Cenk Uygur: New Poll Confirms Country Is Clearly Progressive

[Hissyspit]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur/new-poll-confirms-country_b_804005.html

Cenk Uygur
Host of The Young Turks

New Poll Confirms Country Is Clearly Progressive

Posted: January 4, 2011 04:50 AM

New poll out indicates that the country is clearly, massively, overwhelmingly progressive. While they talk about cutting so-called entitlement programs in Washington, the American people have completely different priorities.

When asked what's the first thing they would do to balance the budget, Americans had an unmistakably clear answer -- raise taxes on the rich. It came in number one by a mile, with a whopping 61 percent.

If that wasn't progressive enough, cutting defense spending came in number two, with 20 percent. And if all of that wasn't clear enough, when asked about cutting Medicare, only 4 percent were in favor of it. Only 3 percent wanted to cut Social Security as a way to balance the budget.

I thought the country was center-right? That's what all of the pundits tell us 24/7 on television. What happened now? Do those answer look center-right to you? They look decidedly center-left to anyone with a pulse.

- snip -

Every time you hear any politician or pundit say we have to cut Social Security or what they derisively call entitlement programs (you paid into them your whole life, that is why you are "entitled" to them), send them this poll. And ask them why they don't care at all about the will of the American people.

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[xchrom]

1. recommend

[cali]

2. sorry. this country is not progressive in sooo many ways.

it's simply wishful thinking to believe that.

[PhillySane]

22. Read the polls!

Read the polls! Why do you think Barrack Obama was nominated and then elected? Read the damn polls!

[cali]

29. uh, I do read the polls and their results vary.

as for why was Obama elected? Why were scores of tea partiers elected. this is not a progressive nation.

[PhillySane]

32. Tea Baggers

were elected because nobody came out to vote.

[n2doc]

3. The only poll that counts is the one that elects our congress and President

And local pols. All others are worthless scraps of paper, used to push agendas. We are not a progressive nation. A progressive nation would not have just sent 241 republicans to the house. Nor allow the repubs to control 30 state congresses.

[leveymg]

30. That poll is tilted by billions of dollars in corporate campaign contributions.

I can guarantee that given the same amount of money to throw at the process, we could have a progressive Congress and President.

Congress and Obama are not "ours" - they're owned by the banksters.

[mwb970]

4. Why do people vote for republicans despite their words and actions?

I can't understand why anyone not in the top 2% richest Americans would vote for any republican. All they do is take our money and give it to the super-rich. How does that help the country and its citizens?

The first thing the newly elected national republicans did (before even taking office) was to give a massive tax cut to rich people. Here in Ohio, the first thing the newly elected republicans want to do is to eliminate the state's estate tax, a huge giveaway for a tiny sliver of super-rich families at the very, very top.

Why would ordinary citizens want to be raped and robbed by their leaders in this way? Why do they vote republican?

:shrug:

[Amonester]

28. In almost each and every election, about 50% of qualified voters NEVER vote!

And the other 50% of qualified voters vote on 'proprietary' paperless voting machines.

So it's no surprise that those who own the machines (and purchase all branches of gov. with the money they steal) rule...

[Lasher]

5. A surprising result, only because we seldom get a fair chance to prioritize spending.

What would you rather cut, military spending or your Grandmother's Medicare benefit? Would you rather give up the Bush/Obama tax cuts or Social Security?

But political discourse is controlled so that we are seldom presented side-by-side choices like these. The Bush/Obama tax cuts were just extended, so they won't be part of the Catfood fight in March. Military spending will be exempted too.

[eridani]

6. It would be more accurate to say that they hold progressive views on issues

That is a different thing altogether. After all, holding those positions doesn't prevent them from enthusiastically voting for candidates who do the exact opposite.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/11/11/919738/-DFA-poll:-Cutting-Social-Security-highly-unpopular

85% of voters polled are opposed to cutting Social Security.

2010 Midterm Voters support changing the Social Security tax cap over cutting benefits by 55% to 4%

Republicans, by a margin of 2 to 1, support changing the Social Security tax cap over raising the retirement age.


http://www.strengthensocialsecurity.org/lakepolling
http://socialsecurity-works.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/SSWElectionPoll.pdf

Lake poll: 8 in 10 strongly opposed to deficit commission proposal on Social Security

Lake Research Partners released a new poll Thursday with dire implications for Democrats should Social Security cuts happen on their watch. And once again, the economy and jobs combined whomped the deficit as the primary concern of voters, 42 to 6.

Overall, of the 1,200 likely voters surveyed, 82% of respondents oppose Social Security cuts to reduce the deficit, including 83% of Dems, 78% of Independents, 82% of Republicans, and 74% of Tea Party supporters.

[TZ]

7. LOL since every poll I've seen from Pew

and from my uncle who worked at Pew, Georgetown University, Catholic University,George Washington University has said otherwise FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS, this guy is an idiot. Of course, what does my Uncle know, he's only a media/congress political scientist.:sarcasm:
Sorry, this country is center right...and its been pretty static on its believes in the past 20 years..
Go to Pew Research and look it up.
46% self identify as INDEPENDENT, 35% as democratic, 27% as Republican, but beliefs are pretty center/right...Unless you think 75% of people saying prayer is important to them daily is a progressive trait...? No?
Sorry, but I live in reality. The will of the American people was definitely NOT embracing a progressive agenda.
Geezus.http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1743/static-america-no-shift-political-values-elections
Lets see who do I trust? Someone who clearly has a political bias to the left? Or someone whose students include newscasters, congressional reps and other government officals?
What an idiotic poll. Shows that democrats are just as likely to indulge in magical thinking .

[dawg]

10. Prayer is important to me.

I don't see prayer or religion, by themselves, as either liberal or conservative traits.

