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How do you classify yourself, politically?

My_name_is_not_Larry

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Location
Dubois, Wisconsin
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Centrist
I've taken some politically issues here and I thought it would be good to look at them and see how we classify ourselves at each issue. As an example, I'll show you my positions on these issues.


abortion: Center-right
Why: No abortion unless to save mothers life or rape.

Affirmative action: Centrist
Why: the benefits of diversity can justify affirmative action

Balanced Budget: Centrist
Balance lowering the deficit with other priorities

Buisness tax: Centrist
Why: Buisnesses are taxed the right amount

Campaign Finance Reform: Left
Why: Elections are rigged for the 2 parties - We need major reform!

Ecology: Center-left
why: good ecology policies are good economic policies.

Education: Centrist
why: Education is a state issue.

Free Trade: Right
Why: All markets should be open

Gun Control: Centrist
Why: Gun control is a state issue

Same-sex marriage: Center-left
Why: Keep marriage as it is but explore civil unions.

Immigration: Centrist
Why: Legal Immigration is fine but immigration laws must be obeyed.

Military Intervention: Centrist
Why: Only if we are attacked

Personal Tax: Center-right
why: Reduce income tax across the board!

Public health care: Center-left
Why: Universal health care, whether public or private.

Renewable energy: Center-left
why: we should focus on renewable energy sources

Social security: Center-right
why: Have Social Security along with privitization.

Terrorism: Right
Why: Terrorism can only be stopped one way - Military force.

discuss and tell me what your positions are on these issues.
 
My_name_is_not_Larry said:
I've taken some politically issues here and I thought it would be good to look at them and see how we classify ourselves at each issue. As an example, I'll show you my positions on these issues.


abortion: Center-right
Why: No abortion unless to save mothers life or rape.

Affirmative action: Centrist
Why: the benefits of diversity can justify affirmative action

Balanced Budget: Centrist
Balance lowering the deficit with other priorities

Buisness tax: Centrist
Why: Buisnesses are taxed the right amount

Campaign Finance Reform: Left
Why: Elections are rigged for the 2 parties - We need major reform!

Ecology: Center-left
why: good ecology policies are good economic policies.

Education: Centrist
why: Education is a state issue.

Free Trade: Right
Why: All markets should be open

Gun Control: Centrist
Why: Gun control is a state issue

Same-sex marriage: Center-left
Why: Keep marriage as it is but explore civil unions.

Immigration: Centrist
Why: Legal Immigration is fine but immigration laws must be obeyed.

Military Intervention: Centrist
Why: Only if we are attacked

Personal Tax: Center-right
why: Reduce income tax across the board!

Public health care: Center-left
Why: Universal health care, whether public or private.

Renewable energy: Center-left
why: we should focus on renewable energy sources

Social security: Center-right
why: Have Social Security along with privitization.

Terrorism: Right
Why: Terrorism can only be stopped one way - Military force.

discuss and tell me what your positions are on these issues.

I don't think it's so easy to classify these issues on a left-right spectrum if one has any nuances at all in their opinions...but I'll give it my best shot:

Abortion: Left
Abortion on demand, for any reason.

Affirmative action: Right
The government should not use affirmative action; private businesses should be allowed to hire and fire whomever they want for whatever reasons they want.

Balanced budget: Right
Balance it. Now.

Business taxes: Right
Business taxes are too high and squelch innovation.

Campaign finance reform: Right
Studies have shown that the amount of money spent on a campaign has little impact on the election results. And most of the "reforms" being proposed only serve to further protect incumbents.

Ecology: Centrist
I support environmental protection when it makes sense, but I'm against stupid knee-jerk environmentalism like ANWR, nuclear power, and the Kyoto Protocol.

Education: Right
The federal government should stay out of education entirely. States should allow school choice and vouchers, just like practically every other country in the world that kicks our asses in education.

Free trade: Right
Protectionism is a recipe for economic disaster, plain and simple.

Gun control: Centrist
I doubt gun control will either prevent or cause more violent crime, but if various states want to experiment with different policies to see what works best, let's go for it.

Same-sex marriage: Left
Laws banning same-sex marriage are discrimination.

Immigration: Left
We should be encouraging immigration through legal channels, and we should require would-be immigrants to pass a civics test (in English) that includes mandatory support for American ideas such as liberty, capitalism, and separation of church and state.

Military intervention: ??
I don't know what you consider to be "left" and "right" on this issue. There's no simplistic answer for when we should use our military and when we shouldn't; there are only individual situations.

Personal tax: Right
Let's have a low, flat income tax with generous personal deductions.

Public health care: Right
Socialized health care is a disaster in every large country it has been tried in. I don't have a problem with public prevention of major epidemics that would cripple the economy, but paying for grandma's pacemaker is not the government's job.

