Whether we want to admit it or not, this is a right wing country

[Cali_Democrat]

It's actually a miracle that Obama was even elected at all when you think about it. His election mostly a product of George Bush's extreme incompetence. Had he not fucked up the country as bad as he did, McCain, Romney or Huckabee would have been easily elected over Obama or Hillary. That is reality.

Now most of the country thinks Obama is too left-wing even though he's governed extremely moderately. Healthcare non-reform had no public option and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are continuing. DADT is still alive and well. Patriot act is still there. I could go on but I think you get the point. Yet this country thinks he's a socialist. Go figure!

Obama will have to compromise and move to the right even more whether we like it or not. This is a right wing country and that will not change anytime soon.

It is what it is :(

[polichick]

1. It's only a right-wing country if you talk labels instead of policies people support. nt

[crazylikafox]

24. true

[blm]

29. Dems win when issues are explained - that's why GOP cronies bought control of broadcast media in 80s

and 90s. Corporate media has been a full partner in catapulting the propaganda and muting the truth.

Seriously...you couldn't find 10 GOP voters who could repeat the FACT that the CBO scored the Health Reform Bill and discovered it will end up SAVING the country money within 10years. You can find 10 MILLION who would claim it caused the deficits.

[hollowdweller]

42. That's why they want to de fund education.

Easier to stay in power if people don't have critical thinking skills.

[Hawkowl]

2. Unfortunately, I agree

We are a young country and are destined to make a shitload of mistakes, like a teenager, before we mature. Well, if we don't self destruct and take the whole planet with us.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. No.

Most Americans are strongly in favor of individual Democratic policies. They're against the stereotype of the left as portrayed by the talk radio crowd and, sadly, Obama and company when they're trying to score hippie-punching points.

Mostly, it's a country that wants change. Dr. Dean called this election more than a year ago:

"We all voted for change we can believe in. If we don't get it, we'll get some more change in 2010"
- Howard Dean, August 2009

[bigwillq]

4. It's indeed a conservative country.

It amazes me that folks on the right view Obama as a liberal. He's a moderate, imo. I just laugh when they call him a socialist. :rofl:

[TwilightGardener]

5. I think people like a lot of Dem policies and ideals--but also like the rich white

Christian image of Republicans. Right now, their need for Dem-championed values and legislation is being overridden by an urge to go back to the 50's.

[d_b]

6. America is a 'whatever the tv tells me' country

the right knows this, incidentally.

[blm]

44. which is why they planned ahead and bought control of broadcast media in the 80s and 90s

Corporate newsmedia is the PR Dept for NWO's fascist agenda.

[DrToast]

7. Strange. I could have sworn we control the Presidency and the Senate

[Kalun D]

11. No "we" (the workers) do not

the corporations control the White House and especially the senate, we got stuff through the house but not the senate and the white house was no help.

[DrToast]

18. I didn't know there was a "workers" party

Who is in it?

[Kalun D]

28. Old Style Democrats

not the new DLC corporate dems who are against labor

[niceypoo]

52. You must be under 30

Once upon a time the Democratic party was the workers party. Now they are GOP lite.

[CakeGrrl]

15. Legislation originates from the House, does it not?

And with all that Pelosi got through, we didn't really "control" the Senate with reliability because you could not rely on Blue Dog/Lieberman support...

...not the way Republicans can ALWAYS count on unified support in either chamber.

[DrToast]

17. Yeah, Republicans can always count on unified support

Like the time Bush privatized Social Security and passed immigration reform.

Oh wait...

[CakeGrrl]

20. Well for whatever you think is the reason, they're lockstepping against Obama

pretty consistently.

[treestar]

16. If this country weren't so conservative, we'd have had a good

health care plan since the 40s, like the UK. It's not even questioned in UK, Canada, Australia.

Yet here it's a big deal to get universal insurance in 2009.

The Democrats here are nothing like the Labor parties in other countries.

It's all relative.

[budkin]

8. Bullshit... they just have more money and influence

[Telly Savalas]

39. What's that money buy? 30 second ad spots, right?

Firm convictions aren't going to be swayed by 30 second ad spots on TV. If the populace truly embraced liberal values, it couldn't be bought off so easily, now could it?

