Why is it Liberals with a conservative trait are considered Conservatives?

[Ksec]

What I mean are these new Freshmen Congresspeople coming in have mostly Lib traits but just maybe one or two conservative traits..and are considered Conservatives. Whereas guys like McCain or Guliani are considered Conservatives despite the Liberal tendencies..

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. Because Ronald Reagan made "Liberal" a label of profanity.

In a nutshell, "Liberal" bad, "Conservative" good.

[Straight Shooter]

2. They're being labeled by conservatives to preserve the illusion of conservative majority.

Nice try. No cigar, folks.

[Ian_rd]

5. I believe that's correct.

The hear-and-repeat media eagerly look to anyone willing to help them with advice on how to report things, and how to think for that matter, and the Ken Mehlmans and Karl Roves and Karen Hughes are always there to help them out with their unique insight into the American psyche. Not to mention the media bosses (read: Republican donors interested in larger profits and bigger mergers).

They are in damage control right now and are doing their best to tell people that they didn't actually vote for Democrats, but instead voted for untainted Republicans.

Sam Seder cracked me up completely when he likened what Fox News does to handing out teddy bears to its crying disillusioned audience. The latest media messages about how a bunch of "conservatives" were elected is just more teddy bears.

"Don't you cry now, bed-wetting end-timer freakshow, the mean ol' voters actually agree with you deep down inside. Hush now."

[SteppingRazor]

3. That's here on DU...

The opposite is true on the opposite pole. To hardcore Republican conservatives, all Democrats are liberals, and so are McCain and Giulianti.

[sui generis]

4. yah - the two worst things you can call someone here

are the "c" word :blush: I mean "conservative"

or accuse them of being a republican or freeper troll. So just like on the playground during a rumble between the kindergardeners and the pre-schoolers, the fur and names and diapers will fly.

I have thrown a few poopy diaper-bombs myself, and can't promise I won't do it again. :P

[Warpy]

6. I suggest people check out a searchable database

of how these folks actually vote. http://www.progressivepunch.org/ is a well organized site that gives information by issue on both sides of the aisle. It also supplies a progressive percentage rating on each.

I tend to tune out the rhetoric and look at what they DO.