Do you know anyone who has switched from liberal to conservative?

[nyc 4 Biden]

I don't know what made me start thinking about this on the train this morning.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I've noticed that most people who switch political bases usually go from conservative to liberal. What about the other direction?

What does your experience show.

Do you know anyone who has switched from liberal to conservative?

[Chipper Chat]

1. I know many of my fellow 'hippies of the 60s'

who became very conservative in their senior years.

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. Except, at least those I knew, were not 'liberal' hippies -

most were politically neutral. They were against the war and pro-pot, but then, who wasn't?

I knew a lot who looked like liberals, even radicals, but if you dug into their beliefs they were really amorphous - many were "anti", which meant they opposed their conservative parents or church, but they didn't have any liberal convictions to supplant what they were rejecting. Just as being anti-church doesn't make a person an atheist, being anti-republican doesn't make you a liberal - you could be a libertarian nutbag with distinctly republican leanings thinking "maybe Dad wasn't so far off after all".

For one instance, my 2nd ex was vehemently anti-republican because she had real problems with her republican parents - but when she finally emancipated herself from her anti-parent thing (in her late 30s) she, lo and behold, started listening to Rush and hating all things Clinton.

[Chipper Chat]

9. That rings a bell.

There was a paradox in that there was a popular music group called "Up With People" in which many of my 'liberal' friends joined and supposedly embraced the right-wing ideas of the 'moral-rearmanent' mentality of the parent organization.

[hunter]

12. They were conservitives then too.

These guys wore tie-dye shirts, sandals, drove VW vans, and smoked pot. But their women still did the cooking, took care of the kids barefoot and pregnant, like a perfect little "nuclear family" of the fifties.

Today these guys are the same assholes they always were, different clothes, a fat paycheck, BMW driving CEO, still cheating on their spouses and significant others, and still sleeping around with the same sort of feckless and naive twenty year olds who don't recognize the user until they've been used.

The liberal leftist flower and peace sign hippies are still hippies to this day, grandma and grampa grown together hippies, affluent or don't-care-about-money, and I love 'em.

[Chipper Chat]

13. Yes. I vacation on the Florida east coast

and the people you describe still live there in the small towns. Those VW busses are everywhere.

[SpiralHawk]

20. ...And they still have darkside occult perverted Republicon 'Family Values'

It was a totally phony crock o crap back then, and has only degenerated in the decades since.

[meegbear]

2. While I don't know him, David Horowitz went from Liberal to con

only one I've heard of.

[RaleighNCDUer]

10. Horowizt was never a liberal.

He went from being a far left authoritarian to being a far right authoritarian.

I have often wondered, in fact, if he ever abandoned his radical Marxist roots, and only has been pushing RW extremism as a way to collapse the decadent liberal lifestyle.

I don't believe it, but would not be really surprised by yet another book "My Years As A Mole".

But he was NEVER a liberal.

[L0oniX]

3. I know of someone who had a lobotomy and immediately became a repuke.

[Poll_Blind]

4. I know a few conservatives who have switched to calling themselves "Blue Dog...

...Democrats".

I...uh...heh heh, that's still not a progressive Democrat in my book.

PB

[sui generis]

5. I think we're missing some essential definitions

if you mean "fiscal" liberalism to "fiscal" conservatism, I think there are many more who go that route as they build careers, assets and income and want to align themselves with preserving wealth and access to opportunity. Sad but true, it's the human condition to pull the ladder up before more can follow.

Conversely, I know of absolutely no social liberals who have become social conservatives. Social conservatism is an atavistic response to change - so it would require a head injury or brain eating STD to become a social conservative if you're not born to it.

[iamjoy]

6. It's Probably About Equal

I have some friends who became more liberal after they had children, but my Dad has become more Conservative as he has aged.

In some ways, I think we as a society are becoming more liberal - especially when it comes to civil rights for GLBT. I know that sounds odd when you consider how much discrimination there still is, but 17 years ago, a lot of people didn't like DADT, they thought it would be the ruin of the military. It was considered bold and radical. Now, less than a generation later, keeping DADT is the "conservative" stance. There is growing consensus to allow gays to serve openly. We're at the point where not allowing gays to serve at all is so radical that it is hardly discussed as a serious alternative. OTOH, when it comes to abortion, I think we are becoming more conservative. Maybe it's because medical advances are helping premature babies survive outside the womb earlier and earlier, or maybe it's because too many people take Roe Vs. Wade for granted - abortion has never been illegal in their lifetime (or memory), so they've never known anyone hurt or killed by a botched job. So now you have people who aren't even religious, but think abortion should be restricted/made illegal.

As for fiscal policy, we are becoming more conservative and it's based on growing greed and fear.

[Bryn]

8. When liberals become born-again Christians

they more likely switch to conservative mainly because those preachers on TV or at their church tell them so. They don't realize that preachers just doing it for themselves to rake in money from people and want to avoid paying high taxes for their luxury items (for example: Kenneth Copeland's obscene wealth). Using abortion issues as an excuse, etc. One of my sisters was a liberal, but switched over to GOP because of Copeland when she became Christian. So did my favorite cousin.

[harun]

11. The country has moved so far to the right that people with principles are now

"Left".

