What makes you think I'm trying to fool anyone? Maybe I just want my posts judged by their content rather than a particular label? Quite frankly, I always think it's hilarious when some loud-mouthed newcomer to these forums stands up and declares that they've "discovered" my secret liberalism. Hell, I think you did that yourself.
Besides, liberal/conservative is not a sufficient scale to really describe my views. I'm very liberal on some issues, kinda liberal on some issues, and conservative on some issues. I've been called "right-wing" for my gun control stance, for instance. If there were an additional authoritarian/libertarian scale to put myself on, I might be more inclined to put a stance in. On abortion, I'm a fence-sitter. I haven't managed to really resolve that issue in my head, but I lean pro-life. Except I'm not at all religious. Am I a conservative now?
I'm more pragmatic on the role of government: I think that generally speaking "smaller government" is a good thing and that in most cases the free market will do things more efficiently than the government will, but I accept that there are certain services or industries that don't function properly as a purely free market. Some of these services are also essential or important to the greater good of society, so some form of government influence is helpful. See: Military, fire department, roads. I see that as a moderate stance, but then again you guys on the far right call me a socialist. It's all relative.
I have a solid "liberal" stance on global warming, but I think it's utterly absurd that people place a political label on a scientific topic. I didn't come to this opinion because liberals told me about the issue. I didn't come to this opinion because of Al Gore. (never even watched his movie or any of his speeches) I came to this opinion because I read actual research papers by actual scientists, instead of stuff that journalists write. Physics does not have a political bias. If enough scientific evidence came out to exonerate CO2 as a cause of significant climate change, I'd be thrilled. I'd even celebrate by buying a giant gas-guzzling SUV. (well, not really, I have no regular, practical use for such a vehicle right now)
I think the government has no business telling me what I can and cannot do in my personal life. Unless the government can make a compelling case as to why a particular action might cause harm to others, they have no right to tell me I can't do it. I don't care what the action is. If it doesn't hurt others in any way, who are they to tell me not to do it? Sounds conservative, right? When I apply that to homosexuals getting married, suddenly I'm a liberal. There's a beautiful young woman I love very much, and it looks likely we'll be getting married some day. Two dudes getting married doesn't change my feelings for her. It wont change the importance of that connection.
So you tell me. Am I very liberal? Liberal? Slightly Liberal? Moderate? I've got a small libertarian streak in me too. What about those "conservative" stances of mine?