The "Center-Right Country" Myth

[ErikJ]

I dont know if this has been posted yet but anyhooo, Thom Hartmann read this on air yesterday.

The "Center-Right Country" Myth
November 07, 2012 3:49 pm ET Media Matters

We did it! As we celebrate and take stock of the election results, many right-wing pundits are trying to undermine and set the stage for President Obama's second term by reviving the myth that America is a "center-right country" that is clamoring for the extreme GOP agenda. Here's a sample of polling findings to judge for yourself.


POLLING POINTS

Jobs: Poll after poll shows that the American people overwhelmingly rank jobs and unemployment as more important priorities than the budget deficit. For example, nearly 60% of likely voters said the economy and jobs are the most important issue in their vote for president, compared to only 8% for the deficit. (The good news is that putting Americans back to work is the best way to fix the deficit.)

Taxes: Two-thirds of Americans support raising taxes on incomes over $250,000 -- that is, the richest 2%. National exit polling from this election also shows 60% think taxes should be increased.

Defense Spending: Over 75% of Americans believe we should cut Pentagon spending, including three-fourths of people in Republican districts.

Social Security: Over 80% of Americans oppose cutting Social Security benefits, even to help reduce the budget deficit.

Medicare: Over 75% of Americans oppose cutting Medicare benefits, even to help reduce the budget deficit.

Medicaid: 60% of Americans oppose the Congressional Republicans' plan to restructure and cut Medicaid.

Education: 75% of Americans oppose cutting federal funding for education and over 60% oppose cutting funding for college student loans.

Stimulus: 55% of people who've heard about the stimulus think it was the right thing to do for the country.

Poverty: Nearly 90% of Americans think helping the working poor should be a top or important priority for our government.

Clean Energy: 80% of voters agree that the U.S. should use more renewable energy sources in the future, and over 60% of Americans say they would be willing to pay more for energy if it meant utility companies have to produce more of it from renewable sources, like solar.

Climate Change: Nearly 60% say they are worried about climate change and think it's a growing threat to people in the U.S. Almost two-thirds say the U.S. should act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions now.

Campaign Finance: Nearly 90% of Americans say there is too much corporate money in politics, and over 80% support limits on the amount of money given to groups that are trying to influence our elections.

Marriage: The majority of Americans agree that all committed couples should be able to marry the one they love. And yesterday voters who faced ballot measures in Maine, Maryland, Washington, and Minnesota affirmed marriage equality.


http://mediamattersaction.org/message/email/onepager/201211070003

[gollygee]

1. We might be center-right by European standards

I do think the US is generally more conservative then Europe. But we are most certainly not center-right but US standards. And I think the electorate made that clear recently. Maybe they mean "The people I hang out with - white wealthy people - are center-right." And that might be true, but that isn't the country.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

2. Just imagine how much higher progressive policies would poll if FoxNoize, Rush Slimeball, and the

rest of the RW enabler weren't screaming lies about them 24/7.