Busting the myth of a liberal student majority
During this general election cycle, and the intense focus of Team Obama in getting the youth vote in swing states, results of a new survey may come as a complete surprise.
Contrary to popular mythology, college students do not self identify as significantly more liberal than conservative. That is one of the reasons we started College Insurrection, for the silenced conservatives and libertarians on campus whose voices are drowned out by liberal big mouths in the student body, faculty and administration.
A report from The Chronicle of Higher Education shows the student body actually shifting rightward on various issues, as reported in Accuracy in Academia (emphasis added).
- The proportion of students self-identifying as liberals is about the same as the group calling itself conservative (in the 25 percent range, plus or minus.);
- The “percentage of students who said there was a ‘very good chance’ that they would participate in student protests or demonstrations” was 6 percent in 2011, the year of the Occupiers (Occupying—Wall Street, Washington, their parents’ basement…);
- The percentage who felt that “a national health-care plan is needed to cover everybody’s medical” runs at 60.5 percent, down from a 30-year high of 77.6 percent in 1992;
- The percentage of students surveyed who believe that “abortion should be legal” stands, as of 2011, at 60.7 percent, down from a pre-Roe v. Wade high of 85.7 percent in 1970 and a post-Roe high of 67.2 percent in 1992;
Here is the chart from the Chronicle:
It seems that the Democrats may have their work cut out for them if Romney/Ryan can win over the plurality center.
Comments
This coincides with my own college experience. I was a music major (though a die-hard conservative thanks to my high school), and only a few of my fellows were actually actively/vocally left-wing in their beliefs/politics (only one of them was an avid Vagina Monologues reciter). Hell, I *convinced* two of them to vote for W in the ’04 presidential race–and they wouldn’t have voted otherwise.
College these days is very difficult: you’re around people who are either ignoramuses, indoctrinated or teachers professors to indoctrinate you.
It takes strength and character in such a setting to maintain your convictions. (And a few beers every now and then.)
Type above: the last line in the first paragraph should have read: “College these days is very difficult: you’re around people who are either ignoramuses, indoctrinated or teachers trying to indoctrinate you.”
(See what happens when you have too MANY beers?)
I am hopeful given the real life lessons of the last 4 years , this and the upcoming years of students wont be as suceptable to the nonsense of self serving Professors.
But how many liberals do you know who identify themselves as “moderate” or “middle of the road”? I’m guessing “quite a few.” So when 50% of the students say that, forgive me for thinking that not all of them are presenting their views accurately. I’m not calling them dishonest, mind you. Just ill-informed of what “moderate” is. Why should we trust self-reporting?
They probably mean “I don’t really follow politics enough to have formed an opinion.” But if you drilled them on specific issues, I imagine most would be left-of-center on social issues, and right-of-center on economic issues.
RedSweater has a point. I’ve known people who were (IMO) raving, lunatic, leftoid twits who, in all seriousness, truly believed that they were middle of the road, perhaps a little to the “left”.
I would hate to meet someone such a person thought was an extreme leftoid. Not without a shot gun and up to date rabies shots.