Political Affiliation and Ideology

How do you describe yourself?

  • Liberal

    Votes: 202 33.9%
  • Conservative

    Votes: 147 24.7%
  • Moderate

    Votes: 111 18.7%
  • Democrat

    Votes: 96 16.1%
  • Republican

    Votes: 69 11.6%
  • Libertarian

    Votes: 136 22.9%
  • Independent

    Votes: 158 26.6%
  • Capitalist

    Votes: 128 21.5%
  • Socialist

    Votes: 117 19.7%
  • Pro Free-Trade

    Votes: 68 11.4%
  • Isolationist

    Votes: 26 4.4%
  • Anarchist

    Votes: 37 6.2%
  • Progressive

    Votes: 138 23.2%
  • Medievalist

    Votes: 24 4.0%
  • Dawnolite

    Votes: 15 2.5%

  • Total voters
    595

rwm4768

practical experience, FTW
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I can't stand either major political party in the U.S. Politically, I'd describe myself as a moderate libertarian. I used to lean more conservative than I do now.

Unfortunately, I'm finding the Republican party goes farther and farther to the right of where I want to be, especially on social issues. On the other hand, the Democratic party is going too far left on the economic issues.

In summary:

Somewhat socially liberal. Somewhat fiscally conservative. Foreign policy is a case-by-case thing for me.

Oh, and I hate the two-party system. I think Europe's proportional representation system is better than our system where someone who gets 51 percent of the vote ends up representing 100 percent of the people. How does that make sense?
 

PrincessOfCats

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Liberal first, everything else after, and I make no apology for that. :)

That having been said, I really wish that we had a Republican party that wasn't full of ideologues and crazy people who are in denial about how politics in this country works. I would love to see a Republican party with stronger libertarian leanings combined with economic conservatism that's based in actual fact (I get so tired of people comparing the US budget to someone's household budget, like they're even remotely the same thing). I don't agree with a lot of the precepts of the above, but I think it's good to have two parties in opposition. It keeps (or is supposed to keep) both sides from doing anything too crazy.

I think in 20-30 years, the Republicans will be much more Libertarian, because the alternative is the Republican party going away.

I grew up surrounded by politics (dad was a lobbyist when I was a kid), so I've always known how messy and full of corruption and self-interest that it is. But that's human nature. A more utopian system would have to be run by not-humans.

Like a lot of people on this forum, I get very frustrated sometimes with the government in this country (and in my state), with the opposing party and with my own, but the truth is that this is the way the world is right now, and IMO, it's better to work with what we've got than to succumb to complaining and do nothing. That's just me, though. Not everyone was up to their knees in a sea of political manure from childhood. :p
 

beechnut79

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I believe that we are terribly lacking in social action these days. While there is a disgruntled mood, especially in the area of economic inequality, the culture of intense individualism is working against us and is blocking the change that is needed. We are in another sweep of destiny, and don't we know it, and many are disappointed at the slow pace of change. It could be that we are not getting the fully story about what is going on. For this I lay the majority of the blame on the brainwashing of the corporate media, since just a few large behemoths control the vast majority of the news content. We need to remind each other to keep our attention on the positive developments and not get pulled down into discouragement.
 

meowzbark

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I'm a libertarian, but lacking libertarians to vote for.

I typically vote Republican, but I'm pro-choice and pro-same sex marriage. I'll vote 3rd party before I vote Democrat (unless it's for local stuff).
 

Jrubas

Frankensteinian patchwork
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I was liberal for a while, then I was conservative...then I realized that BOTH parties are corrupt. Now I'm just me, liberal here, conservative there. Too much of either one is like too much booze. Not good.
 

ErezMA

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Libertarian. Most specifically minarchist.
 

rwhegwood

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None of the above...the older I get the more I miss King George.
 

rwhegwood

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Dubya or Herbert Walker?

Missed by a couple of centuries. King George III and heirs. Let's just say I lost my faith in democracy and the egalitarian delusion...well intended as they both might be. Sort of a libertarian Monarchist with cooperativest/agrarianist tendencies.
 
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Jrubas

Frankensteinian patchwork
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I'm a Frankensteinian patchwork. Moderate independent isolationist libertarian. When it comes down to it, I believe in living and letting live.

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In other words: Leave me alone and I'll leave you alone.