Straight Dope Message Board Political Survey

In My Humble Opinion
41

I’m bored, so why not.

What do you identify yourself politically as?:
Centrist.
What political party in the United States do you identify with the most?:
Democratic. Have voted for Republicans in the past, but they’ve been off the deep end for a while now.
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being “He should be impeached” and 10 being “One of the best Presidents” how would you rate President Barack Obama of the USA so far?:
7, pushing towards 8.
What country other then your home country do you favour the most?:
England
Do you support the US/NATO Military Operations in Iraq?:
No. We should be out tomorrow.
Do you support the US and Coalition Military Operation in Afghanistan?:
Yes
Do you support any sort of intervention in Darfur (Military, humanitaritan, etc,)?
Yes, I think we have a moral obligation as a superpower to prevent genocide.
What should be done with North Korea on the current nuclear crisis?:
I’m ok with the existing strategy. Seems like the least bad option.
What is your opinion of the Dokdo dispute between the Republic of Korea and the Empire of Japan?:
Don’t know, don’t care, can’t imagine why this question is on the list.
What is your opinion of NATO and should it expand across Europe?:
No strong opinion.
What should be done about Zimbabwe?:
Nothing, not our business
What should be done about the Mexican Drug Wars and should the US and other countries intervene?:
Marijuana should be legalized immediately. We should not interfere in Mexico’s business wrt drug policy.
Do you support the military actions against pirates in Somalia and do you think more action should be taken?:
Yes & yes
Should there be Universal Health Care or if there is in your nation do you support it?:
Yes, it is an embarrassment that the US doesn’t have UHC.
How should taxes be organized?:
Status quo is fine with me.
How should the recession be ended?
Continued gov’t stimulus to ease the pain and nudge things in the right direction until the economy turns around
Do you support the US Government’s Economic Stimulus Plan?:
Sure
Should the automobile companies be bailed out by the US government?:
Probably not.
Is the minimum wage sufficent or not?:
It’s slightly too low. We should probably set the minimum wage so that 40 hours will allow a worker to reach the poverty line.
Do you support NAFTA?:
Yes.
Do you support abortion and what restrictions should be placed on it?:
Safe, legal, and rare is exactly the right approach.
Do you support gay marriage or civil unions or domestic partnerships?:
Gay marriage. Think it’s a travesty that we don’t allow it.
Do you think Creationism or Intelligent Design should or should not be taught in school?:
Evolution only.
Do you think broadcasting, publishing etc. should be regulated for violence, profanity, sexuality etc.?:
No.
How do you think birth control should be regulated?:
Only in the sense that all drugs are regulated for safety. Certainly no restrictions on obtaining birth control. Moreover, pharmacists should not be allowed to refuse to dispense any legal drug on moral grounds.
Do you support prayer in schools and if so how much (voluntary or required?)
No (and for the record, I am a Christian)
What is your opinion of capital punishment and which crimes should it be applied to?:
Opposed on moral and practical grounds
How much should firearms and other weapons be regulated?:
Concealed carry should not be allowed, ever, anywhere. Gun ownership should be allowed and generally unrestricted but there should be minimal safety knowledge & competency restrictions in the form of a license, similar to driving.
How should drugs be regulated?:
Marijuana should be legal. The rest of the drugs we have about right, although the penalties for possession of small amounts are probably too high.
Was the United States right in going to war against the secessionist Confederate States in the Civil War?:
Of course
Was the United States justified on dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima?:
Probably. I won’t second guess those that had to make that decision.
Was colonialism or at least parts of it justified?:
Question is too vague to give an answer to
Was the American Revolution justified?:
Yes

42

General:

What do you identify yourself politically as?:

Moderate conservative.

What political party in the United States do you identify with the most?:

Republican Party

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being “He should be impeached” and 10 being “One of the best Presidents” how would you rate President Barack Obama of the USA so far?:

Well, it has only been seven months or so. Based on his performance to date, 4. If he goes on as he has begun, this may be his high water mark as far as I am concerned.

What country other then your home country do you favour the most?:

Canada.

Foreign Policy

Do you support the US/NATO Military Operations in Iraq?:

Yes.

Do you support the US and Coalition Military Operation in Afghanistan?:

Yes

Do you support any sort of intervention in Darfur (Military, humanitaritan, etc,)?:

Humanitarian, maybe - the place is a shit hole and no amount of money is going to do anything long-term.

**What should be done with North Korea on the current nuclear crisis?:
**

Wait for Glorious Leader to die. See if his successor might be slightly less insane.

**What is your opinion of the Dokdo dispute between the Republic of Korea and the Empire of Japan?:
**
Not enough information to form an opinion. Have you considered starting a GD thread about this?

**What is your opinion of NATO and should it expand across Europe?:
**

As long as we define what we want to achieve by its expansion, sure, if we believe it will further those goals. But not for its own sake.

**What should be done about Zimbabwe?:
**

See my “Darfur is a shit hole” above. Same here - Mugabe is the biggest turd in that shit hole, but in general, Africa is not our problem.

**What should be done about the Mexican Drug Wars and should the US and other countries intervene?:
**
No, we shouldn’t intervene. Treat it as a law enforcement issue - treat it as such.

Marijuana and other soft drugs should be legal. This will not solve many problems, regardless of what the hemp advocates would have us believe.
Do you support the military actions against pirates in Somalia and do you think more action should be taken?:

Yes. Kill them all and let God sort them out. They can have a nasty shit hole of a country if that is the best they can do. If they interfere with US and/or Western interests, they should feed the fishes.

