# 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:** 2
**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, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/21 "2017-05-10T22:45:52Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > 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/) I know, but the seed is planted. We cannot live together as countrymen, only 2% of Trump voters regret their decision. We need to cut each other loose. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/22 "2017-05-11T00:01:20Z")
I’ve posted this before, but your definition of ‘liberal’ and ‘conservative’ depends where you live. I’m in the UK and the US is **very** conservative compared to us. Our Conservative party (the current Government) has these policies: - strict gun control (our beat police are unarmed; no guns allowed for home defence) - the National Health Service (funded by taxation; free when needed) - gay marriage etc. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/23 "2017-05-11T00:15:41Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Mark my words: the California secession campaign which is now greeted with an eye roll will become a serious political movement. Not this nonsense again. California is going nowhere. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/24 "2017-05-11T00:25:08Z")
Like glee says, it’s different from the outside looking in. Even US Democrats are probably further right than the Canadian Conservative Party. Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk ---
**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 11, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/25 "2017-05-11T00:55:32Z")
So far, 50% of conservatives voting in the poll think America is conservative, 50% think it’s liberal. 81% of liberals voting in the poll think America is conservative, 19% think it’s liberal. ---
**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 11, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/26 "2017-05-11T01:35:11Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Not this nonsense again. California is going nowhere. You’ll see. We are not countrymen, this situation cannot last. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/27 "2017-05-11T02:11:43Z")
It’s weird because I feel the young people and the recently-young people (like me, 38) are liberal. And there are definitely liberal folks who are older than me. And I feel like most of Hollywood and the real media (actual journalists) are liberal. But I feel like most of the old folks and most of the government is conservative. I don’t know why but I can’t put a number on how many people each group encompasses. I kinda feel like the pure number of liberals is larger but if that were true how does the government end up conservative? ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/28 "2017-05-11T02:39:45Z")
Liberal and feels liberal. I’m not sure my views are the majority will of the population as a whole but we sure seem to be getting the best of the laws passed and/or enforced. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/29 "2017-05-11T09:55:46Z")
When riding in my old bench-seat pickup several years ago, my wife was charmed by a couple in front of us. The girl was cuddled up next to the guy and he was driving with one arm around her. She said: “We used to be like that, didn’t we?” I answered: “I haven’t moved.” That’s the way I feel about the country. I voted “conservative; country seems liberal”. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/30 "2017-05-11T10:21:24Z")
> [@glee](#): > > I’ve posted this before, but your definition of ‘liberal’ and ‘conservative’ depends where you live. > I’m in the UK and the US is **very** conservative compared to us. > > Our Conservative party (the current Government) has these policies: > > - strict gun control (our beat police are unarmed; no guns allowed for home defence) > - the National Health Service (funded by taxation; free when needed) > - gay marriage > etc. To me even the issues where Americans think they’re “liberal” feel… not so much conservative, as often just fucking nuts. That laundry list of “reasons why it is illegal to discriminate”, for example. If Americans were fine with applying their rules to their own culture, yay for them, but when American companies insist that their foreign subsidiaries need to apply those American laws and values abroad, when the foreign location happens to have actual laws on the subject? “America for the Americans, and the rest too”, not so much out of imperialism but of sheer arrogance. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/31 "2017-05-11T10:34:59Z")
> [@XT](#): > > 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. I’m curious what liberals at the extreme you think are using partisan bullshit to grind the government to a halt. > [@](#): > > 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. Similarly, I’m curious where you think the liberals are refusing to compromise. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/32 "2017-05-11T12:07:28Z")
After this, maybe we can determine by a show of hands whether America feels hot or cold, humid or dry, flat or mountainous, rocky or sandy… ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/33 "2017-05-11T12:21:29Z")
Divided. America feels divided. ---
**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 11, 2017, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/34 "2017-05-11T12:37:31Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Divided. America feels divided. This and in my opinion, untenably so. I’ve spent a lot of time in failed states and they feel a lot like America does: there is no respect for our democratic traditions, conservatives are disregarding the blatant violations of political norms by their president and the only institution that has national legitimacy is the military. That’s not liberal or conservative that’s dissolution. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/35 "2017-05-11T12:44:09Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > To me even the issues where Americans think they’re “liberal” feel… not so much conservative, as often just fucking nuts. That laundry list of “reasons why it is illegal to discriminate”, for example. If Americans were fine with applying their rules to their own culture, yay for them, but when American companies insist that their foreign subsidiaries need to apply those American laws and values abroad, when the foreign location happens to have actual laws on the subject? “America for the Americans, and the rest too”, not so much out of imperialism but of sheer arrogance. I used to have to respond to customer surveys a while back, about 3 or 4 jobs ago, and all US customers asked if we were an “Equal Opportunity Employer.” I used to think “What the fuck does this mean? We’re an equal opportunity country!” ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/36 "2017-05-11T12:46:32Z")
I’m liberal and it feels conservative to me. I think it’s because of who is in charge in Washington. ---
**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 11, 2017, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/37 "2017-05-11T12:52:46Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Right, but what’s the vibe overall as a country? There is no overall vibe. The country is divided. ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/38 "2017-05-11T13:04:06Z")
Looking from the outside, the United States look to me either “conservative” or “very conservative”. The average Democrat position would be firmly in the centre-right around here, and the Republican position would be firmly in the hard right. There appear not to be any relevant positions in American politics that would correspond to what I understand as “left of center” or “leftist”. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/39 "2017-05-11T13:04:30Z")
I live in a rural area and it feels oppressively conservative here. I’ve been wearing a **ITMFA** button and _nobody_ has any idea what it’s about. Yet, when I drive ninety minutes west and hang out with friends in Pittsburgh, everyone pats my back over the button and it feels very liberal. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309/40 "2017-05-11T13:30:44Z")
_Very_ conservative, in the process of falling into outright fascism/theocracy. The Left is essentially dead, and the middle is in the process of being crushed into irrelevance as well. America feels like it’s in the process of turning into something combining the most depressing aspects of 90s cyberpunk and _The Handmaid’s Tale._ > [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I don’t know why but I can’t put a number on how many people each group encompasses. I kinda feel like the pure number of liberals is larger but if that were true how does the government end up conservative? Because the electoral system and general culture are heavily set up to favor the Right. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-america-feel-liberal-or-conservative-to-you/786309.md?page=3)