Do you think Americans in general are......

[BooScout]

Liberal?
Centrists?
Conservatives?

I'm talking majority of Americans here. What are we if you have to pick one. (Not DU mind you but all of America).

[Blue_In_AK]

1. Fourth option

Clueless?

[JFN1]

2. LOL

Liberally clueless...or progressively clueless...?

[ixion]

3. I was going to say 'idiots'...

but that works, too. :evilgrin:

[A HERETIC I AM]

17. Yup. "Morons" is what came to mind for me....

and it certainly is a sad state of affairs, isnt it?

I like the line from "Men In Black" when they are sitting on the park bench and the veteran guy says something like "You know Americans are stupid. Oh sure, individual people are smart, but as a group, people are ignorant, superstitious and just plain dumb" Or something like that...

[AnneD]

20. That'.....

Morans buster....get it right:evilgrin:

[Faygo Kid]

5. Yep, "clueless." So much for further posts.

Can't improve on that one.

When is the next "Dancing With the Stars?"

[Agony]

14. "March of the Stupid People"

Cynicism is the first step on the path to enlightenment... is my motto these days.

I'm stuck at the first step.

Agony

[BooScout]

4. aside from clueless.....

What would most Americans describe themselves as?

[Fresh_Start]

6. suckers to be played by the media and political parties NT

NT

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. Conformists. Whichever flavor of the week is popular.

"No one in this world, so far as I know—and I have researched the records for years, and employed agents to help me—has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby." - H.L. Mencken

[gateley]

8. Conservatives. I can't count how many people I've been shocked to hear

describe themselves that way.

[YOY]

9. Distracted. Deceived. Kept in the dark.

n/t

[mike_c]

10. it's not as simple as that....

Most Americans would probably describe themselves as something like "centrist,", but when probed about their actual stances on the issues, most are actually rather polarized as either conservatives or liberals. When asked about their actual political interests, many more support liberal ideals than when asked whether they self identify as liberals, for example. That's my understanding, at least.

So my sense is that a majority of Americans are in fact quite liberal on many issues that impact their own lives, but they shy away from the liberal label. I suspect many who are functionally conservative do the same thing, avoiding the label while espousing conservative stances on many issues.

[Xithras]

11. Hard to pigeonhole.

In my experience, most people have beliefs that don't fit easily into one political classification. I know one person who is adamantly anti-choice and pro-gun, but who is a strong believer in universal health care and welfare. I know many who are generally liberal but are anti-immigration (A common position in California). I know a LOT of religious conservatives who are pro-welfare for religious reasons. I have met very FEW people who were all liberal or all conservative. Outside of DU, I've probably met fewer than 50 people who vote straight-ticket for either party in my entire lifetime.

If you must have an answer, I'd have to say centrist even though I don't really believe it's a political position. I think that centrism is simply how most people reconcile the conflicts between their own personal beliefs.

[BooScout]

12. maybe instead of centrist.......

I should have said middle of the road?

[Deja Q]

13. Depends on whom you ask. 300 million people would give you

360 million answers.

I even include those with multiple personality disorders AND any political candidate who happens to be two-faced. :)

[ACapsizingBoat]

15. Conservative...

Most Americans are pretty selfish and self-centered. At bottom, that is what modern conservatism is: a justification of shortsighted selfishness.

[Hellenic_Pagan]

16. Clueless fucks who dont read. n/t

[lonestarnot]

18. SECOND! All opposed aye. Hearing none! Confirmed!

[dkofos]

19. The real question is why do we have to be one of those three?

Depending on the topic, I could be all three.

Can't we be Americans first??

[BooScout]

21. Certainly......

But I'm researching.........so I need genralizations regarding political leanings.

I'm central sometimes, I'm seldom to the right and I'm to the left a lot.....but I think if I had to describe Americans in general the majority would be somewhere in the middle most of the time. I'm not talking absolutes here......just generally speaking. I am just asking for others opinions on it.

[Agony]

22. Oh! you were looking for REAL data!

I've got it!

Standard bell curve. 20% wack jobs on the right. 20% wack jobs on the left (that would be me). 60% everybody else in the middle 3 quintiles.


Fortunately no one has recommended this thread yet.


In cycnicism,
Agony

[Annces]

23. Hot to trot n/t

[Dukkha]

24. completely apathetic

the whole world could be going to hell around them, but as long as they have American Idol, Britney gossip, reality TV, and fast food, everything's A-OK.

This world was forseen in Fahrenheit 451. Guy Montag's wife tries to hide her own emptiness and fear of questioning her surroundings or herself with meaningless chatter and a constant barrage of television. She constantly tries to reach the glorified state of happiness, but is inwardly miserable. She and her friends even discuss political candidates only by how they look on TV.