# The Political Gauge. Take the test and see how you score. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 20, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643 "2004-08-20T02:27:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![lel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8797f3/32.png) [@lel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lel)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/141 "2004-08-21T23:27:18Z")
On Non-Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Moderate Liberal (39). On Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Moderate Conservative (74). Absolutely unsurprising, and almost exactly what I got on the Political Compass test. ---
**Author:** ![Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kneepants_Erasmus_the_Humanist)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/142 "2004-08-22T02:07:09Z")
On Non-Fiscal Issues…Strong Liberal (2) On Fiscal Issues…Strong Liberal (6) Whoa…I suppose that puts me in the top 5, eh? This gives me the confidence to go ahead and paint my house red. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/143 "2004-08-22T03:06:58Z")
On Non-Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Moderate Liberal (28). On Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Moderate Conservative (74). ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/144 "2004-08-22T03:51:51Z")
On Non-Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Strong Conservative (82). On Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Strong Conservative (85). ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/145 "2004-08-22T04:09:16Z")
> [@Muad'Dib](#): > > Yer all a bunch of commies. > > Actually, I kind of expected this result. A few solid right-wingers, a slightly larger group of far left-wingers, and a majority of people slightly left of center. > > That feels about right for this board. We have some pretty bright people on this board. How does it go … > [@](#): > > Your direct line to thousands of the smartest, hippest people on the planet, plus a few total dipsticks. Oh, and I scored On Non-Fiscal Issues, you rank as a \*\*Strong Liberal (11). \*\* On Fiscal Issues, you rank as a \*\*Strong Liberal (18). \*\* Who is going to plot a scatter diagram? ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/146 "2004-08-22T04:20:01Z")
On Non-Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Strong Liberal (19). On Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Moderate Liberal (21). A bit further to the left than I’d expected, actually. ---
**Author:** ![lokij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@lokij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lokij)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/147 "2004-08-22T04:39:54Z")
Non Fiscal Issues - 55% Centrist Fiscal Issues- 85% Strong Conservative Pretty much what I figured, though I might tend a little more liberal on the Non Fiscal Issues if the right solutions were presented. I do think this shows pretty clearly that the board does slant a WEE bit to the left. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. ;\> ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/148 "2004-08-22T06:12:10Z")
**antechinus** said: > [@](#): > > Who is going to plot a scatter diagram? Oh, oh! [Pick me! Pick me!](http://members.shaw.ca/danhanson/sdmb.jpg) I centered the chart around zero. Bottom left is, appropriately enough, the Commies. Top right is the rednecks. Now lets never speak of it again. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/149 "2004-08-22T06:14:30Z")
On Non-Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Strong Liberal (13). On Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Moderate Liberal (35). Of course I passed on quite a few questions, that were american-centric and thus not really meaningful to me… I’m actually a bit surprised that I came out as a Moderate Liberal on Fiscal Issues (I thought I was centrist there) - I think this, too, may have something to do with the American-centric nature of the poll Dani ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/150 "2004-08-22T07:32:54Z")
On Non-Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Strong Liberal (2). On Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Strong Liberal (7). Shocked. _Shocked._ ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/151 "2004-08-22T10:37:44Z")
On Non-Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Centrist (57). On Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Strong Conservative (85). Feels about right. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/152 "2004-08-22T11:10:29Z")
> [@captaindoesnotlikeyou](#): > > On Non-Fiscal Issues…Strong Liberal (2) > On Fiscal Issues…Strong Liberal (6) > > Whoa…I suppose that puts me in the top 5, eh? > > This gives me the confidence to go ahead and paint my house red. You don’t OWN a house?! ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/153 "2004-08-22T11:48:03Z")
I got: > [@](#): > > On Non-Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Centrist (51). > On Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Centrist (51). Never fear, **Captain Middle-of the-road** is here! Dammit, how come I ended up so boring and wishy-washy. I have very strong opinions on everything. Too bad They don’t line up with an actual real belief system. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/154 "2004-08-22T18:00:09Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > I centered the chart around zero. Bottom left is, appropriately enough, the Commies. Top right is the rednecks. Having trouble finding my point on the chart. 😕 Or do I have the axes mixed up… are **wevets** and I the 2 dots obscuring the -30 on the X axis? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/155 "2004-08-22T19:23:30Z")
That’s a cute chart, Sam. 🙂 Nicely conceived with the Lenin head and the Redneck head. I’m DQ’d from taking the test, but you can go ahead and plot a point for me wherever a dot should go for advocates of freedom from both social and fiscal tyranny. ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/156 "2004-08-22T20:52:33Z")
On Non-Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Strong Liberal (10). On Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Moderate Liberal (28). At least I’m strong at _something_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AZCowboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/97f17d/32.png) [@AZCowboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AZCowboy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/157 "2004-08-22T22:22:49Z")
On Non-Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Strong Liberal (18). On Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Centrist (58). Hmm. A little more extreme on the liberal scale for non-fiscal issues, and a little more conservative on this fiscal scale than I would have guessed. No major surprises though. ---
**Author:** ![TitoBenito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2acd7d/32.png) [@TitoBenito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TitoBenito)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/158 "2004-08-22T23:08:27Z")
On Non-Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Moderate Liberal (30). On Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Centrist (59). Seems right. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2004, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/159 "2004-08-23T03:24:51Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > **antechinus** said: > Oh, oh! [Pick me! Pick me!](http://members.shaw.ca/danhanson/sdmb.jpg) > > I centered the chart around zero. Bottom left is, appropriately enough, the Commies. Top right is the rednecks. > > Now lets never speak of it again. Great stuff. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643/160 "2004-08-23T03:52:07Z")
[Updated & Improved Spreadsheet](http://www.amschwartz.net/jillandthomas/SDMBPoliticalGuage2004-08-21.xls), including additional respondents through **TitoBenito** and Scatter Chart. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-political-gauge-take-the-test-and-see-how-you-score/260643.md?page=9)