Dvorak Poll: Where Are You On The Political Spectrum?

Published on May 10th, 2009

Time’s cover story is about the shrinking of the Republican party. This past week, a national poll indicates that those who identify themselves as Republicans has slipped to 31%. A different poll puts the figure even lower: 21%. Fewer woman are identifying themselves as Republicans. Arlan Spector left the party, although his defection may be more of the save your ass kind.

Few doubt the Republicans shot themselves in the foot multiple times these past eight years. While the country may be generally a little right of center, the Republicans can’t get themselves right enough to the exclusion of those who disagree and might vote for someone who isn’t a Dem, but can’t stand their stands. While we’re hardly saying the Dems are shining beacons of purity and light, they do have the WH and Congress, and a much higher number of Americans claiming membership.

Where do you stand on the political spectrum? With which party do you associate yourself? What do you think the Republicans can do to keep from dying out? Should the party die out as others in the past have and be replaced with a center right party? Are the Democrats too far left? Not far left enough?

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# 1 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 4:26 am

The rest of the story is Democrats lost also…Independents are increasing taking from both parties…

The result of both parties being guilty of bailouts, meltdown, destruction of the dollar…

Its likely a third party…conservative, will rise, if the Republican party cannot cleanse itself of Democrats aka RINOs

Then we would have no choice but form another party…however we are hopeful we can expel them…and recover those who left.

# 2 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 4:32 am

Its educational the way this is spun by the “drive by media…”

BOTH parties are guilty of bailouts etc…both are losing members…yet only the Republicans are mentioned…giving the ILLUSION they are becoming Democrat…

Hence the spin against the Tea parties…which was a protest against bailouts etc…against BOTH parties…

The center right coalition (aka silent majority) hates the bailouts etc and its likely they will form a third party if the Republican party can’t cleanse itself of statist (left and right) “bailouters”.

# 3 Petrov said, on May 10th, 2009 at 4:42 am

With both parties run by lawyers, does it matter which is in office? What do lawyers know about creating wealth?

This nation is doomed.

# 4 Dallas said, on May 10th, 2009 at 4:45 am

Somewhat similar to the KKK in the 50’s and 60’s. As it became unpopular to be a White Supremacist , the KKK shrank and people simply referred to themselves as “Conservative Republican”.

Now, the GOP is so badly tarnished with loony tunes taking over that there is no place in the Republican chart to identify with. People are leaving to the next door party.

This is great and I’m looking forward to that issue of TIME.

# 5 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 4:47 am

As of this post…approximately 53% vote ultra right, generally right and moderate = Reagan Republicans…

That group will rise again, against the bailouters…to restore Capitalism and destroy statism…both right and left, that has nearly destroyed the country.

# 6 Jim Burrows aka Brons said, on May 10th, 2009 at 4:48 am

The party is shrinking. It’s down to 21-30% of the country and the solution is to “cleanse itself of Democrats ana RINOs” and then somehow to “recover those who left”. I think that shows something of what the problem is. As an Independent who voted about 40/60 Rep/Dem in the 20th century and 100% Dem in the 21st, I think you’re not quite seeing where the problem lies. We didn’t shift to the Democrats because you are too much like them.

Just saying.

# 7 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 4:50 am

#4 Actually, out of 100 people named Dallas, 84.6% of them are certifiable loons…moonbats given to barking at Conservatives like lunatic dogs at the moon…

Sometimes even barking in the wrong direction, not knowing why they are barking…but bark they must…

# 8 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 4:51 am

#6 Democrats are losing members also…there are lots of them not liking Obama…you just don’t hear that fact in the media.

# 9 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 5:00 am

May 5th Rasmussen Poll:

Generic Ballot: Republicans 40% Democrats 39%

For the second straight week, Republicans edge out Democrats in the latest edition of the Generic Congressional Ballot. However, support for the Republican candidate is down a point from last week and the results appear to reflect a lack of enthusiasm for either party rather than gains for the GOP.