[JoePhilly]

41. Sure it could. Its the point of the Citizen's United case.

Most people don't follow politics closely. SO those ads are pretty much all they hear. That and some cable news.

When every ad they see blames the Dems for unemployment and debt, while also calling them socialists, the people who don't pay attention start to believe it. If its not a 3 word sound bite, they miss the point.

"Obama hates business" ... ignores the fact that the DOW has gone from ~7500 to ~11,000 in his first 2 years.

"Obama kills jobs" ... ignores the fact that employment was in free fall, and was about 8.4% in Feb 2009 when the stimulus passed. The collapse has halted 1.2% higher.

"Obama raised your taxes" ... this is a total lie, he lowered them, but people believe it.

"Obama's approval is dropping" ... its stayed roughly between 45% and 50% for the last year, so basically flat, and its higher then those of almost every modern President at this point in their first term ... people believe the lie.

I could go on and on.

The point of the Citizen's United case was to create a situation in which a candidate never has to talk directly with their constituents, or debate opponents, or take questions from the press (unless its the friendly press) ever again. All you have to do now is set up a simple website with your positions on it, and you sit back and let the 3rd party groups, funded secretly, run endless 30 second ads for you, send out mailers for you, and do robo-calls for you.

Did you notice how many members of the GOP used this approach ... no debates, no interviews or press conferences, and if they went on TV, it was only on Fox. And even if they didn't go on, Fox commentators spoke GLOWINGLY about GOP members, while endlessly attacking Dems. They know the ads, and a friendly press, work.

[Kalun D]

9. What a Bunch of BS

It was economics

people are hurting and the bankers in the White House are doing better than ever.

the dems didn't go to the polls because they didn't get jack crap from the people they put into power, because the white house and corporate dems are too far right.

stop listening to the corporate news, they are lying, this country is not right wing, it's middle.

the corporations that own the TV propaganda are right wing, they want you to believe the country is right also.

[bluestateguy]

10. I will not admit it because it is not true

So there.

[DrToast]

19. +1

[Kaleva]

34. Liberals are the minority in every poll I've seen.

[niceypoo]

53. Next time look at more than one poll

[treestar]

12. Not only is this true, we don't seem to make much effort to change it

I think the left enjoys being out of power more than in and therefore doesn't do what has to be done to get more voters on board. It's like being superior and special and not one of those ordinary people.

[Hello_Kitty]

13. It's a right wing country because the right wingers vote.

Less than a quarter of the country decided our fate last night.

[bread_and_roses]

14. what nonsense

look at issues polling - even now. The Dems total failure to send a clear message and create a clear narrative - something they can't do without annoying their Corporate sponsors - is to blame for allowing the rabid right to somehow paint themselves as populists. They have virtually ignored the crisis on Main Street for two years, talking up a tepid "recovery" while millions are un/der-employed and in forclosure. They have no one to blame but themselves.

[jenmito]

21. What scares me is...

more than (supposedly) enough Dems. went out to vote yesterday in Philly that Sestak should've won, but even more REPUBS. voted, making the large turnout not enough.

[treestar]

22. there's an article in the local paper in Delaware

That there was a low turnout in the state. Well that appeared to help the Dems! The article opined that the 48% turnout hurt the Republican candidates.

Maybe the old saw that high turnout helps Democrats is no longer so.

[jenmito]

27. Yeah...

High turnout seems to benefit those most eager to vote. The Repubs. have been like pent-up bulls waiting to vote yesterday. Dems. weren't nearly as enthused. At least THIS time, bigger turnout benefited the RWers.

[AndyTiedye]

23. Right Wing MEDIA

Most people believe what the TeeVee tells them.

The right wing owns all of the media.

[Azathoth]

25. To all those clinging to the "but they agree with individual liberal issues" argument

You're deluding yourselves. People like the sound of many liberal ideas, until they actually realize that they may have to pay for them. Then, suddenly, the "I've got mine, so fuck you" attitude comes out. And once the friendly, corporate-funded "advocacy" groups start running ads to "educate" people on the issues -- well, that's the end of it.

