Where are you?

[shu09]

I found the following link to be a very interesting breakdown of the current political climate in this country. I'm interested to find out where the regular contributors on this board feel they fall on this scale.


I view myself as a "Disguised Democrat" Independent.

Washington Post

 

[SPK145]

Did not fit comfortably into any of those stereotypes.

Most closely aligned with the Tea Party but not completely.

 

[Section112]

I fall across three areas and am not exclusive to any. The 3 areas are DIY Dems, Tea Party and Old School Repubs. I want smaller government and reasonable regulation. I am not opposed to Gay Marriage and do not want to pay for someone elses abortions. I believe strongly that life begins at conception but also believe that this issue is over discussed by the electorate on both sides. I do not think the GOP leadership is taking the party in the right direction and see the Dems in power as way too liberal. The constant crying the blues instead of trying to get something done is an abject failure of both parties. I am not opposed to raising taxes on the rich as long as everyone pays their fair share and that means everyone but currently the rich pay a significant share of the taxes. Its the ultrawealthy that seem to skate. I currently have a very high effective tax rate and I work my ass off and do not wish to part with my money any more than the next guy. I get no college aid and loose lots of the tax deductions due to my income level. I give a lot of money to charity - but to the charities I choose - I do not want the government choosing my charities. I do believe in helping the very poor and want folks to get back to work and wish more in goverment actually understood the business world which they do not. The deficit is a huge problem and I am tired of liberal economists saying we should pour more money down that hole - we are already very deep in debt and the more money the Fed prints the more devalued the dollar will get and the harder it will be to crawl out of the hole when interest rates go up. And the entitlement programs need to change and it will hurt but someone has to have the balls to tackle this issue. End of rant.


None of those fit very nicely into those buckets unfortunately. I would say I am conservative on financial issues and moderate to conservative on social issues.

 

[SPK145]

Not a rant but an EXCELLENT post!!!

You should run for Congress!!!

Democraps need to understand that entitlements need to be reformed so that they are sustainable. Repubilcants need to understand that the military budget (and actually it's entire mission) needs to be cut and restructured.

 

[Section112]

Amen Steve!

 

[SnakeTom]

Good find 09.



I'm a cross beteen Urban Liberal & Disguised Democrat. I'm definitely a liberal on most but not all social issues. I believe in protecting civil liberties & civil rights for all groups. I have mixed views on economic and foreign policy issues. I usually vote Democratic but not always. I never vote a straight ticket as I feel the competence of an individual over rides political philosophy most of the time. In recent years I have tended to vote Dem for national offices & GOP on local races.




Tom K

 

[Muggsy Blue]

Interesting read. I'm a little left of Urban Liberal.

 

[shu09]

I agree, Tom. I can kind of fit into the Urban Liberal category as well, but your point about a straight ticket is a good one. I've voted for my GOP congressman two times and the GOP senate candidate in 2008 since I became eligible to vote. Also voted for an Independent for Governor more as a protest vote but next time around I'll probably be voting for Christie. For that reason and my stance on some economic issues, I consider myself an Independent with a Democratic lean.

 

[donnie_baseball]

Kind of a stupid poll. "Agnostic left?"

I have to chuckle at the Urban Liberals. Wealthier, in favor of more taxes on the wealthy (and more likely to take advantage of tax loopholes and cheat to avoid paying). "Urban," but wouldn't be caught dead in an urban environment. "Urban," but keep them in their ghettos, if we have to throw more tax money at them to keep them quiet, then so be it.

Excellent points by 112. In near-total agreement.

 

[cernjSHU]

How are the Republicans for small government and personal freedoms? Seems to me the Republicans restrict personal freedoms for all except those who want to own assault weapons so they can open fire at a school or movie theatre.

Where is the freedom to play poker online? Where is the freedom for people to marry who they want to? Why do they want to have prayer in schools? Why do they want to outlaw abortion? This is a moral issue not a legal one. I understand the reasons that you think life begins at conception. However, if you do? Are you looking to place doctors and women in jail for breaking that law? That would be absolutely ridiculous. Hell, I still think Sodomy is criminalized in Georgia.