This is from an email alert on May 6th…the link to the poll itself incorrectly points to another poll:

http://rasmussenreports.com/older_content/home/top_stories/most_recent_articles

# 10 mcosmi said, on May 10th, 2009 at 5:05 am

What Time Mag wont say and what most people know, but are afraid to say…is that the WHOLE demographic in the US is changing. Minority populations are increasing…especially in the cities. They control the big cities, and they vote now more than ever. Its increasingly difficult for a party that is controlled by ultra conservative to survive in this new America. When I tell someone in NYC that im a republican, i instantly see their face change..they assume im a right-wing evangelical bible beater, when im anything but. Who knows what the future will be, but if the party continues to make these mistakes, its not long for th world

# 11 Yawn said, on May 10th, 2009 at 5:09 am

This site is getting boring.

# 12 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 5:12 am

#10 I agree…we need to emphasize life, liberty, freedom of the individual over the state…

That was lost…

Only freedom inspires…everything else is just “politics”…

We can’t beat the Democrats at pandering…

We must be the party of Freedom from Government tyranny…States rights over Federalism… etc.

Pro life is a constitutional position…the right to life is unalienable, given to us by the Creator…according to the Bill of rights and our constitution.

# 13 bob said, on May 10th, 2009 at 5:23 am

Statism is dead, get with the program!
The idiots have had their chance.

Ask yourselfs, what have they done for you lately?

# 14 Mr. Fusion said, on May 10th, 2009 at 5:32 am

#12, Ayatollah1

You are so full of bovine fecal matter. Please, keep it up. Your crazy ranting is scaring more and more people away from the Republicans.

I am saving your rants to publish before the mid-terms. That should increase the Democrat majority even more.

In any case, please shoot yourself in the nuts. No one want your kind reproducing.

# 15 Mr. Fusion said, on May 10th, 2009 at 5:48 am

The current leadership in the Republican Party can’t be blamed for the defections. That’s because there isn’t any leadership.

The worst people are trying to take over the Republicans, Boss Limpdick, Sarah Palin, James Dobson, and the other right wing nut extremists. The majority of the country will not tolerate this kind of politics. Eight years of Bush were enough for most people.

Leaders like Jindal couldn’t get any traction and fell on his face. Huckabee is too religious. Romney is too slick. Thompson, is well, too Hollywood.

Would be leaders like Eric Cantor and John Boehner don’t know what they are doing. The Senate Minority Leader is someone, only he is too invisible to identify. Micheal Steele is repeatedly stabbed in the back by fellow Republicans.

Yup, the rats are abandoning the ship.

# 16 Olo Baggins of Bywater said, on May 10th, 2009 at 6:28 am

Alfred…do you click on polls like you’re posting to this thread?

# 17 Brons aka Jim Burrows said, on May 10th, 2009 at 6:43 am

@Alfred, Re: #8

And what you’re missing is that I’m not driving my opinions by what the Media is saying about party membership. What I’m telling you is that the Republicans are losing membership AND votes, and the Democrats are losing members but gaining votes, and I’m one of those votes. And I know a lot of those votes.

And sayig that the answer to losing both members and votes is not, at least from my perspective, that your party has too many Democrats (or RINOs) or that you are lacking in solidarity. The problem is that the Republican party has become the province of Big Money and Big Government. The party of War and Torture. The Ant-abortion and anti-gay party. The party that is against Habeas Corpus, against Posse Comitatus, against the Rule of Law.

The problem is that you are excluding anyone with a nuanced position. The slightest taint of choice, of tolerance of regulation, of whatever you are anti- is taken as a sign of evil.

Personally, I want the Republican party to hit bottom soon, to wake up and realize that an ever stronger Federal Executive branch is antithetical both to personal liberty and states rights. I want to see it get over its litmus tests and realize how far from fiscal conservatism it has drifted, how far into authoritarianism it has gone. I want it to hit bottom so hard that it turns around and becomes healthy, because I really really want to turn on the Democrats. At the moment the reason I am siding with them is because faults though they may have, the Republicans are far far worse.

