 'the other side' happy. They are either among their own kind, which they like. Or they are a persecuted minority, which they also like!

[vludmilla]

I am very, very liberal on some issues and rather conservative on others. Conservative enough that I have times of strong disagreement "interesting discourse" with some people I interact with in my local political party. Things are too complicated for me to agree with any single party platform wholesale. Like a lot of folks, I have lines in the platform I agree with and some that I don't or don't to the same extent.

Still, I don't mind labeling myself a Democrat or liberal however, because generally speaking the disagreements I have with my party are things that are open to debate in my party and maybe possible change whereas the things I disagree with about the GOP's platform are things that are not really up for debate within their party and are things that I find to be "deal breakers" for me to join their party and support their national platform. I know that at the different point in history, I would have been a Republican but the new wave conservatism that has taken ahold of the GOP is not for me in any shape or form. I am proud of the stands that Democrats have taken in the last 75 years that have made this country a better place to be, a better place to live.

Some call liberals with some traditionally conservative views or conservatives with some traditionally liberal views "moderates" but I don't see it that way. My conservative views do not moderate or alter my passionate liberal positions and my liberal views do not moderate or alter my conservative positions. A moderate to me is someone with a generally moderate view, not a mix of liberal and conservative views.

Well said. I'll call myself a liberal, politically. I do have conservative views on a number of topics but those are personal viewpoints/values. I am politically a liberal democrat. I suppose some of my personally conservative values could be surprising to others.

[Fairy]

Leftie, here. Not a shock. I do have some conservative views. I like the scale. I'm about an 80.

[JBaxter]

Conservative Christian momma here.

My xh is very liberal and its amazing both my older boys are super conservative

[scrooks]

Liberal! A moderate liberal but a liberal for sure!

[Piglet]

Very liberal but not voting because polls like this never mean that much to libs but always make 'the other side' happy. They are either among their own kind, which they like. Or they are a persecuted minority, which they also like!

Huh?? I don't understand what this means!?

[infocrazy]

Very liberal but not voting because polls like this never mean that much to libs but always make 'the other side' happy. They are either among their own kind, which they like. Or they are a persecuted minority, which they also like!

:30:

Seriously? Come on, I just don't get creating drama like this. I would post more but I don't want you to think I feel persecuted!

[kijip]

My xh is very liberal and its amazing both my older boys are super conservative

I am pretty different from my parents politically- way more conservative on economics and yet more naturally progressive/liberal on certain social issues. My dad is pretty similar to his parents, but a bit more liberal than them and my mom was way more liberal than her mom/family. Though that does not mean a heck of a lot because I would hazard a guess that there is no one on this board similar to or as remotely conservative (at least in political thinking, if not in living) as my mother's mother. Sean Hannity is Nancy Pelosi compared to my mom's mom. Seriously.

[Sillygirl]

Are we calling Obama liberal or moderate? Because I support gay marriage, single-payer health care, decriminalization of marijuana . . . if Obama is liberal I think I need a new category to the left of that.

[kijip]

Are we calling Obama liberal or moderate? Because I support gay marriage, single-payer health care, decriminalization of marijuana . . . if Obama is liberal I think I need a new category to the left of that.

Word.

Same on the conservative side. Still I think our recent Democratic presidents (Clinton and Obama) have been more moderately liberal than our recent Republican presidents have been moderately conservative. Reagan and both Bushes are somewhat closer to the heart of the conservative movement than Obama is to liberalism. And Clinton was on most issues a mega-moderate and involved in founding the DLC, a very moderate Democratic group as far I am concerned.

None of the Democrats that ran in the primaries in 2008 were as liberal as I am in many respects.

[Laurel]

Are we calling Obama liberal or moderate? Because I support gay marriage, single-payer health care, decriminalization of marijuana . . . if Obama is liberal I think I need a new category to the left of that.

Same here :)

[gatorsmom]

I'm very conservative on some issues but very liberal on others.

[katydid1971]

Are we calling Obama liberal or moderate? Because I support gay marriage, single-payer health care, decriminalization of marijuana . . . if Obama is liberal I think I need a new category to the left of that.
:yeahthat:
I guess on that scale mentioned in pp I think I fall in the 90s. :)

[citymama]

Are we calling Obama liberal or moderate? Because I support gay marriage, single-payer health care, decriminalization of marijuana . . . if Obama is liberal I think I need a new category to the left of that.

You got that right, sister!

[lowrioh]

Are we calling Obama liberal or moderate? Because I support gay marriage, single-payer health care, decriminalization of marijuana . . . if Obama is liberal I think I need a new category to the left of that.

Exactly! I think I would be around 90 on the scale for most things. I even voted for Nader once.

[Melaine]

I am very conservative.

[MelissaTC]

Are we calling Obama liberal or moderate? Because I support gay marriage, single-payer health care, decriminalization of marijuana . . . if Obama is liberal I think I need a new category to the left of that.