Renewable energy: Left
This is not just an economic or environmental problem; it's a national security concern. The government should fund the alternative energy sector to wean us from oil, and should publicly state that the military will only buy hybrid vehicles (excluding tanks) by 2011.

Social security: Right
There is simply no reason for this program to exist. It's not even a "safety net," it's just paying people for being old.

Terrorism: ??
Again, I'm not sure what is "left" and what is "right" on this issue. Terrorism is what it is; there's no panacea that's going to solve this problem. We should intervene militarily when appropriate, and not when not.
 
My_name_is_not_Larry said:
I've taken some politically issues here and I thought it would be good to look at them and see how we classify ourselves at each issue. As an example, I'll show you my positions on these issues.


abortion: Left
Why: No one has the authority to tell a woman what to do with her own body other then herself.

Affirmative action: Right
Why: You're either able to yourself or not able to, no one is going to babysit you after you get into college.

Balanced Budget: Moderate
Ballance the damn budget and stop digging into the deficite

Buisness tax: Left leaning.
Why: Buisnesses are taxed enough, however, too many loopholes, lets close these holes. Also more pollution taxes against polluting industries.

Campaign Finance Reform: Left
Why: Elections are rigged for the 2 parties - We need major reform!

Ecology: Left
why: Much more stronger environmental laws need to be enacted and strongly enforced. The current pro-big oil scam is nothing short of treason.

Education: Left
why: Education needs progression and based on nothing but the facts.

Free Trade: Right
Why: All markets should be open

Gun Control: Left
Why: 21st century, guns are not going to ward off the nearly extinct bear population. They are only going to increase domestic violence. Particualrily hand guns.

Same-sex marriage: Left
Why: If homosexuals want to marry so be it. Their choice. Again, no one has the right to tell them who they can or can not visit or support for immigration just because thier homosexual. This is just another form of discrimination.

Immigration: Left leaning
Why: Relax immigration laws a little bit more, but then strictly enforce those laws.

Military Intervention: Right
Why: There need nothing be said about if we were invaded, however, if there is a significant threat and all other options have been honestly exhausted (including assasination) I have no problem with pre-emptive invasion

Personal Tax: Left
why: Relieve tax on the middle income but raise it for the top 10%. Close all tax loopholes

Public health care: Left
Why: Universal health care

Renewable energy: Left
why: we should switch to renewable and green energy sources

Social security: Center
why: Keep it as it is.

Terrorism: Right leaning
Why: Terrorism is an idea you can never destroy an idea. Military provacation could very well lead to an explosion of the idea you are trying to extinguish. Terrorism needs to be handled with finess and you can never become the enemy you are fighting.
 
Abortion: Beyond the Looney Left
Why: Subsidized abortion-on-demand until the 26th week. Beyond that, allowed for the mother's health or for severe deformity or defect, up to 24 hours after giving birth.

I've explained my reasoning behind this before.

Affirmative Action: Centre-Right
Why: Anti-discrimination laws are good. Reverse discrimination is still discrimination.

Balanced Budget: Whichever side supports it. I can't tell anymore.
Why: Debt gives people who are not Americans power over the American government. I will not condone mortgaging my grandchildren to the Chinese.

Buisness tax: Centrist
Why: Buisnesses don't really pay taxes. Everyone knows that. But taxes are a good tool to help encourage moral business practices, as long as we don't let corporate accountants write the tax codes.

Campaign Finance Reform: Neither
Why: We should never have limited personal contributions. All these "action commities" are worse than outright cronyism, because now we don't know who these people are.

Campaign contributions should all be linked to a real person whose name is signed on the relevant documents in ink.

Ecology: Center
Why: I believe in taking care of the land and the wildlife-- but too much of the legislation we have is fuzzy-headed feelgood nonsense.

Education: Far Left
Why: Poor kids go to poor schools and grow up to raise more poor kids. Too many of our children aren't getting the education they deserve. Then there's the knuckle-dragging degenerates on the Kansas and Pittsburgh school boards...

Free Trade: Center-Left
Why: Corporations aren't people and they don't have rights. American businesses should benefit Americans-- and that means more than their executives.

Gun Control: Far Right
Why: The Second Amendment was not written to protect the National Guard or the faceless hordes of suburban deer hunters. It was written to protect us from "no-knock raids", "sneak and peek warrants", "asset forfeiture", and being declared an "unlawful combatant".

From. My. Cold. Dead. Hands.

Same-sex marriage: Center-Left
Why: There's no reason not to. But it's not that important to me.

Immigration: Center-Right
Why: What good is a border we can't defend?

Military Intervention: Center-Right
Why: Defend our strategic and economic interests-- one war at a time.

Personal Tax: Left
Why: Progressive tax works, and the steeper the better. People who make millions (or billions) from businesses we're subsidizing ought to pay their fair share.

