America Is Still A Conservative Nation

Weekly Standard: Despite Obama's Election, Exit Polls Show Conservatives Still Outnumber Liberals

(Weekly Standard)  This column was written by Michael G. Franc.

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One question surfaces repeatedly as the pundits obsess over the exit polls. Have Americans lurched to the Left in any meaningful way? If so, are they likely to sign long-term leases in Hotel Obama, or are they simply on loan until they experience the consequences of modern-day liberalism?

Some insist it’s the latter. The Washington Post’s E.J. Dionne calls Obama’s election a “clear repudiation of conservative economic ideas,” while Peggy Noonan believes we’re experiencing “a new liberal moment.”

Hey, not so fast!

Let’s obsess a little more over those exit polls. Several commentators have noted the president-elect’s success in winning the hearts (if not the minds) of 20 percent of self-described conservatives while McCain, in contrast, wooed only 10 percent of liberals.

But the more salient finding is that conservatives continue to outnumber their liberal neighbors by the comfortable margin of 34 percent to 22 percent. This nearly matches the edge conservatives enjoyed in the 2004 election (34 percent to 21 percent) and - drum roll, please - is measurably better than the 29 percent to 20 percent conservative advantage in 2000, when George W. Bush was first sworn in.

How many of our liberal friends are willing to acknowledge that, despite spending millions on hateful Moveon.org and Soros-funded campaigns that portray conservatives as war criminals, as haters of the poor, as greedy, ignorant, intolerant, and incompetent, Americans have grown more conservative over the past eight years?

If we also obsess over the state exit polls, conservatives will be relieved to learn that they still outnumber liberals in 42 states. With the exception of Massachusetts (where liberals carry the day by 11 points, 32 percent to 21 percent) and Vermont (where they enjoy an eight-point edge), the liberals’ advantage where it does exist is actually quite modest. We’re talking about six points in New York, four in Hawaii, three in Maryland and Rhode Island, two in Connecticut and a tie in New Jersey - not exactly overwhelming endorsements of EU-style socialism. Even in that den of Left Coast liberalism - California - conservatives hold a modest five-point advantage over their liberal brethren.

Elsewhere, the conservative advantage is daunting. We outnumber them by 10 points or better in 32 states; in 21 of those states, the margin is a seemingly insurmountable 2 to 1 or greater. To Senate watchers, conservative dominance in 21 states translates into one thing: When these 42 senators (including 9 moderate Democrats) receive mail, phone calls, and e-mails from their constituents, they’re unlikely to be hearing pleas for higher taxes, more government spending, and a hollowed-out military. On the contrary, there’s an ideological foundation sufficient to sustain a Senate filibuster on virtually any liberal policy initiative.

In the House, the ranks of the moderate Blue Dog coalition grew as well, where more than 50 House Democrats will be representing these overwhelmingly conservative constituencies. “There are more of us than ever,” Tennessee Blue Dog leader Jim Cooper says of the size of the Blue Dog pack. “And we will have a bigger bite.”

Memo #1 to conservative Hill leaders: If you invest the requisite time, energy, and intellectual capital engaging these conservative citizens in the policymaking process, you will be surprised at the influence they bring to bear on their elected representatives - in both parties.

Now, to be clear, the exit polls also contain some sobering alarm bells for conservatives. Between 2004 and 2008 the conservative advantage shrunk in some red states, including Indiana (by 12 points), Virginia (9 points), New Hampshire, Maryland, and Oklahoma (seven points each), and Tennessee, North Carolina, Montana, and Michigan (five points apiece). Virginia, in particular, slipped on the ideological axis from a 2-to-1 bright-red conservative state to one whose residents’ philosophical disposition, while still conservative, merely matches the overall national mood.

True, some of these shifts may be nothing more than insignificant fluctuations from one presidential cycle to the next. But a couple clearly reflect the Left’s enormous effort to change the political (and, by extension, ideological) cultures in heretofore red states such as Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, and New Hampshire. In Colorado, in contrast, while this political “surge” strategy may explain the Democrats’ gain of a seat in both the House and Senate, it did nothing to alter Colorado’s ideological profile. Between 2004 and 2008 the conservative advantage there actually grew unexpectedly, from 13 points (35 percent to 22 percent) to a more robust 19 point margin (36 percent to 17 percent). Go figure.

