Conservatives Maintain Edge as Top Ideological Group

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One thing that also must be accounted for is the terms conservative, liberal and moderate are subjective. Your definition of conservative might be different than Ted's definition of conservative.

The concept of being on the left, right, or middle politically isn't so cut and dry for many. For example, one can be fiscally conservative yet socially liberal, as I am, and vice versa. Though personally, I would identify myself as a liberal, for other reasons, others might self identify as more moderate or conservative leaning. A poll such as this is highly subjective.
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True to an extent. However, if someone asks you to answer the following questions, how would you reply:

1. During the 2008 election cycle, did you consider yourself a liberal or a conservative?

2. As of today, do you consider yourself, more liberal, more conservative, or the same as for the 2008 election cycle?

I believe voters are generally sophisticated enough to do the math and answer if they are more liberal or more conservative during a poll.

The poll does not ask "voters" - they ask Americans.
I would not consider the average American sophisticated politically.

At the risk of sounding haughty, I do consider myself more savvy politically than those of the general public. I read the news aggressively and have for the better part of 30 years. I am addicted to C-Span. I go out of my way to educate myself on history and current events. I am active politically.

I think most people who partake in online political discussions are more sophisticated as well. That includes you & most who are posting here now, so I think our definitions and self identifications are more refined than those you would ask on the street or Joe who resides at the work bubbler or Skippy the mechanic.

Our exposure to the terms and interaction with others, by the mere fact we are here, just lends itself to a more educated answer.

As to your questions:
1.Liberal.
2. Same.


From the Poll:

Survey Methods
Results are based on aggregated Gallup Poll surveys of approximately 1,000 national adults, aged 18 and older, interviewed by telephone. Sample sizes for the annual compilations range from approximately 10,000 to approximately 40,000. For these results, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±1 percentage point.

In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.​

 

[Xenophon]

The next question is, can conservatives find candidates to run, or will it be more of the same?

NY has a test case, the 'party' is backing a RINO and a lot conservatives are backing an independent. We will see if the poll translates into voting shifts or not.

 

[AllieBaba]

20% consider them self a Republican, so unless there is a seperate Conservative party, I don't believe the data, there will be four more years of Dem rule.

You are so full of shit. Does it hurt when it comes out your ears?

 

[AllieBaba]

Q: Are there conservative democrats, y/n?

Q: Are there conservative independents, y/n?

QED.

Many of the assclowns on this board are waaaaay to fuckin' simple to understand that republicans and conservatives are not one in the same anymore. This republican party is far from conservative.

This is true. To a degree.

One thing that also must be accounted for is the terms conservative, liberal and moderate are subjective.
Your definition of conservative might be different than Ted's definition of conservative.

The concept of being on the left, right, or middle politically isn't so cut and dry for many. For example, one can be fiscally conservative yet socially liberal, as I am, and vice versa. Though personally, I would identify myself as a liberal, for other reasons, others might self identify as more moderate or conservative leaning.

A poll such as this is highly subjective.

The terms are sujective with the times, not so much as current definitions.

 

[AllieBaba]

The problem is that Conservatives run as republicans. The current death grip the conservatives have on the party alienates all of those moderates on your chart. When you combine moderates with liberals you get a landslide for the Democrats.

Your biggest problem is that you have Conservatives acting like wing-nuts screeching about "Obama is a Commie" , the birthers, the teabaggers....

Moderates look at them and ask "Do I want to associate with those people???"

You're thinking like the 2008 election cycle, before the voters actually see what the dems do with political power, and the "2008 landslide".

The 2009 election will show a turning to the right, and the dems are dreading the 2010 mid-terms saying that "the party in power always loses seats in the mid-term election"

You don't need to be a "wing-nut" to dislike how Obama and the dems are governing. Especially UHC, C+T, the deficit, the debt, SS, Medicare, unemployment, criticizing FXN, etc.

2009 is too small a sample and is more a reflection on the individual candidates than an ideological poll.

2010 looks like another bitch slapping for the republicans. The republicans have to fight just to hold onto their current Senate seats. The House as always is up for grabs.

It will all come down to the economy. With the Stock Market rebounding, Banks and Auto Companies saved, Housing recovering it will depend on jobs as the sole factor the republicans can whine about.

The economic stimulus is loaded to start delivering jobs in 2010 which coincidentally is right before the election. All those signs will go up saying "This project paid for by the Economic Stimulus". Unemployment will go down right before the election

Add to that the healthcare bill that the majority of Americans want. They will ask their republican Congressman..."Why did you vote NO???"

God, It sucks being a republican

Keep waiting for that day, bud. But don't hold your breath, because it ain't happening under this admin.