Where do most Polish-Americans identify on the political spectrum?

Working class and union member Poles in America vote Democratic. Since most Poles live in urban areas that are run by Democrats, they are no different than other ethnic groups who also vote for Democrats. Professional Pol-Ams vote Republican with a sliver voting Libertarian but younger and second generation Pol-Ams now split their vote between Dems and Repubs.

Of course, that's only what they think they are.

Maybe I'll call myself Polish from now on, just because...same logic.

Who is they, people putting it down on the census form? They know exactly what they are. I've heard people explain with detail who is who in their family and where they came from. It get's passed down.

Obviously most people do not forget where their family came from. Trying to cast doubt on self-identified Polish-Americans' ethnic origin is the height of stupidity.

Better to be who you are than try to be who your great-granny was.

there probably Democrats for economic reasons,however they are devout Catholics (or at least the older Generation) so their conservative for social reasons and more intolerant , I think Economics trumps social views,so their socially conservative democrats, kinda like the Auto-workers before machines and China replaced their jobs. I always thought Polish Americans were more working than middle class,my Polish great grandmother had no college degree,she was republican though. stupid republicans XD

Wow what a stupid off-topic statement. You really should read the rules of this forum before you make such inane posts. I suppose that like another bitter British expatriate, whose off topic posts may also be read above, you are claiming that Polish-Americans should deny their families' origins in Poland. Why do you want them to do this? I suspect it's because you don't want too many people proud of being Polish to come on to this forum so that you and your pathetic pals can post your patronizing Polonophobic garbage in peace. You shan't have it. Not for x-mas and not ever. Jihad Polonia!

This thread isn't about Polish people. It's about Americans. Poles in America do not have the vote unless they become citizens and the last generation to do that en-masse have mostly passed away.


More of the silliness we've quickly come to expect from you. Basing your identity of some relative who emigrated a century ago is no way of living in the present.

How do they know that they're Polish and not one of the multitude of ethnic minorities in Poland? We hear time and time again about how Poland was a multicultural paradise in times of past - and even the II RP had plenty of small minorities.

Imagine stepping off the boat in Ellis Island and being asked where you're from. You're a Lemko, but you're aware that they're not going to know what a Lemko is - and you certainly don't identify with the oppressors in Vienna - so you become Polish.

And let's not forget that there has been a huge amount of mixing in Poland - the wide variety of faces here can tell you this.


Jonny, don't you think that most Poles would beat the crap out of him if he went around saying things like "Jihad" in Poland?

Certainly not a popular concept in today's Catholic Poland!

Perhaps when they'd stopped laughing. It's amazing that there are people who describe themselves as Polish and as several posts in this thread imply, base their political and social identity on that while at the same time they are clueless as to how people think or behave in Poland.

It's as if some of those people resent the fact that it is a living, changing, dynamic country and not stuck in the pierog-eating days that their grandmother's stories were about.

I think you're actually bang on the money. If you look around online, there's quite a few of the Polonia talking about how disappointed they are in Poland, how it's not like the country that Busia came from from and so on. Usually it's accompanied with utterly misguided political views, too.

Poland is a horribly complicated place, and anyone trying to understand it from the warmth of California without even speaking the language, let alone living and breathing it is doomed to failure.

What are a couple of bitter British weirdos doing on this thread anyway? They are not speaking about Polish-Americans political leanings. This thread is about Polish-Americans but these fools won't even admit that they exist.


If you dont believe that Polish-Americans exist then you shouldn't be on this thread.

Exactly. How anyone can place themselves on a 'political spectrum' on the basis of a culture that they know very little about and wouldn't much like if they experienced it beggars belief.

Delph makes a good point! You have to live and experience the repercussions of political decisions here. Conventional spectral labelling isn't so clear cut.

This thread isn't about understanding Poland. It is about understanding the politics of people in America that are of Polish descent.


No, he makes an off-topic post and Seanus adds another off-topic post of encouragement for his fellow English teacher who is trashing yet another thread because of his bitterness about the existence of Polonia.

Off-topic? I was talking about the political spectrum and how you might not follow it as myself or my wife would, for example. It wasn't encouragement, it was agreement. I have no ill will towards Polonia, just realism about how complicated some aspects might be due to relative isolation.

It's actually a relevant point. What impact does having a tenuous connection to a foreign country have on political identity in a place very far (in every sense) from that country.

I think he was referring to delph, JM.

Very likely. Personally I think Delph has a very good point. As do I on the nature of political identity.

I think that posters from Britain that live in Poland are jealous. When you think about it is kinda funny.
There is no reason for them to be jealous of Pol-Ams.

Why would somebody be jealous of Pol-Ams? For what?

How so?

Jealous? A very odd word to use, I-S. I can't even begin to imagine what you mean.

I couldn't get it myself than eureka - they think that they have claim on explaining Polish circumstances.
When you think about that ! They make an effort of making themselves at home, learning the language and customs, they come to this forum ready to share their hard earn wisdom only to be contradicted and mocked by some American upstarts who contradict them on every turn.

Who are they (Brits ask themselves )? They haven't even been to the country don't know the language and so on .....Chicky foreigners!
And the war started :)


there you go!

I-S, just as I thought. Jealous is the wrong word. Besides, it's not a "claim". You make Poles out to be above the Jews ;) ;) ;) This is a forum where people can freely contribute their views, irrespective of position, provided they agree to adhere to certain rules. It's a matter of right, not of claim.

I reiterate for the umpteenth time, take people as you find them. I get on well with certain Polonia members as I don't discriminate. It's so easy for me not to do that and to strike chords. I just wonder how accurate some are with their political views and positions.

What word would you use then?


Yes, I should have said - certain Brits living in Poland.
I think claim is a good word to describe their standing on the issue.

Different, just different.

Why 'claim'? For me, delph describes realities better than many Poles who shroud themselves in a curious mystique without seeking to explain anything. Delph takes the bull by the horns and gets into the nitty gritty of things.

Exactly. And it's well worth mentioning that the thread title doesn't say which political spectrum; the politics of which country...

Somehow I've a feeling that the Pol-Ams here assume automatically it's US politics. and the politics of the US and the politics of Poland are a whole different paradigm.

It may well be that, JM. We should state that it should be Polish politics, just to be sure.

Well, exactly and he expect to be treated as an expert or at least an authority on the subject. Sometimes he overstep himself, for example politics are not his forte, and he is often flogging a death horse with his political preachings .

Personally I find some Pol-Ams and their sentiment to Poland or her culture charming. Most of them from those interested in Poland (not first generation in my experience though)are trying to share what they think could be good for Poland. They maybe wrong or right but they hold that sentiment probably out of respect for their ancestors and because history of Poland is history of strive for freedom,Polish cause ( pardon my French) is a noble cause.

No matter that nitty-gritty of everyday life in Poland nowadays are nothing to be cherished.

Certain Brits however take Poland as they come and they sentiment if any is connected with their every-day liefs which can be both rewording and frustrating.

Some clashes and misunderstanding between those groups are not a bad thing but some members are taking that to the extreme.
In my opinion it all come down to the characters of individuals in question.