# Why is talk radio dominated by right wing politics?? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 31, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-talk-radio-dominated-by-right-wing-politics/328796 "2005-10-31T21:45:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-talk-radio-dominated-by-right-wing-politics/328796/61 "2005-11-01T23:22:35Z")
I don’t understand why the righties are so **angry** - they’re living in a hyperconservative paradise, where the poor are fucked even more, we start wars without provocation, personal rights are under attack in the name of national security, crass corporatism reigns supreme in all facets of american life, we brutally buttfuck the environment in the name of business, and the rules don’t apply to the administration. What would it take for them to be happy? It’s the true liberals - not affluent and smug “Democrats,” but the true liberals - who are violently, virulently angry. ---
**Author:** ![light\_strand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@light\_strand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/light_strand)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-talk-radio-dominated-by-right-wing-politics/328796/62 "2005-11-01T23:50:25Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > If those numbers are accurate, you still have 42% who don’t suport increased funding on Social Security, 45% who don’t support increased funding for education, etc. So, opposing those things are still not “out of the mainstream”. They may be minority positions, but they’re positions held by a large enough minority. Actually it’s only 27% who don’t support increased funding for education. I would say that’s a minority. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-talk-radio-dominated-by-right-wing-politics/328796/63 "2005-11-01T23:56:11Z")
> [@VCO3](#): > > I don’t understand why the righties are so **angry** - they’re living in a hyperconservative paradise, where the poor are fucked even more, we start wars without provocation, personal rights are under attack in the name of national security, crass corporatism reigns supreme in all facets of american life, we brutally buttfuck the environment in the name of business, and the rules don’t apply to the administration. What would it take for them to be happy? For that train wreck to actually _work._ As you said, we’ve got this hyperconservative “paradise” going on, but things are still totally fucked up (or even more fucked up than before, actually). The conservatives realize this, but since they aren’t willing or able to realize it’s their own policies that are screwing things up, then _obviously_ it must be the fault of some secret evul libural scheme. Hence the anger. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-talk-radio-dominated-by-right-wing-politics/328796/64 "2005-11-02T00:53:03Z")
> [@VCO3](#): > > I don’t understand why the righties are so **angry** - they’re living in a hyperconservative paradise, where the poor are fucked even more, we start wars without provocation, personal rights are under attack in the name of national security, crass corporatism reigns supreme in all facets of american life, we brutally buttfuck the environment in the name of business, and the rules don’t apply to the administration. What would it take for them to be happy? I think a few might be slightly content if everybody who’s politically to the left of them all drank drink bleach and died. Anyway, as I mentioned this previously in the Pit thread about the right’s persecution complex, anger is good for ratings and fundraising. Thus, the right-wing radio ranters always have to be pissed about _something_. Otherwise, people will stop tuning in and contributions to conservative activist groups and the Republican Party go down. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-talk-radio-dominated-by-right-wing-politics/328796/65 "2005-11-02T00:53:27Z")
> [@VCO3](#): > > I don’t understand why the righties are so **angry** - they’re living in a hyperconservative paradise, where the poor are fucked even more, we start wars without provocation, personal rights are under attack in the name of national security, crass corporatism reigns supreme in all facets of american life, we brutally buttfuck the environment in the name of business, and the rules don’t apply to the administration. What would it take for them to be happy? I think a few might be slightly content if everybody who’s politically to the left of them all drank bleach and died. Anyway, as I mentioned this previously in the Pit thread about the right’s persecution complex, anger is good for ratings and fundraising. Thus, the right-wing radio ranters always have to be pissed about _something_. Otherwise, people will stop tuning in and contributions to conservative activist groups and the Republican Party go down. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-talk-radio-dominated-by-right-wing-politics/328796/66 "2005-11-02T00:59:44Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > What I said was based on actual poll results. E.g., those from the 2004 National Election Survey discussed in [this article](http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=10438): > > > [@](#): > > > > “According to the network exit polls, 21 percent of the voters who cast ballots in 2004 called themselves liberal, 34 percent said they were conservative and 45 percent called themselves moderate” […] > > > > According to National Election Studies (NES), 56 percent of moderates in 2004 associated themselves with the Democratic Party, while only 31 percent leaned Republican. […] > > > > In the NES survey, 64 percent of liberals say we should increase spending on Social Security, as do 68 percent of moderates – while only 47 percent of conservatives agree. Eighty-eight percent of liberals and 84 percent of moderates say federal funding on education should be increased, compared to only 58 percent of conservatives. Seventy-three percent of liberals and 66 percent of moderates want more spending for child care – but only 38 percent of conservatives agree. Sixty-two percent of liberals and 57 percent of moderates want to spend more on aid to the poor, compared to only 39 percent of conservatives. > > > > On some issues, moderates are in fact between liberals and conservatives – for instance, 67 percent of conservatives say they support Bush’s tax cuts, compared to 37 percent of moderates and 14 percent of liberals. > > Doing the math, those add up to the following: > > - Support increased spending on Social Security: 58% of all voters > - Support increased funding for education: 73% of all voters > - Support increased funding for child care: 55% of all voters > - Support more aid to the poor: 50% of all voters > - Support the Bush tax cuts: 46% of all voters I got similar numbers when I calculated Liberals 21%, Conservatives 45% and Moderates 34%. But when I made Conservatives 34% and Moderates 45%, as given in the article, the numbers are slightly different: - Support increased spending on Social Security: 60% of all voters - Support increased funding for education: 77.7% of all voters - Support increased funding for child care: 58% of all voters - Support more aid to the poor: 50.6% of all voters - Support the Bush tax cuts: 42.4% of all voters Even MORE progressive. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-talk-radio-dominated-by-right-wing-politics/328796/67 "2005-11-02T01:50:57Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > What did you do? Go to a “Debating 101” website and just pick a logical fallacy at random to accuse me of? This isn’t even close to the mark. “Debating 101.” Good one. No, actually, I have ADD, and your post made me forget the topic for a hot minute and think I was back in the “How liberal is the mainstream media?” thread. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Loblaw\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@Bob\_Loblaw\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Loblaw_1)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-talk-radio-dominated-by-right-wing-politics/328796/68 "2005-11-02T01:57:43Z")