Just my two bits worth.

# 18 ArianeB said, on May 10th, 2009 at 7:05 am

What’s needed is a moderate third party that is not so corporatist or globalist (bad philosophies shared by both parties). Globalism is making it possible for the corporations to take over and turn all Nation States into Market States.

But Market States are unsustainable.

# 19 LibertyLover said, on May 10th, 2009 at 7:14 am

#17, The problem is that the Republican party has become the province of Big Money and Big Government. The party of War and Torture. The party that is against Habeas Corpus, against Posse Comitatus, against the Rule of Law.

I forget . . . which party were you talking about again?

I am siding with them is because faults though they may have, the Republicans are far far worse.

Choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil.

# 20 qb said, on May 10th, 2009 at 7:20 am

#11 Yup

# 21 brm said, on May 10th, 2009 at 7:25 am

#10:

“They control the big cities, and they vote now more than ever.”

Thank god we still have the electoral college.

Plausible:

Coasts eliminate the electoral college, because they don’t like the idea that a podunk state gets the same representation as NY. Heartland secedes and immediately starts gouging the coasts for: oil, coal, power from wind farms, food (because there’s no arable land on the coasts), and transport over land from coast to coast.

# 22 BubbaRay said, on May 10th, 2009 at 7:56 am

At this point, 7/21 or 33% of the comments belong to that loonbat Alfred1, which really skews the data. Hey, SHUT UP! Go clean the basement or something, don’t you have anything better to do than comment here?

# 23 bac said, on May 10th, 2009 at 8:13 am

#22 — I thought this blog was turning into Alfred Uncensored. All Alfred talks about is democrats and liberals.

#19 — I agree. Change will not occur until voting habits change. Third parties will not become influential until people make them influential.

The current Republican party will not fix itself until a third party challenges it. May be the Pirate Party (http://pirate-party.us/) could be the challenger.

# 24 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 8:28 am

#22 Hey bubble boy…I can’t drink decaffeinated anymore…it reminds me of you…no active ingrediant in the bean.

# 25 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 8:31 am

#23 Warms me heart the truth is so upsetting to you.

# 26 qb said, on May 10th, 2009 at 8:37 am

#25 Wow, it’s talk like a pirate day already!

# 27 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 8:38 am

#15 Sarah Palin causes your rear end to twitch…like it did when you were in prison…

She is the embodiment of liberty, her pioneer lifestyle implies freedom from Government…

2012 is hers…and we will need her executive experience to roll back EVERYTHING Obamaphiles have enacted…and we must try to recover the billions that were stolen.

Its plausible the loons were envious over what Madoff accomplished…so they did him trillions better via bailouts…

We must restore the death penalty for theft in office so we can apply it to everyone in Government now.

# 28 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 8:39 am

#26 Aye!

# 29 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 8:46 am

#17 I was thinking of joining a third party…one innocent of all the statism…and bailouts…

But Rush Limbaugh observed Ross Perot( whom I voted for) only succeeded in getting Bill Clinton elected.

So I’m working on the inside to make the Republican party hit bottom faster…so we can build it back up to represent the people….like it did when Ronald Reagan was president…

# 30 Hmeyers said, on May 10th, 2009 at 9:15 am

Republicans still don’t understand what there problem is.

They think the problem is RINOs or members not being conservative enough.

I personally am sick of the word conservative.

What does this mean in the context it is being used in?

My definition of conservative how the Republicans have practiced it is:

1. free market to the extent of neglect of government’s duty to keep an eye on things

2. Appeal to the uneducated masses to the extent you drink your own kool-aid. Science? Stupid! Social services? The lazy bastards.

There is nothing more dangerous than a party with an identity crisis because you cannot know what to expect and charlatans try to take control is such situations.

