On thisthread, US Dopers were asked where they stood politically. Unfortunately, the criteria was party based which meant that a person could be conservative but disagree with the Republicans, thus not really falling into a particular category.
I want to modify the poll to be based on the definitions associated with the issues listed on this site. Obviously there is a great deal of variation on the issues but if, for example, you consider the liberal view to more closely match your opinion, then you would say you are liberal for that issue. If you are liberal for 14 of the 18 issues you would then choose Slightly Liberal as your poll choice (take the more moderate option).
I know this is complicated but I think this will give a better read on where we all stand. I am also limiting this to US Dopers because:
That is the political basis that I understand, and
The majority of the members are US based
If you would like to tell us your response and what issues push you away from the extremes, I would love to know and hear your reasons. I am Conservative, opposing the conservative view on same-sex marriage and the war in Iraq.
There were maybe 4-5 where I came down on one side, another 4-5 where I came down on the other side, and then about the rest or so where I didn’t agree with either answer: I would say the answer was somewhere between the two.
But another thing is that I don’t like “the issues”. Not sure if it’s just dated, but gay marriage would make me more liberal (not on the list), legalization/decriminalization would make me more libertarian, etc.
Are you defining a “US doper” on citizenship, residence, or both? That is, is it:
(1) A US citizen
(2) A person residing in the US
(3) Either (1) or (2)
(4) Both (1) and (2)
There were four or five where I hated both answers. I suspect there may be more I dislike but I only skimmed them. I guess that happens whenever one compartmentalizes to come up with a number. I just like to complain.
Some of both, so I can’t vote given the above options.
I believe that the business of our government is to manage our infrastructure and commercial interests, but when it comes to individual matters that either don’t, or have little impact on others, the government should have a lot less to say about them.
I have and will continue to vote for members of both of the two main parties. I’ve occassionally voted for members of third parties, such as in our last Senatorial race when I was unwilling to vote for either Coleman or Franken.
Frankly, I view the Republicans and the Democrats as merely the two arms of the same monster.
I understand. Tried to find a better descriptor for the issues but nothing really worked.
I would put it more as, “Are you able to vote legally in US federal elections?” That will allow all the US Doper felons who can’t vote in state elections to participate.
Yeah, each one of the issues could be their own scaled poll but I don’t feel like turning the SDMB into Zogby.
By that table I’m pretty solidly 13-14/18 conservative, though I count myself more “Libertarian Conservative”. I’m with Chimera above, though, on viewing both actual major parties as pretty reprehensible. I actually found myself agreeing more with the stated “Conservative” stance on many of those than I do the Republican party’s actual stance on them.
The problem is that not all issues carry the same weight for all people. For me, personally, the issue of same-sex marriage carries tremendously more weight than gun control or the UN. So, though I theoretically agree with Conservatives on certain issues, I’d never vote for one of them . . . not that I’m very fond of many Liberals either.
I easily fall on the liberal side of 15 of those. School vouchers, I don’t know enough about to say one way or another. I’m ambivalent about gun control, and the economy one only described two extremes. I support a regulated free market, in which some services (police, education, health care, etc.) are provided by the government.
Strangely I fell ultra liberal on some, ultra conservative on others and I just didn’t care about a few of them.
Ultra Liberal:
Abolish the death penalty - So strange that the people who purport to have so little faith in government trust it to decide who lives and dies.
Immigration - I will admit my views are idiosyncratic. Build a stronger America by letting skilled people of all nations compete for jobs and offer them incentives to come to America.
Separation of Church and State and Gay Marriage - I am firmly libertarian on these issues in the sense that I prefer we follow the Constitution. It seems pretty clear on the former and the latter is just basic equal treatment and shouldn’t be so damn hard to accept.
Conservative:
Ultra free market believer - A far more democratic system than representative democracy.
Second Amendment - I like the Constitution, it seems to work, torturing it to make it say something other than it does is distasteful.
Taxes and Social Security - Lower the first and privatize the second.
Don’t really care about the war in Iraq or abortion.
I voted without reading the whole thread. I’m a “US Doper” but I’m a (legal) permanent resident, not a citizen, so I can’t vote in state or federal elections.
On issues where I was “in between” I gave half a point each way, but still ended up “Liberal.” I don’t know how many non-U.S.A. Dopers there are, but it’s too bad they can’t take the test and click “Non U.S.A.” Some think the U.S.A.-vs-Europe political gap is huge: Is it?
Many conservative points sound good but lose when you work through the details. School vouchers seem, at first glance, to be just the sort of market-based solution that I support. Unfortunately, when you work through the details, and realize the onerous legal obligations of today’s public schools, you’ll realize that Vouchers are just another way to divert funding from the underclass to the middle- and upper-class, and to exacerbate class divisions.
I didn’t vote. I tend more libertarian than anything else, but not radically so. I agreed 6 times with the conservative position as presented on that site, 3 times with the liberals and 9 times with neither.