**
Economy**

Should there be Universal Health Care or if there is in your nation do you support it?:

Depends on how much it costs and how it is implemented. Unfortunately, nothing sensible has any chance of passage. Obamacare does not fall anywhere close to “sensible”.

**How should taxes be organized?:

**

Fewer deductions, flatter taxes. A balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. A line-item veto for the President. Zero-based budgeting.
How should the recession be ended?

Cancel the stimulus package. There is light at the end of the tunnel - let’s see if we can come out of a recession with a trillion dollars less in debt that has to be repaid.

Do you support the US Government’s Economic Stimulus Plan?:

FUCK NO.

Should the automobile companies be bailed out by the US government?:

No.

**Is the minimum wage sufficent or not?:
**

Any minimum wage over $0.00 is too high. There should be no minimum wage.

Do you support NAFTA?:

Yes. Free trade is nearly always good for everyone.

Social/Moral

Do you support abortion and what restrictions should be placed on it?:

No abortions in the third trimester. No abortions for minors without consent of the custodial parent. Roe v. Wade should be overturned as an egregious example of judicial activism and overreach. The Constitution expressly states that the federal government has no powers not explicitly granted to it by the Constitution, and the power to regulate abortion is not so granted.

Do you support gay marriage or civil unions or domestic partnerships?:

Call it whatever you like. As long as it is properly created (by the people, not by judicial activism) there should be an institution with the same rights and duties for gay partnerships as for heterosexual ones.

Do you think Creationism or Intelligent Design should or should not be taught in school?:

I have always thought that contrasting the mountains of evidence in favor of evolutionary theory with the absence of evidence for creationism would be a good introduction to evolutionary science.

Do you think broadcasting, publishing etc. should be regulated for violence, profanity, sexuality etc.?:

To the extent that people can live a normal life without having pornography, especially violent pornography, forced to their attention.

My definition of pornography is “the sympathetic depiction of sex as an expression of anger”. This should be outlawed.

Mere nudity or the depiction of sexual acts is not the same thing. As above, as long as people can opt out, I don’t worry about it.

How do you think birth control should be regulated?:

No BC for minors without the permission of the custodial parent. No one should be forced to dispense abortifacient drugs against their will.

Do you support prayer in schools and if so how much (voluntary or required?):
Voluntary, as long as it is not disruptive. Never required. Students may opt out of repeating the “under God” clause of the Pledge.

What is your opinion of capital punishment and which crimes should it be applied to?:

Favor it in all cases of murder, attempted murder, rape involving violence or a weapon, treason, and in cases where a person who has caused a death thru drunk driving is subsequently convicted of another DUI.

**How much should firearms and other weapons be regulated?:
**
To the extent that it does not conflict with the Second Amendment.

How should drugs be regulated?:

See above. Soft drugs like marijuana, hashish, mushrooms - totally legal. Hard drugs like heroin and cocaine - same as present.

**History
**
**Was the United States right in going to war against the secessionist Confederate States in the Civil War?:
**
Yes - race slavery was the systematic attempt to deprive Americans of their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. No State can secede in furtherance of an attempt to continue to do this, since it is unwillingly imposed on Americans.

**Was the United States justified on dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima?:
**

Yes. Japan started a war of aggression. At a terrible cost in blood and treasure, they were forced back, and given a chance honorably to surrender. They chose not to avail themselves of that chance. The alternative, an invasion of mainland Japan, would have killed far more Japanese and Americans than died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Deal.
Was colonialism or at least parts of it justified?:

Yes. The process of de-colonialisation should have taken twenty or thirty years instead of five or six. See South Africa and the transition away from apartheid for an example of how it might have been done better.

**Was the American Revolution justified?:
**
I don’t know. Overall, America has been a major force for good in the world. If that had been possible without war, so much the better.

Regards,
Shodan

43

What do you identify yourself politically as?
Left of Democrat

**What political party in the United States do you identify with the most? **
Democratic, for lack of anything better

**On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being “He should be impeached” and 10 being "One of the best
7

What country other then your home country do you favour the most?:
New Zealand seems pretty cool, but I’m not all that knowledgeable, really

Do you support the US/NATO Military Operations in Iraq?:
Absolutely not

Do you support the US and Coalition Military Operation in Afghanistan?:
Tough one. I’m lukewarm to it, I guess.

Do you support any sort of intervention in Darfur (Military, humanitaritan, etc,)?
Not military, but any pressure we can bring to bear would, I think, be a good thing.

What should be done with North Korea on the current nuclear crisis?:
Nothing.

What is your opinion of the Dokdo dispute between the Republic of Korea and the Empire of Japan?:
Never heard of it.

What is your opinion of NATO and should it expand across Europe?:
Expanding it’s okay with me.

What should be done about Zimbabwe?:
I don’t know. Same for Myanmar.

What should be done about the Mexican Drug Wars and should the US and other countries intervene?:
Legalize the drugs, tax them to just below the point where a black market is viable.

Do you support the military actions against pirates in Somalia and do you think more action should be taken?:
Yeah, blow them out of the water.

Should there be Universal Health Care or if there is in your nation do you support it?:
Universal health care should be free, or damn close, from birth to death

How should taxes be organized?:
I think Obama’s got the right idea wanting to get at the rich. Don’t bother with corporations, as that gets passed through to us. CEOs making 10 million a year should be taxed at 95%.

How should the recession be ended?
I don’t know. I’m pretty sure it’ll end of its own accord eventually, though.

