# What Ideological Labels Do You Give Yourself In Politics **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 24, 2015, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826 "2015-03-24T00:52:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/21 "2015-03-24T20:55:22Z")
Moderate libertarian ---
**Author:** ![gracefulfatsheba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a3d4f5/32.png) [@gracefulfatsheba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracefulfatsheba)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/22 "2015-03-24T21:11:37Z")
I call myself a left libertarian. I hate the oppressive aspects of the welfare/warfare state but I don’t think free markets are the solution to all economic issues, and I’m very culturally left-wing. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/23 "2015-03-24T22:28:36Z")
On many political issues the choices are _not_ really between liberal and conservative, or even public and private, or greed and compassion, but between smart and stupid. For this reason I label myself _ **Rationalist** _ – one who prefers rational solutions over the irrational. In the past, I’d have described myself as rather **Libertarian** on social and economic issues (though far from embracing Friedman’s more extreme perspective). I no longer use that label, which today is adopted by technicians who don’t even understand trivia like Braess’ paradox, and even nuts worried that the Federal Reserve Board is run by the Illuminati. I’d have described myself as _slightly_ **Neo-con** (or Foreign Policy Hawk) on the scale between pacifist and trigger-happy. I’d reject the label now, used by those delighted to start foolish trillion-dollar million-life wars. Perhaps I was naïve before: it’s wrong to imagine [Economic Hitman stories](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessions_of_an_Economic_Hit_Man) are complete fiction. **Centrist**. I’d describe myself this way in the past, when it meant midway between the rational left and the rational right. Not today, when it means midway between a corrupted right-wing and a blatant asylum. **Social democrat**. If by social democrat you mean a fervent Marxist who wants to double Welfare Mama’s benefits everytime she has another child, and plunge America into depression by restoring Eisenhowerian or Kruschevian tax schedules, then No. But I’m happy to boldface the term for today’s America, where the word means anyone, with views however zany, that might push on the pendulum and use the ballotbox to help move America from an unfortunate move much too fast away from social democracy and to very too much control of government policy by elite interests, toward a less unfortunate state where policy is, while still too much controlled by elite interests, less very too much. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/24 "2015-03-25T00:48:46Z")
Bull Moose for life. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/25 "2015-03-25T01:08:32Z")
Moderate libertarian with some minor socialist leanings and a couple feudalist ones as well. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/26 "2015-03-25T15:27:09Z")
Liberal Democrat with occasional Libertarian leanings ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/27 "2015-03-25T15:28:19Z")
New Dealer. I believe that if you were to try to create policies and programs to address current needs along New Deal principles, I would be in near complete support of the result. I’m registered as a Democrat because there are a lot of races in my area in which either the Republicans don’t bother nominating a candidate or the Republican candidate has no chance. I often vote Democratic in the general election for tactical reasons, though I realize that exacerbates the problem. I’d really like to see a move away from FPTP that would make tactical voting less necessary. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/28 "2015-03-25T16:01:03Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > On many political issues the choices are _not_ really between liberal and conservative, or even public and private, or greed and compassion, but between smart and stupid. For this reason I label myself > _ **Rationalist** _ – one who prefers rational solutions over the irrational. > > In the past, I’d have described myself as rather **Libertarian** on social and economic issues (though far from embracing Friedman’s more extreme perspective). I no longer use that label, which today is adopted by technicians who don’t even understand trivia like Braess’ paradox, and even nuts worried that the Federal Reserve Board is run by the Illuminati. > > I’d have described myself as _slightly_ **Neo-con** (or Foreign Policy Hawk) on the scale between pacifist and trigger-happy. I’d reject the label now, used by those delighted to start foolish trillion-dollar million-life wars. Perhaps I was naïve before: it’s wrong to imagine [Economic Hitman stories](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessions_of_an_Economic_Hit_Man) are complete fiction. > > **Centrist**. I’d describe myself this way in the past, when it meant midway between the rational left and the rational right. Not today, when it means midway between a corrupted right-wing and a blatant asylum. > > **Social democrat**. If by social democrat you mean a fervent Marxist who wants to double Welfare Mama’s benefits everytime she has another child, and plunge America into depression by restoring Eisenhowerian or Kruschevian tax schedules, then No. But I’m happy to boldface the term for today’s America, where the word means anyone, with views however zany, that might push on the pendulum and use the ballotbox to help move America from an unfortunate move much too fast away from social democracy and to very too much control of government policy by elite interests, toward a less unfortunate state where policy is, while still too much controlled by elite interests, less very too much. This sounds good to me. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/29 "2015-03-25T18:52:48Z")
Weakly liberal on a number of minor issues. Strongly conservative on a few big issues. As an abstract theory, I tend to lean libertarian, though I will readily concede that the real world is not as simple as Libertarian bloggers like to pretend. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/30 "2015-03-25T20:33:41Z")
> [@Octarine](#): > > Bull Moose for life. You stole mine. I’m an ardent Bull Mooser. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/31 "2015-03-25T20:57:08Z")
For a short answer, I call myself liberal. For a long answer, I ask which issues are relevant to the questioner, and give my position on each of those issues. ---
**Author:** ![c\_carol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@c\_carol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_carol)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/32 "2015-03-26T00:09:42Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > _ **Rationalist** _ – one who prefers rational solutions over the irrational. Not very useful as a label, is it? I mean, everybody _thinks_ that their opinions are the rational ones, that’s more or less what having an opinion means. Who wants to be in the Irrationalist party? ---
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/33 "2015-03-26T15:04:04Z")
I don’t always give myself a label, but when i do, I call myself a Rational Anarchist. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/34 "2015-03-26T15:19:44Z")
In SDMB terms I am far right. In the real world that means I’m a moderate independent. Non-religious, mildly liberal or don’t carian on social issues. Mostly conservative on economic, law and order and foreign policy issues. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/35 "2015-03-26T15:31:41Z")
I’m moderately conservative fiscally, less so socially. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/36 "2015-03-26T18:28:50Z")
Atheist uberliberal ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/37 "2015-03-26T18:43:00Z")
I am a socially liberal Democrat and fiscally conservative Republican. I am fine with progressive advances as long as I don’t have to pay for them. I am fully supportive of LGBT rights and even BLTM. But somehow the idea of these interactions still squicks me out. I support both gun ownership rights and legal pot, both without limits. I am a little bit Country and a little bit Rock and Roll. Except for The Eagles, man I hate the fucking Eagles. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/38 "2015-03-26T18:53:31Z")
Socially liberal middle of the roader. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/39 "2015-03-26T19:43:41Z")
> [@c\_carol](#): > > Not very useful as a label, is it? I mean, everybody _thinks_ that their opinions are the rational ones … To the contrary, I find my self-description far more usefully descriptive than “Fiscal Conservatives” whose objectives are to cut taxes to _increase deficits_ in order to “starve the beast” and cripple regulation. Or supporters of a “Free Market” who want to roll-back market-based approaches to accounting for external costs. > [@](#): > > Who wants to be in the Irrationalist party? Uh … much of the U.S. electorate? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826/40 "2015-03-26T23:47:05Z")
Pragmatic Republican (which I hope means I can learn from my mistakes). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ideological-labels-do-you-give-yourself-in-politics/715826.md?page=3)