For a number of years now, I've contended that Americans are more liberal than polls have showcased. In poll after poll, when asked whether they considered themselves to be "conservative," "moderate," or "liberal," the percentage of self-described conservatives and moderates far outweighed the self-described liberals, even though these same Americans supported liberal-leaning policies such as: Increasing taxes on the rich, more gun control regulations, legalizing medical marijuana, and perhaps most recently, equal marriage rights for the LGBT community. Regardless of how liberal people's opinions on issues were, however, many such individuals still shied away from labeling themselves as liberal due to the bastardization of the term. Especially after Fox News debuted in the mid-90s and talk radio started being dominated by conservative voices such as Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, to many, liberal came to mean: Tax and spend, baby-killer, communist, socialist, anti-wealthy, anti-religion, anti-God, anti-American, etc. It reached the point where even many liberals started referring to themselves as progressives due to the negative connotation of the "l-word." Fortunately, perhaps partially due to the popularity of political satire shows such as The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, not to mention the growing popularity of social media, the tables have seemed to turn, and while some still see a negative connotation in the word liberal, that percentage has waned, all the while the more see a negative connotation in the term conservative. To a growing number of people, conservative now means the following: Anti-woman, anti-gay, anti-lower class, anti-middle class, anti-minority, anti-Muslim, etc. A pair of new Gallup polls shows these very trends.
When it comes to social issues, conservatives held their largest advantage in 1999, where 39% described themselves as conservative and 21% described themselves as liberal (net +/-18%). These numbers hadn't moved much as of 2009, when 42% said their social views were conservative and 25% said their views were liberal (net +/- 17%). However, in the past six years, those numbers have shifted quite drastically, and for the first time since Gallup started tracking these numbers, the two groups are identified in equal numbers, with 31% saying their social views are conservative and 31% saying their social views are liberal. In just six years, conservatives dropped 11% and liberals increased 6%.
This liberal trending in social issues is further illustrated in another recent Gallup poll, which showed what the public's support is of these issues today in contrast to what it was 14 years ago. Let me run down just a few of the numbers:
- Gay or lesbian relations: 40% (2001)/63% (2015) (net +23%)
- Having a baby outside of marriage: 45% (2001)/61% (2015) (net +16%)
- Sex between an unmarried man and woman: 53% (2001)/68% (2015) (net +15%)
- Divorce: 59% (2001)/71% (2015) (net +12%)
- Stem cell research: 52% (2001)/64% (2015) (net +12%)
- Doctor-assisted suicide: 49% (2001)/56% (2015) (net +7%)
- Abortion: 42% (2001)/45% (2015) (net +3%)
- The death penalty: 63% (2001)/60% (2015) (net -3%)
- Medical testing on animals: 65% (2001)/56% (2015) (net -9%)
Not only that, but when asked whether such social issues were morally acceptable or morally wrong, here's how some of those numbers broke down:
- Birth control: net +81% (89% morally acceptable/8% morally wrong)
- Divorce: net +51% (71% morally acceptable/20% morally wrong)
- Sex between an unmarried man and woman: net +39% (68% morally acceptable/29% morally wrong)
- Stem cell research: net +35% (64% morally acceptable/29% morally wrong)
- Gay or lesbian relations: net +29% (63% morally acceptable/34% morally wrong)
- Doctor-assisted suicide: net +19% (56% morally acceptable/37% morally wrong)
As far as economics are concerned, Americans still view themselves as conservative, but once again, I have a feeling this has more to do with the negative connotation some see in the term liberal than anything else, and like with social issues, the country is trending in a liberal direction. The largest advantage conservatives held here was in 2006, when 47% identified themselves as conservative on the economic front and just 15% identified themselves as liberal (net +/- 32%). Today, those numbers are 39% and 19%, respectively (net +/- 20%). However, Americans also tend to support a minimum wage increase (net +54%), labor unions (net +15%), and don't believe that the wealthiest among us pay enough in taxes (net +48%).