Do you support the US Government’s Economic Stimulus Plan?:
Yes

Should the automobile companies be bailed out by the US government?:
Yes, but with a heavy hand on their shoulders

Is the minimum wage sufficent or not?:
Never has been, never will be.

Do you support NAFTA?:
No.

Do you support abortion and what restrictions should be placed on it?:
I think abortion is an unfortunate thing, and I don’t support it. But I think the government has no business legislating about it.

Do you support gay marriage or civil unions or domestic partnerships?:
I support same sex marriage.

Do you think Creationism or Intelligent Design should or should not be taught in school?:
Under no circumstances.

Do you think broadcasting, publishing etc. should be regulated for violence, profanity, sexuality etc.?:
No.

How do you think birth control should be regulated?:
Not at all.

Do you support prayer in schools and if so how much (voluntary or required?)
People can pray all they want, voluntarily. Leave me and mine out of it, though.

What is your opinion of capital punishment and which crimes should it be applied to?:
I oppose the death penalty. I support a lifetime of boredom in the joint for certain offenses.

How much should firearms and other weapons be regulated?:
No clue.

How should drugs be regulated?:
Marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, not at all. Antibiotics, I’d like to see a way to see them not be over-prescribed. What drug do you have in mind?

Was the United States right in going to war against the secessionist Confederate States in the Civil War?:
Damn straight.

Was the United States justified on dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima?:
Yes. They were nasty bastards, and we’ve gotten almost 65 years without having another one dropped because we know what a little one can do, and now we have big ones.

Was colonialism or at least parts of it justified?:
Depends who you are, I guess. As a white American, I guess I’d say sometimes, since I got a home out of it. Mostly it was pretty evil, though, I think. Too complex a question for my tiny brain.

Was the American Revolution justified?:
Yes. Most revolutions are; too bad most of them end up so badly.

44

Way too many questions.

45

So basically a Nietschze-like society, eh? You somehow think that’s a utopia? Yes infanticide did exist in the past but who the fuck cares? There are a whole bunch of thing in the past that we don’t practice to-day: slavery, human sacrifice, racism, etc. Also your incredible desrespect for the sanctity of life disgusts me.

46

Well, you asked, dude.

47

Oh, why not.

What do you identify yourself politically as?

Amorphously liberal-left on average ( by U.S. standards ).

What political party in the United States do you identify with the most?

None of them, I’m not a joiner. But in practical terms I usually end up voting Democrat.

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being “He should be impeached” and 10 being “One of the best Presidents” how would you rate President Barack Obama of the USA so far?

Eh. 6, maybe.

What country other then your home country do you favour the most?

I have no such attachments.

Do you support the US/NATO Military Operations in Iraq?

It was an idiotic idea, based on the flimsiest of evidence, the most unrealistic of ideals and the piss-poorest of planning. That said, as I noted at the time, I was an “in for a dime, in for a dollar” sort - if you’re going to do it, do it right. But since the U.S. has never really committed more than ~$.13 of what is necessary IMO, it may be getting near time to cut our losses.

Do you support the US and Coalition Military Operation in Afghanistan?

I did. I provisionally do. But, again, weak implementation is not firing me with great enthusiasm.

Do you support any sort of intervention in Darfur (Military, humanitarian, etc,)?

Political and economic pressure. But realistically Darfur is probably beyond the capability of the U.S. to attend to in any more aggressive way.

**What should be done with North Korea on the current nuclear crisis?
**

Sanctions and negotiations.

**What is your opinion of the Dokdo dispute between the Republic of Korea and the Empire of Japan?
**

Largely worthless rocks that neither should be investing that much time or effort into. One of them should just surrender them as a gesture of good faith ( and in the interest of getting rid of worthless rocks ). As with the Falkland islands.

**What is your opinion of NATO and should it expand across Europe?
**

It served its purpose and perhaps still has some residual value. But it is getting long in the tooth and a bit obsolescent.

**What should be done about Zimbabwe?
**

See Darfur. Landlocked areas in Africa are problematic ( to put it mildly ) in terms of any direct intervention.

**What should be done about the Mexican Drug Wars and should the US and other countries intervene?
**

Intervene in Mexico? Not without a request from the government. Otherwise a sharing of intel and other forms of law enforcement cooperation ( including joint operations where and when feasible ) is about it.

Do you support the military actions against pirates in Somalia and do you think more action should be taken?

Yes, with caveats. Again, it is a resource issue. Patrols at chokepoints are reasonable, but there is nothing much worth striking at in Somalia ( in terms of a target that will dissuade pirates ) and too much ocean space to cover.

Should there be Universal Health Care?

Yes.

**How should taxes be organized?
**

The current system is adequate in the broad strokes, but rates could always be adjusted ( and somebody needs to make a permanent fix to the Alternative Minimum Tax ).

How should the recession be ended?

Not qualified to answer.

Do you support the US Government’s Economic Stimulus Plan?

Depends on which economist I listened to last and how articulate they were. Given the verrryyyy wiiiiide range of ( seemingly ) genuinely expert opinion, I’m gonna go with “this is somewhat uncharted territory”, at least in terms of the size and immediate particulars.

Should the automobile companies be bailed out by the US government?

Dunno. I get the arguments, but maybe the weakest of them at least should have been allowed to go under. American cars are apparently improving, but they’re still running behind and I still won’t buy them.

**Is the minimum wage sufficent or not?
**

Depends on the area. I support the concept in general.

Do you support NAFTA?

Ambivalent. I support it in theory, I suppose.

Do you support abortion and what restrictions should be placed on it?

