Politicians aside: Democrats and Republicans are far apart in worldviews.

This topic has 9 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 6 months ago by bnw.

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October 25, 2016 at 5:16 pm #56085

Billy_T
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Interesting survey here, and it echoes hundreds of previous studies about the serious polarities in America. The leadership and actions of the two major parties may not reflect this polarity — at least not all the time — but their constituencies really don’t see the same country.

A majority of Donald Trump supporters think everything has been terrible since the 1950s A research poll shows just how many Americans yearn for a return to the idealized, white-bread decade Matthew Rozsa

Excerpt:

According to a survey published by the Public Religion Research Institute, 72 percent of likely voters supporting Donald Trump say America has changed for the worst since the 1950s. By contrast, 70 percent of likely voters supporting Hillary Clinton say that America has changed for the better since that decade.

Not surprisingly, these findings are also sharply divided based on racial lines. While 56 percent of white Americans say America has changed for the worse since the 1950s, 62 percent of African-Americans and 57 percent of Hispanic Americans say that it has changed for the better.

That said, 56 percent of college-educated white Americans also believe that America has changed for the better since the 1950s; 65 percent of white Americans without college degrees say that it has not.

The group that most yearns for the 1950s? White evangelical Protestants, 74 percent of whom think things have gotten worse.

Across the board, the study found that Democrats were more likely to care about social justice issues than Republicans. Seventy percent of Democrats said that income inequality mattered to them personally compared to only 29 percent of Republicans, while 61 percent of Democrats said race relations mattered to them personally compared to only 31 percent of Republicans.

Sixty-three percent of Democrats believe that immigrants strengthen American society, whereas 73 percent of Republicans say that immigrants threaten American customs and values.

Finally, 77 percent of Democrats say that America would benefit from more women serving in political leadership roles, a sentiment 62 percent of Republicans disagree with.

October 25, 2016 at 5:20 pm #56087

Billy_T
Participant

As always, I wish they’d do surveys that include those of us who don’t ID as in either party, or as “liberal” or “conservative.” These sociological surveys need to broaden their demographics, in short. That said, the differences are pretty stunning, IMO.

From the survey cited in the Salon article:

Leadership: Authoritarianism, Political Correctness, and Gender

Americans are closely divided over the question of authoritarian leadership. Forty-six percent of Americans agree with the statement, “Because things have gotten so far off track in this country, we need a leader who is willing to break some rules if that’s what it takes to set things right,” compared to 52% who disagree. A majority (55%) of Republicans agree we need such a leader, while a majority (57%) of Democrats disagree.

Nearly six in ten (57%) Americans say it is important to speak frankly about sensitive issues and problems facing the country even if certain people are offended. About four in ten (39%) say it is important to avoid using language that is hurtful and offensive to some people when discussing sensitive issues. Nearly seven in ten (68%) Republicans say it is important to speak openly about problems facing the country even if some people are offended, while only about four in ten (41%) Democrats agree.

Most (58%) Americans believe the country would be better off if there were more women serving in public office. More than three-quarters (77%) of Democrats say the U.S. would benefit from more women serving in political leadership roles. Fewer than four in ten (37%) Republicans—including only 42% of Republican women—believe the country would be better off with more women holding public office. More than six in ten (62%) Republicans disagree.

There is broader consensus among the public about the achievement double standard women face in employment. Two-thirds (67%) of all Americans, including 80% of women and 54% of men, agree women often have to be more qualified than men to be considered for the same job. Roughly one in three (32%) disagree.

October 25, 2016 at 5:33 pm #56088

Billy_T
Participant

Another aside:

In my view, the GOP tends to listen to its base to a far greater degree than the Dems listen to their own. The GOP tends to push aggressively for things their base wants, while the Democratic Party seeks “compromise” at every turn, often going against the wishes of their own constituencies. They seem not to be all that worried about a backlash from that base. The GOP, OTOH, appears to care. This, in general, means the GOP is more in sync with the thinking of their base — and/or the base is more in sync with them. The Dems have been caught mocking theirs, even before the Sanders/Clinton food fights.

From my own POV, this is tragic. As the base with the better worldview is likely to be the base ignored, and the one with the far uglier way of seeing things is the one pampered and pandered to more often.

That said, I’m comfortable in my own political skin — diametrically opposed to the GOP’s worldview, and mostly opposed to the Dems’. But in the case of the latter, when we do Venn up, it’s almost always a matter of “the Dems never go nearly, anywhere close to far enough.” It’s pretty much always a case where their assessment of things like social and economic inequality doesn’t sync up with their own (inadequate, insufficient) ideas of remedy. Incrementalism is enough for them, but not for me. Their idea of “inclusion” isn’t nearly enough for me. I can’t see it as fair, for instance, to leave anyone behind, etc. etc. In fact, I see it as absolutely immoral.

October 26, 2016 at 8:03 pm #56142

wv
Participant

October 26, 2016 at 9:50 pm #56149

Billy_T
Participant

Yeah, Jill Stein is right on the issues, relative to the others`. No question. In a sane world (IMO) she and the Greens would be the “mainstream” left of center party; the Dems would be the center-right party; and the GOP would be the Alt-Right’s party. And we’d have leftist parties to the left of the Greens, hopefully pulling them further to the left.

Going further still . . . we’d have zero political parties; democracy would be participatory, truly universal, not outsourced to any organizations of any kind — they always tend to seek power, its enhancement, expansion, continuation, etc. etc. . . . and that will always run counter to the needs of “the people.”

