An interesting poll was released by the Pew Research Center yesterday. They polled people on whether they viewed certain terms positively or negatively.
Reactions to the word "libertarian" are evenly divided -- 38% positive, 37% negative. On balance, Republicans view "libertarian" negatively, Democrats are divided, while independents have a positive impression of the term.
States' rights actually polled far better than libertarian, with 77% positive and only 15% negative. The poll's topline can be viewed here.
I'm a libertarian, and I have way, way more in common with the mainstream left than the mainstream right. I think an alliance between libertarians and certain sects of the left is very, very possible in the future.
abandon the reps and the right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11!!!1!!
Do you think that maybe the Republicans don't like libertarians because they are a threat to neoconservatism, and perhaps that the Democrats do like them because they are slowly destroying the neoconservative ideals within the Republican Party?
Just a thought.
59% negative on 'Socialism', 68% positive on 'Progressive', 77% positive on 'States' Rights'...
I find the progression of the numbers rather interesting. Considering issues of States' Rights are almost diametrically opposed to the Progressive "agenda", would it be fair to say the numbers indicate a certain lack of understanding of the terms? Am I perhaps just not familiar with the Progressive-wing that supports State Sovereignty and Constitutional Federalism?
Before I became familiar with libertarianism and the Libertarian Party, I frequently described myself as a "fiscal conservative/social liberal". The Democratic Party is still very much in support of social liberalism (though it seems fiscal conservatism has finally died from the Republican Party, in general), and I see no reason not to ally with them on matters of personal freedom. I doubt, however, that a wide spread alliance is forthcoming in the near future.
I think this poll shows more about how people feel about the labels themselves than how people feel about the actual ideology.
Liberals are more tolerant in general. I'm not talking about the elitist liberals, I'm referring to the anti drugwar, pro civil rights liberals. I found and still find many neoconservatives or republicans very obstinate and unrelenting. They'll clutch onto something even if it burns their hand. Even if they do admit something, they will hide it and slowly admit to it but not completely: ''Ron Paul is a nut. I don't agree with this blame America first idea.'' That statement, has got to be the most dense and thick headed perception of what he said but anyway, then it evolves into: ''Ron Paul is right on some things but he's still crazy.'' Then it's: ''Ron Paul is right about everything EXCEPT - he doesn't understand that they hate us.''
It's ridiculous.
I used to be a die-hard liberal until I was introduced to Ron Paul by a friend, also liberal. What happened was, we didn't become republicans, we just became independent and starting looking at each candidate, realizing the irrelevancy of party platforms, towing the line and political parties in general.
@Nathan Fox: The only way to make change is to infiltrate the major parties. You're never going to accomplish anything by going third party. Ron Paul leads by example. Analliance of free and independent thinkers from all parties is a great idea and I'm sure most of us in each area has felt the need for that. If so, it exists and we should promote it to others within our ranks.
Way to beg the question in order to make yourself feel smart. I'm sorry, when was the last time the two parties got anything positive done?
When has the Libertarians or the Greens actually effected anything? Sadly I hate the two party system as much as the next person, however the game is fixed. We can either try to change the game, which we have had no major shift in anything, or we can play the game and work it to our advantage.
Sadly through election law, public perception, and the laughable tactics of third parties they are irrelevent. We should be working to shift the base of both the Dempublicans and the Republicrats while keeping our philosophy outside of both. The Tea Parties are the closest thing we've had to a third party rise since Teddy Rosevelt split the Republicans, and they are heavily neocon now.
In my uptopia I would want all individuals to base their decisions on their own information and not have parties at all. But with the overwhelming majority of voters voting strictly party lines we can either keep wasting time and effort promoting new parties, or we can use the structures already built to affect public opinion. How well did the Ron Paul message do in 1988 as a libertarin versus the 2008 Republican run? Not everyone can pull a Jesse Ventura
I'm actually pretty surprised by this poll. While I agree with what Matt previously said here about labels/ideology, I still am in constant argument with Democrats all the time, any Republican or conservative I meet they are usually pretty much agree with most of what Libertarians say, with the exception of perhaps foreign policy. Just about 80-90% of the Democrats I meet take a sneering, condescending and snarky attitude towards those who identify themselves as Libertarian. I don't know, maybe it's just me :)
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