With all the shenanigans this past summer and the economy’s slow pace to recovery…the country seems to be turning away form change and embracing conservative ideas….a recent Gallup Poll shows that 45% of Americans say they a conservative, 36% moderate and 20% liberal…so does this mean that the US is becoming more conservative? If you want it to…then by all means cheer…but the Gallup is the ONLY poll that shows conservatives in the lead…..all others show that Americans identify themselves as moderate, then conservative and then liberal.
Writing about this subject E.J. Dionne of the Washington Post:
It’s important to note that there is a debate over what these ideological labels actually mean to voters. And polls that give respondents the chance of calling themselves “progressive” produce a substantially larger number on the left end of the spectrum, since many who won’t pick the “liberal” label do call themselves “progressive.” A study earlier this year by the Center for American Progress found that when progressive and libertarian were offered as additional options, the country was split almost exactly in half between left and right.
To answer the question…..will conservatism make a comeback?……it never really was gone…it has been replaced with paleo-conservatism…real conservatism is always alive and well…it is just not in power right now….
When a party that calls itself conservative tries to eliminate all others wothout the “proper” set of “values”….is a dying party….if they cannot tolerate dissenting members then the party is doomed….just look at a lot of the “left” parties of the 1900’s…split after split after split until there was nothing left to make it as viable party.
Could the election in NY 23rd be a precursor to 2010? Will true conservatives have to run against paleo-conservatives in a third party? I do not see where there is much choice we either crap on real issues and vote solely on values or we just stay home….something Americans are famous for on off year elections…..
This could be the beginning of TAPS for an old party of conservatives….a once respected party….but now a much laughed at party….sad…it need not die like this…it deserves better…..
Note: Over the weekend, the GOP candidate in NY’s 23rd has bowed out of the race leaving the neo-con to face the Dem…..did she do this for the good of the Party or was she coerced?
Good post… er… I think… For me at least, it would be helpful if you could categorise all the various political denominations in the US – say from right to left – if you see what I mean. 😈
Gothcha!…I forget that …..on the Right we have GOP, Constitution Party, Reform Party, Libertarian and ….on the Left we have Dems, Greens, a a various sundry of “socialists” and then there is a “centrist” party….the modern Whig Party…….but most of the parties are “fringe” parties…GOP and Dem are the only “true” parties, at least that is what they want us to believe…..
So who represents Conservatism?
If you want a honest answer (and I know you do)….NOBODY! There are conservs in every party but real conservatism is dead, if not it is dying slowly
Is that just another way of saying Republican or GOP?
Repubs want to say they are conservative but they way they have spent money like a drunken sailor….they fail…..
I think then that what you (Americans) refer to as conservatism is what we in the uK would call the same – i.e. conservative with a small “c”, whereas the Conservative Party is also known as the Tories – somewhat similar to your GOP, but now much chastened after twelve years out of power and having move much more towards the centre, they are now far more electable – especially in view of how sick everyone is of the rampant socialism and utter ineptitude of the Labour party during those twelve long years.
I am guessing that the Tories have a good chance in the next election? Here it is looking good for the GOP in the early elections in 2010……but I am not sure that it will translate into a win in 2012….
Yes. The Tories could fail, but most thinking people seem to favour them, if they don’t screw up!
2010 in the US? Makes sense. Of course, that will leave Obama completely up the proverbial creek without a paddle.
Good post. The distinction between conservativism and the Neo-Conservatives is a crucial one if you want to gain perspective on the American political system.
Conservatism – in the more historically considerate sense – is definitely still strong among the population. We saw that expressed last election with the Ron Paul campaign and with the massive opposition to the bail outs (an issue on which classical liberals and conservatives can both find common ground).
That said, I’m not confident either party can reclaim its traditional philosophical grounding so long as they’re both saturated in corporate lobbying. It will take a tide from below to change that, I think.
Welcome back Clint and thanx…..I will agree with you about the swell from below…but then I ask if the people are capable or are they fickle?