# Making a map of dopers' political opinions **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2002, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968 "2002-12-15T22:53:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968/101 "2002-12-24T04:32:56Z")
1. Disagree, although negligent parents should have their children removed. 2. Disagree 3. Agree, in principal, although I’d be happier with a drastic reworking of the prison system, rather than closing “most” 4. Disagree 5. Disagree 6. Disagree, unless the loggers both replant and abide by exceeding strict limits and guidelines 7. Agree that we should abandon petrochemicals. Not ready to comitt to hydrogen. 8. Disagree 9. Agree 10. Agree, healthcare should be a guranteed human right 11. Historically agree (most of the time), but disagree that they’re incurably misogynist. 12. Disagree 13. Disagree 14. Disagree 15. Disagree. Both should be priorities. 16. Agree 17. Disagree. Gun safety should be taught. Real guns should be banned from school. 18. Disagree 19. Disagree 20. Agree 21. Agree as much as any honestly held opinion is valid. They still have to. 22. Agree 23. Disagree 24. Agree, but not in the strictes traditional sense 25. Disagree 26. Disagree 27. Disagree 28. Disagree 29. Agree, with large tweaks. 30. Agree, with slightly smaller tweaks. 31. Disagree, the tweaks are so large that we can no longer call it anarchy. 32. Agree, with large tweaks 33. Agree, but only when the people of the world choose it. 34. Disagree 35. Depends on the specific design. Also, athestic beauty is often irrelevant. Are the productive? Are they safe? 36. Disagree 37. Disagree 38. Define vandalism. Is war damage vandalism? Then disagree. 39. Disagree 40. Agree. They’ll find a way. 41. Disagree 42. Agree ---
**Author:** ![Qwertyasdfg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968/102 "2002-12-24T05:02:44Z")
I disagree with all statements **except** 1, 8, 10, 11, 22, 28, 29, 31, 33, and 41. Will you be sharing the compiled data with us? If so, when and where? ---
**Author:** ![cart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ec8ea/32.png) [@cart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cart)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968/103 "2002-12-24T12:01:33Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Hazel \* > \*\* Does the UK not have property taxes?_\* We have two taxes relating to property. Whether either corresponds to “property tax” as referred to in this thread, I don’t know. When you buy a house you must pay between 0% and 4% of its value in “stamp duty”. There is also “council tax”, which you pay regularly to your local authority. The amount varies according to location and the value of your house. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968/104 "2002-12-24T13:40:22Z")
Agree with 15, 22, 28, 33, 35, 40 43. Disagree with the rest. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968/105 "2002-12-24T13:41:23Z")
Oops, that’s 40 - 43. Serves me right for thinking this post was so simple there was no need to preview. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968/106 "2002-12-24T14:15:33Z")
I felt uncomfortable responding “agree” or “disagree” to many of these questions. But I tried anyway… 1. D 2. D 3. D 4. D 5. D 6. A 7. x 8. Interesting, but probably not 9. D 10. A 11. A 12. D 13. don’t know 14. D 15. NA due to wording or question 16. Reach out toward the stars - A before the earth is rendered unlivable - why is this part of the question? 17. D 18. D 19. D 20. D 21. what do you mean by “valid”? 22. don’t know - probably not 23. D 24. “heaven” - maybe; hell - no 25. what do you mean by “wrong”? 26. D 27. A 28. NA due to wording of question 29. D 30. A 31. D 32. D 33. don’t know - seems unlikely to happen 34. D 35. D 36. what is ANWR ? 37. question is too black or white 38. D 39. huh? 40. A 41. don’t know 42. not sure what this means ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968/107 "2002-12-24T17:20:55Z")
1. D 2. D 3. D 4. D 5. D 6. D 7. 8. D 9. D 10. A 11. 12. D 13. D 14. 15. 16. 17. D 18. D 19. D 20. 21. A 22. D 23. D 24. D 25. D 26. D 27. D 28. D 29. D 30. 31. D 32. D 33. D 34. D 35. 36. 37. D 38. D 39. A 40. A 41. 42. ---
