Poll: Majority of Republicans believe Obama is a 'socialist'

[derspiess]

Did you guys happen to notice the geographical breakdown of the sampling?  Here it is from the original link:

Demographics
MEN           1125 56%
WOMEN   878    44%
WHITE   1787 89%
OTHER/REF   216   11%
18-29   178   9%
30-44   418   21%
45-59   664   33%
60+           743   37%
NE           217   11%
SOUTH   846   42%
MW           437   22%
WEST   503   25%

I know there are a lot of Republicans in the south, but it seems a bit skewed.

[MadImmortalMan]

It's an awfully big sampling of old people too.

[Ed Anger]

It's an awfully big sampling of old people too.

Old people are ANGRY. Young people suck.

[Grallon]

I know there are a lot of Republicans in the south, but it seems a bit skewed.

Carpetbaggers never were as efficient as one might like nowadays.   




G.

[Ed Anger]

I know there are a lot of Republicans in the south, but it seems a bit skewed.

Carpetbaggers never were as efficient as one might like nowadays.   




G.

Cal is too busy scraping the grease trap at BP to vote in a Kos poll.

[Josephus]

I am sure that more than half of Americans, (and I'm not just picking on them) do not have post-secondary education.

You're wrong.  As of 2008, 54.8% of the US population had some education post-high school.  19.7% had "some college," 8.3% an associate degree, 17.8% a bachelor's degree, and 9.0% a post-graduate degree.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/education/cps2008.html

17.8 per cent with a bachelor's degree is nothing to write home about.
That means that 82 per cent of Americans have not graduated from university.

[Ed Anger]

Hell, I don't have a Bachelor's. And I turned out normal.

Sorta.

[Sheilbh]

I'm always amazed at how much space to the left of Democrats there is in public policy which in the US is just left entirely alone.  You very rarely hear a thorough-going social democratic argument in American politics.  Obama's probably the most liberal President since LBJ - though I think that's a sign of how far the centre of gravity's moved to the right than anything else - but he is a mainstream liberal, that's all.  He's not even a social democrat far less a socialist.

[derspiess]

He's not even a social democrat far less a socialist.

So then what is it that makes you think he is just a liberal & not (at least) a social democrat?

[Sheilbh]

So then what is it that makes you think he is just a liberal & not (at least) a social democrat?

His policies.  Ralph Nader seems to be roughly where a social democrat is.  I mean Obama doesn't want significant reform of the structure of work in the US or work-life balance, he's no real interest, so far as I can tell, in a leftist welfare reform, or in generally tighter regulation in the market in general (banking's a bit of a special case right now).  He's a mainstream American liberal.  No more, no less.

Edit:  Plus his environmental policy is comparatively weak and his healthcare policy is roughly what the Republicans suggested in 94 and actually to the right of what Nixon offered Kennedy.  It's certainly not a thorough going social insurance model.

[ulmont]

17.8 per cent with a bachelor's degree is nothing to write home about.
That means that 82 per cent of Americans have not graduated from university.

No, it doesn't.  Check the associate degree and post-graduate degree entries as well (the numbers there are only for the highest educational level attained).  Gets you up to 35.1% that have a post-secondary degree of some sort.  When added to the 19.7% that have attended college but not graduated, that's over half of Americans with some post-secondary education.

[DGuller]

Meanwhile, nearly a quarter of the Republicans polled, 23 percent, want their state to secede from the union.

Ok I never want to hear a Republican attack the left as being anti-American again.  At least the wacky leftists just threaten to leave the country, the wacky right wants to destroy it.  Of course surely they were just...what...drunk when they answered those questions?

But I mean seriously these guys make Hans appear to be a clear thinking moderate by comparison...actually judging by the level of political discourse in this country these days he pretty much is.

I disagree with your premise.  I think Republicans in very red states that want to secede from America are being very pro-American indeed.

[DGuller]

The US does have some of the best universities in the world. But what percentage of Americans go there?   I am sure that more than half of Americans, (and I'm not just picking on them) do not have post-secondary education.

Yes, I am sure that less then half do.  As with other countries.  But the US is still a highly literate, educated nation.  That is why the poll surprises me.

Does anyone know the educational background of Republican supporters?  Just an impression but I would have guessed they would be more highly educated then Democrats given the socio-economic groups the two parties appeal to for their support.

There is more to it than lack of education.  Actuaries are all highly-educated, and yet I know many right-wing actuaries that are as stupid and unsophisticated as the regular morons when it comes to politics, they're just being stupid with better spelling and grammar.  It's very defeating to realize that intelligence and education seem to be no defense against complete insanity when it comes to politics.  It's like all humans are programmed to be green Drazis or purple Drazis, despising each other merely out of tradition.

[DGuller]

I am sure that more than half of Americans, (and I'm not just picking on them) do not have post-secondary education.

You're wrong.  As of 2008, 54.8% of the US population had some education post-high school.  19.7% had "some college," 8.3% an associate degree, 17.8% a bachelor's degree, and 9.0% a post-graduate degree.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/education/cps2008.html

17.8 per cent with a bachelor's degree is nothing to write home about.
That means that 82 per cent of Americans have not graduated from university.

I imagine that you need a bachelor's degree to get a post-graduate degree.

[derspiess]

So then what is it that makes you think he is just a liberal & not (at least) a social democrat?

His policies.  Ralph Nader seems to be roughly where a social democrat is.  I mean Obama doesn't want significant reform of the structure of work in the US or work-life balance, he's no real interest, so far as I can tell, in a leftist welfare reform, or in generally tighter regulation in the market in general (banking's a bit of a special case right now).  He's a mainstream American liberal.  No more, no less.

Edit:  Plus his environmental policy is comparatively weak and his healthcare policy is roughly what the Republicans suggested in 94 and actually to the right of what Nixon offered Kennedy.  It's certainly not a thorough going social insurance model.

I'd say Obama as an individual is at least a Social Democrat.  If his administration's policies haven't borne that out so much, it's due to Democrat moderates in congress & not wanting to get waxed in the midterm & '12 elections.