[Bluenorthwest]

11. Ask your genius uncle if he's asked his self indetifiers if they

know what they are talking about. Most Americans do not even know if they consider themselves progressive or not:
Gallup polling reveals widespread public uncertainty about the "progressive" political label -- a label recently embraced by no less than Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan. While Kagan described her political views as "generally progressive" during her Senate confirmation hearings, fewer than half of Americans can say whether "progressive" does (12%) or does not (31%) describe their own views. The majority (54%) are unsure.

Take a look at the rest of it. 65% are not sure if they are Moderates! So this tap dance Uncle does for dimes, in which he asks folks to tell him if they are progressive or right wing, does he ever ask them if they even know what the terms are supposed to mean?
http://www.gallup.com/poll/141218/americans-unsure-progressive-political-label.aspx

Self identification works like this for most: which word sounds most complimentary to me? I'll pick that one!

[florida08]

13. exactly

America is one big swing state. That's because of the lack of real leadership. Watching from the sidelines as democracy decays. We rank 37th in democracies. Hartmann said yesterday we are the only country that allows big Pharma to advertise it's products on tv. We haven't had a 60% voter turnout since the 60's. http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781453.html

[socialist_n_TN]

21. Yep. And what these self identifying polls say to me..............

in conjunction with the polls on the POSITIONS on the issues is that Americans ARE center left by a roughly 60/40 margin. HOWEVER, they won't CALL themselves "liberal" because it's been demonized (VERY successfully) by the RW.

So......20% are self described "liberal". 40% self described "conservative" and 40% are self described "moderate". BUT THE MODERATES ARE ACTUALLY LIBERAL WHEN IT COMES TO POSITIONS! Ergo 60% left/liberal, 40% conservative/Nazis.

[bullwinkle428]

14. Shouldn't a "center-right" country have elected a "maverick Republican"

candidate in a landslide, when it comes to a Presidential election?

[PhillySane]

23. Really?

"newscasters, congressional reps and other government officials"

Sorry, but if you want to prove that you're NOT part of the center-right mix, you'll have to do much better than that!

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

26. You say "Someone who clearly has a political bias to the left" as if it's a bad thing. -nt

[florida08]

8. of course they are

They don't want to be in Iraq or Afghanistan. They want healthcare for all and Wall Street held accountable. They want the gay community to have equality. Americans want conglomerates to pay their fair share to the country and they're beyond tired of having their ss stolen by every administration to pay down the debt incurred by corporate America's corruption. They want jobs not handouts but they want their government to care that they have been pillaged and raped.

When was the last time you saw an average American on any msm outlet? We're told on a constant loop what we're suppose to want by pundits. No soup for you.

America is and will continue to be a corporation run by corporate shills kept in power. We wanted real change from this and had high hopes after Bush left. But the hope has faded. We're at an impasse and detached from optimism.

It's very hard to find courage in a vacuum.

[dawg]

9. If they are progressive, they are also morons.

How else can you explain election results?

[yodermon]

12. progressives didn't turn out in sufficient numbers to win. n/t

[NYC Liberal]

16. Then the point about being morons stands.

if they had the numbers yet refused to prevent the teabaggers from taking over.

[phantom power]

15. This is one possible explanation:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=540105&mesg_id=540105

[Lorien]

24. There weren't enough progressives running for office

DLCers aren't the least bit Progressive.

[FiveGoodMen]

17. Polls have been saying this since the Reagan years (at least)

What possible difference does it make?

Our laws and economy are ever more right-wing.

Our rights disappear daily.

Our "leaders" are teabaggers and fascists.

There is no consolation whatsoever in the fact that a poll says it shouldn't be like this.

None.

[taught_me_patience]

18. No... it shows the country is selfish

Nobody wants to pay more taxes... that's for other people to pay.


Only 20% want to cut defense... WTF!?!?!

[ihavenobias]

19. KIck n/t

[pa28]

20. We have a country of self-loathing liberals who identify as conservative.

When you poll issue by issue on things like tax policy, trade policy, education, healthcare and environment liberal positions win.
Yet, we are deathly afraid of taking a stand on those very issues for fear Republicans will call us the dreaded "L" word.

Our party leaders lost the PR battle long ago followed by the death spiral of our moral imperative. Cenk has it right and the issue goes way beyond entitlement reform. Unfortunately we've done a lousy job of selling our product to the public and the corporate media is not about to help.

[Lorien]

25. Anyone who uses the term "entitlement" for social services should not be taken seriously

that was a Reagan era rebranding and now liberals have adopted it. It all comes back to the Fairness Doctrine. Until the Democrats stop listening to Limbaugh and demand that it be reinstated things will keep getting worse.

[pa28]

27. The word "entitlements" cracks me up.

I see it cited and embraced on this forum as a dictionary definition. Unfortunately some people don't seem to realize it's become a political dog whistle.

Some words are radioactive and loaded with negative meaning; just ask Frank Luntz.

[upi402]

31. I get sick when I hear Kucinich dismissed by Lawrence O'Donnel on MSNBC

I understand Tweety will slam Grayson, Kucinich, Feingold, et al.
But we get another progressive-hater to look at, on our ONLY news source. Great.

Replace the same-old-shit hairdos with folks like Cenk, Amy Goodman, Thom Hartmann.
Those 3 would call the rightist spin since the last campaign $election for what it is.

The TV gets people to vote against their own beliefs. That's why polls say one thing, and elections another.

[lib_wit_it]

33. Kick!

[SpartanDem]

34. It only proves

that a lot of conservatives are willing to vote against what they know is in their economic interest, because of what ever social issue the GOP is trying to scaring people with. Or they have a serious disconnect about what the GOP polices really entail.