Is America a Center-Right Country?
 

It has become conventional wisdom that America is a Center-Right country. One hears this description all the time in the news, in commentary, and in conversation. The following letter to the editor in the WashPost takes issue with this characterization and makes good sense to me:

"I often enjoy reading Kathleen Parker's opinions, but her March 21 column left me flat. While Ms. Parker tries to make a valid point that the country is less polarized than the media portray, she trotted out the canard that the United States is a "slightly right-of-center nation."

Everyone knows that "right" and "left" are, by definition, relative terms. Shifting beliefs by Americans continue to move the center line on our political spectrum. It is impossible for the country to be "right-of-center" because the country's median position is the center. Parker, and others, should stop trying to make themselves feel better about their political leanings by using nonsense phrases like this.

Conservatives who trot out this rhetoric remind me of people from Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon, where "all the children are above average."

What say you, oh learned brethren?

I think portraying America as right of center is accurate in as much as the right does a much better job of promoting themselves. Add to this the disproportionate representation from the rural states that shades the country more right than left.

If we polled each individual American I am sure a very middle of the road picture would be colored. Perception however is reality and clearly America is right of center.

"Clearly?"

I just cannot agree with that.

Perhaps, due to flyover country, on a state-by-state analysis, that might be true: as perception.

But the weight of their influence, electorally and otherwise, is negated by population density.

I just can't ride with "clearly."

I have tried to make that point several times - that the definition of "center" has become so skewed that we really don't know where the center is anymore. Never made it quite as well as the writer there. Love the Garrison Keilor quote.

This reminds me of the test someone posted here recently that measured our political values on two axes. As Rob likes to point out, the definition of conservative nowadays is nothing like its classical definition. The meaning of left and right is also vague. The test at least provided us with a more accurate description.

I picked up a book at the thrifts by, of all people, Patrick Buchanan. He takes the Neocons to task as unrepresentative of true conservative values. I doubt I will agree with much of what he says, except that the current "right wing" is entirely insincere.

Regards,

D-Ray

Do you believe any developed country on the glob things of us as a center left or center country?

I work with many Europeans and I alway query them as to there views and I have never crossed a one that thought we were any different than that arrogant intrusive right wing image that Bush cemented.

Kind of depends on where you drive the stake.

Chas

I was thinking, internally, politically.

World wide?

Oh, it's total Manifest Destiny and Imperialism on a global scale. Team America, as it were.

In the heart of capitalism. muahahaha. :D

Regards,

D-Ray

You're just a laff a minute today!!!

Chas

Exactly!