The difference between Canadian and US conservatives

[mijopo]

I encountered what I thought was a fascinating graphic this morning. A recent poll indicates that US Republicans as compared to Democrats and independents are far less likely to want a congressperson to be willing to compromise.  Republicans favoured a congressperson who'll stick to his/her guns over one that will compromise by a 2 to 1 margin.

Comments

[notforked]

Interesting and depressing.

[allhatnocattle]

...we'll continue to be governed by conservatives"

It is interesting that both Canada and USA have BOTH left and right parties. And we do elect both.

[warrioreowyn]

I don't think it has to do with religion so much as it has to do with the realm of the possible. Canadians, as a whole, are less conservative than Americans. Most Canadian conservatives realize - and Harper certainly does - that their party's electoral support would collapse if they tried to impose their views on the whole of Canada. They're willing to compromise because it's the only way to get into office and implement at least some of the policies they believe in.

In the US, there are still enough social conservatives for opposition to gay marriage to be a feasible, and even politically beneficial, position. In Canada, opposition to gay marriage is - on the party level - political suicide. There's simply no popular support for that position. If Canadian conservatives weren't willing to compromise, we'd have a Liberal majority government - and conservatives have the common sense to realize they don't want that.

[mijopo]

No, this is exactly what I'm disagreeing with. I think Canadians may very well be just as conservative if you were to poll them on their views. Gay marriage is a good example. Prior to gay marriage becoming legal in Canada, Canadians were evenly split on SSM, or slightly tilted against it, (see, for example, http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_maro.htm) In the US at present, there is stronger support for gay marriage than opposition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_opinion_of_same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_States#Polls_in_2011)

The difference is that Canadian conservatives are far less likely to freak out if their reps. compromise. It's not that Canadians are less conservative, they're just more flexible.