Comments on: ARIS’s ‘American Nones’ and Politics

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:53:07 +0000

I think it’s interesting that you make a point to say that the “nones” cannot be classified as liberals or democrats. While that is true, it is also quite evident from the data presented that the shift you were talking about in the first paragraph was from the Republican party to the Democratic party. So I would say the real take away is not the idependantness of the “nones” but the new (and apparantly growing) democraticness of the “nones”

By: NeuroLover

NeuroLover — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:16:37 +0000

I’m right exactly there with you, Revyloution.

By: RobL

RobL — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:01:28 +0000

I was talking to a reporter this morning about the findings, and suggested that perhaps the shift is due to the growing influence of the religious right on the Republican Party. American Nones didn’t feel welcome in the increasingly religious climate

No Shit. The GOP has committed religious suicide.

By: Miko

Miko — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:56:02 +0000

I recently found polling data that only ~40% of Americans can name the two ruling parties without prompting. I’ve found that this fact has profoundly changed my interpretation of results like these.

My theory is that most people develop a visceral hatred of one party or the other and then assume that they must be a member of the other party, without really knowing either party’s positions. From the sources we tend to read, secularists develop a hatred of the Republicans first, and a big chuck of us don’t study the issue enough to develop the corresponding hatred of the Democrats.

By: Jennifurret

Jennifurret — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:29:55 +0000

I begrudgingly call myself a Democrat when forced to classify myself, but always with the caveat that I don’t really like the Democratic party (one reason being I’m *more* liberal than they are). They’re just the lesser of two evils. I have a feeling many “nones” would agree with me…

By: Paul Fidalgo

Paul Fidalgo — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:10:10 +0000

Is there actual data for the political leanings of, specifically, atheists? I. Must. Have. That. Data.

By: TXatheist

TXatheist — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:27:38 +0000

Though I”m liberal I call myself Independent not a Democrat

By: Revyloution

Revyloution — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:16:33 +0000

There is nothing like a good anecdote to back up data:

I grew up reading Ayn Rand, and dissecting the lyrics of Neil Peart. The GOP was the obvious direction to throw my vote, as they supposedly stood for smaller government and greater individual freedoms. I’ve described myself through the years as a Republican, Libertarian and Objectivist.

I watched the party change from having the religious as a subset I disagreed with, to becoming an entire party I could no longer identify with.

I will continue to look for and support candidates that seek to protect our liberties. I just don’t see the GOP as filling that role any longer.

By: Montag

Montag — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:13:10 +0000

when you consider not much over 60% of the population votes, the largest potential ‘bloc’ are non-voters. for this analysis it would be interesting to know what percentage of nones actually vote.

By: jemand

jemand — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:01:54 +0000

also, what, the “nones” category doubled in that time? How much of the difference is in different new people joining vs. affiliated republicans leaving the party?