Yes. I’m comfortable with a compromise restriction on third trimester abortions, with exceptions for health or other extenuating circumstances.

Do you support gay marriage or civil unions or domestic partnerships?

Absolutely.

Do you think Creationism or Intelligent Design should or should not be taught in school?

No. That is, it should not.

Do you think broadcasting, publishing etc. should be regulated for violence, profanity, sexuality etc.?

Very lightly, if at all.

How do you think birth control should be regulated?

As with any other non-otc medication.

Do you support prayer in schools and if so how much (voluntary or required?)

I’m tolerant of voluntary prayer, but never on class time ( i.e. pray during your lunch hour if the need compels you ).

**
What is your opinion of capital punishment and which crimes should it be applied to?**

Philosophically accepting ( I have no problem with the concept of taking a life in the abstract ), but de facto opposed. I’m of the “even one innocent life lost, is one too many” school. Nor do I accept the “you’re saving more lives on average by executing killers” argument ( philosophically, that is ).

**How much should firearms and other weapons be regulated?
**

Current regulations are mostly adequate on average. Make me weapons czar and I’d probably tweak laws here or there to make it both more or less restrictive in certain particulars. But for better or worse the U.S. isn’t the UK and never will be - legal small arms are always going to be part of this society.

How should drugs be regulated?

I’m loosely pro-FDA, despite the costs. As to illegal substances, I’m pro-legalization on weed, uncertain on others ( but lean towards the libertarian on most ).

**Was the United States right in going to war against the secessionist Confederate States in the Civil War?
**

Legally? It’s technically arguable, but that argument is pretty much settled at this point. To steal an analogy, the U.S. is like a roach motel - once you check in, you can never check out ( barring overwhelming consensus and much jumping through hoops ).

Morally? Yes.

**Was the United States justified on dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima?
**

By the then current standards of warfare, yes. Today, I wouldn’t condone it.

Was colonialism or at least parts of it justified?

Nope. Not even a little bit.

Understandable, probably inevitable, yes. Justified, no. I’m firmly of the opinion the evils far outweighed any good.

**Was the American Revolution justified?
**

I can argue this one either way. Just to be contrary today, I’ll say no ;).

It was mostly the whining of overprivileged elites, spoiled by an era of benign neglect, chafing at paying for even a minimal amount of the cost to protect them. This when folks in England were being crushed by far heavier taxes. Ungrateful bunch of crybabies if you ask me :p.

48

I’m not just talking about overt violence, but also the forces at work that proliferate poverty and a lack of equal opportunities. It’s not so much what we do to one another but what we don’t.

The further out you get from one’s immediate family and community, the more indifference (or perhaps helplessness) there seems to be. I’d argue that this is just part of our natures and not some conscious evil, but on the other hand that’s why I’d like to see our very natures changed into something like the Borg, i.e. lacking that sense of self-concern which has done us well getting us this far in evolution but may turn out counter-productive in the future.

I’m not sure what Nietzsche is about aside from existentialist ennui, so I can’t answer that.

It’s not a matter of past versus present, but of maximum efficiency in pursuit of some certain goal – usually “betterment of the species”, whatever you take that to be. The Nazis believed racial purity to be the best path, but we have for the most part discarded that as irrelevant. I believe it we should aim for an ability-based meritocracy that does not overly coddle the weak. It would indeed incorporate slavery and human sacrifice, resulting in the surrender of most if not all social freedoms and, eventually, the human will itself.

My disrespect for the sanctity of life disgusts me too, but I don’t have to like a belief to subscribe to it. If I could create worlds out of thin air and not have to worry about what I perceive to be the laws of nature and animals, we’d all be teletubbies dancing around an eternal field of carebears. But I don’t think our nature really allows that, so in the meatime I’d rather dream about more practical possibilities.

49

Didn’t read this one correctly. I support full marriage rights, without exception.

50

What do you identify yourself politically as: Liberal

What political party in the United States do you identify with the most?: Democrat

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being “He should be impeached” and 10 being “One of the best Presidents” how would you rate President Barack Obama of the USA so far?: 7

**What country other then your home country do you favour the most?: ** Canada

Foreign Policy

Do you support the US/NATO Military Operations in Iraq?: Should not have gone in. Now that we’re there we should stay but not a minute longer than necessary.

Do you support the US and Coalition Military Operation in Afghanistan?: Supported action from the outset. Same as above.

**Do you support any sort of intervention in Darfur (Military, humanitaritan, etc,)?:**No.

What should be done with North Korea on the current nuclear crisis?: Nothing. He’s an attention whore. Treat him that way. Affirm support for South Korea.

What is your opinion of the Dokdo dispute between the Republic of Korea and the Empire of Japan?: Not familiar.

What is your opinion of NATO and should it expand across Europe?: Good; yes.
**
What should be done about Zimbabwe?:** Not familiar.

**What should be done about the Mexican Drug Wars and should the US and other countries intervene?:**None; no.

Do you support the military actions against pirates in Somalia and do you think more action should be taken?: To secure US shipping interests, yes.
Economy

Should there be Universal Health Care or if there is in your nation do you support it?: Yes.

How should taxes be organized?: Progressive taxation.

How should the recession be ended? Anyone who knew the answer to this should get the Nobel.

Do you support the US Government’s Economic Stimulus Plan?: Meh. I believe it has helped the economy, yet hasn’t had nearly the positive effect on unemployment that I had hoped for.

Should the automobile companies be bailed out by the US government?: Given proper reorganization, I don’t think it was a bad idea.