A "maximum wage" might be even better. Make it something outrageously high, like five hundred or a thousand times the poverty line. Either median salaries will go up, the price of goods will go down, or stocks will pay more in dividends. Regardless of which it is, that means more money gets spent.

Public Health Care: Center-left
Why: It costs less and provides better service for more people than private health care does. It disgusts me the nonsense that people will swallow if it's spoon-fed to them by doctors and insurance companies.

Remember the anthrax scare? This is a national security issue now.

Renewable Energy: Center-left
why: we should focus on renewable energy sources

Social Security: Center-Left
Why: Rampant speculation in the stock market is why we have Social Security in the first place. This is another jolly neoconservative oxymoron of the same caliber as "bombing for peace".

!Larry said:
Terrorism: Right
Why: Terrorism can only be stopped one way - Military force.

QFT.
 
In general I am conservative but leaning to the center on certain things. Someone mentioned nuances: in the fear of sounding like John Kerry I would have to agree with that (there are nuances to just about every issue).
EXAMPLE: I believe abortion is the killing of a life because you have to actively stop that life from growing. However, I believe it's a state issue, much like murder - murder laws & punishments are different from state to state. I don't believe we need an amendment to the constitution banning it - it is murder & should be treated as such.

Plus, many things simply need to be discussed as I'm unsure of my view due to the lack of knowledge.

regulations: I'm not totally against them but am always very skeptical of them.
 
My_name_is_not_Larry said:
I've taken some politically issues here and I thought it would be good to look at them and see how we classify ourselves at each issue. As an example, I'll show you my positions on these issues.

Hey, we are in agreement in almost everything with just a couple small differences.

abortion: Center-left
Why: Prior to sapience and awareness in the fetus, there is no reason to remove the choice from the woman.

Affirmative action: Right
Why: Affirmative Action is a failed program that reverses discrimination.

Balanced Budget: Centrist
Balance lowering the deficit with other priorities

Buisness tax: Centrist
Why: Tax benefits to businesses draw them to do business in the US.

Campaign Finance Reform: Left
Why: Elections are rigged for the 2 parties - We need major reform!

Ecology: Center-left
why: good ecology policies are good economic policies.

Education: Extreme Right
why: Education needs immediate reform in order for us to produce competitive workers in the future.

Free Trade: Right
Why: All markets should be open

Gun Control: Right
Why: Right to bear arms is expressly enumerated in our constitution.

Same-sex marriage: Center-left
Why: Keep marriage as it is but explore civil unions.

Immigration: Centrist
Why: Legal Immigration is fine but immigration laws must be obeyed.

Military Intervention: Centrist
Why: Only if we are attacked

Personal Tax: Center-right
why: Reduce income tax across the board!

Public health care: Center-left
Why: Universal health care, whether public or private.

Renewable energy: Center-left
why: we should focus on renewable energy sources

Social security: Center-right
why: Have Social Security along with privitization.

Terrorism: Right
Why: Terrorism can only be stopped one way - Military force.
 
Excellent topic. I wonder how often peeps will call something left or right, but have the same view as someone else that says the opposite.
=======================
Abortion: Far far - Right
Why: No abortion period.

Affirmative action: Right
Why: I believe affirmative action has played its role, now it is time to move on.

Balanced Budget: Right
Why: Working within a deficit creates priorities and jobs.

Buisness tax: Right
Why: Buisnesses are taxed too much

Campaign Finance Reform: Left
Why: Elections are rigged for the 2 parties - We need major reform!

Ecology: Right
Why: Governement need not interfere in human relationships.

Education: Centrist
why: Education is a state issue.

Free Trade: Right
Why: All markets should be open

Gun Control: Far Right
Why: Gun control is wrong. We have a Bill of Rights which guarantees that I can have ownership. Federal should not be involved at all.

Same-sex marriage: Center-Right
Why: Marriage is for men and women period. Civil unions should minimally be explored.

Immigration: Far Right
Why: Close the borders and only allow Legal Immigration. Build a fence.

Military Intervention: Right
Why: "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

Personal Tax: Center
why: Fair Tax act is the way to go!

Public health care: Right
Why: Socialized medicine does not promote the next polio vacination.

Renewable energy: Center (Everyone is interested in this, unsure if it is unique to left or right)
why: We should focus on renewable energy sources

Social security: Right
why: Have Social Security along with privitization.

Terrorism: Right
Why: Terrorism can only be stopped one way - Military force.
 
Abortion: Right-ish
There are some kind of protect able interests of fetuses (no matter what they are) if an eventuality is sentient human life. Third trimester is viable (could be born right then), and therefore no different from an infant except it's dependence on the mother.

Affirmative Action: Right-ish
I cannot rationalize any kind of racism based institution.

Balanced Budget: North-Right?
More of the spending should be state and municipal (city) based.