In short, Americans are measurably more conservative than the lawmakers (and president) who will represent them in Washington. Americans still prefer principled conservative policy solutions and remain instinctively skeptical of Big Government liberal alternatives. Imagine how much more difficult - and depressing - this analysis would be if the polls really did suggest we had reached that “new liberal moment” of which Noonan speaks?

And memo #2 to our conservative leaders on Capitol Hill: Even if you successfully recapture every conservative in America, self-described moderates remain the essential ingredient in any sustainable right-of-center governing majority. Imagine for a moment that every conservative in the nation had voted for McCain and every liberal for Obama. While the race would have been considerably tighter - electors in North Carolina, Ohio, Florida, and Indiana would have voted for McCain, Missouri would have been a clear three- or four-point McCain win, and the race in Virginia would have been a nail biter - Obama still would have pulled out a narrow win.

To prevail in the upcoming debates, conservatives need to rediscover the lost art of selling conservative ideas and how those ideas measurably improve lives. And they need to make that sale not only to conservatives but to the plurality of Americans who self-identify as “moderates.” The victories will follow.

Yes, conservatism has a bright future in Washington. Now, let’s get back to work.

[ubrew12]

Sure Americans are conservative. They just don''t think doubling the national debt thru tax cuts while INCREASING government spending is necessarily conservative.

If you''re a true fiscal conservative, you SHOULD be voting Democratic right about now.

[centerfall94]

Poor Michael G Franc thinks that today''s republican party is conservative. Evidence proves that it is bigoted, small minded, vindictive and prejudiced. But fiscal conservatism? Not for the last eight years it isn''t.

Conservatism isn''t bad. But republicans have taken the word on as their mantra, even when it has NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH THEM. Bigotry and prejudice are not conservative practices. Needless and pointless warmongering is not a conservative practice.

Be careful of that word, "conservative". It means different things, to different people, and in Michael Franc''s case, he''s just trying to push his dead agenda.

[Razzl]

NPR did a good expose on this issue of how people label themselves after the 2004 election, pointing out that Republican operatives had spent the last 3 prior decades trying to demonize certain key words and concepts, especially the word "liberal", in order to make their propaganda more effective. Opinion polls throughout the period showed that while people began to mislabel themselves as "conservatives" in order to avoid calling themselves "liberals", opinion polls showed their views on important issues such as abortion rights invariably leaned to the left and was "liberal" even if they didn''t want to be labelled as such.

So Franc and the crew at Weakly Stranded can keep on wearing the "conservative" labelling fig leaf for a while longer, but by this time next year you can be sure that the public will be adamantly labelling itself "liberal" by 2-1 margins...

[bfranknow]

Ahem, 34%+22% does not equal 100% does it now? Mr. Franc, you left out something, didn''t you now, a little fact that says 44% do not classify themselves as either conservative or liberal, but instead consider themselves independent or moderate. Therefore the US is if anything a CENTRIST country and the party that acknowledges that fact wins elections. A party that denies the existence of centrists cannnot win.

But it seems that the rightwingers cannot see the world as anything but black and white and they then must lump moderates in with their sworn enemy, the "liberals".
Thus the moderates are driven out of the GOP.
Thus independent centrists will vote with Democrats.
Thus right wing will keep losing.

[cbs_oliver]

This meme of the center right nation was started by those on the right just after Obama was elected.

It is propaganda not research.

The election speaks for itself.

It does not need pig headed interpretion by the losers.

[kershaw_31]

Before even reading this article I knew by the headline that it came from the Weekly Standard. What I will say to them is that America is not conservative. You folks are out of touch with mainstream America and no wonder you got spanked during the most recent election. Keep hoping!

[notblue]

kershaw, 55 million voted for McCain, more than was needed to elect the last four presidents, a 3% margin of victory is not being "spanked". The youth and minority vote were unprecedented, it''s great they finallay participated, too bad the uninformed made the differance.