**Is the minimum wage sufficent or not?:**National wage, no. WA has a much higher minimum wage and it is sufficient.

Do you support NAFTA?: Not as familiar with NAFTA as I should be.

Social/Moral

Do you support abortion and what restrictions should be placed on it?: Yes. No restrictions pre-viability.

Do you support gay marriage or civil unions or domestic partnerships?: Gay Marriage.

Do you think Creationism or Intelligent Design should or should not be taught in school?: ABSOLUTELY NOT.

Do you think broadcasting, publishing etc. should be regulated for violence, profanity, sexuality etc.?: No.

How do you think birth control should be regulated?: It should not except for patient safety.

Do you support prayer in schools and if so how much (voluntary or required?): No school supported prayer. They are free to pray on their own time.

What is your opinion of capital punishment and which crimes should it be applied to?: Against.

How much should firearms and other weapons be regulated?: Ownership is an individual right. Concealed carry should be “shall-issue.”

How should drugs be regulated?: Legalize marijuana. See where it takes us then decide if we want to legalize the rest.

History

Was the United States right in going to war against the secessionist Confederate States in the Civil War?: Yes.

Was the United States justified on dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima?: Yes

**Was colonialism or at least parts of it justified?:**Not familiar.

Was the American Revolution justified?: Yes

51

Straight Dope Message Board Political Survey

Nametag lives in San Francisco, California, USA

**General:

What do you identify yourself politically as?
**
Socialist (culturally liberal, internationalist)

**What political party in the United States do you identify with the most?
**
Democratic Party (none of the more leftist parties is sufficiently pragmatic).

**On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being “He should be impeached” and 10 being “One of the best Presidents” how would you rate President Barack Obama of the USA so far?
**
7 or 8, for now – there hasn’t been time to see how things work out, and whether the big projects of this first year crowd out the rest of his agenda for the rest of the term.

**What country other then your home country do you favour the most?
**
Favor? What the hell does that mean? I like the Netherlands, but I’m not sure I “favor” them.

**Foreign Policy

Do you support the US/NATO Military Operations in Iraq?**

Not really; I believe we should leave deliberately, but we never had a legitimate mission there, and I don’t see any good coming from staying.

Do you support the US and Coalition Military Operation in Afghanistan?
**
I did; I’m not sure that the previous administration’s neglect hasn’t screwed things up beyond redemption, but I’m willing to stick around for a little longer to find out.
**
Do you support any sort of intervention in Darfur (Military, humanitaritan, etc,)?

I support a UN mission; absolutely NO unilateral US involvement.

What should be done with North Korea on the current nuclear crisis?

Umph. For the nuclear enrichment program, sanctions. Later, when we get a little more of our mojo back, some judicious leaning on China to lean on NK. Any additional attempts to export nuclear technology should be blocked, and further tests and demonstrations of missiles should be “discouraged in the strongest terms.”

What is your opinion of the Dokdo dispute between the Republic of Korea and the Empire of Japan?

Japan should put on its big-girl underpants and give up. Regarding Daemado, Korea should do likewise.

What is your opinion of NATO and should it expand across Europe?
**
I’m torn; on the one hand, it’s a minor-league UN, the place where the US goes for “international consensus” when the UN won’t play ball, and its original purpose (to block the USSR) is no more. on the other hand, they did good work in the Balkans, and Russian grousing aside, they’re doing a fair job of uniting countries that aren’t ready for the EU.
**
What should be done about Zimbabwe?

Publicly, continue humanitarian aid and pressure Robert Mugabe to resign. As far as I’m concerned, that’s all anyone but Zimbabweans should do. Although I wouldn’t object if an American diplomat pointed out that a Zimbabwean shooting Mugabe might be considered a patriot in some circles.

What should be done about the Mexican Drug Wars and should the US and other countries intervene?

We’re already intervening, and Mexico would welcome more help. Of course, if drugs weren’t illegal in the first place, there wouldn’t be a Mexican Drug War, but it may be too late for legalization to put that genie back in the bottle.

Do you support the military actions against pirates in Somalia and do you think more action should be taken?

Yes, I support the international military effort against the pirates – there are 40-50 ships from 25 countries, plus elements of the US 5th fleet down there right now, against 5 pirate gangs with around 1000 men. I would support a unilateral effort as well, but I don’t know if the 5th fleet can spare the resources to patrol the area – we can’t exactly park a carrier in the Gulf of Aden. (Can we?) I also believe we need to encourage local forces to act on the ground: abandon the fiction that the TFG is the government of all Somalia; offer financial aid to Puntland and the ICU territory in exchange for cooperation; and fight the illegal fishing and waste dumping that helped start this mess in the first place.
**
Economy

Should there be Universal Health Care or if there is in your nation do you support it?**:

Yes. Since a single-payer health plan is politically impossible right now, I favor a public insurance option that’s competitive with private plans, negotiated prices for prescriptions, and guaranteed coverage for everyone. What I really want is a national health system funded by the income tax, with a sliding scale of co-payments to discourage frivolity.

How should taxes be organized?

