Jamal Simmons on Mark Thompson's show: "This is a

[ej510]

center right country." He said: "I have sat on discussion panels and have done polling all over the country and found out this is a center right nation. He found out what I already knew and that is most southern blacks are pro-life. Damn near all of my family down south is pro-life. He said the only way they were able to gain back the house and the senate they needed to run pro-life democrats in conservative districts. I do not know if it is true, but if it is, it may be why Obama gives alot of leeway to the blue dogs. He needs them to push his agenda even if has to water it down more than he likes. If our country is center right, we have alot educating to do or we need to let the repukes finish the job to break this conservative spell. Reagan brainwashed a generation of people and they cannot see how he fucked them over. If true we are royally fucked.

[ej510]

1. This media matters article disputes this claim.

I believe both sides are right. I believe most Americans support progressive policies, but fear the word liberal become the repukes have painted the word liberal as the enemy of America. It is too radical.

SUMMARY:Several conservative commentators claim America is ideologically a "center-right" country, citing as evidence general election exit polls showing that 22 percent of respondents identify themselves as "liberal," 44 percent as "moderate" and 34 percent as "conservative." But political scientists dispute the reliability of voters' identification with political ideologies, and other polling has found that a strong majority favored the more progressive position on a number of issues.

http://mediamatters.org/research/200811100013

[VMI Dem]

2. He is right.

[ej510]

3. Which one Jamal or media matters?

Jamal Simmons said he was involved in so many focus groups and everyone was heavy lean toward center right.

[VMI Dem]

4. Jamal Simmons.

[ej510]

5. What state do you reside in?

[VMI Dem]

6. Virginia.

[ej510]

7. You live in a center right state.

[dionysus]

8. pretty sure when polled blindly on issues america is socially liberal.

surely not as liberal as DU, but still liberal.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. Whatever they are on behavioral issues

Americans tend to be left of center on economic issues:

They want jobs kept in the U.S. instead of outsourced to low-wage foreign countries

They want to be treated as human beings and not as cogs in a machine

They want businesses and financial institutions not to cheat them

They want personal service when they contact a company, not "Press 1 if ..."

They want living wages, so that people who work full-time can support themselves

They want to live in safe, clean neighborhoods

They don't want to be afraid to seek medical treatment because of costs

They don't like to see their infrastructure deteriorating

I've heard these sentiments addressed by both Rebublican and Democratic voters, but the Democrats are not addressing them, at least not as loudly or aggressively as they should.

If the Dems could get cracking on these issues, they could win over some of the voters who now vote Republicanite because they think that the R's agree with their social values.

[ej510]

10. When the economy is doing well this country votes repuke, when

things are awful they vote democrat.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

Nnnnot always

There was 1980, when we had "stagflation," (a deep recession and inflation occurring at the same time) people blamed Jimmy Carter and voted for Reagan.

[ClarkUSA]

11. He should have been more specific since he was speaking of his southern relatives.

Political positions vary from region to region and even within a state such a New York, social wedge issue politics vary
depending on whether you are upstate (home to the infamous NY-23) or in Manhattan.

Fortunately, most voters are not single-issue ideologues.

[ProgressOnTheMove]

12. That is why Malloy said elect McCain so many folks just don't get it. 40+ percent is a large number.

He was saying it has to hurt before it gets better. This last votes really illustrates that, there is a massive Catholic influence on America from Italy, Ireland, Latin America. But the part that has to be promoted is their faith is meant to be humble and only the humble inherit the earth. So legislating their personal faith is on it's face wrong. Although at the same time not all religious folks are as forthright and respect the right to choose.

[ej510]

13. Malloy believes what I believe; which is to allow the repukes to finish the job.

I believe most Americans would wake up and vote anti-corporation.

[Armstead]

14. It's not as simple as the labels

The country has been sold a bad bill of goods over the last could of decades because the so-called "right" has been much more passionate, forceful and effective in advocating their positions.

However, one of the reasons for that is too many "leaders" and pundits have boiught into that nonsense that this is a "center-right" c ountry.

First, there is no official definition of left, right or center. It's very fluid.

For example, building and maintaining roads could be considered a pure "leftist" policy because it is the government taking on an important job. But you'd be hard pressed to find many people -- including conservatives -- who would say the government should not be involved in roads.

On the other hand, someone might be a raging lefty on economic issues, but staunchly anti-abortion or pro-gun or have other positions that might be called "right wing."

And nobody really likes paying taxes, even when they support some of the uses they are put to. That's why you get so many jackasses who rail against "high taxes" but who are more then willing for the government to spend billions of their dollars to go over and overthrow some tinhorn doctator in he Middle East.

Ultimately, I'd say the majority of the country is open to whatever seems to make the most sense to them, and how it is presented and "sold" by its proponents.

[ej510]

15. I agree!