A new Gallup poll shows a marked increase in the percentage of Americans who consider the Democratic Party's views as being "too liberal." The number rose from 39 to 46 percent.
Brian Darling, director of senate relations for The Heritage Foundation, interpreted the increase as an indication of the difference in people's perception before and after the presidential election.
"I think many perceive that the Obama administration is packed more to the left than President Obama campaigned for as president," he said.
Darling added that numbers also indicate Americans are generally unhappy with the nation's lawmakers.
"They don't like Congress," he said. "The American people are very dissatisfied with the direction of the country. I think's it's a bipartisan problem."
Tim Graham, director of media analysis for the Media Research Center, said people are starting to see the Democrats' real agenda.
"Now that the Democrats are in power and are trying to pass large bills through Congress," Graham said, "it shouldn't be surprising on some levels that people in the middle see that it's too extreme."
Darling also noted that values voters are watching how both parties handle important issues such as same-sex marriage.
"The American people are very much against (gay marriage). They've proven it at the ballot box on numerous occasions," he said. "The California initiative to declare that marriage is between a man and a woman was supported by a number of people that voted for Barack Obama for president."
The Gallup numbers show no change in the past year in the percentage of Americans who describe the Republican Party as "too conservative." The percentage of Americans who say the GOP leans too far to the right remains at 43 percent."
