Truly, we live in a center-right nation

[Human Snorenado]

http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/SunMo_poll_0209.pdf

Fun questions.  Same poll was conducted 30 years ago, looks like we're definitely drifting rightward!

    HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONS BETWEEN ADULTS

    1979
    Wrong: 62%
    Not Wrong: 25%

    2009
    Wrong: 41% (-21%)
    Not Wrong: 54% (+29%)

    SHOULD MARIJUANA USE BE LEGALIZED?

    1979
    Yes: 27%
    No: 69%

    2009
    Yes: 41% (+14%)
    No: 52% (-17%)

Oh, but here's a fun one.  You know how people want the big, bad inefficient govt.to stay out of healthcare?

    HEALTH INSURANCE:  PRIVATE ENTERPRISE VS. GOVERNMENT?

    1979
    Private Enterprise: 48%
    Government - All Problems: 28%
    Government - Emergencies: 12%
    Don't know: 12%

    2009
    Private Enterprise: 32% (-16%)
    Government - All Problems: 49% (+21%)
    Government - Emergencies: 10% (-2%)
    Don't know: 9% (-3%)

 

[Crushed]

those aren't real americans though

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

Where did they conduct this poll, San Francisco?

/thread

[Madrun Badrun]

Where did they conduct this poll, San Francisco?

 

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

Views on Abortion

Legal under any circumstances
1979 22%
2008 28%
Legal under certain circumstances
1979 54%
2008 54%
Illegal in all
1979 19%
2008 17%

so only a negligible amount of progressiveness has snuck into the abortion issue.  Keep in mind the question, not the rightness of it, but the legality of it.  We've become much more tolerant of gays, but abortion is still a touchy issue.

[TakingBackSunday]

Abortion will ALWAYS be a touchy issue, and its one that isn't exclusively contained in a left or right group of thinking.  I know many righters who are pro-choice, and visa versa with lefters.  It's just something thats so complicated and really just comes down to your conscious and what you truly believe.

[ToxicAdam]

It's probably no coincidence that our morality and common sense is descending at the same rate as our economic might.


just being a devils advocate here.

[FlameOfCallandor]

Legalize butt-sex and marijuana and make it easier to buy health insurance.

Win for everyone!!!

[Flannel Boy]

Views on Abortion

Legal under any circumstances
1979 22%
2008 28%
Legal under certain circumstances
1979 54%
2008 54%
Illegal in all
1979 19%
2008 17%

so only a negligible amount of progressiveness has snuck into the abortion issue.  Keep in mind the question, not the rightness of it, but the legality of it.  We've become much more tolerant of gays, but abortion is still a touchy issue.

"Legal under certain circumstances" is such a large, broad category: it can mean legal when the health of the mother is in danger, legal when the pregnancy results from rape or incest, or legal for all but late term-abortions. So, conceivably, very anti-choice individuals can choose that category as can very pro-choice individuals.

[tiesto]

It's probably no coincidence that our morality and common sense is descending at the same rate as our economic might.


just being a devils advocate here.

I'm guessing you're making a joke here... but I don't really get how more liberal attitudes toward pot usage and homosexuality have anything to do with the economy.

[The Fake Shemp]

41% are dumb potheads.

[Barry Egan]

It's probably no coincidence that our morality and common sense is descending at the same rate as our economic might.


just being a devils advocate here.

marijuana use and gay marriage aren't exactly the ethical staples that keep our society in order.  If our more rationally deduced moral positions started to falter you might have a point. These issues have nothing to do with common sense.

[Phoenix Dark]

It's probably no coincidence that our morality and common sense is descending at the same rate as our economic might.


just being a devils advocate here.

marijuana use and gay marriage aren't exactly the ethical staples that keep our society in order.  If our more rationally deduced moral positions started to falter you might have a point. These issues have nothing to do with common sense.

If that's true, how come every civilization or society that tolerates gay marriage has failed?