Our 2 party system sucks, but I’d far rather see a thinking and evolving democratic party in control of things.

# 31 Dallas said, on May 10th, 2009 at 9:21 am

#7 Alfred_the_loon said: Actually, out of 100 people named Dallas, 84.6% of them.. blah blah”

According to a real certifiable statistic, the name ‘Alfred’ was somewhat popular up until 1930. This correlates well with you at about 80, with a backwards, out of touch philosophy – aside from being a loony.

Since early 1930’s, the name declined to a point to now being an embarrassment.
http://babynamespedia.com/meaning/Alfred

# 32 Thomas said, on May 10th, 2009 at 9:39 am

There is no “reasonable” party. Most Americans are moderates and there is no party that represents their views. I consider myself fiscally conservative and socially liberal. There is no party that represents those viewpoints. The Democrats lose me when they rack up 2 trillion dollar deficits and the Republicans lose me when they think that condoms are the source of all the world’s woes.

#27
Sarah Palin is a perfect example what is wrong with the Republicans. There used to be a time when the Republicans were not so loony religious. The day we know the Republicans have changed is the day they put up a candidate that is not Christian. If the Republicans are the party of the uber-rich, where are the uber-rich smart people to run for office (or are they too smart for that)?

# 33 qb said, on May 10th, 2009 at 9:42 am

#31 The right can’t even manage a funny or clever insult. It’s a pretty sad state of affairs when Palin is the best candidate due to her “lifestyle”. They can’t even manage their own party right now, they are not going to manage a government. Third parties don’t work in the US since Americans prefer to replay the civil war with every election with each side taking turns at being the South.

Looking at it from the outside, the Republicans remind me Comic Book Guy these days. Now there’s a winning image.

# 34 JimD said, on May 10th, 2009 at 10:07 am

The party of the GREEDY OBESE PIGS (GOP) is in it’s DEATH THROWS !!! First Specter, and then “Joe the Plumber” are quiting, and now Prick Cheney is ready to DRUM COLIN POWELL OUT OF THE PARTY TOO !!! I guess the “Big Tent” is no more !!! So except for Alan Keyes, they don’t really want the African-American vote !!! (No MILLIONAIRES OR BILLIONAIRES THERE !!!) The GOP – the party of RICH WHITE FASCISTS !!! Good riddance to them !!! May the WANDER IN THE DESERT FOR 400 YEARS !!!

# 35 David said, on May 10th, 2009 at 10:17 am

I want a party that’s conservative in fiscal matters and supports a free market economy that is regulated by the government for the purpose of strengthening that free market. I also want a party that support stable social institutions, but not at the expense of excluding people. For example, I don’t know whether being gay is a natural phenomenon or a deviation from abuse or brain chemistry anomalies, but I do know that supporting gay marriage/unions would help to stabilize society. Religion is generally good, but it shouldn’t be an excuse to be stupid and ignore reality. Also, I’d like to live in a planet that’s isn’t polluted and constantly at war.

If I vote democrat, I’m voting for wasteful spending and general disregard for important social institutions. If I vote republican, I’m voting for intolerance, wars, and pollution. Either way, I’m not happy. My strategy has been to vote for the major party not in power to limit the corruption and hope for some kind of balance.

# 36 Joe said, on May 10th, 2009 at 11:28 am

I registered as a republican, but I’m a social liberal and fiscal conservative. Its hard for me to define myself as simply left or right.

# 37 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 12:02 pm

#36 Be a freedom loving patriot then…defeat statism…victory of the individual over the state..

# 38 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 12:03 pm

#34 Let the door hit Colin Powel in backside as he is forced out the door!

Goodby dickhead!

# 39 Olo Baggins of Bywater said, on May 10th, 2009 at 12:22 pm

Answer:
Goodby dickhead!

Question:
What do Republicans say when one of their own dares speak the truth…in contrast to their AM Radio overlord?