The Republican party of Goldwater has been hijacked by the religious right and now most recently the Tea Party.

 

[SPK145]

Well said cern, except for the part about abortion. If you believe life begins at conception like I do, how can abortion be a moral issue not a legal issue? It's illegal to kill another human. Aiding and abbetting such killing should also be illegal. If the argument is that it is a woman's body/health issue/right, why don't men have that same right? Shouldn't men be allowed to then stick their dicks wherever and whenever they want to? I mean, it's their body/health issue/right, correct? See how stupid that is?

 

[Merge]

Originally posted by SPK145:
Well said cern, except for the part about abortion. If you believe life begins at conception like I do, how can abortion be a moral issue not a legal issue? It's illegal to kill another human. Aiding and abbetting such killing should also be illegal. If the argument is that it is a woman's body/health issue/right, why don't men have that same right? Shouldn't men be allowed to then stick their dicks wherever and whenever they want to? I mean, it's their body/health issue/right, correct? See how stupid that is?

Poor analogy. Can you do with your sperm as you please?

I can certainly understand the arguments of yours that life begins at conception, and of those that suggest that life begins when that life is capable of surviving outside the womb.

A fertilized egg has the potential for life given the right environment. A single sperm has the potential to create life given that it can make it to an egg. An egg has the potential to create life if penetrated by a sperm.
None of them can become life on their own without the womb of the mother for a period of time.

Morals on that issue differ between people. I am personally against abortion, but I am not going to make that moral decision for someone else. Then again, I would be fine if we draw a line in the sand where we know that the baby can survive outside the womb and outlaw abortions beyond that point.

 

[SPK145]

Originally posted by Merge:

Poor analogy. Can you do with your sperm as you please?


A fertilized egg has the potential for life given the right environment. A single sperm has the potential to create life given that it can make it to an egg. An egg has the potential to create life if penetrated by a sperm.
None of them can become life on their own without the womb of the mother for a period of time.

Fair points. I should be able to do with my sperm what I please, no, if women can do whatever they want with their eggs. It takes two to tango and it is a conscience, elective choice for a man and a woman to have sex with the knowledge that it could end up in pregnancy even if proper precautions are taken, catholicity not withstanding. You then shouldn't get to end a human life, except in the case of rape and for the health of the mother. Personal responsibility, sorely lacking these days.

Originally posted by Merge:

Morals on that issue differ between people. I am personally against abortion, but I am not going to make that moral decision for someone else. Then again, I would be fine if we draw a line in the sand where we know that the baby can survive outside the womb and outlaw abortions beyond that point.

This isn't a morality play. Morality has been regulated and legalized for eons. I'm against rape, but should I not make that moral decision for others?

 

[cernjSHU]

How can u equate that with rape? Rape is not criminalizing immorality. It criminalizes a special type of aggravated assault. I think you can do whatever you want to with you penis, as long as you don't hurt anyone. When a woman miscarries, is that a death? Let's put it this way, many people differ on when life begins. Is a fetus viable? Is in just a bunch of cells etc. this is a moral issue and take it further, pragmatically, what happens to those who Violate the law. You really want doctors and woman to go to prison? Come on, this doesnt work.
Do you really want police and prosecutors to take time away from their jobs to investigate and prosecute doctors and women? And spk, you can violate your penis all you want. Clamp it, wank it, make it bleed for all I care. Lol.

 

[SPK145]

Originally posted by cernjSHU:
I think you can do whatever you want to with you penis, as long as you don't hurt anyone.

That's exactly why I am against abortion, you are hurting a living human.

 

[cernjSHU]

That is a subject up for debate whether a fetus is a living human. But, I notice you do not have any answers for what happens practically in the real world if you illegalize abortion. But at least we can agree that the Republicans that I thought of has really no resemblance to the Republicans of today.

 

[Section112]

Thought this opinion article was interesting and topical to this debate. You can agree or disagree but he makes some interesting points about the President.


I am appalled at the way the press now handles issues around abortion. It's become very unpopular to be Pro Life if you believe what you read in the press in the last few years. But in reality there are lots of reasonable, educated folks who are Pro Life.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80013.html