Americans are Overwhelmingly Progressive

I'd like to take a moment and adress all the moderates.  Sorry conservative liberals, or whatever you are calling yourselves these days, but I'm not talking to you.  This is for those of you who advocate moderating our progressive values because "we are out of the mainstream" as the dangerous "leftists" that we are.

I used to be respectably apathetic about politics - one of those middle of the road guys, which was why I was so disturbed to pull my head out of the sand one day to see that I was actually closer to pinko lefty than red blooded centrist.  The entire political spectrum seemed to have shifted over night, yet someone forgot to remind me to set my clock back to 1953.  Over the past few years, I've had to listen to you moderate Democrats tell us progressives to wait for our turn in the spotlight; that it was going to take years to sway public opinion to our side and that in the meantime, we would just need to sit up straight and take what you dished out.

Well, I call bullshit; it's all a doggone sham.  Follow me below for the proof.

The political landscape never changed overnight, nor did it shift drastically to the right.  Bush and company used fear and propaganda to fleetingly marshall public opinion, but their sway was only temporary and a weak one at that.  

It just so happens that America is pretty darn progressive.

Well, here's the proof (with polls for your amusement):

IRAQ

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll. June 8-11, 2007.
"Do you think that the United States should maintain its current troop level in Iraq to help secure peace and stability, or should the United States reduce its number of troops?"

31% Maintain Troop Level
59% Reduce Troop Level
6% Depends/Some of Both (vol.)
4% Unsure  

IRAN

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. May 4-6, 2007.
"If the U.S. government decides to take military action in Iran, would you favor or oppose it?"

33% Favor
63% Oppose
4% Unsure

TERRORISM

Gallup Poll. June 11-14, 2006.
"Do you consider [see below] to be part of the war on terrorism which began on September 11, 2001, or do you consider it to be an entirely separate military action?"

The war in Iraq
43% Part Of Entirely
53% Separate
3%  Unsure  
The war in Afghanistan

65% Part of Entirely
32% Separate
3%  Unsure

HEALTHCARE

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. May 4-6, 2007.
"Do you think the government should provide a national health insurance program for all Americans, even if this would require higher taxes?"

64% Yes
35% No
2%  Unsure

GLOBAL WARMING

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. May 4-6, 2007.
"Which of the following statements comes closest to your view of global warming? Global warming is a proven fact and is mostly caused by emissions from cars and industrial facilities such as power plants and factories. Global warming is a proven fact and is mostly caused by natural changes that have nothing to do with emissions from cars and industrial facilities. Global warming is a theory that has not yet been proven."

54% Fact: Cars,Industry
20% Fact: Natural Changes
22% An Unproven Theory
4% Unsure  

TAXES

Gallup Poll. April 2-5, 2007.
"As I read off some different groups, please tell me if you think they are paying their fair share in federal taxes, paying too much, or paying too little. How about [see below]?"

"Lower-income people"  
34% Fair Share
45% Too Much
17% Too Little
4%  Unsure

"Middle-income people"  
44% Fair Share
47% Too Much
7%  Too Little
2%  Unsure

"Upper-income people"  
21% Fair Share
9%  Too Much
66% Too Little
4%  Unsure

"Corporations"  
19% Fair Share
5%  Too Much
71% Too Little
5%  Unsure

To summarize...

• Americans want to leave Iraq.
• We don't want to not attack Iran.
• We also want health insurance for every man woman and child.
• We realize that Iraq was a deviation from the true "WOT".
• We know that global warming is a fact.
• We want more of a progressive tax structure.
• And on and on and on...

AMERICANS ARE PROGRESSIVE.