# 40 qb said, on May 10th, 2009 at 12:31 pm

Olo. The paranoid on the right think everyone is out to get them (liberals, rinos, urban, press, etc). The reality is that they eat their own young.

# 41 Cursor_ said, on May 10th, 2009 at 1:28 pm

Neither party is going to help. They are all plutocrats owned by the corporations.

They have no care for the people that make less than 100k a year. Don’t keep being blind.

Revolution. It is the only hope for the republic. We need to remove all of them and start with a new constitution.

The republic changed, the government has not and cannot through voting in the same old broken system.

Real change is revolution.

Cursor_

# 42 Olo Baggins of Bywater said, on May 10th, 2009 at 2:26 pm

qb…and I’m loving it, too. A few years ago when the Dems were in disarray they were all, “shit, we’re all messed up right now.”

But Rush, with his own self-interests ($$$) at heart, tells his flock they’re in a position of strength. And they’re buying it! LOL

# 43 Mr. Fusion said, on May 10th, 2009 at 3:25 pm

#34 Let the door hit Colin Powel in backside as he is forced out the door!

Goodby dickhead!

Yup. There is another reason to vote Republican. Drum one of the most respected men in Washington out of the party will certainly show the kind of party they have.

# 44 qb said, on May 10th, 2009 at 3:28 pm

Olo. It’s just amazing how dense they’ve become. I’m truly hoping they pick Palin for 2012. No end of amusement.

Fusion. You know when they’re flipping the bird to the most respected Reagan Republican alive today then they’ve lost it.

# 45 LotsaLuck said, on May 10th, 2009 at 3:31 pm

# 34 JimD said, on May 10th, 2009 at 10:07 am

snip

Hey, JimD – where you been? I had finally just gotten my hearing back.

WELCOME BACK. JIMD!

# 46 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 4:05 pm

#39

Death to RINOS! (politically speaking, of course)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GGRd2mkcjdI&feature=channel_page

The Republican party will either be a party standing for individual above the state…or its history…

We don’t want anyone to pander to us…or play identity politics with us…we are Americans, black, white, brown…male, female, even a few other….

But we want liberty…not a handout…freedom to pursue life, liberty and happiness, without Government regulating us to death or taxing us to give it to people who don’t deserve it.

# 47 Traaxx said, on May 10th, 2009 at 5:21 pm

UncleDavishit is full of it again!

Another Demoncrat/Commie judgemental NAZI baby muder making up facts to cover his genetic guilt of being white and rich and part of the elite Double Think left. If that is enough name calling maybe you could look at facts.

Both parties are Globalist anti-middle class. Both parties want to make it a crime to be a nationalist, both parties are anti-American. Looking at President Hussein running around the globe chummy with all the Muslims and America haters is a little sicking. Now we’ve been treated to a Bush holding hands with a Muslim and now President Hussein Obambi has gone of with full body fondling. Disgusting is an understatement.

Until we get a nationalist party that will run a Presidental candiate we won’t be getting any of our jobs back and we’ll continue to be unendated with trash of the world – adverstised as the Welfare trash that do the jobs Americans won’t – ie sit on Welfare, commit felonies, rape any under tenage that happens to wonder out alone and claim that it’s part of their culture. Bothl the Bushes and Clinton and Obambis are self-serving trash and traitors to this country.

Whatever……..

Traaxx

# 48 Alfred1 said, on May 10th, 2009 at 5:55 pm

$43 democrats and democratic leaning respect him…he voted for Obama even though McCain should have been his pick…

He voted for Obama because of race…

Nothing wrong with that…but it follows he is a RINO and needs to beat his feet away from us, to you.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xOC-D09I5J8

# 49 Misanthropic Scott said, on May 10th, 2009 at 6:52 pm

Ultra-left, other (Liberal), and as far from Alfie as it is possible to be.