[ecstatic]

14. PUMAs?

:shrug:

[Dr Morbius]

15. Your poll didn't contain an option allowing my answer.

Which is: no, and I have no way of knowing whether more people switch from liberal to conservative or vice versa (every option requires me to opine what "most people" do). I suspect few of us do have a way of knowing. There is considerable evidence supporting the "pendulum" theory of American ideology, and if one buys into that one can easily believe the pendulum swung to the left starting on the weekend of hurricane Katrina. The Democrats trounced the GOP in 2006, and beat them soundly again in 2008. Some argue that the healthcare insurance bill represents the end of the swing to the left, and that now it's swinging back right. All the so-called experts claim it's a virtual certainty the Democrats will lose seats in both Houses of Congress, and if that happens it will support (but not prove) the argument that the pendulum has started to move back.

But as of right now, I don't see any evidence the pendulum is even finished swinging left. While Democrats won the last two elections, progressives and liberals are still in the minority in both houses. That's an important consideration; it's the fact which prevented the landmark health insurance bill from being the effective legislation most of us on the left agreed it should be. It's also a fact that the ideological left has gained seats in both houses of late, but most of the Democratic party's gains have been by allying themselves with conservatives - the big-tent strategy. I think what will happen in November is that the GOP will indeed gain some seats by beating conservative Democrats, whose supporters are now less enthusiastic since their true faces have been shown. But the left, liberals and progressives, will gain more seats than currently held. Progressives continue to be motivated; it is in the very nature of progressives (in a way that differentiates progressives from liberals) to continue to push for change, to continue to be dissatisfied with the status quo. Until the progressive-leaning Democrats become a majority in and of themselves, or - Lord willing! - some moderates get elected, major legislative reforms will not happen. And whether it is enunciated or not, this is something folks on the left actually get. So I believe, on admittedly scant evidence so maybe it is an article of faith, the pendulum is still moving left. More and more Americans want progress, are increasingly dissatisfied with what we have. And it is clear to any objective observer that President Obama shares this view. The more actively he leads, the greater his public support will become, because Americans are desperate for active leadership from someone. I think the President alone will bring much of the nation slightly to the left, where he himself stands.

But then again, for all that to mean anything, one has to accept the cyclical nature of public opinion. One has to believe in the pendulum, and if one does, then every one of the options in the poll above refer to the current times only, and cannot be considered a determinant for predicting the future.

[nyc 4 Biden]

16. "What does your experience show."

I know those answering the poll don't know exactly how many people switch political viewpoints. I am just curious what their life experiences led them to think about this.

[Dr Morbius]

18. Ah.

Well, I'd guess I pretty much answered that as well as I can. Democrats have won the last two elections. Very few publicly identify themselves as Republicans these days; I think that figure's around 25%. This doesn't mean only 25% of voters will more or less automatically vote for the Republican who's running (or, just won't trust Democrats); at a guess I'd put that over 40%. But it does mean a lot of righties are embarrassed by their party. This bodes ill for the GOP in November and therefore bodes well for Democrats. Having passed - finally - healthcare insurance reform, Democrats have a chance to appear dynamic and committed to the people this election year. If they do, and I think the President's planning to see to it (really smart guy, this Obama fellow), I think the movement to the left will continue, and the ideological commitment to "smaller government" will continue to erode.

People just need to feel like they can believe in government again. That's the big mistake on the part of conservatives; the right has cleverly tapped into the American dissatisfaction with our lives and blamed it on government for thirty years. But the bulk of the American people not only feel miserable, they want to stop feeling miserable. They don't want someone to blame anymore. They just want things to run better. The long-term conservative grip on America is weakening, and all it will take to make it final is better government; more visibly effective and dynamic government is something the Democrats can finally deliver to America.

As everything changed when Reagan came along, everything is in the process of changing now that Obama has come along. But again, that may be an article of faith. Most people I know aren't conservative or liberal; they don't give any time or thought to ideology; they have no use for it. After the healthcare insurance reform passed, two of my coworkers came to me and asked me what it means... because I'm reliably the only one of the group who cares enough to stay well-informed.

[nyc 4 Biden]

21. great points

i agree as well that the gop has shot themselves in the foot by making gov't the enemy.

[pdx_prog]

17. Yes....

Someone once said that a Republican is only a Democrat who had gotten mugged.

One of the most liberal and sympathetic women I have ever known turned Conservative when she found "The Lord". Her sister brainwashed her to the point that she is an entirely different person.

[Zorra]

19. Never met a liberal that became a conservative. n/t

[Dr Morbius]

22. Completely off-topic

...and I apologize for being a neophyte, but prithee, what does this "n/t" mean?

[nyc 4 Biden]

24. "nt" when placed at the end of the subject line means "no text"

which means there is no body just the subject line. same thing with eom..."end of message."

[AnArmyVeteran]

23. I converted a friend from being a conservative to being a liberal...

The friend voted twice for Bush and yet I was successful in showing her how evil the conservative extremists truly are.

[caitxrawks]

25. a woman said, "there are no liberal small business owners."

On another site I'm on, a very conservative person said that. OF COURSE we know that's not true. She claimed that she'd seen so many once-liberals turn conservative after going into business.


Whaaaatever.

I'm a conservative turned liberal.
And proud :)

[AnArmyVeteran]

28. Congratulations Caitxrawks! I am very proud of you :)

Did it feel like taking a long shower after the 'conversion'?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

26. There is an old cliche about this...

If you are not liberal when you are young you have no heart. If you are not conservative when you get older, you have no head.

Its also what I have seen in my life. As we age, we get more conservative, or at least more pragmatic. I am clearly more fiscally conservative than I once was.

[fishwax]

29. I've never found that cliche remotely accurate

It's a handy talking point for conservatives, but not reflective of reality. Many people, I think, get more conservative in some areas and more liberal in others, though.

[barbtries]

27. my brother

marched against the war in vietnam, believes that iraq is responsible for 911. i think the racism was always there, though.