[troutfisher4]

My prediction is the conservatives will continue to fade away. Bush has demonstrated the huge gap between IDEOLOGY and what they actually DO when in power. It was ugly, and we will not forget it anytime soon.

[troutfisher4]

kershaw, 55 million voted for McCain, more than was needed to elect the last four presidents, a 3% margin of victory is not being "spanked".


Ahem, presidents are elected by electoral votes, not popular vote. And the cons did get a bloody spanking in those.

Even that most thickheaded man of all time (Rush Limbaugh) admitted they were "taken to the woodshed, no question".

[atpay1]

the weekly standard is full of ***!!!

[incog-nito]

This article altogether ignores independents, which make up a substantial, and growing, part of the electorate. And they tend to be younger and left-leaning. Add to that the growth of minority populations, also left-leaning.

That''s fine with me if the right wants to keep up with the rosy scenario. Why worry if everything is going great?

[chalres-2009]

Their is a difference in Conservative, neo con, and tree hugger. I am none of the above. What is a social liberal ,fiscal conservative. No one seams to want to represent me.

[gmancubfan]

Franc''s article boxes people into neat airtight containers labeled either "liberal" or "conservative". In doing so he ignores the political complexity of most individuals and Americans as a whole. One example would be the person who opposes both abortion and the death penalty. What box does he belong in? Another example is someone who prays and attends church regularly, has sgtrong family values and beleives in Gay rights. There are many other examples that could be sited to illustrate this point. Let''s not forget the strong sense of individuality that defines us as Americans and let''s stop trying to conveniently categorize people.

[eus109937]

This certainly depends on his definition of conservative. America is certainly the most liberal nation on Earth. Women are equal here. No where else in the world are there laws and protections afforded to women and minorities. In this respect we are the most liberal nation in the world and hopefully always will be.
Conservative - think Saudia Arabia, think any number of nations in Asia and Africa.

[kansas1946]

LOL. Best spin of the day.

[hennighg]

Sure, America is still conservative. Look, you go root around in a blueberry patch and you''ll get stickers all over, stains, and a million little cuts. But once you have the sense to get out of there, those things will all go away, with time. And then you can go back to being normal again. In this case, we can return to the American ideas we grew up with and not the neo-criminal corporate Brazilian model we''ve lived in for 3 decades. Give it some time.

[kansas1946]

Franc''''s article boxes people into neat airtight containers labeled either "liberal" or "conservative". In doing so he ignores the political complexity of most individuals and Americans as a whole. One example would be the person who opposes both abortion and the death penalty. What box does he belong in? Another example is someone who prays and attends church regularly, has sgtrong family values and beleives in Gay rights. There are many other examples that could be sited to illustrate this point. Let''''s not forget the strong sense of individuality that defines us as Americans and let''''s stop trying to conveniently categorize people.


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Posted by gmancubfan at 06:54 PM : Nov 24, 2008
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Thank you. I have been trying to figure out what someone means with these terms for years. Obviously they are just convenient labels for lazy politicians. The right successfully made "liberal" a dirty word, even as they support "liberal" policies.

The "conservatives" for the last eight years have done nothing but spend money, bash gay families, and try to overturn Roe. They chased anyone out of their tent that didn''t adhere to their supposed "values." Well, they got what they wanted, a small tent.

[spinproof]

There are perilous times and the U.S. can not afford the luxury of politics and business as usual. In the traditional spirit of the United States the losers should rally around the winners and unite our nation to face the daunting challenges ahead, the American people have spoken yet again, in the 2006 elections and just as loudly in the 2008 elections as well. Republicans should stop trying to have in defeat what they could not earn with a victory. The Republicans lost fair and square, twice!

[kansas1946]

kershaw, 55 million voted for McCain, more than was needed to elect the last four presidents, a 3% margin of victory is not being "spanked". The youth and minority vote were unprecedented, it''''s great they finallay participated, too bad the uninformed made the differance.


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Posted by notblue at 05:30 PM : Nov 24, 2008
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Popular vote

2000 Gore 48.3
Bush 47.3

2004 Bush 50.7
Kerry 48.3

2008 Obama 52.4
McCain 46.3
*****************************************

And your "uninformed" comment is just why Republicans are getting a "spanking." Not only in the popular vote, but in the house and the senate.
You might want to check the level of education in red states versus blue states this election, and maybe that will cure some of that snobbery.