No elections. Just citizens taking their turn, doing their “peace corp” like duty. Lotteries, not elections. Do your turn then go home. No permanent seats of power. No permanent power centers. Everything in rotation, temporary, soon to be replaced with fresh energy and spirit. No legal forms of concentrated power of any kind, anywhere. It would be against the new constitution.

Guaranteed work, at guaranteed living wages, with prices and wages preset to sync up to make sure EVERYONE was comfortable, had all the education, training, health care, arts and crafts, athletics and culture they could possible want. Healthy food, safe water, safe streets and environment. No one having a better shot at any of this than anyone else. Open to all. All inclusive. Free to all. There for everyone, without exception.

That’s my dream. That’s the sane world I think we need to find someday. True human emancipation, across the board, with no one left behind.

October 27, 2016 at 6:35 am #56178

nittany ram
Moderator

Well, Billy I also agree with Jill on every issue on that list sans one. It’s funny but obviously the list was written from the Green Party’s perspective of what the correct stance on the issues are since Jill scores all green whereas the others do not. 😉

Also interesting that the “leftist” Jill Stein agrees with the right leaning Libertarian Gary Johnson on more issues than she does with the “liberal” democrat in the race.

October 27, 2016 at 7:15 am #56182

PA Ram
Participant

Another aside:

In my view, the GOP tends to listen to its base to a far greater degree than the Dems listen to their own. The GOP tends to push aggressively for things their base wants, while the Democratic Party seeks “compromise” at every turn, often going against the wishes of their own constituencies. They seem not to be all that worried about a backlash from that base. The GOP, OTOH, appears to care. This, in general, means the GOP is more in sync with the thinking of their base — and/or the base is more in sync with them. The Dems have been caught mocking theirs, even before the Sanders/Clinton food fights.

I think this is because the Republicans have suffered political consequences when they ignored their base–the Dems have not.

The Republican base will burn the ship down to have their way.

The Dem base would rather try to keep the sinking ship floating for one more mile.

The establishment understands that so they can play to them during the election and put them on ignore afterward.

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. " Philip K. Dick

October 27, 2016 at 10:21 am #56186

Zooey
Participant

PA Ram wrote:

Another aside:

In my view, the GOP tends to listen to its base to a far greater degree than the Dems listen to their own. The GOP tends to push aggressively for things their base wants, while the Democratic Party seeks “compromise” at every turn, often going against the wishes of their own constituencies. They seem not to be all that worried about a backlash from that base. The GOP, OTOH, appears to care. This, in general, means the GOP is more in sync with the thinking of their base — and/or the base is more in sync with them. The Dems have been caught mocking theirs, even before the Sanders/Clinton food fights.

I think this is because the Republicans have suffered political consequences when they ignored their base–the Dems have not.

The Republican base will burn the ship down to have their way.

The Dem base would rather try to keep the sinking ship floating for one more mile.

The establishment understands that so they can play to them during the election and put them on ignore afterward.

Dunno about that.

First of all, the Republicans have more than one base. There is the corporatist/imperialist base which actually has the upper hand, the evangelical base, and the gun lobby/Reagan democrat/anti-non-anglo saxon base that hasn’t gone full-blown Libertarian.

What has the evangelical base been getting? Next to nothing. The Jesus Campers have been blown out of the water on most issues: gay marriage, prayer in schools, abortion. They have succeeded only in making abortion more difficult to obtain is certain regions after 35 years of active pushing and lots of empty words from the Republican establishment, and I guess GL/RD/ANAS rolled back the ban on owning nuclear machine guns. But that’s about it. They’ve got no response on immigration.

The corporatist/imperialists have the reins of both parties, and they are just rolling back restraints on big business, stealing all the money, and killing the planet. I don’t think either base is getting what it wants.

Hence Donald Trump.

I mean…that guy right there tells you exactly how much attention the Republican establishment pays to its base. Next to none. Or else they wouldn’t have put that shithead forward to destroy the entire country.

October 27, 2016 at 2:05 pm #56195
PA Ram
Participant
Whenever a Republican incombent is challenged it is from the right. Not the center.

The party base is now a frothing raging rightwing mess. While they may be anti-trade after all these years(and that isn’t something we’ve been hearing forever–but they can personally feel the effects of that now). The party establishment did not LET Trump win. They did everything to stop him. The problem is the constant challenge from the right on things like social purity, anti-Obama everything, hot wing topics like gun rights, and the propaganda of flag waving FREEDOM and above all—FEAR.

The Rush Limbaughs of the world helped to create this–and the Republican establishment appeased them for years for fear of that challenge from the right. Hell Eric Cantor lost!

The problem is that they unleashed and nourished this beast.

And the base does not care if they burn it down. They will gladly take the party down if that’s what it takes.

The Dems will not.

They will hold their nose and continue to vote “lesser of two evils” because that’s what we do.

When they rejected Bernie they signed up for more of the same.

Yes–corporations certainly have their hands in both parties. And Trump would certainly do more corporate bidding. but he’s a con that the base is willing to try because–yes–the politicians they elected have not been extreme enough.

As a philosophy they don’t care if the government collapses. They welcome it in some ways.
- This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by PA Ram.
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. " Philip K. Dick
October 27, 2016 at 2:13 pm #56197

bnw
Blocked

Corruption shouldn’t be embraced. Bernie got paid so he doesn’t care. Vote Trump!

The upside to being a Rams fan is heartbreak.

Sprinkles are for winners.
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