Progressive income tax should be the basis for almost all government spending; I’d love to see the elimination of tax brackets in favor of a smooth curve (more accurately, a tax table with a different bracket for every row). I’d like to eliminate the cap on FICA. (Actually, I’d like to scrap SS and introduce need-based payments for retirees, and leave IRAs and 401(k)s in place for those of sufficient means, but that’s beyond the scope, isn’t it?) I might keep some of the “user fee” type of taxes, like gas taxes, but I don’t know which.
**
How should the recession be ended?**

I think we’ve done enough. Taxes are low enough, we’ve bailed out enough, and the coming infrastructure spending will do the rest. Life is going to suck for the next ten years, no matter what we do, and I think we’ve reached the point of diminishing returns already.
**
Do you support the US Government’s Economic Stimulus Plan?**

Yes. I, too, fear that too much spending has been added that won’t help with a recovery, but not that much – really, if we were going to spend the money anyway, spending it now is better than spending it after people have already been out of work for five years.
**
Should the automobile companies be bailed out by the US government?**

Yes, but I’d rather have had some assurance that manufacturing will continue to support jobs in auto-related businesses.
**
Is the minimum wage sufficient or not?**

Yes, and no. The present federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour; if you work full time in one of our 100 poorest counties, this is a princely sum, yielding more than 60% of the median income. If you happen to live in DC, on the other hand, it’s about 25% of the median income, and you’re lucky the MW in DC is, in fact, $8.25. If you look at the federal poverty guidelines, the MW pays more than that (over $15K for full time work, compared to the FPL of roughly $10,800), but it doesn’t take into account the cost-of-living difference between, say, Mississippi and California.

Do you support NAFTA?:

Yes. I generally abhor protectionism, and such declines as the US has seen in industrial employment do not appear to be related to NAFTA, as manufacturing output has increased, but instead to increased automation and productivity.

**Social/Moral

Do you support abortion and what restrictions should be placed on it?**

Yes. I’m opposed to restrictions before the third trimester.

**Do you support gay marriage or civil unions or domestic partnerships?
**
I support gay marriage. Other options are not satisfactory.

Do you think Creationism or Intelligent Design should or should not be taught in school?

Evolution only. Teachers should answer students’ questions, making it clear that ID and other Creationist teachings are religious, not scientific.

Do you think broadcasting, publishing etc. should be regulated for violence, profanity, sexuality etc.?

No, with the exception of porn involving animals and children. I approve of local controls on displays and sales to children, but I wouldn’t care to live in those towns.

How do you think birth control should be regulated?

Not. Except for drug prescriptions, contraceptives should be handed out like candy.
**
Do you support prayer in schools and if so how much (voluntary or required?)**

No, not, nothing. If a kid wants to pray (silently) at his/her desk, fine; if a school wants to make space and time available for students to pray demonstratively (but in private), fine. No teachers involved, no public ceremonies, no benediction at graduation.

What is your opinion of capital punishment and which crimes should it be applied to?

I approve, in principle, of execution of violent felons who pose a significant risk of future loss of life. Until we are far better at convicting the guilty, acquitting the innocent, and predicting the future, count me out.
**
How much should firearms and other weapons be regulated**?

I approve of national registration and background checks, and local control over licensing, restrictions, and carry permits. Outright bans are unconstitutional, but urban areas especially should be free to restrict handguns and other “street” weapons to qualified responsible citizens. In most places, getting a gun permit should be at least as hard as getting a driving license, and that’s too easy.

How should drugs be regulated?

By the FDA. Eliminate the DEA, decriminalize drug possession, eliminate jail time for illicit sales, prosecute illegal manufacturers and importers, and completely legalize and regularize marijuana growing, possession, and use. Driving under the influence and other dangerous activities will be punished with due severity.

**History

Was the United States right in going to war against the secessionist Confederate States in the Civil War?**

They seceded, right? We won, right? Is there some other definition of “right” that I’m not aware of? (This may seem philosophically inconsistent with my view that flying Confederate flags is treasonous and despicable, but it’s really not.)

Was the United States justified on dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima?

You mean the bomb on Hiroshima and the bomb on Nagasaki? Yeah, I guess, knowing only what Truman knew. It also kept the Russians out of Japan, which is good, but I believe it’s part of what f*cked the future of nuclear power in the US.

Was colonialism or at least parts of it justified?

No. Not ever.

Was the American Revolution justified?

We rebelled, right? We won, right? Is there some other definition of “justified” that I’m not aware of? Granted, most rebellions and civil wars are motivated on both sides by thuggery and greed, but I believe in the autonomy of free states.

52

Why not

General:

What do you identify yourself politically as?:

Left Liberal

What political party in the United States do you identify with the most?:

Democrat Party

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being “He should be impeached” and 10 being “One of the best Presidents” how would you rate President Barack Obama of the USA so far?:

7

What country other then your home country do you favour the most?:

Canada

Foreign Policy

Do you support the US/NATO Military Operations in Iraq?:

We are there because of false information. We screwed up.

Do you support the US and Coalition Military Operation in Afghanistan?:

Yes, but we seem to have failed.

Do you support any sort of intervention in Darfur (Military, humanitaritan, etc,)?:

No, not really.

**What should be done with North Korea on the current nuclear crisis?:
**
Nothing for now.

**What is your opinion of the Dokdo dispute between the Republic of Korea and the Empire of Japan?:
**
Who cares?

**What is your opinion of NATO and should it expand across Europe?:
**
Yes, as long as it sticks to it’s goals, and doesn’t expand just to expand.

**What should be done about Zimbabwe?:
**
Not a concern

**What should be done about the Mexican Drug Wars and should the US and other countries intervene?:
**
Nothing unles we are asked to help.

Do you support the military actions against pirates in Somalia and do you think more action should be taken?:

Yes

**
Economy**

Should there be Universal Health Care or if there is in your nation do you support it?:

Yes, as long as it isn’t mandatory.

**How should taxes be organized?:
**
I’m opposed to a flat tax. 10% for someone making 20,000 is a lot more of a burden than 10% for someone making 200,000. If you make more money, you should pay more taxes.