[redhawk1021]

If this was really true, then insecure little conservatives like Franc wouldn''t need to be constantly reassuring themselves with self-serving, meaningless pap like this articles.

Conservative politics have led this nation into chaos and decline. I wish the safety and well being of America was 1/2 as important to the morons at the Weekly Standard then their own self-absorbed ideologies and massive egos.

[alanrobisch]

Conservative politics have led this nation into chaos and decline. I wish the safety and well being of America was 1/2 as important to the morons at the Weekly Standard then their own self-absorbed ideologies and massive egos.


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Posted by redhawk1021 at 09:27 PM : Nov 24, 2008
+ report abuse
Boy is that an insightful comment. Methinks you are a liberal who thinks anyone left of a socialist is a danger to the world

[mensarino]

I don''t care how they identify themselves as long as they vote with us.

[imnho]

Is this person on drugs? The liberals made progress in places where they always loose big. They made close races in places that they are usually not even contenders. If obama has a sucessful first term then the republicans will be out of power for a long time. They even may go the way of the wigs.

[deanmartian]

Dream on conservo-wacko. Hopefully your philosophy is being relegated to the dust bind of history as it ought to be. Blind hatred and intolerance as well belief in invisible cloud beings sends irrational nut bags to the back of the bus if not the toilet.

[deanmartian]

Dream on conservo-wacko. Hopefully your philosophy is being relegated to the dust bind of history as it ought to be. Blind hatred and intolerance as well belief in invisible cloud beings sends irrational nut bags to the back of the bus if not the toilet.

[sincity_q]

Conservative nation? Not hardly.

The meaning of being a conservative was lost long ago. Today, we are a thin-skinned, spring loaded nation beset by a massive inferiority complex. If anyone so much as utters a wrong word, we drag them into court and sue the daylights out of them for daring to think that we would tolerate dissentive diversity.

For those walking on thin ice, we may even install ''hate laws'', which is nothing short of a prohibition of free speech. It suggests that words carry more power than actions and that sticks and stones are not nearly as dangerous as a mind in motion.

Conservatives? They are extinct.

[amrt5016]

America is conservative? I think so, in many areas of the country. This conservatism has no interest in promoting new knowledge, bettering our quality of life and solving the problems we face, only in pushing conservative values over the rest of society. Conservative is a polite term to describe this side of America. Backward is more like it.

[ausus-2009]

Defining liberals and conservatives has always been difficult because both are a collection of philosophies that add up to a sum. Party labels do not help because there have always been liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats. It''s just that more liberals flock to the Democrats and conservatives find a home in the Republican Party.

When you are creating the equation, you have to look at the obvious issues like abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia, taxation, regulation, censorship and defense.

You must also throw into that mix definitions like what you call the money governments spend. Is it public money or taxpayers'' money? Do you believe the individual or the welfare of the whole of society is more important? Should utilities like telephones and power be government or shareholders?

When you tick all of these boxes you will find out if you are liberal or conservative or someone who would not be completely at home in either category.

[harrydoghiny]

Lest we forget, Bill Kristol, editor of the Standard, is responsible for the debacle that was Sarah Palin. Radical conservatism is dead, and rightfully so, no pun intended.

[ausus-2009]

When I was young, I thought that liberalism meant tolerance of others. Looking at the vitriol from those who call themselves liberals, I know I was wrong.

[incog-nito]

When you tick all of these boxes you will find out if you are liberal or conservative or someone who would not be completely at home in either category.

Posted by ausus at 11:11 PM : Nov 24, 2008

Sounds like we need more than a two-party system.

[incog-nito]

When I was young, I thought that liberalism meant tolerance of others. Looking at the vitriol from those who call themselves liberals, I know I was wrong.

Posted by ausus at 11:24 PM : Nov 24, 2008

You can always find evidence to support your preconceptions, especially if the evidence come from online forums.

