Obama & The Democratic Congress Have The Same Effect On Public Opinion As Nineteen 9-11 Terrorists

It sounds outrageous, but it's really not that much of a stretch. After the 9-11 attacks, many Americans changed their self-identification from "moderate" or "liberal" to "conservative." After the Bush years, that self-identification switched back to pre-9-11 levels.

One year into Obama's presidency, the same switchback has occurred. Americans started the year crowing about their moderate-to-liberal views. Now, they're more inclined to call themselves conservative.

When Obama took office, 37 percent of Americans identified themselves as moderate, 37 percent as conservative, and 22 percent, liberal. Now, 40 percent identify themselves as conservative, 36 as moderate, and 21 liberal, according to Rasmussen's latest poll.