I was having a discussion with Kerry the other day and he said (paraphrasing) that the US is a center-right nation. I immediately concurred as I have been hearing this piece of conventional wisdom for 25+ years. But then I wondered.

The US has changed a great deal in my lifetime. I recall when the nation was waiting for its 200th million occupant. I believe the current population exceeds 300 million. So perhaps the conventional wisdom of the US being center-right has out-lived its usefulness.

But, if we assume for this discussion (though feel free to differ) that the US is a center-right nation I ask this question:

How come so many of its institutions are clearly populated with center-left (many would call themselves progressives) people. Here are a few examples -

1. The press, media, news organizations

2. The educators from K-12 and college/universities

3. The unions

4. The entertainment industry (except, perhaps sports): TV, Movies, books, music, etc.

5. Most main-stream religions (I'm limiting this to Christianity only because I am not qualified to discuss the make-up of other faiths). The religious-right is a favorite 'bad-guy' for progressives but most main-stream religions: Episcopalians, main-stream-protestants, Catholics (except for their teachings on sex), etc. It's actually a fairly small segment of the self-identified Christians who would ascribe to the values of what is called the religious-right. Most main-stream Christians are both taught and personally subscribe to beliefs that are much closer to the left than the right.

So. If this is a center-right nation what groups or organization have anywhere near the number of members of the above groups and espouse a center-right agenda?

Your interest in labels is consistent, to say the least.

Center-right in comparison to whom? Western Europe? East Asia?

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Really? How do you know that to be true?

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What is a "main stream Christian?" Your listing is somewhat vague and exclusive.

The US has no functioning Socialist party or Communist party. European nations have both. France has a pretty large Communist newspaper.
My experience in US education and unions is that neither are predominantly leftist as in Socialist or further left. Most educators and union members I know are capitalist.

Not sure I'd agree on your description of US religion. I know very few religious communists or socialists now even though many in the 19th century in the US would have called themselves Christian socialists. The Catholic church is pretty powerful and while it's general social policy on poverty and healthcare is not capitalist, it's hierarchy and sexual ethics are about as right wing as you can get.
I suppose the Catholic Worker Movement, liberal protestants and evangelicals who subscribe to Sojourners are typically liberal, but I know very few socialists and communists or anarchists amongst those groups.

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By their stated positions.

It's difficult to discuss matters without using words (labels).

If the discussion doesn't interest you then I suggest you bypass it.

Oh, the discussion interest me, since labels are as subjective as one may deem them objective.

For instance, as raised above, center-right of what/whom . . . Atilla the Hun?

From The Atlantic May 2011

Attila the Hun was very right-wing, even compared with other Huns, who were, as a rule, advocates of small government, school choice, and beheading. Attila first came to public attention when he issued his "Contract With Mongolia," which called for lower taxes, ending state subsidies for unfunded federal mandates, the pillaging of Scythia, and an end to collective bargaining. His decision to invade western Europe was motivated in part by a desire to dismantle the welfare state, and in part by a desire to rape government employees. Though Attila was in many respects a social conservative, he was also an advocate of postnatal abortion. After retiring from politics, he worked as an executive at Koch Industries, and appeared on Dancing With the Stars.

You are describing a much more extreme view of the left then I had in mind. Educators & union members run anywhere from 2/3 to 4/5 registered Democrat. I don't know why being a capitalist precludes one from being left.

As I said, setting aside the Catholic faith for the moment, the majority of US Christians belong to denominations whose stated views are in greater alignment with the left-wing as distinct from the right-wing policies; ie income-redistribution, the state taking on responsibilities for the 'down-trodden', etc.

Again, as is true of most of my posts I am interested in the comments much more then I am trying to get someone to view the world the way I do.

How would you define being left if not being opposed to capitalism? Most definitions of political lines I am familiar with would define left as beginning at socialist.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Actually if labels are entirely or even predominantly subjective they are of little use in a conversation whose purpose is information exchange.

The concepts center, left, right, etc. are not exotic nor hard to grasp. Kerry introduced the comment, I was familiar with it, I've asked about it.

Introducing facetious or statements of obvious ridicule doesn't enhance conversation either.

The question is simple. Given that it is common to state the US is a center-right nation why are so many of its institutions not also center-right?

Making fun of me or conventions of language doesn't further the conversation (though it might be entertaining).

Well the terms are very awkward I agree. I seldom use them. But in this nation (and I think elsewhere) there is a tendency to embrace both aspects of capitalism and aspects of income-redistribution.

It's fairly common (and has some validity) to state that people on the right are as much in favor as people on the left in income distribution, they just want different recipients of the redistributed wealth.

I, personally, tend to run more towards libertarianism but acknowledge that real-world solutions end up being an amalgam of many different perspectives.

In my limited world-view I tend to think of right-wing as equality of opportunity and left-wing as equality of outcome.

Center is the one that confounds most. For instance, at different times, would you not agree that certain people have been considered "centrist" merely because they were not on the extreme (really extreme) wings of their particular parties, yet they notably have courted or swung to such extremes?

As for conversation without wit, is a conversation that not many would enjoy, no? You could, of course, put me in your "Ignore" list, but think of all that you would be missing.

Wit may be enjoyable (though it often is caustic). I find (just me) that wit or 'cleverness' is often just a form of narcissism or passive-aggressive hostility. In no way am I saying you are doing this but I find humor is much better received AFTER the parties have established a basic understanding.

I completely agree the terms are very awkward. The entire conversation is just a continuation of a comment Kerry said that got me to wonder why so few of the nation's institutions (outside of the military or business) would be labelled center-right?

Regarding my hither-to-unknown 'Ignore List' I have not interacted with you enough to have formed any opinion but there are a couple of 'commenters' that I would gladly delete from my reading list.