Center-Right? Yeah, Right: Americans Favor Progressive Taxation, Socialism - FDL

[WillyT]

Center-Right? Yeah, Right: Americans Favor Progressive Taxation, Socialism
By: Jon Walker
Thursday March 3, 2011 11:46 am

<snip>

The latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows that, despite the oft-repeated conservative mantra, we are not a center-right nation. To begin with, the poll found a small majority (51 percent of Americans) think the government should be doing more to help people, while only 46 percent believe the government does too many things.

Drilling down into the poll, when it comes to solving issue like our budget deficit, the American people overwhelmingly back progressive solutions over those pushed by conservatives. From First Read:

The most popular: placing a surtax on federal income taxes for those who make more than $1 million per year (81% said that was acceptable), eliminating spending on earmarks (78%), eliminating funding for weapons systems the Defense Department says aren’t necessary (76%) and eliminating tax credits for the oil and gas industries (74%). The least popular: cutting funding for Medicaid (32% said that was acceptable), cutting funding for Medicare (23%), cutting funding for K-12 education (22%), and cutting funding for Social Security (22%).

The fifth most popular was phasing out the Bush tax cuts for those making over $250,000 a year (68 percent).

Obviously, people don’t like either tax increases or cuts to programs, but when the American people are forced to choose, their preferred solution is progressive tax increases and defense cuts. In addition, they consider the absolute worst option for closing our budget deficit is cutting our country’s most successful socialist programs, free public education, public health insurance (Medicare and Medicaid), and public old age assistance (Social Security).

<snip>

More: http://elections.firedoglake.com/2011/03/03/center-right-yeah-right-americans-favor-progressive-taxation-socialism/

:kick:

[Radical Activist]

1. FDL? The people who said Obama was destroying Social Security?

Why should I take anything those dishonest assclowns claim seriously ever again? Nothing is coming to mind.

[jtown1123]

22. This poll was done by WSJ. Whether or not you like FDL is not the point.

This poll is a big shove it in Conservative faces

[RainDog]

28. maybe you should take the Wall Street Journal and NBC seriously?

because the reality is that Americans do not support neo-liberal policies. the reality is also that Americans think the ideal income distribution for the nation does not resemble in any way the disparities currently in play because of income tax cuts for the wealthy over the last 30+ years as well as laws that allow corporations to have all the benefits of citizens with none of the responsibilities.

I don't know that any pol in the U.S. is brave enough to take on the real power - their owners - but until they do, we're all screwed.

[Drale]

2. If it wasn't for Faux news shoving "news" down our throats everyday

we would be a Socialist democracy.

[DJ13]

3. Tried to rec, but kick anyway

[WillyT]

5. It's Ok... The PPT Is In High Gear Today...

What this article has to do with their mission... I have no idea.

Thanks for the rec!

:hi:

[Lorien]

8. Yep. nt

[FiveGoodMen]

4. Which makes no difference unless they actually vote for it and get it.

[LoZoccolo]

6. Fire Dog Lake: automatic unrecommend n/t

[Ignis]

30. Consistency, hobgoblin, etc.

[Lorien]

7. I see that attacking the messager has once again trumped the message

Pathetic.

[Modern_Matthew]

9. +1 Why the hate for FDL, anyway? I'm new here. nt

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WillyT]

15. Pretty Much...

:evilgrin:

:hi:

[Radical Activist]

16. Some people don't like being mislead, even if it comes from a so-called progressive source like FDL.

Others are gullible about believing anything they read as long as its presented as progressive criticism.

[WillyT]

18. Misleading...

Like your moniker?

Defending the party line is not exactly the purview of a "Radical Activist".

You were being... Ironic... perhaps?

:shrug:

[Radical Activist]

19. You always go back to that.

Your inability to respond to anything I post is duly noted. Again.

[Radical Activist]

20. There's nothing radical or progressive about exaggeration and deception

of the style seen at FDL. It frightens me to think there are people out there like you who define the left by measure of how easily one is deceived by the likes of Jane Hamsher.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mmonk]

26. They question policy and were against Rahm Emanuel's style.

I write there sometimes. But I never link it here. Sometimes I write to give information, present a position, or to make a point. I don't write to be an automatic unrecommend without regard to content. If I wanted that, I'd post on a conservative website.

[FLAprogressive]

14. It's incredible, ain't it?

[Ignis]

31. It used to be. Now it's status quo.

[OHdem10]

10. We have Democrats Republicans Independents.

Republicans are either Center Right or Far Right
Independents usually are pretty ewually divided into
two groups LEAN LEFT OR LEAN Right.
There are some Conservative Democrats but the Representatives
in Congress are often more Conservative than than their
Constituents. Likewise, the Republicans are far more
Conservative than their Constituents.

I will concede that America Leans Right. There is a
big big difference between Leaning Right and being Right
of Center.

Leaning Right simply means that is one's impulse but
given full information the person can easily take an
alternative position.

The Republicans are great at subliminal messaging. Repeating
over and over--This is a Center Right Country. Wrong.
Right Leaning Country culturally and when having issues
of finance explained, more often they lean a little to the
Left thank you.

Right now, the common sense and practicallity of the American
People shows up in all polls. Get the economy fixed and
get jobs, get people back to paying taxes, then go
on your ideologic fights regarding Budget matters.

It makes no sense to have the Private Sector create
for the 1st time 200,000 new jobs and the Republicans
layoff 200,000 Government workers. Mark Xandi say more
like 700,000 job losses.

If we would find the Center of the Country rather than
playing in the Center Right Field of Republican Party,
most Americans would be happy. Center(Space between
the Democratic Party and Republican Party). It should
not be the Center of the Republican Party.

[madrchsod]

11. so why is obama center right?

[SpartanDem]

13. Doesn't mean damn if they don't vote it

as long you people will to vote against their own interest because they place social issues above economics. The 'get your goverment hands off my Medicare' attitude is very prevelent and very representative of the disconnect between people views of government and the benefits they receive from it.

[RainDog]

29. people assume that voting for a democrat means voting to not fuck over the middle class

but that's not been true since Clinton and NAFTA.

[Radical Activist]

17. It's a good thing that our progressive President continues to push for progressive taxation.

I'm sure the netroots will have his back as he continues to do so despite opposition from Congress.

[mmonk]

32. I thought he struck a deal with Republicans behind closed doors.

Silly me.

[JoeyT]

23. Kick and Rec

To counter the well-poisoners.

[Aerows]

24. The right wing has to press its position

24/7 because it has to be sold to the public. If they actually had any good ideas, they wouldn't have to buy the media.

They HAVE to sell their position, because no one would buy it, otherwise. What I don't understand is why Democrats don't sell their position. Progressives have an even better position - it's like convincing people to eat ice cream.

It boggles the mind, and it almost makes me believe that progressive politicians DON'T want to win, because then they won't get the money that Republicans get.

Oh, you think it has to do with money, maybe?

[bvar22]

25. Failure of Leadership

"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans.
I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans."
---Paul Wellstone


"By their works you will know them."

[WillyT]

27. Exactly !!!

:hi:

:kick: