Are Republican voters really “conservative” in the culture wars sense of the word? Not really, suggests a poll from Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates, which you can find on MSNBC’s blog, First Read.
Among the more interesting findings:
On abortion
-Fifty-two percent believe abortions should be legal under certain circumstances.
On health care
-Fifty-one percent of Republicans agree that universal health care should be a right of all people. The moralists are also split on the issue.
On social welfare
-Half believe the government needs to provide a “helping hand” and safety net.
On gay rights
-Almost half of all Republicans favor gays serving openly in the military. Even four in 10 moralists think gays should be allowed to serve openly.
-Seventy-seven percent believe companies should not have the right to fire employees based on sexual orientation.
On global warming
-A third say the government isn’t doing enough on global warming.
On defense spending
-Fifty-five percent say the government is spending enough or too much on defense.
On God and politics
-Fifty-two percent believe public policy should not contradict God’s law, but moralists – who are overwhelmingly in favor of this — drive this number.
(Hat tip, Andrew Sullivan.)