Business tax: Left-ish
Why have it trickle down to them if you can just let 'em keep it?

Campaign Finance Reform: Left-ish
I don't know what we've got to do, but it's definitely more than a couple things.

Ecology: Center
Balance between what we need to live and play with what we want to protect.

Education: Right-ish
More power on the State and municipal levels.

Free Trade: Center
Governments decide.

Gun Control: Center
Regulation, but federal this time (safety/life at risk, federal government in charge).

Same-sex marriage: Left
Why do I care?

Immigration: Crazy man
If they want in, let 'em in. We are a nation of immigrants.

Military Intervention: More Crazy
Demonstration/Threat usage. Seems that you can support their whole government for the same cost for a time, and in return they can have some free elections and straighten out.

If this fails, then it's go time.

Personal Tax: I really don't know...
Pay more taxes to the state, not so much to the Federal government.

Public Health Care: Far Left :D
Oh freaking socialize it, it's cheaper than what we're doing now and people will be helped.

Renewable energy: ?
Get it if we can?

Social security: Don't know
It's messed up. :D

Terrorism: Right-ism
Destroy?

I'll add one that gets on my nerves:
Animal Rights: Rightmania
Awareness/sentience = rights, no exceptions for cutie the cow.
 
abortion: right
Why: No abortion unless to save mothers life or rape and the rape must be documented within 24 hours.

Affirmative action: Right
Why: I don't owe anybody anything just because they aren't the same color as I am.

Balanced Budget: left
So far, the right only seems to screw things up in this regard.

Buisness tax: Left
Why: Buisnesses screw their employees AND get a tax break. No sympathy from me. I'm for the little guy.

Campaign Finance Reform: Left
Why: Get rid of special interest influence.

Ecology: Center-left
why: good ecology policies are good economic policies.

Education: Left
why: I think education is important for ALL kids. Not just the one's who can afford it. I prefer books over bullets.

Free Trade: Right
Why: All markets should be open

Gun Control: Right
Why: The left would just as soon get rid of my right to bear arms.

Same-sex marriage: Left
Why: What gays do is none of my business. No homophobia here.

Immigration: Centrist
Why: Legal Immigration is fine but immigration laws must be obeyed.

Military Intervention: Centrist
Why: Only if we are attacked

Personal Tax: Center-right
why: I don't have a problem paying taxes as long as it goes towards the people and NOT towards the fat cats who barely pay any taxes anyway.

Public health care: Center-left
Why: Universal health care, whether public or private.

Renewable energy: Center-left
why: we should focus on renewable energy sources

Social security: Center-right
why: Keep the rightwingers away from money. They cannot be trusted.

Terrorism: Right
Why: Don't tread on me. Kill 'em all. But the way the right is going about it wrong although the left hasn't a clue what to do about it either.

discuss and tell me what your positions are on these issues.
__________________
 
abortion: right
Why: No abortion unless to save mothers life or rape and the rape must be documented within 24 hours.

Affirmative action: Right
Why: I don't owe anybody anything just because they aren't the same color as I am.

Balanced Budget: Right
Why: Balance it now!

Business tax: Right
Why: Businesses are taxed too much

Campaign Finance Reform: None
Why: Get rid of special interest influence. Elections are rigged for the 2 parties - We need major reform

Ecology: Right
Why: Government need not interfere in human relationships.

Education: Revolutionary
why: I am for the abolishment of public schools.

Free Trade: Right
Why: All markets should be open

Gun Control: Right
Why: The left would just as soon get rid of my right to bear arms.

Same-sex marriage: None
Why: Government need not interfere in human relationships.

Immigration: Right
Why: Legal Immigration is fine but immigration laws must be obeyed.

Military Intervention: Right
Why: "Speak softly and carry a big stick."


Personal Tax: Right
why: I don't have a problem paying taxes as long as it goes toward the people and NOT toward the fat cats who barely pay any taxes anyway.

Public health care: Right
Why: None period.

Renewable energy: Revolutionary
why: Government need not interfere in human relationships.

Social security: Revolutionary
why: It should be abolished

Terrorism: Right
Why: Don't tread on me. Kill 'em all. But the way the right is going about it wrong although the left hasn't a clue what to do about it either.
 
abortion: Centre
Why: No late term abortions without medical necessity.

Affirmative action: centre right
Why: anti discrimination laws are good, reverse discrimination is bad.

Balanced Budget: right
Why: tax deferments are not tax cuts. It isnt right to burden our children with our debts.

Buisness tax: no opinion

Campaign Finance Reform: Left
Why: Elections are rigged for the 2 parties - We need major reform!

Ecology: Centre-left
Why: it will benifit us in the long term

Education: out there
Why: require all highschool teachers to have a degrees in the subject they teach, or a closely related subject. in highschool allow the teachers to be fully in charge of their curriculum. strip elementry school down to teaching the three Rs.