ITA. Definitely need what Bill Maher likes to call a "Progressive" party.

[wellyes]

Seriously? Come on, I just don't get creating drama like this. I would post more but I don't want you to think I feel persecuted!

Aw, dude, I didn't mean it that way. I was referring to what I think of as a kind of running gag around here that every political thread ends up being about how overwhelmingly liberal this place is. Wasn't trying to "create" drama. Sorry, I can be a tone-deaf sometimes.

[mommylamb]

Exactly! I think I would be around 90 on the scale for most things. I even voted for Nader once.

Hah... I was very liberal when I was in college and voted for Nader in 96 because I was upset about welfare reform. Now DH says that it's my fault Gore lost in 2000 because my voting for Nader in 96 encouraged him to run again... I say there was no containing that ego no matter how I voted.

As per the discussion of how you differ from your parents, I'm a more moderate Dem than either of my parents. My father used to be a moderate Dem, but then Bush became president and he went totally to the left and now hates all Republicans. It's actually been semi amusing to see him buck the trend of becoming more conservative as you age. Then again, he's starting to read the Daily Kos and get conspiracy theories...

I said that I consider myself moderate for this poll, and in general I do, though I'm very liberal on social issues. And, a lot of you would probably consider me to be liberal. Big supporter of gay marriage here. I'm pro-choice and that is a salient issue for me in the way I vote. I support a separation of church and state. I support gun control legislation. I also support a public option in health care (I do not however support a single payer system) and general safety net programs to certain extents. I'm also against the death penalty- not because I believe the state shouldn't be able to take a life, but because I believe that juries are made of people, and people are sometimes racist and unfair in their punishments.

I'm more moderate on things like balancing environmental actions and economic needs (not a big cap and trade person), being realistic about benefit levels for entitlement programs and their costs, state flexibility within federal programs (unlike a lot of liberals, I support block grants). I support military spending for those things I believe are necessary. I support a capitalist system. But mostly, I support getting done what is doable and making compromises with people so that you can get the best bill possible. I do not stick to my guns if it means I get nothing in the end.

[Corie]

Honestly, it really depends on the issue.

I'm fairly liberal in some areas but then pretty conservative in others.

[Moneypenny]

I didn't vote. I tend to run fiscally conservative and socially liberal (much more liberal than Obama for sure in those areas!).

[arivecchi]

I find this map fascinating - especially when broken out by county leaders.

http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/map.html?scp=8&sq=election%202008&st=Search

[mommylamb]

I find this map fascinating - especially when broken out by county leaders.

http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/map.html?scp=8&sq=election%202008&st=Search

The thing I think is most interesting is the voting shifts. It's so interesting to see which areas are trending more republican and which are trending more democratic.

[arivecchi]

The thing I think is most interesting is the voting shifts. It's so interesting to see which areas are trending more republican and which are trending more democratic.
Wow. I had not clicked on that one.

[larig]

I'm a progressive. I'd say my politics line up pretty closely with bernie sanders'.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

Proud that my County (in McCain's home state) voted for Obama 57%+, and that we have 16% more dems than 2004. It is a liberal island in a conservative state!

[arivecchi]

I thought Cook County was so slanted - 72% Dem - until I saw DC.....

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

I thought Cook County was so slanted - 72% Dem - until I saw DC.....


San Fran was 84%. The county I grew up in San Mateo was 73%.

[Naranjadia]

I'm a progressive. I'd say my politics line up pretty closely with bernie sanders'.

:yeahthat:
Exactly where I am, too.

[1964pandora]

I was just thinking about this today. I can't vote in the poll because I don't have an answer. As a practicing Catholic, I feel that my views bisect the political parties. I don't feel at home in the Democratic party because of my views on abortion and I don't feel at home in the Republican party because of my views on policies that promote the common good. I get really tangled up when I try to figure out what types of policies actually WORK to promote the common good, those put forth by conservatives or liberals. Sigh, I feel like the older I more get the less I think I know. I don't feel at home as as a Democrat or a Republican. I guess I am a conservative without a party I feel comfortable in?

[codex57]

I was just thinking about this today. I can't vote in the poll because I don't have an answer. As a practicing Catholic, I feel that my views bisect the political parties. I don't feel at home in the Democratic party because of my views on abortion and I don't feel at home in the Republican party because of my views on policies that promote the common good. I get really tangled up when I try to figure out what types of policies actually WORK to promote the common good, those put forth by conservatives or liberals. Sigh, I feel like the older I more get the less I think I know. I don't feel at home as a "conservative" or a "liberal." I don't know what I am anymore!

That's actually a VERY common complaint. It's why I don't vote. I despise both sides. I'm exercising my right to not vote.

