How Would You Describe Your Political Views?

[Manhattan]

I'm just curious to see how our members would consider themselves. Feel free to discuss your choice here.

 

I have created this chart to illustrate the political spectrum:

 

 

Personally, I am a right-leaning Libertarian (also called a New York Republican). Used to be a lot of us in NYC and the northeast. Now we hardly exist.

[kozzman555]

I'm just curious to see how our members would consider themselves. Feel free to discuss your choice here.

 

I have created this chart to illustrate the political spectrum:

 

 

Personally, I am a right-leaning Libertarian (also called a New York Republican). Used to be a lot of us in NYC and the northeast. Now we hardly exist.

ditto. the less government the better. when has the goverment ever fixed anything? lol

[sarge87]

Conservative with Libertarian leanings.

[jnkyrdoff6]

Quoted- "I am a right-leaning Libertarian"

 

same. Really, most people out here are either mainstream Republicans or libertarians/anarchists/conservatives.

[Manhattan]

Surprised how many Libertarians there are so far. I have a political prediction to make:

 

1) See how our modern political debate, if displayed on that chart I made, goes in a diagonal line from the top-left (Left) to bottom-right (right)? Two-hundred years ago, the political debate was a mirror image. You were either an Anti-Federalist (bottom-left) or Federalist (top-right). It has since changed to its current arrangement.

 

2) I think this last election sealed the fate of the current Republican base. They are only going to get smaller over time while the amount of Libertarians and liberals increase. There are already far more self-described Libertarians now than even ten years ago. The Democratic Party will be in power until the Republican Party stops ostracizing the relative political moderates (Libertarians, Center-Rights) of its party and moves away from its antiquated base.

 

3) In about fifty years time, the political alignment will be on a top-left to bottom-left arrangement. There will be a new wave of social deregulation like in the 60s and 70s, and nobody will care about the government regulating recreational drugs, abortion, gay marriage, etc. Those things will be trivial compared to the problems our country faces in the future. We will also be a far less religious country.

[RockyMountainOySker]

I like your definitions of what is what...good chart also. I consider myself a moderate republican. I'm completely open when it comes to social issues - I have my opinions but other people's opinions aren't going to kill me.

 

The area where I have the most passion is government regulation in regards to the economy and the state. We all need to remember that this country was formed entirely on the entrepreneurial spirit. Allow competition in a free market to make the country better.

 

This country is technologically advanced in every area b/c of competition and entrepreneurs one-uping the next guy in line. Our country is so dominate in the world b/c of the reasons I've stated, not government regulation.

[HUSKER 37]

I hate labels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I think you're all extremists.

[T_O_Bull]

I'm a fiscal conservative who believes we need a lot less government in our daily lives. (Don't make it a law that I have to wear a seat belt, simply let me know all the reasons why I should and let me make the decision.)

T_O_B

[jnkyrdoff6]

I hate labels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I think you're all extremists.

Extremist - a person who goes to extremes, esp. in political matters.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/extremist

 

Extreme - of a character or kind farthest removed from the ordinary or average

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/extreme

 

Average - typical; common; ordinary

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/average

 

That's fair enough. This is not the first time I've heard my views called extreme.

 

I said I was a libertarian, but only because that's the view I most agree with. Really, the only principle I care about is total and absolute freedom. So, in that respect, I could be called an extremist by some. I don't really care who gets elected to office, or what his or her policies are, except in regards to freedom. If a socialist gets elected, that's fine, as long as he doesn't take away any of my freedoms. The same goes for a conservative, or a member of any other party. I don't agree with socialist fiscal policies, but I can see where they're coming from, to a degree. The fact of the matter is that it doesn't matter what kind of fiscal policies are put into place, as long as we maintain our freedom. That is because we can always elect someone else to put other policies in place. Both of the last two presidents have done their fare share to take away some of the rights of man, or the freedoms that we had been granted by winning the revolutionary war. That's the only thing that gripes me. Freedom always seems to get taken away under the guise of protection and security, be it physically or financially. If our freedom continues to get taken away, we'll no longer be able to chose our representatives, or speak out against them, and therefore, will no longer be able to have any say in our government.

 

In response to Manhattan's prediction, I have thought the same thing myself. I think, really, if the Republicans want to win a presidential election again any time soon, they are going to need to make some concessions to the subgroups within the party (libertarians/anarchists/conservatives). The only concession that would win me over, for example, is a candidate who is less likely to take away my constitutional freedoms, or perhaps, give me back some of them. If no concessions are made, I do believe what Manhattan said will happen.