Free Trade: no opinion

Gun Control: Centrist
Why: minimal gun restrictions.

Same-sex marriage: left
Why: either allow same sex marriage, or abolish all state sanctioned marriage.

Immigration: out there
Why: immigration laws are a human rights violation. removing entitlement programs will make it less expensive on us.

Military Intervention: Centrist
Why: Only if we are attacked

Personal Tax: no opinion

Public health care: right
Why: do not socialise health care, but maintain current laws that require treatment for emergancies even if the patient cannot pay.

Renewable energy: left
why: long term benefit

Social security: no opinion

Terrorism: no opinion
 
Abortion: Center-right
Why: I think you have a right to life that can't be ignored, but in the cases of rape, there needs to be exception.

Affirmative action: Center-right
Why: No public place should be allowed to do such a thing, but if a private organization wants to, that's great.

Balanced Budget: Right
Why: If we don't it will lead to the next depression.

Buisness tax: Right
Why: Eliminate!

Campaign Finance Reform: Centrist
Why: We need reform for the third parties, but I oppose ANY public funding.

Ecology: Centrist
Why: You need to balance economic interest with ecology and respect private property.

Education: Right
Why: I support vouchers and eased regulations.

Free Trade: Center-right
Why: Free trade with free nations with similar economies.

Gun Control: Right
Why: We have an unalienable right to bear arms.

Same-sex marriage: Center-left
Why: I favor gay rights, but leave marriage to voters.

Immigration: Right
Why: I oppose illegal immigration and I think we need tougher laws.

Military Intervention: Centrist
Why: Only if we are attacked or if there is a genocide or something.

Personal Tax: Right
Why: We need to reduce or even eliminate the income tax.

Public health care: Center-right
Why: Universal health care doesn't work, instead we need reform and to lower costs.

Renewable energy: Centrist
Why: Develop renewable energy but do it with private companies.

Social security: Center-right
Why: Have Social Security along with privitization.

Terrorism: Centrist
Why: We need to fight terror and preserve civil liberties.
 
Love the thread. "left" or "right" doesnt always fit, so I subbed in for it.

Abortion: Ambivalent
Still out on this one. I've debated it back and forth time and time again, but can't conclusively say now.

Affirmative action: Right
AA for college should be based on income, not race. Should not exist outside of education.

Balanced Budget: Neither.
Pass the Balanced Budget Amendment. Both parties are pathetic on this issue.

Buisness tax: Center-right
Should be taxed, not excessively.

Campaign Finance Reform: Neither.
Money is speech. Every effort to make things better has just shoved the money increasingly to fringe groups like the 527's who actually lower the level of discourse.

Ecology: Against.
As someone who grew up in the freaking wilderness, I get irritated when some hippie in birkenstocks stops me in the middle of NYC and tells me that we're running out of trees. I've found that the vast majority of "environmentalists" don't live in the areas that are being argued about like ANWR and are crusading for an abstract rather than a reality.

Education: Center.
Vouchers are a good idea. It's been pretty well proven that tossing $$ at schools does not fix the problem. School should be extended, why only 180 days a year? Increase STATE funding to education, make it more of a local issue, integrate public education more into the community, i.e. institute mandatory service learning, more funding for sports teams, etc. Things that bring a community together around its schools, ala John Dewey's Laboratory School.

Free Trade: Right
"Fair trade" sucks and produces horrible and expensive coffee.

Gun Control: Right.
Obvious reasons for limiting excessive things like machine guns, but as a whole, guns are a necessity for a free society.

Same-sex marriage: Center-left
Each state should have the right to vote how they like.

Immigration: Right
Illegal immigration needs to be curbed. I am loath to support things like National ID Cards, but it keeps coming up and seems more and more reasonable.

Military Intervention: Interventionist
History has shown us over and over again the terrible damage that results from America (or the corresponding hegemonic nation) refusing to do what needs to be done. WWII could have been prevented if we had followed through.

Personal Tax: Right
Fair Tax, with exemptions for expenditures under poverty level. Consumption based rather than earnings.

Public health care: Center-right
Lawsuit reform, natl health care is a terrible idea, especially considering the American propensity to diagnose and treat everything.

Renewable energy: Centrist
Great idea, should be pursued by private companies with limited govt grants.

Social security: Far Right
Extremely in favor of a complete overhaul of the system, return to Pre-paid system, private investment modeled after the Thrift Savings Plan. Got a thesis on this, if anyones interested, which I wouldnt be if I were you. ;)

Terrorism: Right
Has to be stopped in whatever way possible. I'm a neocon when it comes to my belief that the world thrives on stability. When there are solid, democratic governments interacting together, everyone benefits and terrorism is limited. Every effort we undertake to promote these goals, I support.
 
