UPDATED: On Social Spending, Conservatives ARE Liberal
by Paul Rosenberg, Thu Nov 11, 2004 at 05:45:12 AM EST
While the "liberal" brand name has been intensely demonized over the past few decades, liberal policies and ideas have maintained considerable appeal--even among self-identified conservatives. Here are a series of charts showing levels of support for national spending to address major problems or needs. While support drops off from left to right, the level of support among even extreme conservatives is such that only for welfare does a solid majority support cutting spending. "Welfare," too, has been demonized, as can be seen by the dramatically higher support for assistance to the poor.
All charts are based on data from the General Social Survey (GSS), 1992-2002. They run from extreme liberal on the left to ectreme conservative on the right. The dates were chosen to provide a large data set across the allegedly most conservative era since the GSS began, in 1972.
Let's start with the environment. Not a surprise, really. But an important reminder about a hegemonic liberal value, no? And just look at the levels of support:
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