How should the recession be ended?

As long as the government doesn’t do anything stupid, how it is being handled now should lead us to the right direction.

Do you support the US Government’s Economic Stimulus Plan?:

Yes

Should the automobile companies be bailed out by the US government?:

Yes

**Is the minimum wage sufficent or not?:
**
It should be higher. However people also need to realize minimum wage was never meant to be a living wage.

Do you support NAFTA?:

Yes and no. It should be re-worked into something that works. As it is now, it seems to be doing more harm than good.

Social/Moral

Do you support abortion and what restrictions should be placed on it?:

Yes, no restrictions.

Do you support gay marriage or civil unions or domestic partnerships?:

Yes. Anyone that wants to be married should be allowed to marry.

Do you think Creationism or Intelligent Design should or should not be taught in school?:

Inteligent Design. Creationism is a religious belief, and has no place in a public school.

Do you think broadcasting, publishing etc. should be regulated for violence, profanity, sexuality etc.?:

Not really, no. It’s up to parents to prevent their kids from seeing things that they find objectionable, not the government.

How do you think birth control should be regulated?:

It should be more easily accessable. Put condom machines in schools. Kids will have sex no matter what we do, at least they can have safe sex. Teach them the proper way to use condoms and other birth control methods.

Do you support prayer in schools and if so how much (voluntary or required?):

No. Required prayer doesn’t belong in a public school.
What a person does at school in their own time, by themselves is their own business.
**
What is your opinion of capital punishment and which crimes should it be applied to?:**

I suppose I’m for it, since I’m not totally against it.

**How much should firearms and other weapons be regulated?:
**
You should have the right to own firearms. However you don’t need a personal arsonal.

How should drugs be regulated?:

Legalize and tax them.

**History
**
**Was the United States right in going to war against the secessionist Confederate States in the Civil War?:
**
I think the United States did the right thing

**Was the United States justified on dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima?:
**
Yes

Was colonialism or at least parts of it justified?:

Yes and no. It led to a lot of the problems we have now.

**Was the American Revolution justified?:
**
No, it wasn’t. I am, however, glad it happened.

53

General:

What do you identify yourself politically as?:

Independent liberal.

What political party in the United States do you identify with the most?:

Democratic party, but not terribly much.

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being “He should be impeached” and 10 being “One of the best Presidents” how would you rate President Barack Obama of the USA so far?:

6

What country other then your home country do you favour the most?:

Strictly politically probably The Netherlands.

Foreign Policy

Do you support the US/NATO Military Operations in Iraq?:

No. Never have, never will, think we should cut our losses and leave now.

Do you support the US and Coalition Military Operation in Afghanistan?:

No. It was a terrible idea to begin with, our actions have done absolutely no good there, and we can keep trying what we’ve been doing until the end of the world and it won’t do any good.

Do you support any sort of intervention in Darfur (Military, humanitaritan, etc,)?:

Full support of a UN humanitarian mission.

**What should be done with North Korea on the current nuclear crisis?:
**
Ignore Kim Jong Il until he’s dead. Do nothing militarily - he’s not a credible threat. Once he’s dead, take advantage of whatever degree of instability to do everything possible to flood NK with humanitarian aid, preferably through South Korea and China to try to open the nation up a bit psychologically. Once they’re not starving in the streets and have some idea of the real world, then we can talk about what to do with nukes.

**What is your opinion of the Dokdo dispute between the Republic of Korea and the Empire of Japan?:
**
All I know is it’s some stupid pissing contest over fairly useless rocks in the ocean; I doubt there’ll be any significant war over it and I really don’t care.

**What is your opinion of NATO and should it expand across Europe?:
**
I don’t have any major problem with it, but I don’t understand why it’s still around. We’re not fighting off the eeevil commies anymore.

**What should be done about Zimbabwe?:
**
Denounce Mugabe at every possible opportunity. Try relentlessly to get humanitarian aid in. Don’t assassinate him or anything; we don’t want to add instability.

**What should be done about the Mexican Drug Wars and should the US and other countries intervene?:
**
Yes, because the drug wars in Mexico are very much threatening to become the drug wars in the US. Strict, strict gun laws and more searches along the border. Keep guns from going from the US into Mexico and drugs from going from Mexico to the US.

Do you support the military actions against pirates in Somalia and do you think more action should be taken?:

No. If we want to use the Navy to escort US-flagged ships through those waters to protect our own assets, that’s one thing, but we have no real jurisdiction to do anything more.

**
Economy**

Should there be Universal Health Care or if there is in your nation do you support it?:

Yes.

**How should taxes be organized?:
**
Progressively, with lots of income brackets.

How should the recession be ended?

At this point, wait. There’s nothing more to do.

Do you support the US Government’s Economic Stimulus Plan?:

I think it’s been somewhat poorly handled, but I don’t have any better suggestions.

Should the automobile companies be bailed out by the US government?:

No. They’re failing due to the fact that their product is inferior. If they want to survive, start working on low-emissions vehicles, electric cars and the infrastructure to support them, etc. Best of luck to them.

**Is the minimum wage sufficient or not?:
**
No. I don’t see the point in having a federal minimum wage if it’s not enough to live on anywhere around the country, and the difference between those who get tips and those who don’t is ridiculous.

Do you support NAFTA?:

No.

Social/Moral

Do you support abortion and what restrictions should be placed on it?:

Yes, I do, no restrictions.

Do you support gay marriage or civil unions or domestic partnerships?:

All of the above, and I think civil unions should be an option for hetero couples as well.