The fundamental "we're all in this together" ethos that underpins the political thinking of some other countries simply does not exist here.

[Occam Bandage]

26. Nonsense. People strongly support left-wing policies.

They do not, however, support the label "left wing," nor do they support the Democratic party. We need to get our message in gear. (And no, "put it in D to go forward derp derp" is not a coherent message)

[kestrel91316]

30. Nope. Not conceding on that point. There may be a hell of a lot of

corrupt right-wingers with a lot of money and therefore power, but it ain't a "right wing country".

We have been quiet for too long. We have been SILENCED for too long. But we are the majority.

[Naturyl]

31. Also ZERO action on poverty, yet he's still called socialist.

Mind-boggling.

[Cognitive_Resonance]

32. It's a country with a large block of persuadable people. They're not always persuaded to

make the most reasonable decisions.

[niceypoo]

33. Sounds like wishful thinking

Obama needs to play hardball

[Kaleva]

35. What is the reference point?

The US is right wing when compared to what other nation or nations? If DU itself is the reference point, then yes, the nation overall is very right wing.

[EndElectoral]

36. If the youth would vote, and more minorities - it could be a progressive country.

The number of the youth voting is abysmal.

[MadMaddie]

37. Propaganda will warp anyones thoughts

even our thoughts. Propaganda is meant to discourage and dishearten the opposition. This propaganda talking point is a myth.


Take a break from the News, politics and do the things you enjoy doing. We are all worn out from this election.

The Republicans are already starting to reveal that they have no plan, it's really to bad that their voters won't get clued in for a couple of more weeks....sit back and put your feet up and watch them implode.

Let's rest and then get energized.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

38. Economics Drive Voters Much More Than Ideology

When the economy is good, most incumbents do well. When it isn't they don't.

[JCMach1]

40. I think the U.S. is moving post-ideology which in some ways is scarier

because a majority of people bought into the Repug re-branding exercise known as Tea-Baggers.

But it is also the same country that bought Obama's brand, Change...

So don't even ask where all of this is leading... :eyes:

[Odin2005]

43. BULLSHIT! This is a LIBERAL country!

[marlakay]

45. The map for congress looks totally red

I was appalled last night when they showed the map for congress and there was hardly any red on the whole u.s.

[DirkGently]

46. Conservatives have successfully painted it that way. Not necessarily the way most people think.

[Juche]

47. This is a bigoted country, I think that is the biggest factor

People who are scared of mexicans and blacks make up a huge % of the electorate.

Back when people like that (many white southerners, but not all) felt that the republicans supported integration they leaned dem. As a result they were part of the caucus of FDR and LBJ that gave us medicare, medicaid, social security, WPA, etc.

But once the dems supported civil rights they all became republican. And the GOP's economic policies are more plutocratic.

So to me it isn't about conservative/liberal or plutocratic/keynesian. It is more about which party supports racial and ethnic integration. Sucks that that is what we are as a nation, but it is what it is.

FWIW, the 2010 elections had several issues that gave the GOP an advantage

1. The party in power loses seats
2. The economy sucks, and dems are seen as incumbents
3. This is the 3rd election independents have voted against the party in power (they voted dem in 06 and 08, then GOP in 10). So you shouldn't take it personally
4. Turnout among the GOP base (evangelicals, elderly whites) is higher in midterms than turnout among the dem base (blacks, latinos, millennials, single women). By 2012 turnout will be more even. Even with minor turnout improvements for the dems we would likely have 56 senate seats and 20+ more house seats.

[WI_DEM]

48. pretty much thru it's history it's been a conservative country.

[Upton]

49. Liberals are the clear minority in this country

Obama needs to learn a lesson or two from Bill Clinton in order to be reelected.

[Jennicut]

50. Utter nonsense. We have three separate distinct groups.

Liberal, moderate, and conservative. Sometimes the moderates swing us to the left and sometimes they swing us to the right.

[niceypoo]

51. More excuse making

or wishful thinking

[cleveramerican]

54. not right-wing; conservative

Webster's defines conservative as "Assumes the safest position".
In a shitty economy thats most of us in both parties.