How Far Right Have the Republicans Moved:

[The Whiskey Priest]

According to the highly respected National Election Studies 2002 poll (the latest data), which measured Republican Activists in comparison to independent or middle-of-the-road voters, found that the Republicans Activists are 40% more conservative than the independent voter. When compared against the position of the Republicans at the time of Goldwater’s defeat, the Republican Activists at that time were half as extreme as today’s Republican Activists.

At the same time Democratic Activists are slightly more moderate than the average Democratic voter.

The Republican Activists are not only far to the right of the independent voter, they are far to the right of the average voter in Republican party…for all intent and purposes the Republican Activists have abandoned the middle and are headed sharply to the right.

This is base on information from the book “ Off Center, the Republican Party & the Erosion of American Democracy.” Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson.

[Hugin]

1. Goodness! If they keep that up they'll show up to our left!

I guess they think they have it made. Is this where the "overreaching" begins?

[RandomKoolzip]

2. I've heard buzz about "Off Center." Have you read it?

It sounds like a great book, and I was wondering if anyone else on DU has picked it up yet.

[The Whiskey Priest]

6. Yes, just finishing the book

It contains some excellent observations, very useful.

If I may, what have you heard about the book?

[RandomKoolzip]

7. I read some review that intimated that its publisher

was having a hard time meeting supply for the demand for this book. Apparently it's already become the next "What's the Matter With Kansas?"-type phenomenon.

That's what I read, anyway.

[The Whiskey Priest]

8. Having read both books....(just finishing Off Center)

I could recommend both to progressives and liberals... both provide insight into what we are facing and perhaps from that we can develop a strategy to win back the country.

[mmonk]

3. Can't tell,

I don't have my binoculars.

[G_j]

4. at one time Americans (of both parties) overwhelmingly

thought of Walter Cronkite as the "most trusted man in America"

Today the right speaks of him as a villain and a traitor.

that should tell you something

[Marr]

5. I don't even know what "conservative" means anymore.

They spend money like water, expand government, disregard civil liberties, and use military power with reckless abandon.

I suppose the word "conservative" is just a relic from the older, 'small government' movement that was taken over by the fascist movement.