[AnnieW625]

I voted for moderate. I don't care for extreme leftists like Nancy Pelosi or extreme rightists like Rush Limbaugh. I vote based on the cause, and then based on how I like the person running. I have voted for both Democrats and Republicans in the 14 years I have been voting. I registered Democrat at 18 because I couldn't stand Newt Gingrich. Had he not been in the spotlight soo much when I was that I probably would've registered Republican. Either way I still think I would've been a centrist because as an example I have always thought that you can't have a country this big without a big military and on the more liberal side I have always thought that education should get more money (and it seems like each time it does the administrators get more of a cut than they really should and the students lose) than it does.

[1964pandora]

That's actually a VERY common complaint. It's why I don't vote. I despise both sides. I'm exercising my right to not vote.

Well, that makes me feel better. I have always taken my right to vote seriously, but if I keep thinking the way I'm thinking, I won't be able to cast a vote anymore. Nice to know I have company. I guess I envy (not really ENVY, but you know what I mean) those of you who strongly identify with one or the other party. I know plenty of people who just LOVE being a Democrat and are proud of it and Republicans who feel the same way. I just can't feel the love for either.

[codex57]

Well, that makes me feel better. I have always taken my right to vote seriously, but if I keep thinking the way I'm thinking, I won't be able to cast a vote anymore. Nice to know I have company. I guess I envy (not really ENVY, but you know what I mean) those of you who strongly identify with one or the other party. I know plenty of people who just LOVE being a Democrat and are proud of it and Republicans who feel the same way. I just can't feel the love for either.

Exactly. I'm just like Annie. I utterly despise Pelosi and Limbaugh. Think both are different aspects of Satan. Ok, I'm exaggerating a bit, but not by much. Unfortunately, the Democratic and Republican parties pander to those extreme views and leave the more "moderate" ones hanging in the wind. I just can't bring myself to give my valuable vote to either party. I don't identify enough with the smaller third parties to vote for them either.

Lots of people vote that way. I believe that's why the Governator was able to get voted in. He's a Republican, yet married to a member of one of the most iconic Democratic families. Took pretty centrist views generally. Not perfect, but a hell of a lot better than anything we'd ever seen (from the viewpoint of a moderate).

That's why I find the current attack ads against him hilarious. I sympathize with some of them, but these are total special interest groups attacking him by claiming he's pandering to special interests. So hypocritical, I literally burst out laughing when I first heard some of the ads.

[Laurel]

The thing I think is most interesting is the voting shifts. It's so interesting to see which areas are trending more republican and which are trending more democratic.

The words "regional party" certainly come to mind looking at this version of the map.

[wellyes]

Unfortunately, the Democratic and Republican parties pander to those extreme views and leave the more "moderate" ones hanging in the wind.That's funny, I felt the exact opposite way during the Presidential election. Everyone moved to the middle for a little while. I think you're right - but only for certain times of the election cycle.

This whole process is making me more & more cynical.

[codex57]

That's funny, I felt the exact opposite way during the Presidential election. Everyone moved to the middle for a little while. I think you're right - but only for certain times of the election cycle.

This whole process is making me more & more cynical.

It does ebb and flow, but more often than not, my opinion is anyways, that they pander to the extremes simply because they're more vocal and tend to be more active. They need to keep those votes cuz the moderates are more fickle (like me who now refuses to vote).

And yes, the whole process got me so cynical, it's partially one reason why I don't vote.

[jent]

I put 'moderate', but in many ways I am liberal, just moderate compared to DH (who voted for Nader way back when).

When I reached voting age I made the decision to not affiliate with a political party, but to look at the issues that were important to me and vote for the best candidate. Generally, I end up voting democratic.

I would disagree with both wellyes and codex-- my take is that the Republicans tend to pander to the extreme whereas the Democrats try desperately to woo the middle. I'm not trying to denigrate the Republican party, I'm just trying to explain why the Republican party has attracted me less and less over the last 17 years. DH, conversely, has felt let down by the Democratic party since they aren't liberal enough for him.

[kijip]

Unfortunately, the Democratic and Republican parties pander to those extreme views and leave the more "moderate" ones hanging in the wind.

I disagree. I think there is strong evidence that each party trends towards a middle. The most liberal/progressive views are often not represented by Democratic party leaders very well and the vice-versa- the GOP does not truly represent the most conservative views in this county. We will not see single payer healthcare. We will not see abortion outlawed. We will not see a federal statute protecting gays and gay marriage anytime soon. We will not see a defunding of the entire federal department of education/localized control of schools only and substantial reduction in overall income tax for average taxpayers. And so it goes, back and forth, that the actual decisions are made in the middle. That determines who will be elected on a national stage and also what tenor legislation will take. We elect Obamas and Bushes, not Huckabees and Kuciniches. (this is an observation, not a call on if that is good or bad- compelling arguments can be made that it is for the best this way and compelling arguments can be made that nothing gets done of powerful significance this way.) Barack Obama is hardly a true progressive in many respects (or perhaps he just can't be right now- think Al Gore who was pretty moderate as VP and is now more free to speak his mind) and George Bush , well there is a pretty compelling case that he is not strictly a conservative (fiscal issues, NCLB, expansion of Dept. of Education etc).