Gee, I haven't really stopped to think about all of these issues. Some of them I did, but not all... However, I think I would also adopt a centrist view on most of them, though I think I would reveal somehow my sympathy for the Republican Party by adopting a conservative standpoint. I tend to favor traditional views when I cannot decide in which direction to lean.
 
What would I call myself? A misanthrope. Perhaps I'm just being a typical angsty teen, but I can't say I'm terribly fond of the human race as a whole. The vast majority of people are morons and/or borderline criminals and it doesn't exactly fill me with a sense of optimism.

Never the less, I believe in equality and fairness for everyone. If we're all bad, then at least we all deserve the same things. :lol:

Abortion: Centre-left
Why: I believe in abortion at will up until the end of the first trimester. After that it should only be permitted in cases of severe foetal defect or health risk to the mother.

Affirmative action: Centre-right
Why: May the best (wo)man win. Scholarships etc for the financially disadvantaged are important, though.

Balanced Budget: No opinion.
Why: It's an American issue I know nothing about.

Buisness tax: Left
Why: Capitalism has to have a conscience. It needn't be taxed to excess, but there's no reason why big buisness should be allowed to screw over the people AND the nation.

Campaign Finance Reform: Left
Why: I'm wary of people being able to "buy" votes. However, it's not so much an issue in Australia (probably partly because of compulsory voting).

Ecology: Left
Why: It just makes logical sense. The long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term gains.

Education: Left
Why: A free, good-quality education is the right of everyone. No one should have unfair advantage over another regarding knowledge just because their parents are wealthier.

Free Trade: Centre
Why: It's sensible economically, but companies must take care to remain totally ethical.

Gun Control: Centre-left
Why: It's fair for each household to have a gun for protection - but with strict regulations. Other regulations for hunters and farmers.

Same-sex marriage: Left
Why: Two adults are in love... so what? Geez, what's the big bloody deal?

Immigration: Centre-left
Why: Legal immigration is good for everyone. We must also be welcoming to genuine asylumn seekers. On the otherhand, you can't have illegal, unregistered migrants running around the place.

Military Intervention: Centre-left
Why: Only if we (or an ally in need) is attacked first. None of this pre-emtive bulls**t, except in the most extreme of circumstances.

Personal Tax: Center-left
Why: I don't have a problem paying taxes, so long as it goes towards the people who need it and NOT into building another thousand unneeded weapons or lining the pockets of the fat cats.

Public health care: Center-left
Why: Everyone has the right to affordable healthcare. If you want extras (nicer hospitals, less waiting time for elective surgery, cover for acupuncture and alternative medicines etc) get private health insurance.

Renewable energy: Center-left
Why: We should focus on renewable energy sources, otherwise we'll be rather screwed when things DO inevitably run out.

Social security: Center-left
Why: You can't have people starving in the streets, can you? However, create a strict system to catch dole-bludgers and other cheats.

Terrorism: Centre
Why: Kill the bastards. But make sure you do a proper job of it, instead of marching against imaginary foes while the real enemy relaxes and plots further attacks.
 
abortion: Pro-life
Why: Until there is a determination of when life begins, we must err on the side of caution.

Affirmative action: Pro meritocracy
"Diversity" is just another gimmick to discriminate against whites - "affirmative action" is unconstitutional, racist, irrational, counterproductive, rewards the undeserving, penalizes the blameless, and holds back our country in a competitive world, and strikes at the very heart of the bill of rights - that people should be equal under the law.

Campaign Finance Reform: Pro-free speech
These are straight-forward attacks on the first amendment.

Ecology: Pro-private property
Owned property is taken care of

Education: Pro-freedom
The state has absolutely no business managing education - obvious from looking at what a century of government education has produced.

Free Trade: Pro
Free trade provides benefits for all.

Gun Control: Anti
Gun control is irrational and prohibited by the second amendment.

Same-sex marriage: Indifferent
The state has business involving itself in marriage.

Immigration: Pro-control
Lawless immigration must end.

Military Intervention: Pro-defense
Waiting for imminent threats is irrational in an era where the first shot may be a suitcase nuke going up in an american city.

Public health care: Pro freedom
Government health care will bring stagnation in new ideas, and rationing.

Renewable energy: Anti
This is as much of a hoax as it's ever been.

discuss and tell me what your positions are on these issues.[/QUOTE]
 
Abortion: Right
Why: I know life begins at conception.


Affirmative Action: Leans Left
Why: Affirmative Action should be used in Education based on INCOME not RACE. Outside of education, I do not think it really benefits anything

Balanced Budget: Far Right
Why: I wonder when Republicans will start to go by their platform on this one?

Buisness tax: Right
Why: Too many taxes on Business can and does kill jobs

Ecology: Center
Why: The environment is important to take care of. Unfortunately we have done so much damage there is not much else we can do.