# 50 Misanthropic Scott said, on May 10th, 2009 at 7:10 pm

#27 – Alfred1,

[Sarah Palin] is the embodiment of liberty, her pioneer lifestyle implies freedom from Government…

Really? Have you not been paying attention? Check out how much debt she ran up in Wasilla. They had none when she became mayor. They had 20 megabucks worth of debt. What kind of freedom from government is that?

http://tinyurl.com/rdttl9

Of course, she must have done something great with the money in a town of around 8,000 people, right?

“The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration weren’t enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it with indebtedness of over $22-million. What did Mayor Palin encourage the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? Or a new library? No. $1-million for a park, $15-million-plus for construction of a multi-use sports complex…She also supported bonds for $5.5-million for road projects that could have been done in 5-7 years without any borrowing.”

Palin is not for what you stand for Alfie, except for the possibly of her being a dominionist.

http://tinyurl.com/6qzr98

# 51 BubbaRay said, on May 10th, 2009 at 8:06 pm

BRDDA

For Alfred1, from the “Bubble Boy”, for attempting to turn this blog into the Alfred1 show and generally making a complete fool of himself.

I will also make certain not one single picture you want posted is ever in-lined here, and that’s for calling me a fascist, you scripture spouting annoyance.

# 52 Uncle Patso said, on May 11th, 2009 at 12:39 am

# 3 Petrov said, in part:

“With both parties run by lawyers, does it matter which is in office? What do lawyers know about creating wealth?”

They seem to do alright for themselves. The only “poor” lawyer I ever met was an ex-lawyer (as in disbarred).

– - – - -

This thread is proving to be very interesting reading, a nice representation of much of the political spectrum in America today, including the barely literate and the obsessed. In particular, #17’s analysis of the reasons for the shrinking of the Republican party is the best I’ve seen, better than that of any of the supposed “pundits” on TV and the op-ed page.

# 53 Misanthropic Scott said, on May 11th, 2009 at 2:59 am

#51 – BubbaRay,

Excellent use of the BRDDA!!

# 54 Buzz said, on May 11th, 2009 at 8:11 am

How to revitalize the Republican Party:

Split it.

Part A are the true conservatives. Paramountly defending the Constitution, individual rights, freedom to choose one’s own path and bodily decisions. Attempting to reduce the size of government wherever prudent. Gracefully slowing the tendency to have government and policy move too fast. Conserving the environment, energy, routine government spending and the use of force to push political agendas. Conservation at all levels. The thoughtful, paced approach.

Part B are the religious affiliates, believers that somehow God should be involved in politics, spend and don’t tax-ers, waterboarders, slogans-above-reason-ists, Texas-will-secede-rather-than-help-its-unemployed-ers, faith-based-initiativists and creationists.

Who could argue that people who think religion trumps physics don’t need their own special group?

Eventually Part B folk will be reduced to the Jesu-Taliban they really are, and Part A folk will grow into their rightful and promising place in American politics. Conserving things.

By keeping these two under the same umbrella, schizophrenic behavior will continue in all three major categories: positive (i.e. hallucinations, delusions, racing thoughts), negative (i.e. apathy, lack of emotion, poor or nonexistant social functioning), and cognitive (disorganized thoughts, difficulty concentrating and/or following instructions, difficulty completing tasks, memory problems).

After a while, Part A will rename itself. Candidate names: The Right Party. Classic Republicans. Bob.

# 55 bobsyeruncle said, on May 11th, 2009 at 8:19 am

ABOLISH MONEY!

Alfred – why do you hate America?

# 56 Misanthropic Scott said, on May 11th, 2009 at 8:20 am

Buzz,

Nicely stated.

Minor correction: Conservatives != Conservationists.

The former is generally opposed to change. The latter are generally trying to preserve the biosphere.

Now. Can we split the Democratic party too? Or, can we at least bring back the Liberal party so that Modern American Liberals have a representative party as well?

Better yet, let’s go to a zero party system where we vote for candidates instead of parties.

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