Because right wingers need to be constantly told what to think. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-talk-radio-dominated-by-right-wing-politics/328796/69 "2005-11-02T14:48:44Z")
> [@kaylasdad](#): > > I got similar numbers when I calculated Liberals 21%, Conservatives 45% and Moderates 34%. But when I made Conservatives 34% and Moderates 45%, as given in the article, the numbers are slightly different: […] Even MORE progressive. You’re exactly right **kaylasdad** , I did all the calculations without noticing that I had reversed the percentages of moderates and conservatives! As you say, the fact that there are actually more moderates than conservatives makes the liberal slant of voters in general even more pronounced. Thanks for the correction, and thank Og for the Straight Dope where people actually bother to check things like this! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-talk-radio-dominated-by-right-wing-politics/328796/70 "2005-11-02T14:51:14Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Sorry, but my grasp on reality is looking pretty good there. What people believe, on average, aligns more with liberal positions than with conservative ones, irrespective of the fact that more of them self-identify as “conservative” than “liberal”. Of course people are going to say “yes” to pollsters asking about spending on various subjects. Although, I notice you only claim 50% support welfare increases, which is what led to my “grasp on reality” comment. You’d see the numbers drop like a rock if the pollsters mentioned tax hikes along with the questions, BTW. In any case, I can offer some counter evidence. More meaningful than polls is the actual behavior of the poeple. Here in MA, there are two tax rates: The normal rate of 5.3% and the voluntary rate of 5.85%. When you file, there is a choice of which rate you would like to pay. > [@](#): > > State officials said 1,929 of the state’s 3.2 million taxpayers paid the higher rate when the option first appeared on the 2002 tax form, raising an additional $377,000. > > For 2003 taxes, those numbers dropped to 1,488 taxpayers and $209,000, officials said, and returns for 2004 appear to be running at about the same pace. [cite](http://www.massbudget.org/article.php?id=301) Why, in this most liberal minded of states, do only a tiny minority of people opt to pay the higher tax rates? Further, MA voters have voted to lower the tax rate from 5.3% to 5.0% five years ago, yet the legislature refuses to do so. During the last election, a ballot question was put up by the libertarians calling for complete removal of the income tax. It was opposed by both parties, every newspaper, and had very little press coverage. It came within 5% of passing. > [@](#): > > If people tend to think that they’re “conservative”, but tend to agree with liberals on actual policy positions, then they must be getting misleading ideas about what the terms “conservative” and “liberal” actually mean. It’s funny because there are issues where liberal positions are more popular than conservative ones: abortion, the _perception_ of the parties regarding the environment, etc. You’re just focusing on an area where the public opinion just isn’t there. If you asked a poll question like “Would you be willing to accept higher taxes to pay for more government welfare to the poor?” it is going to fail every time. Both parties have issues where they are in the majority. Conservatives are clearly in the majority on lowering taxes, gun rights, and other issues. People are smart enough to know the difference between a liberal and a conservative. They just aren’t liberal in as large of numbers as you might like. > [@](#): > > Um, did you read what he actually said? C’mon, **Kimstu**. That quote was from him backpeddling once I called him out on his over the top rhetoric. Go back and read his posts. There’s nothing there worth responding to. It’s just bile and hate. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-talk-radio-dominated-by-right-wing-politics/328796/71 "2005-11-03T09:31:44Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > Of course people are going to say “yes” to pollsters asking about spending on various subjects. […] You’d see the numbers drop like a rock if the pollsters mentioned tax hikes along with the questions, BTW. Well well well. Now who’s implying that people are “dumb” and don’t know what they actually believe? And by the way, I never said that people in general don’t like lower taxes. I simply pointed out that lowering taxes isn’t always their highest priority when it comes to policy positions. Which is illustrated by the fact that less than 43% of all voters support the Bush tax cuts, and that 65% would support universal health insurance **even if it meant raising taxes**. > [@Debaser](#): > > You’re just focusing on an area where the public opinion just isn’t there. Sorry, but the numbers I provided show that the public opinion **is** there. On all those positions, although more voters **identify** themselves as “conservative” than “liberal”, more voters support the liberal positions than the conservative ones. > [@Debaser](#): > > People are smart enough to know the difference between a liberal and a conservative. They just aren’t liberal in as large of numbers as you might like. They definitely are liberal in larger numbers than you claim, and in larger numbers than their use of the **label** “liberal” would suggest. Which was my point. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-talk-radio-dominated-by-right-wing-politics/328796/72 "2005-11-03T17:31:15Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > C’mon, **Kimstu**. That quote was from him backpeddling once I called him out on his over the top rhetoric. Go back and read his posts. There’s nothing there worth responding to. It’s just bile and hate. I’m not backpedalling on anything. Conservatives are a loudmouthed minority. Because they’re a minority they try to advance their positions using stealth tactics. Conservative judges up for confirmation try to avoid talking about their records. The President talks publicly about support liberal positions, then quietly refuses to follow through with the funding. Conservative legislation is given misleading names. If the conservatives were in sync with the rest of the country they wouldn’t have to resort to these subterfuges. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-talk-radio-dominated-by-right-wing-politics/328796.md?page=3)