I very strongly disagree with the majority opinion here.
Most people have no concept of ideological purity/consistency with regards to their own beliefs. On most issues, voters feel no pressure to conform with like-minded politicians/groups, even among those voters who actively identify with a specific political party. Even high-information voters tend to have an amalgamation of views from all over the political spectrum. If anything, I would argue that Atlas forum members are
less likely to hold heterodox views. The forum is full of frequent and ongoing debates about every sort of political issue - but it's also the platform for a very active social environment. This combination definitely causes a strong (albeit generally subconscious) pressure to consistently conform with the specific beliefs of other like-minded forum members.
To better understand the views of the US as a whole, take a look at something like
this (and break down results by political party) to see the not-insignificant portion of people who go against the grain on a given issue. Traditional opinion polls show the same thing, and the pattern is just as strong if you examine breakdowns by ideology rather than party. Typically, a fifth or more will disagree with their own group even on topics that are conventionally understood to be prominent wedge issues.
Here's a few specific examples that demonstrate my point:
32% of Republicans are pro-choice
27% of Republicans want to raise corporate taxs
15% of Republicans demand universities should be safe spaces that provide trigger warnings
33% of Republicans think labor unions are FF's
37% of Democrats support waterboarding
20% of Democrats oppose gun control
27% of Democrats like Confederate flags on government property
18% of Democrats endorse an Indiana-style Religious Freedom Act
See what I mean?
Poll
