Where ARE We as a Nation...

I certainly think it depends on what our economic times are as to where we are. When times are good people would rather vote for their "christian values" when they are bad they are more willing to give up certain beliefs to have better economic times. I think most realize that even though Republicans hold the "christian values" they are also smart enough to know that they don't balance the budget.

I agree that our views nationally probably fall more to the left of center than to the right and I also agree that many voters don't fit into one category or the other overall. I know that, personally, I never gave it much thought. I'm a registered Republican (for now) but I've never confined my votes to the Party and I believe what I believe regardless of where it falls or what someone else calls it. During this election the desire for change became synonymous with being a liberal but you can't paint people with such a broad brush.

For a long time, ThePaintGuru's comments were absolutely correct. Your democratic party upto Bill Clinton was close to Canada's Conservative Party (formerly Progressive Conservative Party). The U.S. Republican party was much further right than any party that we had in Canada. Even Canada's now defunct Reform Party wasn't as far right as your Republican Party was. Governments in Europe tend to be Center-Left to Left typically depending on the Nation. However, things over the last eight years have changed significantly. Although the rhetoric hasn't appeared to change, the actions of the Republican Party certainly have. The Republican led congress and the Bush Administration's spending like drunken sailors certainly isn't conservative, right-wing or even remotely responsible for that matter. The Bush Administration's turning a blind eye to illegal immigration and attempts to sanction amnesty for illegals are not conservative or right-wing policies at all. These policies are socialist and downright treasonous. The Bush Administration, the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department's economic policies and multiple (looks like continual) bailouts for corporations are the type of socialism that would make Josef Stalin proud. While the rhetoric coming from Barack Obama espouses a firm entrenchment into the left of center, it tends to be a wise measure to wait and see when it comes to politicians. After listening to President-Elect Obama's statements and watching his appointments since his election night win, it sounds and looks like Washington as usual to me.

As far as young adults go, you may be right, but I believe that when those same young adults have to start fending for themselves, they start leaning more to the right.

I would say we are center. Time after time we see this through elections, the people of the nation are probably somewhere around 1/4 left, 1/2 center, 1/4 right. Right now I think our government is center right. But with the Obama administration coming it it will change to center left.

Oddly enough I think the people are center right, but the polititions are center left. What I have found out in a non scientific way is that if you talk to people they tend to like to bill themselves closer to the left, but they don't like the "liberal" lable. But when you talk to them about individual issues they come down further right. It is a bit odd, because this makes them vote for a candidate who is on the left, but when you drill them down on a specific they are more closely aligned with candidates on the right. Also I agree with the point above about Bush spending like a drunk sailor, it would be nice to see some fiscal conservatism return to Washington, but there are very few there who are thinking about it.

Judging by where my friends and I stand we all fall to the left.

The media and the true democrats are far left. The people are confused, they are more to the right, but have been duped to believe that left is better. So what will happen is that during Obama's reign (we cannot use the term 'presidency' because he has already appointed pro abortion, pro same gender members to his candidate therefore not allowing any other voice and will appoint activist judges) is that many of the Americans will go back to the right of center or even farther right then they have been when they see it is not the wonderful term they thought it would be.

I think we are a center left country. I think you're right about the first time voters. The majority of them tend to be more liberal on the issues. Around here, there are many college students, and everyone says that is why most of the Republican incumbents were voted out of office.

Think we have now gone to atleast a center left if not full left with the Democrats gaining alot of the seats in both the house and the senate which is a really good think for all the artist and free thinkers in this country. I am Really Happy about the election so yeah. I am a Democrat though

You've put it all so well! I've always wondered why people become so strongly attracted to one side or another of every issue, when there's so much to be examined on every side. I could never follow a strict party line, because each candidate and each issue has its own value. Diversify and Coexist! It works!

I have to agree with another poster that the people are one and the politicians are another. I also think that many of the young voters are not necessarily following Obama's politics - they are caught up in the hype of his election, and have no idea just what his views are.

I would say that I agree we are mostly a center right nation, even though I wish this weren't true. I say this because I have read that stances we would consider liberal are though of as more centrist in other places like Europe, so our Democratic party would be more centrist in a world view. I think there is a trend in young voters toward voting liberal, but I'm not sure that it's a new trend, although the fact that so many have turned out to vote certainly is.

I think the parties have it all wrong. The media has it all wrong. America is a centerist country. As a majority we are fairly in the middle. Most people are a mix of both left and right depending on personal experience, upbringing, religion, ethnic background, age, education, and many other factors. There are a number of fun tests you can go take that will factor many different political stances and your personal opinions. They will ask questions in a variety of different ways with slightly different twists and the results are often surprising, though sometimes not. I took one recently that came out as follows: 90% Feminist 57.5% Conservative 42.5% Liberal 55% Social Liberal 45% Social Conservative 70% Fiscal Conservative 30% Fiscal Liberal I was fairly surprised by the outcome since most people consider me a liberal (I don't). I have always considered myself fairly closely aligned to fiscal conservative but didn't realize how closely.