[idnnsg]

The GOP is toast. "Trickle down economics" (aka, "The Wealthy P!ss on Everyone Else") is dead. The NeoCon Dream of World Domination Thru Military Force is finished. The republican mantra about "shrinking government" has been exposed as a LIE. In fact, EVERYTHING the "conservatives" supposedly stand for has been demolished... by their own hands!

But some "conservatives" would like us to believe the opposite is true! They are delusional. I''m sure we can find a room for them at the assylum!

[ausus-2009]

incog-nito,

A multi-party system would be a disaster. Look at countries like Italy that can have several governments a year.

I think that America effectively has a multi-party system without the frequent disruptions. On individual issues, Democrats and Republicans are free to vote with the other side. This is unlike the party discipline that exists in many parliamentary systems where a person loses party endorsement if he votes with the other side on any issue deemed important by the party leader.

[roger3815]

Cons and their delusions are an amusing distraction sometimes.

No cons, America is not a conservative nation. America is a moderate nation.

But you can still dream about world domination.

[redhawk1021]

Methinks you are a liberal who thinks anyone left of a socialist is a danger to the world

Posted by alanrobisch2 at 09:37 PM : Nov 24, 2008

Wrong. Regardless, methinks you are a moron and ithinks I hit a little conservative nerve.

[incog-nito]

Posted by ausus at 11:42 PM : Nov 24, 2008

Not all multiparty systems are chaotic. Look at France''s. In fact the U.S. gov''t was very much patterned after the French, with its three separate branches. You don''t have to abandon the current setup (which would be unconstitutional anyway).

All that''s needed is to abandon rules created by both current parties that are specifically designed to hamper third parties, such as making it extremely difficult to get into presidential debates or receive gov''t matching funds.

[redhawk1021]

''Weekly Standard: Despite Obama''s Election, Exit Polls Show Conservatives Still Outnumber Liberals''

Well, older more conservative America is dying off and a more progressive youth is taking over. As if the election of Obama didn''t drive that point home enough?

Conservatives are a dying breed, and even total morons like Franc and the other idiots at the Weakly Standard know it. If they didn''t they wouldn''t have to write cheerleading-like OpEd pieces like this piece of garbage.

[stopkidding]

Just keep saying it until it is true! The same way that women have stopped identifying themselves as feminists voters a long time ago stopped identifying as ''liberal.'' But how many new Republicans registered this year -- negative a half mil? How many of our conservative friends are willing to acknowledge that Americans elected a guy they insisted was a Marxist, Socialist, Muslim? But no, they turn around and insist that we are a conservative nation. We never have been. We never will be. We keep changing for the better.

[ofbyfor3]

Talk about your ''fuzzy math''! What a crock!

A liberal was elected and the Democrats gained in Congress, yet the ''Weakly Standard'' dares to propose that the country is primarily conservative? Have they even bothered to LOOK at the electoral map?!!!

My guess is that they count anyone with ANY conservative leanings as a ''conservative'', while they only count those on the far left as ''liberals'', apparently forgetting that many, many moderates and independents shifted left in the past election.

Any way you cut it, after the electoral blowout in this past election, the idea that most Americans lean conservative is absurd.

[omnibus66]

Actually, most Americans lean socially liberal and fiscally conservative. That is actually a description of the Libertarian doctrine, and does not bode well for either major party.

However, now that the Republicans have proven that they can spend like a drunken sailor while at the same time stripping us of constitutional freedoms, they will have a tough time getting elected to anything, unless they change.

But if they do change back to what the Republican party is supposed to be, they will lose the far right nut case fundamentalist base. And winning elections without them would also be tough.

Bye bye Republicans.

[sanfelz]

Campaign McCain decided to label Obama as a socialist even though his policies are more like the rarest of breeds, a moderate Republican.
Since neocon Bush has nationalized the big banks, the real divide is not between conservatives and liberals but between social conservatives and fiscal conservatives.