Education: Right
Why: Schools need to be held accountable for their notoriously terrible teaching. I would support secular school vouchers to get students out of failing schools

Free Trade: Right
Why: Free Trade has worked pretty well. Unless the security is in danger, free trade should be encouraged.

Gun Control: Center
Why: We need more gun laws and more gun rights. You have the right to a gun, but if a member of Concerned Women of America or the Christian Coalition kills a gay person because they are gay, they need their guns taken away and those zealots need to be locked up. Concerned Women for America is a bunch of stupid women.



Gay Rights: Center-Left
Why: I support gay rights, but perhaps flat out gay marriage goes a bit to far. Gay people deserve special privelleges. :mrgreen:

Immigration: Right
Why: This is a country of immigrats, but this is also a country of laws. I support legal immigration, I staunchly oppose ILLEGAL immigration. The US needs to secure the border. The states and federal government should work together

Military Intervention: Bush Right
Why: We need to win the War on Terror

Personal Tax: Centrist
Why: We need to keep taxes fairly high to keep the budget balanced. We also need to make sure social programs are reserved only to people who need them. Tax payers money must be spent wisely or not at all. At the end of a tax season, any unused money I would refund back to the tax payers.

Public Health Care: Left Wing Libertarian
Why: I support public health care. I support medicare, medicaid, etc however those programs should be reserved for people who actually need them. Those programs are not met to get your penis enlarged or your breasts smaller as my neighbors have done.


Renewable Energy: Center-left
Why: We need to be careful with energy. You keep on using the same source forever it will bckfire.

Social Security: Bush Right
Why: I support Bush's Brillant plan to reform social security. Yall are nuts for not even listening to his plan.
 
Can I just say how much I love this thread?

I learned a lot about people that I never would have gotten out of debates because of the narrow focus of so many issues. It's always good to be reminded that people don't have single-issue platforms. I especially enjoyed reading the thoughts of james, vergiss, galen, korimyr, and jfuh - it's nice to be reminded that everyone disagrees on some issues and agrees on others. =)
 
Abortion: Far Left
Why: Abortion legal on demand until birth.

Affirmative action: Left
Why: We need to help minorities onto an equal playing field and in our unequal society this sadly requires state intervention and protection.

Balanced Budget:Left
Why:It's more important to spend money where it's needed than to balance any budget.

Buisness tax: Left
Why: Businesses should face huge taxes whichwould allow the government to reduce taxes for those further down the economic ladder while improving public services.

Campaign Finance Reform: Left
Why: There should be limits put on campaign spending, and more regulation.

Ecology: Left
Why: It's imperative that the nations act together to stop global warming, and that the USA stops screwing the Kyoto Protocol around with it's insistence that "sink" land should count towards reducing emissions.

Education: Left
Why: Higher pay for teachers, comphrehensive sex education taught to kids from an early age, a greater emphasis on academic classes i.e. point and laugh at the person who came up with the idea of "bowling class."

Free Trade: Far Left
Why: We should only trade with countries that run widespread FairTrade schemes, and shun those that abuse or oppress their workforce. WE shoudl not impose import tax on goods from poor nations, just the more affulant ones.

Gun Control: Left
Why: All gun owner-ship should be illegalised.

Same-sex marriage: Left
Why: Allow gays to marry. None of this half assed "Civil unions for gays, save marruage for straights" crap.

Immigration: Left
Why: Entering a country shoudl be made as simple as "Hi! Welcome to the USA!" Whole states in your country are basically empty, so there's more than enough room!

Military Intervention: Left
Why: As an absolute last resort.

Personal Tax: Left
Why: Tax the hell out of the rich, lower taxes for the poor.

Public Health care: Left
Why: All health care, be it inpatient or out-patient, should be part of a National Health Service funded by taxes and government spending.

Renewable energy: Left
Why: We should devote a great deal of time and energy to finding sources of energy that don't screw this wonderful planet.

Social security: Left
Why: Increase payments and keep it government run.

Terrorism: Left
Why: Military action as an absolute last resort. Economic/trade sancstions against countries that abuse their people/harbour terrorists, improvements in foreign policy that may reduce the antipathy felt towards us in the East, sto giving money to the Israeli government until theystop oppressing the Palestinians.
 
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RightatNYU said:
Can I just say how much I love this thread?

I learned a lot about people that I never would have gotten out of debates because of the narrow focus of so many issues. It's always good to be reminded that people don't have single-issue platforms. I especially enjoyed reading the thoughts of james, vergiss, galen, korimyr, and jfuh - it's nice to be reminded that everyone disagrees on some issues and agrees on others. =)

So RIghtatNYU after looking at my stances, would you consider me a Democrat or Republican?

And you in NYC?? Ah that is cool. I love multi-culturalism, with the exception of the population of that city I would prob love NYC!!!! However, I am moving to Houston, closer to home, and have famil there and not as populated.