**Author:** ![Splanky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@Splanky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Splanky)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968/108 "2002-12-24T20:06:24Z")
1. Disagree 2. Disagree 3. Disagree 4. Disagree 5. Disagree 6. Agree 7. Agree 8. Disagree 9. Agree 10. Agree 11. Agree 12. Agree 13. Disagree 14. Agree 15. Disagree 16. Disagree 17. Disagree 18. Agree 19. Disagree 20. Disagree 21. Disagree 22. Agree 23. Disagree 24. Disagree 25. Disagree 26. Agree 27. Agree 28. Disagree (If you are including police/military) 29. Disagree 30. Agree 31. disagree 32. Disagree 33. Disagree 34. Disagree (Not too much though) 35. Disagree 36. Disagree 37. Disagree 38. Agree 39. Agree (if you’re talking about solicitors and telemarketers) 40. Agree 41. Disagree 42. Agree ---
**Author:** ![Hazel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Hazel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazel)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968/109 "2002-12-24T21:24:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cart \* > \*\*We have two taxes relating to property. Whether either corresponds to “property tax” as referred to in this thread, I don’t know. > > When you buy a house you must pay between 0% and 4% of its value in “stamp duty”. > > There is also “council tax”, which you pay regularly to your local authority. The amount varies according to location and the value of your house. \*\* The council tax sounds to me like a property tax: a tax paid to govt based on the assessed value of the land plus "mprovements (“improvements” meaning anything that’s been built on the property, such as house, garage, driveway). ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968/110 "2002-12-24T21:40:29Z")
1. People shouldn’t automatically have the right to reproduce - Agree 2. Abolish private ownership of income-generating property - Disagree 3. Most prisons should be closed; give the inmates jobs and counseling - Agree 4. Armies should be replaced by lightly armed border guards - Disagree 5. Fortunes over a million dollars should be confiscated - Disagree 6. National forests should be offlimits to logging - Disagree 7. Move to a hydrogen economy - Disagree 8. People should be allowed to bill companies for time spent on hold - Disagree 9. Kids of convicts should receive mentoring, tutoring, scholarships, etc - Disagree 10. Low income seniors should get free drugs - Disagree 11. The world’s institutions are patriarchal (based on male authority) - Disagree 12. There is no such thing as “mental illness” - Disagree 13. There’s no need for a hierarchy of people having authority over others - Disagree 14. We are weakening our species by allowing defective specimens to survive - Agree 15. Spend $ on expansion (into space, oceans) not internal problems - Agree 16. Reach out toward the stars before the earth is rendered unlivable - Agree, as long as you are talking about colonizing space and not wasting money looking for planets to live on 17. Guns should be encouraged, and shooting skills should be taught in schools - Agree 18. Property tax should be abolished - Agree 19. Intellectual property laws hurt humanity as a whole - Disagree 20. I enjoy riding on public transportation - I don’t know, have never tried it 21. It’s valid to not want to work - Of course, I don’t want to work myself 22. God exists - Disagree 23. Homosexual behavior is a sin - Disagree 24. Heaven and Hell exist - Disagree 25. Underage drinking is wrong - Disagree 26. Prisons are too luxurious - make them do more hard labor - Agree 27. Affirmative Action is racist - Agree 28. There is no place for guns in a civilized society - Disagree 29. Communism has some promise with a few tweaks here and there - Disagree 30. Socialism has some promise with a few tweaks here and there - Disagree 31. Ararchism has some promise with a few tweaks here and there - Disagree 32. Libertarianism has some promise with a few tweaks here and there - Agree 33. There should be one world government - As long as I am in charge, yeah 34. The government shouldn’t mess with the market - Agree 35. Industrial development, oil rigs, highways, etc aren’t ugly - Agree 36. We should exploit energy reserves in the ANWR - Agree 37. No cause justifies violence - Disagree 38. No cause justifies vandalism - Disagree 39. We should all leave each other completely alone as much as possible - Agree 40. Limiting our individual freedoms will not stop terrorism - Disagree, but with the caveart I would not want my freedoms limited to that extent 41. Laisse-faire capitalism is the most efficient possible economic system - Agree 42. Society shouldn’t starve people into productivity - Disagree ---