And regardless of which party holds a majority in Congress, for much of recent history the people primarily "running to show" are the conservative Democrats and the liberal Republicans. This goes back decades and has been a source of frustration for each party's base(s).

[larig]

Exactly. I'm just like Annie. I utterly despise Pelosi and Limbaugh. Think both are different aspects of Satan. Ok, I'm exaggerating a bit, but not by much. Unfortunately, the Democratic and Republican parties pander to those extreme views and leave the more "moderate" ones hanging in the wind. I just can't bring myself to give my valuable vote to either party. I don't identify enough with the smaller third parties to vote for them either.



I think this is a really interesting thread, because it's pointing out to me the fact that many of us who would identify in different parties are feeling alienated by the parties. I don't know if it happens in ways that we expect though.

Like in the quote above, it is suggested that the Ds and Rs pander to the extremes of their party. As one who counts herself as being pretty progressive (although by my city's standards I'm pretty tame) I think that the Democratic party actually panders too much to the center (I blame it on the DLC). Too often I find myself angry at the dem party leaders for not standing more strongly for progressive principles that they touted in their campaigns. Harry Reid, I am convinced, has NO backbone. He acts like it's the Republicans who control the Senate calendar. He has not made them actually filibuster. He runs away if the republicans so much as threaten a filibuster. It's frustrating. I feel that the truly progressive are really left out to dry by the democratic party to make way for the center and corporate interests.

does anyone actually feel like one of the parties really represents them well? (not a rhetorical question).

ETA: I just finished this post, and then read Katie's above, which says similar stuff...springboarding off her post, one more thing...
It seems to me that right now the liberal republicans have been wiped out of office in most of the houses of congress. I guess it depends on who it is that is in power at the time. Like if the republicans were in power would that be because the centrist dems had lost in "purple" states? or if the dems were would it be because the liberal republicans lost in purple states? (Just throwing that out there.) Interesting stuff to me--I could have studied poli sci.

[wellyes]

It seems to me that right now the liberal republicans have been wiped out of office in most of the houses of congress. I guess it depends on who it is that is in power at the time. Like if the republicans were in power would that be because the centrist dems had lost in "purple" states? or if the dems were would it be because the liberal republicans lost in purple states? (Just throwing that out there.) Interesting stuff to me--I could have studied poli sci.

The case study for this is Lincoln Chafee who was a RI senator for years and years. He was a "New England Republican": economically conservative but socially liberal. Wanted the govt out of the bedroom. Pro gay rights, pro choice. I honestly think he represented most RI residents' views and he won for a long, long time.

But a few years ago in the Rep primary he lost to someone who had the full (financial) support of the wider GOP & who represents contemporary republican viewpoint.... very socially conservative. The challenger won the primary but of course lost the election; RI is the most democratic state in the nation.

The gist of it is that the GOP leadership would rather have someone from the opposing party in that senate seat than a powerful (due to long tenure) "New England Republican". Which is sad since I get the impression that there are a whole lot of people who would LOVE to have someone like Chaffee represent them. Including most *democrats* in RI, incidentally. But not going to happen in this generation given the current GOP leadership.

[DietCokeLover]

I am very conservative.

:yeahthat:

[arivecchi]

This could be a whole other thread, but I always wonder how people end up being in whatever spot in the spectrum they are in. Is it location, upbringing, race, education, socio-economic status, religion, or what combination of like factors? Has anyone read any studies on this? I would love to find out more.

[cheri]

I'm libertarian. Call me fiscally conservative, socially liberal, and in favor of smaller government.

[larig]

This could be a whole other thread, but I always wonder how people end up being in whatever spot in the spectrum they are in. Is it location, upbringing, race, education, socio-economic status, religion, or what combination of like factors? Has anyone read any studies on this? I would love to find out more.

this is old, but looks pretty interesting. (http://www.jstor.org/pss/2091860) looks like there were a lot of different theories--family relationships (like if you like your dad you might be what he is, if you don't you rebel), class, etc.

For me, I am slightly more liberal than my mother, and probably pretty close to my dad's views. My father and mother lived through the depression and feel very strongly about the New Deal. I grew up watching crossfire at dinner time. They took me to see any candidate who spoke in our town (I saw president ford on a whistle stop tour through my home town in 1976). They were just very engaged in the news of the day. It rubbed off, I guess.

[cono0507]

I'm libertarian. Call me fiscally conservative, socially liberal, and in favor of smaller government.

THis is me too. I didn't vote because I don't consider myself a moderate either.