[speek2me-2009]

Here is how I view "conservatism de jour". War - take from the poor, give to the rich - arrogance - wild over spending - deregulation to the point that the fox is watching the hen house... It is all set up to make the rich richer, so that the rich may just let a little of the wealth "trickle down" to the other 95% of the country. As we are expreincing, there is no trickel - I would love to hear your definition of conservatism. And, then also your definition of libralism.
Look where "conservatism" got us. The "trickle down economics" what a joke! It - obviously - doesn''t work. President Obama is exactly what this country & the world need. Common sense. Someone who will bring balance back in to the economy for the middle class & the underprivlaged. It''s the economy, - - - - - -.

[be19611]

How laughable is the weekly standard? I''ll tell you what most Americans are sick of.Wars like the one in Iraq to spread democracy,butting into every country on earths business.Policies that the Weekly Standard pushes,and are far from conservative. If conservatism is too ever make a comeback it must stop listing to these tired old fools at the Standard,National Review etc.

[redhawk1021]

How laughable is the weekly standard?

Posted by be19611 at 12:01 PM : Nov 25, 2008

Scale of 1 to 10? Pretty close to a 10 I''d say.

Their policies - ya know, the ones that GW Bush has been running the last 8 years - have driven the nation into a financial crisis and we''re seeing our power wane and other nations get stronger.

Yet, these egotistical freaks at the Weekly Standard stand by failed polices and beliefs as if they''d all worked like a dream and the nation is just fine.

They''re all a bunch of rich kids who aren''t NEARLY as clever or bright as they think they are, who have never known what it''s like to NOT be rich, so it''s little wonder the view from their ivory tower is less than accurate.

Obama wins deeply Red states like Indiana, Virginia and North Carolina yet Franc brags about how the ''victories will follow. What a deluded idiot.

[vhammon]

I''d like to see the Weekly Standard set a higher standard for commentary. For example, to be useful and to contribute to a genuine exploration of issues, this commentary needs some explanation of the definition being used of ''conservative.'' Is it really such a monoculture, that they can cheer for a team, "My team is bigger and better than your team."

[cbs_oliver]

Posted by shellybeanns at 02:38 PM : Nov 25, 2008

Those who are favored by superior luck credit their superior work.

Those who are disfavored by inferior work blame their inferior luck.

That''s how people are.

[presjfk]

You''''re right, Oliver, I am lucky to live in a country where I have the opportunity to elevate my social and economic status. I wish more people could understand and appreciate that so that they too could take advantage of the opportunities afforded them. Posted by shellybeanns"

You are confusing economic opportunity with conservatism. They are not one and the same. Liberalism is also not about giving everyone a handout. But I would argue the conservatism of George Bush is about a good ''ol boys network of the wealthy and powerful. If the average person is supposed to compete in a society with such corruption and unfairness as Bushanomics, then it is liberalism that will put a lid on these acts and make the system more fair for everyone. Conservatives want the market to govern itself and that just cannot be allowed any longer.

[presjfk]

You''''re right, Oliver, I am lucky to live in a country where I have the opportunity to elevate my social and economic status. I wish more people could understand and appreciate that so that they too could take advantage of the opportunities afforded them. Posted by shellybeanns

and if you had been born the right family, went to the right schools, worked for your friends in the high-end of corporate America - you would see what it is like to be truly elevated in a social and economic sense.

and to trust the economy and the future of our country to the integrity of these corporate raiders and worse would be crazy.

[timothyone-2009]

Just keep repeating it!

America Is Still A Conservative Nation
America Is Still A Conservative Nation
America Is Still A Conservative Nation
America Is Still A Conservative Nation
America Is Still A Conservative Nation
America Is Still A Conservative Nation
America Is Still A Conservative Nation
America Is Still A Conservative Nation
America Is Still A Conservative Nation
America Is Still A Conservative Nation
America Is Still A Conservative Nation
America Is Still A Conservative Nation
America Is Still A Conservative Nation
America Is Still A Conservative Nation

Oh, and let''s not forget...T

The GOP has never been racist
The GOP has never been racist
The GOP has never been racist...

And the ever popular...

Give more to the rich so will trickle down to the poor
Give more to the rich so will trickle down to the poor
Give more to the rich so will trickle down to the poor
Give more to the rich so will trickle down to the poor

Please feel free to ad your own. Then print this page and use to fertilize your houseplants