When progressives insist that America is liberal country, they're projecting. I have argued this point for years, but with not nearly the intensity and rapidity of the progressive argument, which is monolithic in its presentation. In ideological self-identification, we are a center-right nation. I say this not because I prefer to, or to poke progressives in the eye. I say it simply because America's center-right status quo is genuine, factual, and consistent.
Today Gallup (B+) released another of its annual ideological self-identification reports. In the great sweep of things, 40% of Americans say they have conservative views, 31% say moderate, and 26% liberal. That is to say, almost three-quarters of the population is ideologically something other than liberal. I choose to call it center-right, since conservatism ranks less than 50%. For simplicity's sake, we'll dispense with a discussion of how distorted the term conservative has become in defining the real thing.
When looking a trifle deeper, Gallup finds essentially the same percentage breakdowns when asking about social and economic views from an ideological perspective: 38% say they are very conservative or conservative on social issues, 31% say moderate, and 29% liberal.
Gallup reports an increase in socially conservative self-identification over the past two years. Unsurprising is that Republicans account for most of it — 14 points worth — while Independents increased in social conservatism by 5%, and Democrats none at all. There was one surprise, however. "Older Americans’ ideology on social issues has been stable," writes Gallup, "while there has been a modest increase in conservative social ideology among young adults."
On economic issues, again the percentages are strikingly similar to those of overall self-identifications: "44% identify as very conservative or conservative, 33% moderate and 21% very liberal or liberal." Gallup also notes that Americans have been historically consistent in their conservative vs. liberal views of economic issues.
Why do I burden you with these number clusters? What's the point to be made? Can they be of political benefit to anyone other than Republican pols?
The answer to the last question is that Democratic politicians could benefit from these ideological breakdowns much more than their adversaries.
Earlier we agreed to dismiss the reigning misapprehensions about the meaning of conservatism. That done, we can at least agree that though it no longer means what it did for 200 years, most Americans believe it does. That's what matters. And Democrats are missing the electoral train rattling through many a purple district and state by not exploiting the term conservative.
Republicans boast the characterization, even though properly they're more reactionary, nihilistic, or just plain neofascistic. Hence Democrats on the campaign trail should mark Republicans' mischaracterization of themselves as conservatives.
They should do what we have not done here: explain precisely what conservative actually means. Democrats could then further elucidate voters that when it comes to the marrow of conservatism — i.e., the conservation of America's political system, as well as its ethics, its treasury, its inclusivity, its environment — well, that's what they're all about, not Republicans.
I have advanced this politically helpful point before, God knows. But progressives keep thwarting its conspicuous advantages by insisting that America is a liberal country, thereby disaffecting the 71% of its center-right-sort-of-conservative population. I myself am not of the latter camp; ideologically I'm a democratic socialist. But pragmatically, politically, I'm a conscientious moderate of, you might say, Burkean conservatism — because that's what generates votes and wins elections.
Which Democrats could do more of if they would only capitalize on genuine American conservatism.