James
 
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jamespol said:
So RIghtatNYU after looking at my stances, would you consider me a Democrat or Republican?

And you in NYC?? Ah that is cool. I love multi-culturalism, with the exception of the population of that city I would prob love NYC!!!! However, I am moving to Houston, closer to home, and have famil there and not as populated.

James

I think that'd probably depend on your location. With your opinions, it seems like you'd fit in well as a liberal Republican if you were in the Northeast or California, or as a conservative Democrat if you were in the South or Midwest. I certainly have friends who would consider themselves Republicans who are more to the left on average than you, as well as friends who consider themselves Democrats who are more to the right of you. Party identification isn't really a good measuring stick for beliefs. I've found it useful in a few scenarios - Primary voting, getting campaign jobs, and building up reputation credits for years down the road. Hell, the last 4 jobs I've had I got because of my party ID.:lol:

And yea, I'm in NYC and I love it. The large population isn't really as noticeable as you'd think. A full 2.5 million of the 8 million people here live in Brooklyn and another 2.5 million are in Queens. 1.3 million or so in the Bronx, 450,000 in Staten Island, and that only leaves 1.5 million for Manhattan. The area where i live isn't anything like midtown or times square, which is what most people think of. I run into people I know everywhere I go, it's kind of odd. I haven't been to Houston yet, although its on my short list of american cities to hit.:2wave:
 
RightatNYU said:
I think that'd probably depend on your location. With your opinions, it seems like you'd fit in well as a liberal Republican if you were in the Northeast or California, or as a conservative Democrat if you were in the South or Midwest. I certainly have friends who would consider themselves Republicans who are more to the left on average than you, as well as friends who consider themselves Democrats who are more to the right of you. Party identification isn't really a good measuring stick for beliefs. I've found it useful in a few scenarios - Primary voting, getting campaign jobs, and building up reputation credits for years down the road. Hell, the last 4 jobs I've had I got because of my party ID.:lol:

And yea, I'm in NYC and I love it. The large population isn't really as noticeable as you'd think. A full 2.5 million of the 8 million people here live in Brooklyn and another 2.5 million are in Queens. 1.3 million or so in the Bronx, 450,000 in Staten Island, and that only leaves 1.5 million for Manhattan. The area where i live isn't anything like midtown or times square, which is what most people think of. I run into people I know everywhere I go, it's kind of odd. I haven't been to Houston yet, although its on my short list of american cities to hit.:2wave:

The liberalism in me makes me want to live in a city. My suburb of St. Louis is mostly black and white with a few latinos. I would love to live in a city as diverse as Houston and NYC. Just one more year left of school and then I am off to college in Houston, Texas... and it is just not because of the racial makeup, I like the location, and have family there and like the college down there.


Since I will be in Houston I would likely join the Democratic Party. I hope Texas's 4 way Governor race will allow Chris Bell to win. Since 2 of the so-called independents are ex-Republicans, ah this reminds me of how Clinton won in 1992 and how Bush won Florida in 2000.

James
 
This is my first post. This thread is really good!


Abortion: Radical Left
Why: There are way too many people. In some socio-economic/demographic categories, abortion should even be encouraged.

Affirmative action: Radical Right
Why: I thought color-of-skin did not matter.

Balanced Budget: Centrist
Balance lowering the deficit with other priorities sounds good to me too.

Business tax: Moderate Left
Why: Businesses should be taxed based on their executive compensation structure. The more the execs get paid, the more taxes are paid. This idea incents spreading the profit more to the folks that really do the profitable work.

Campaign Finance Reform: Left
Why: This idea flies in the face of free speech.

Ecology: Center-Left
why: good ecology policies are good economic policies. Agreed

Education: Radical Right
why: Education is entirely state issue.

Free Trade: Right
Why: All markets should be open

Gun Control: Militant Right
Why: Guns are inanimant objects.

Same-sex marriage: Right
Why: There should be lines drawn around certain social norms to ensure cultural integrity

Immigration: Radical Right
Why: Build a giant moat with venemous snakes and crocodiles.

Military Intervention: Moderate Right
Why: Intervention if we are attacked or if certain behavior will become problematic

Personal Tax: Radical Right
why: Taxes for infrastructure only, no social-based taxes.

Public health care: Center-Left
Why: Make it cheaper by insurance industry overhaul, caps on malpractice claims, and caps on drug company advertising spending. Your doctor should be prescribing you the medicine, not your television. The extra money should go only to research.

Renewable energy: Radical Left
why: no more oil...no more terrorism money, period. You gut the Saudi bank account and Al Quaida is history.

Social security: Radical Right
why: No social-based taxation, of ANY kind.

Terrorism: Radical Right
Why: The Middle East should be a giant pane of glass right now.
 
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