**Author:** ![The\_Face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@The\_Face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Face)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2002, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968/111 "2002-12-25T13:13:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cart \* > \*\*It’s down to how the questions are worded. > > I think that most of the questions need re-wording to take away their ambiguity. Probably because you took them away from their contexts in the original thread, many of them have several possible meanings. This will spoil your results as different people will effectively be answering different questions. \*\* With above in mind I’m game.😃 1d 2d 3a 4d 5d 7d 8a 9d 10a 11a 12d 13d 14d 15a 16d 17a 18d 19a 20d 21d 22a 23? 24d 25? 26d 27a 28a 29D 30d 31d 32d 33a 34d 35a 36d 37d 38d 39d 40a 41a 42a 43a :smack: ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_Sparticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2002, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968/112 "2002-12-25T22:12:02Z")
I’ve got a problem with the methodology, and how far one is to play these things out. For example, the last one, Society shouldn’t starve people into productivity. Does that mean we should provide free food to lazy able bodied people? I’m going to assume that isn’t what you mean, but rather that we literally shouldn’t starve people if they are not productive as in taking away their food, such as rich retirees. So if something is 90% right, I’ll agree, or disagree, no absolutism. For the most part the questions are asinine. Disagree 1) People shouldn’t automatically have the right to reproduce Disagree 2) Abolish private ownership of income-generating property Disagree 3) Most prisons should be closed; give the inmates jobs and counseling Disagree 4) Armies should be replaced by lightly armed border guards Disagree 5) Fortunes over a million dollars should be confiscated Disagree 7) National forests should be offlimits to logging Don’t know8) Move to a hydrogen economy Agree 9) People should be allowed to bill companies for time spent on hold Disagree 10) Kids of convicts should receive mentoring, tutoring, scholarships, etc Agree 11) Low income seniors should get free drugs Agree 12) The world’s institutions are patriarchal (based on male authority) Disagree 13) There is no such thing as “mental illness” Disagree 14) There’s no need for a hierarchy of people having authority over others Disagree 15) We are weakening our species by allowing defective specimens to survive Disagree 16) Spend $ on expansion (into space, oceans) not internal problems Disagree 17) Reach out toward the stars before the earth is rendered unlivable Disagree 18) Guns should be encouraged, and shooting skills should be taught in schools Disagree 19) Property tax should be abolished Disagree 20) Intellectual property laws hurt humanity as a whole Disagree 21) I enjoy riding on public transportation Agree 22) It’s valid to not want to work Agree 23) God exists Decline to answer 24) Homosexual behavior is a sin Don’t know 25) Heaven and Hell exist Agree 26) Underage drinking is wrong Disagree 27) Prisons are too luxurious - make them do more hard labor Disagree 28) Affirmative Action is racist Disagree 29) There is no place for guns in a civilized society Disagree 30) Communism has some promise with a few tweaks here and there Disagree 31) Socialism has some promise with a few tweaks here and there Disagree 32) Ararchism has some promise with a few tweaks here and there Disagree 33) Libertarianism has some promise with a few tweaks here and there Disagree 34) There should be one world government Disagree 35) The government shouldn’t mess with the market Disagree 36) Industrial development, oil rigs, highways, etc aren’t ugly Disagree 37) We should exploit energy reserves in the ANWR Disagree 38) No cause justifies violence Disagree 39) No cause justifies vandalism Disagree 40) We should all leave each other completely alone as much as possible Agree 41) Limiting our individual freedoms will not stop terrorism Disagree 42) Laisse-faire capitalism is the most efficient possible economic system Agree 43) Society shouldn’t starve people into productivity ---