 

You could call us extremists, but it's just another label from a person who hates labels. It's really all based on perception too. As shown above, an extremist would be classified as such by one's perception of typical, common, and ordinary (normal). I think the most normal thing, in regards to politics, is a love of freedom, and an unwillingness to let it go. I believe that's what our founding fathers believed, and that's why the set up the nation the way they did. I saw a poll, taken a couple of months ago, where 21% of people polled said they would vote for a third party candidate. There sure is a growing number of extremists in this nation. A lot of people would agree that giving up the freedoms our nation was founded on is abnormal. Are the people that did this extremists then? Again, the word “extremist” is just another label.

 

I wasn't going to post on this topic again, but I was taught from a young age that, when it comes down to it, all a man has are his values. If you sell those out there's nothing left. I value freedom, above all else, so it seemed pretty important to reply.

[Manhattan]

I hate labels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I think you're all extremists.

 

You are a hypocrite. You hate labels, but then you label everyone here. Do you mean to say that you only hate labels when they are applied to yourself?

 

Secondly, regardless if you like labels or not - you think you are such an individual with your own unique views blah blah blah - no matter what you believe in individually, there is a spot on that chart that describes what you believe in. Every single possible political ideal/axis is represented. You label yourself just by providing any sort of opinion on anything you believe in.

[walksalone]

I'm pro-Military

[HUSKER 37]

I hate labels.

 

 

And I think you're all extremists.

 

You are a hypocrite. You hate labels, but then you label everyone here. Do you mean to say that you only hate labels when they are applied to yourself?

 

Secondly, regardless if you like labels or not - you think you are such an individual with your own unique views blah blah blah - no matter what you believe in individually, there is a spot on that chart that describes what you believe in. Every single possible political ideal/axis is represented. You label yourself just by providing any sort of opinion on anything you believe in.

 

 

I was really trying to be ironic.

 

But since you ask..Yeah..I feel labels get in the way..for instance, I like most forms of music..Even a few Country and maybe a couple of Rap songs..But there's probably several from both of those genera that I didn't even give a chance just because they were labeled as such.

 

I sometimes also feel that the two (or three? or four?) political parties have perpetuated or existed as mainly something to keep our minds occupied and not have enough left over to notice the real powers that be.

 

I don't think I'm all that unique..But I've almost never been able to only see one side of an argument.(To me, Pro Lifers and Pro Choice/Abortionists are both "extremeists").

I'm leaning toward thinking Abortion is wrong, but I also feel we should be allowed to make wrong decisions.

 

And...I'll agree with T.O.B.

I really resent that Insurance companies can have enough power to limit my fun (freefall time) if I'm in an auto accident.

 

Dang special interests lobbyists.

[holvy83]

I have a co worker who I would describe as a "right-wing nut job" now i say that is b/c he truly believes that the democratic party is a "socialist party", and he is one of those guys that will go to no end to make you believe whatever he says is the god awful truth about our gov't. He is one of those guys that listens to Rush and watches Fox News every night, and any opinions opposing what republicans do is considered anti-American. So put my political beliefs no where close to him. The great things about this country is that all sides have contributed to making this country great and both sides have failed also, they need to start working together and build for the future so my 1 1/2 yr old has something to look forward to.

[kansas husker]

I'm very much a conservitive but the more I learn the closer I come to being a libratiran. And I guess I am an extremist of sorts. For example our education system has plumited since the federal gov took it over in the mid 70's. Also look at every single social program we have I can't think of one that I would call a sucess social programs burden the average american and benifit very few.

[jnkyrdoff6]

I'm very much a conservitive but the more I learn the closer I come to being a libratiran. And I guess I am an extremist of sorts. For example our education system has plumited since the federal gov took it over in the mid 70's. Also look at every single social program we have I can't think of one that I would call a sucess social programs burden the average american and benifit very few.

 

Ain't it the truth. The real tragedy, to me, about all legislation (eg: universal healthcare) is that once it gets in our system we'll never get rid of it. The same can be said about freedoms that are taken away. I said I'd like I candidate who'd, maybe, give me a few freedoms back. I know it's never gonna happen. Governments don't surrender power for the same reason a person wouldn't. Legislation never goes away because there'd be riots in the streets about it. Think about what would happen if the gov't took away welfare, or the disappointing job corps, even though it's probably the biggest failure in the history of gov't social programs. That candidate could kiss his dreams of re-election good-bye.