As these polls would indicate, when it comes to the specifics, liberals are in good shape going forward. All they need to do is stop being so bashful about labeling themselves as liberal, and instead, reverse the bastardization of the term, so that it becomes synonymous with things such as: Minimum wage increases, increased taxes on the rich, equal pay for women, equal marriage rights for the LGBT community, improving healthcare, spending money at home on infrastructure and education, and believing in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, not just for the wealthiest among us, but for everyone.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/183413/americans-continue-shift-left-key-moral-issues.aspx
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/26/1387300/-Has-America-become-more-liberal-Maybe-Okay-probably
http://www.gallup.com/poll/165794/americans-raising-minimum-wage.aspx
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/10/5-facts-on-how-americans-view-taxes/
When it comes to social issues, conservatives held their largest advantage in 1999, where 39% described themselves as conservative and 21% described themselves as liberal (net +/-18%). These numbers hadn't moved much as of 2009, when 42% said their social views were conservative and 25% said their views were liberal (net +/- 17%). However, in the past six years, those numbers have shifted quite drastically, and for the first time since Gallup started tracking these numbers, the two groups are identified in equal numbers, with 31% saying their social views are conservative and 31% saying their social views are liberal. In just six years, conservatives dropped 11% and liberals increased 6%.
This liberal trending in social issues is further illustrated in another recent Gallup poll, which showed what the public's support is of these issues today in contrast to what it was 14 years ago. Let me run down just a few of the numbers:
- Gay or lesbian relations: 40% (2001)/63% (2015) (net +23%)
- Having a baby outside of marriage: 45% (2001)/61% (2015) (net +16%)
- Sex between an unmarried man and woman: 53% (2001)/68% (2015) (net +15%)
- Divorce: 59% (2001)/71% (2015) (net +12%)
- Stem cell research: 52% (2001)/64% (2015) (net +12%)
- Doctor-assisted suicide: 49% (2001)/56% (2015) (net +7%)
- Abortion: 42% (2001)/45% (2015) (net +3%)
- The death penalty: 63% (2001)/60% (2015) (net -3%)
- Medical testing on animals: 65% (2001)/56% (2015) (net -9%)
Not only that, but when asked whether such social issues were morally acceptable or morally wrong, here's how some of those numbers broke down:
- Birth control: net +81% (89% morally acceptable/8% morally wrong)
- Divorce: net +51% (71% morally acceptable/20% morally wrong)
- Sex between an unmarried man and woman: net +39% (68% morally acceptable/29% morally wrong)
- Stem cell research: net +35% (64% morally acceptable/29% morally wrong)
- Gay or lesbian relations: net +29% (63% morally acceptable/34% morally wrong)
- Doctor-assisted suicide: net +19% (56% morally acceptable/37% morally wrong)
As far as economics are concerned, Americans still view themselves as conservative, but once again, I have a feeling this has more to do with the negative connotation some see in the term liberal than anything else, and like with social issues, the country is trending in a liberal direction. The largest advantage conservatives held here was in 2006, when 47% identified themselves as conservative on the economic front and just 15% identified themselves as liberal (net +/- 32%). Today, those numbers are 39% and 19%, respectively (net +/- 20%). However, Americans also tend to support a minimum wage increase (net +54%), labor unions (net +15%), and don't believe that the wealthiest among us pay enough in taxes (net +48%).
As these polls would indicate, when it comes to the specifics, liberals are in good shape going forward. All they need to do is stop being so bashful about labeling themselves as liberal, and instead, reverse the bastardization of the term, so that it becomes synonymous with things such as: Minimum wage increases, increased taxes on the rich, equal pay for women, equal marriage rights for the LGBT community, improving healthcare, spending money at home on infrastructure and education, and believing in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, not just for the wealthiest among us, but for everyone.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/183413/americans-continue-shift-left-key-moral-issues.aspx
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/26/1387300/-Has-America-become-more-liberal-Maybe-Okay-probably
http://www.gallup.com/poll/165794/americans-raising-minimum-wage.aspx
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/10/5-facts-on-how-americans-view-taxes/
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