**Author:** ![Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c67d28/32.png) [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weird_AL_Einstein)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968/113 "2002-12-26T02:18:35Z")
1. People shouldn’t automatically have the right to reproduce Disagree 1. Abolish private ownership of income-generating property Disagree 1. Most prisons should be closed; give the inmates jobs and counseling Disagree 1. Armies should be replaced by lightly armed border guards Disagree 1. Fortunes over a million dollars should be confiscated Disagree 1. National forests should be offlimits to logging Disagree, although if the goal is to preserve the forests they should be sold to private interests. That way you avoid the tragedy of the commons. 1. Move to a hydrogen economy Too vague 1. People should be allowed to bill companies for time spent on hold Too vague. People can do that now, they just have no way of forcing companies to pay it. If they did, of course the companies just wouldn’t have those numbers anymore. 1. Kids of convicts should receive mentoring, tutoring, scholarships, etc Disagree. I assume you mean “at state expense”. 1. Low income seniors should get free drugs Disagree. By “free” I assume you mean paid for by the state. 1. The world’s institutions are patriarchal (based on male authority) Disagree, although in some nations, in the middle east say, obviously they are. 1. There is no such thing as “mental illness” Too vague. Define “mental illness”. 1. There’s no need for a hierarchy of people having authority over others Disagree, although technically I should say it’s too vague, as the verb “to need” is meaningless without the corresponding phrase “in order to”. 1. We are weakening our species by allowing defective specimens to survive Too vague. Define “weakening”. 1. Spend $ on expansion (into space, oceans) not internal problems Agree is what I am going to say, because I am firmly in favor of space exploration, although “internal problems” is again terribly vague. 1. Reach out toward the stars before the earth is rendered unlivable Agree. 1. Guns should be encouraged, and shooting skills should be taught in schools Agree, strongly. 1. Property tax should be abolished Disagree, it’s just about the only kind of tax that shouldn’t, though, IMO. 1. Intellectual property laws hurt humanity as a whole Disagree, strongly. 1. I enjoy riding on public transportation Disagree 1. It’s valid to not want to work Too vague. How do you mean “valid”? I think I would technically agree with this, but I am afraid an “agree” would imply that I also think it is “valid” to expect society to support me if I don’t. 1. God exists Don’t know. I am an agnostic. 1. Homosexual behavior is a sin Too vague, define “sin”. Note: I myself have nothing against whatever two consenting adults want to do in the privacy of their own homes. 1. Heaven and Hell exist Disagree. Technically I don’t know, and I should continue to be snotty and demand that you define your terms again ;), but going by what I understand them to mean, I very strongly doubt it. 1. Underage drinking is wrong Disagree 1. Prisons are too luxurious - make them do more hard labor Agree 1. Affirmative Action is racist Agree 1. There is no place for guns in a civilized society Disagree, very strongly. 1. Communism has some promise with a few tweaks here and there Disagree, very strongly 1. Socialism has some promise with a few tweaks here and there Disagree, very strongly 1. Ararchism has some promise with a few tweaks here and there Disagree, very strongly 1. Libertarianism has some promise with a few tweaks here and there Agree 1. There should be one world government Disagree. It could be a good thing in theory, but in practice I doubt it would be. 1. The government shouldn’t mess with the market Agree 1. Industrial development, oil rigs, highways, etc aren’t ugly Too vague. Some is, some isn’t. 1. We should exploit energy reserves in the ANWR Agree 1. No cause justifies violence Disagree, strongly 1. No cause justifies vandalism Disagree 1. We should all leave each other completely alone as much as possible Too vague 1. Limiting our individual freedoms will not stop terrorism Agree. Might slow it down a bit, though… 1. Laisse-faire capitalism is the most efficient possible economic system Agree, strongly. 1. Society shouldn’t starve people into productivity Too vague. It looks to me like a backdoor way of saying that society owes everyone a living. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-a-map-of-dopers-political-opinions/142968.md?page=5)