[ToxicAdam]

Actually, I didn't even realize the thread was specifically about homosexuality and drug use. I thought it was about the generalized trend toward liberalization that has existed since the 60's.

I have friends and coworkers that feel that the liberalized school system has caused much of the malaise we are in today.

[Barry Egan]

I have friends and coworkers that feel that the liberalized school system has caused much of the malaise we are in today.

On this point I totally, totally agree.

[Cheebs]

I don't even see how anyone would consider public schooling liberal. Is it because it's govt. funded or something? It's not like they teach the joys of abortion and gay marriage to kiddies.

[Rman]

Actually, I didn't even realize the thread was specifically about homosexuality and drug use. I thought it was about the generalized trend toward liberalization that has existed since the 60's.

I have friends and coworkers that feel that the liberalized school system has caused much of the malaise we are in today.

I would put the blame on lack of parental involvement. This is not a value judgment, but we live in a society where both parents work full time.  Gone are the days of the stay at home mom from the middle class perspective. 

Many parents just check out when their kids start going to school and expect schools to basically raise their kids. 

It's easy to just blame the schools and institutions in general instead of individuals.

[Barry Egan]

what makes public schools liberal is that they've been stripped of all the Dead White Men, who, while they may have been privileged enforcers of opression, nonetheless had things worth saying and thinking about.  Things that you don't get out of reading of a science textbook or in English classes where "everyone's opinion is equally right" and so nothing essential ever gets discussed.  

[Mandark]

Yeah, I've been saying it for years.  The country never really shifted right; a bunch of white southerners switched parties in the wake of the civil rights movement.

Kevin Phillips called it, yo.

[Barry Egan]

yeah, I was referring primarily to whats taught in public schools post-elementary and pre-university. 

[ToxicAdam]

I would put the blame on lack of parental involvement. This is not a value judgment, but we live in a society where both parents work full time.  Gone are the days of the stay at home mom from the middle class perspective. 

Many parents just check out when their kids start going to school and expect schools to basically raise their kids. 

It's easy to just blame the schools and institutions in general instead of individuals.

That's a great point.

I was listening to a TED talk the other day and a science teacher giving a lecture said, "If you want to know about the future of society .. talk to kindergarten teachers". That's too scary to contemplate, since I know a few (friends of my wife).

[clothedmacuser]

what makes public schools liberal is that they've been stripped of all the Dead White Men, who, while they may have been privileged enforcers of opression, nonetheless had things worth saying and thinking about.  Things that you don't get out of reading of a science textbook or in English classes where "everyone's opinion is equally right" and so nothing essential ever gets discussed.  

Calling public schools liberal is about as proven as the US being a center-right nation.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

I have friends and coworkers that feel that the liberalized school system has caused much of the malaise we are in today.

that's funny, I blame the shitty home schooling too many kids get for the troubles of today.

maybe its not a big thing in America, but here in Alaska, home schooling is HUGE.  And just about all those kids are generally fucked when they get out of their small pond.  I've personally known several home schooled kids who grew up into welfare adults/McDonalds employees/baby mommas.  But hey, at least they didn't have to learn about evil-lution.

[patrickula]

yeah, I was referring primarily to whats taught in public schools post-elementary and pre-university. 

I went to public schools, read and learned about a lot of dead white guys 

[brawndolicious]

History class hasn't really changed much.  It's always going to be filtered crap lobbied for by "patriots" because they never actually cover the really dark parts of national or state history.  Not until college level anyways.

The problem is with English classes where they basically stop teaching you how to actually write after elementary school.  It's a relatively new wave philosophy where you just give the student an hour and tell them to write about anything they like to encourage their creativity or some stupid shit.  Actually learning how to make a basic argument isn't really part of the curriculum anymore.

In general, it seems that elementary schools are tightening down their curriculum and getting a lot more efficient while the middle and high schools keep getting shittier.