# Does America \*feel\* liberal or conservative to you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 10, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309 "2017-05-10T19:37:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/1 "2017-05-10T19:37:44Z")
A for-fun poll here - setting aside political affiliation for a moment - whatever your stance may be - does America \*feel \*like a liberal or conservative country to you? ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/2 "2017-05-10T19:41:15Z")
Depends on where I am. Where I live right now, it feels liberal. Watching the whacked out shit happening in politics, it feels like whacked out shit. I don’t know if it’s fair to call it conservative. I know a lot of people got rooked into voting for Trump as a conservative, but it’s hard to say that he really is one. I think he’s a nut job. Presumably since this is IMHO, I am free to express my NSHO. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/3 "2017-05-10T19:59:40Z")
I don’t think there is one America. Blue State America is liberal, Red State America is very, very conservative. I think they are two distinct cultures now. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/4 "2017-05-10T19:59:55Z")
It **feels** like it’s trying to get more liberal, but there are a bunch of people trying to go backwards. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/5 "2017-05-10T20:04:24Z")
I look at what California and other states are doing and all I can think is that liberal insanity is running amok, and it’s starting to infect other states as well. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/6 "2017-05-10T20:06:45Z")
Where’s the option for I’m a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_, and it feels like a dysfunctional schoolyard. ETA: Seriously though. Red areas are red, blue areas are blue. And everyone is doubling down rather than trying to fix anything. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/7 "2017-05-10T20:09:39Z")
When I am in urban cities it feels liberal. When I am in suburbs and small towns it feels conservative. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/8 "2017-05-10T20:10:39Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > I look at what California and other states are doing and all I can think is that liberal insanity is running amok, and it’s starting to infect other states as well. I look at states like Kansas and Tennessee and see the conservative insanity running amok that is infecting other states. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/9 "2017-05-10T20:13:43Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > I look at what California and other states are doing and all I can think is that liberal insanity is running amok, and it’s starting to infect other states as well. Good. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/10 "2017-05-10T20:22:15Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Where’s the option for I’m a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_, and it feels like a dysfunctional schoolyard. > > ETA: Seriously though. Red areas are red, blue areas are blue. And everyone is doubling down rather than trying to fix anything. Yup. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/11 "2017-05-10T20:29:29Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I don’t think there is one America. Blue State America is liberal, Red State America is very, very conservative. I think they are two distinct cultures now. > [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > When I am in urban cities it feels liberal. When I am in suburbs and small towns it feels conservative. These two. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/12 "2017-05-10T20:29:55Z")
Blue areas are mildly conservative. Red areas are batshit insane. Seriously: positions that would have been considered too extreme for a Disney villain in my childhood are now mainstream. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/13 "2017-05-10T20:31:37Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > When I am in urban cities it feels liberal. When I am in suburbs and small towns it feels conservative. Right, but what’s the vibe overall as a country? ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/14 "2017-05-10T20:35:33Z")
Freedom Justice Democracy Equality - These all seem like standard American concepts, but they were radical ideas once upon a time. ISTM that a country that promotes those ideas would be considered generally liberal. Even the folks who consider themselves conservative reap the fruits of the liberals who have labored in the past to achieve these ideals. So, to me, in spite of the best efforts of those Clothahumping around this great country, it still feels liberal to me. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/15 "2017-05-10T20:51:40Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Right, but what’s the vibe overall as a country? Failing dysfunctionality with a thread of religious fanaticism. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/16 "2017-05-10T20:56:40Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > Blue areas are mildly conservative. Red areas are batshit insane. Seriously: positions that would have been considered too extreme for a Disney villain in my childhood are now mainstream. This. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/17 "2017-05-10T21:04:23Z")
I’m a moderate (so, where ARE the donuts?? :p), but I agree with those saying it depends. Not just on where you are but on the issue at hand. I know liberals with conservative takes on some things and conservatives who are pretty socially liberal…and vice versa. So, depends on where you are and what the issue is. The country is the size of a continent after all and has over 300 million people, so trying to quantify how it feels is kind of difficult unless you focus on specific parts or areas and specific groups. Overall, the vibe I get is dysfunction…liberals and conservatives at the extremes are, IMHO, tearing this country apart with their partisan bullshit and the government is basically grinding to a halt because of it. Our government and system were built to work on compromise and, basically, no one wants to do that anymore. I don’t see this as something likely to change, in fact, I think it’s becoming more and more entrenched as the nut jobs on both sides become more strident. JMHO and all that. Now…where are those donuts??? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/18 "2017-05-10T21:13:05Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Right, but what’s the vibe overall as a country? If you think there \*is \*an overall vibe you’re not paying attention. There are two warring worldviews that increasingly see the other (or at least their strawman version of the other) as utterly illegitimate and unfit to be allowed in government. Some things you can blend. Other things refuse to blend no matter how hard you stir them together. We’re moving rapidly away from the former and farther and farther into the latter territory. > [@madmonk28](#): > > Failing dysfunctionality with a thread of religious fanaticism. This. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/19 "2017-05-10T21:22:48Z")
Mark my words: the California secession campaign which is now greeted with an eye roll will become a serious political movement. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/20 "2017-05-10T21:39:38Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Mark my words: the California secession campaign which is now greeted with an eye roll will become a serious political movement. Nah, [it was just another Russian plot.](http://www.salon.com/2017/04/17/calexit-in-trouble-leader-of-california-secession-movement-resigns-applies-for-russian-citizenship/) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309.md?page=2)