Do you think Creationism or Intelligent Design should or should not be taught in school?:

If it’s a religion class, sure. If it’s a science class it has absolutely no place there.

Do you think broadcasting, publishing etc. should be regulated for violence, profanity, sexuality etc.?:

No. If you commit a crime in producing something (ie, child porn) you should be prosecuted.

How do you think birth control should be regulated?:

I think that the FDA should treat hormonal/implantable birth control like any other drug or medical implant. I think the ‘morning after pill’ should be available without a prescription. I believe that, outside of medical considerations, there should not be any attention paid to age.

Do you support prayer in schools and if so how much (voluntary or required?):

If a student in a public school wants to bow their head during a free moment, I have no problem with that. It should not be done in any organized or official capacity. I don’t care what private schools do.

**
What is your opinion of capital punishment and which crimes should it be applied to?:**

I do not support it.

**How much should firearms and other weapons be regulated?:
**

Very, very heavily. I like the system they have in the UK.

How should drugs be regulated?:

I think possession of a reasonable amount of marijuana for personal use should be legalized. I think certain other drugs such as LSD and Ecstasy should be decriminalized. I think other drugs should remain illegal, but the standards to prosecute for selling should be changed. Those found guilty of mere possession should be required to enter long-term treatment, not prison.

**History
**
**Was the United States right in going to war against the secessionist Confederate States in the Civil War?:
**

Yes. It was a terrible war, but I believe the US had enough of an economic reason to justify the war.

**Was the United States justified on dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima?:
**

No.

Was colonialism or at least parts of it justified?:

Parts of it, mostly in North America and Asia. Colonialism in Africa was completely unjustified. In most places in the world, the particulars of colonialism (ie treatment of natives) was completely unjustified.

**Was the American Revolution justified?:
**
Yes. A nation has the right to strive for self-governance, and it wasn’t as if they didn’t provide a very clear list of specific grievances.

54

Bumped.

55

Why don’t you just make it an actual poll now?

56

General:

What do you identify yourself politically as?:

Independent Liberal

What political party in the United States do you identify with the most?:

Dems

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being “He should be impeached” and 10 being “One of the best Presidents” how would you rate President Barack Obama of the USA so far?:

6, and it’s really beginning to piss me off.

For comparison, here are my ratings for recent Presidents:
Bush II - 1
Clinton - 7
Bush I - 5
Carter - 6
Ford - 6
Ray Gun - 2
Nixon - 1

What country other then your home country do you favour the most?:

Japan

Foreign Policy

Do you support the US/NATO Military Operations in Iraq?:

No. We should be out of there, like yesterday

Do you support the US and Coalition Military Operation in Afghanistan?:

No. Not any more. What’s the freaking mission!?!

Do you support any sort of intervention in Darfur (Military, humanitaritan, etc,)?:

Yes, but I honestly have no idea what’d actually work.

What should be done with North Korea on the current nuclear crisis?:

Sanctions and pressure

What is your opinion of the Dokdo dispute between the Republic of Korea and the Empire of Japan?:

Huh?

What is your opinion of NATO and should it expand across Europe?:

I’m conflicted

What should be done about Zimbabwe?:

Not sure

What should be done about the Mexican Drug Wars and should the US and other countries intervene?:

There’d be no supply without demand. No war will ever stop the drug trade.

Do you support the military actions against pirates in Somalia and do you think more action should be taken?:

I am, as crazy as it seems, for shooting all pirates on site in international waters

Economy

Should there be Universal Health Care or if there is in your nation do you support it?:

YES.

How should taxes be organized?:

5 individual tax brackets:
1: $0 to $19,999 - 3%,
2: $20,000 to $39,999 - 7%,
3: $40,000 - $89,999 - 12%,
4: $90,000 - $149,999 - 20%
5: $150,000 and above - 30%

No deductions. No loopholes. No forms. No refunds. Period.

How should the recession be ended?

Increased taxes on products and services

Do you support the US Government’s Economic Stimulus Plan?:

Yes, but it’s not enough

Should the automobile companies be bailed out by the US government?:

No.

Is the minimum wage sufficent or not?:

No.

Do you support NAFTA?:

No.

Social/Moral

Do you support abortion and what restrictions should be placed on it?:

Yes. No restrictions.

Do you support gay marriage or civil unions or domestic partnerships?:

Yes, No restrictions.

Do you think Creationism or Intelligent Design should or should not be taught in school?:

No.

Do you think broadcasting, publishing etc. should be regulated for violence, profanity, sexuality etc.?:

Profanity and sexuality, no. Violence, yes.

How do you think birth control should be regulated?:

As someone else stated, it should be regulated for quality, and safety. That’s it.

Do you support prayer in schools and if so how much (voluntary or required?):

No.

What is your opinion of capital punishment and which crimes should it be applied to?:

A sentence of death should be applied only in the case of murder.

How much should firearms and other weapons be regulated?:

I’d like all assault and automatic weapons restricted

How should drugs be regulated?:

All drugs should be legalized and heavily taxed.

History

Was the United States right in going to war against the secessionist Confederate States in the Civil War?:

i don’t like the word “right”. Necessary, perhaps.

Was the United States justified on dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima?:

Yes, but I truly hope nothing like that ever happens again.

Was colonialism or at least parts of it justified?:

No.

Was the American Revolution justified?:

Yes

57

I’m bumping this.

58

I’m closing it. It’s a year old. If you want to start a new thread(s)(hint—make it a poll), I don’t think we’ll care.

samclem Moderator, GQ and IMHO.