Other What are your politics?

[Dugym]

What is your political alignment? What policies do you support?


I am a classical liberal. If you want to know what that is, watch this video.


All replies to this thread must be either debate or discussion. No arguments. Let's copy the success of this thread.


Beliefs Table (Some of these apply to the US only, feel free to modify)

Spoiler

Abortion:
Gay Marriage/Gay Rights:
Planned Parenthood:
Religious Freedom Act:
Required Vaccination: 
Trans Rights: 
Death Penalty: 
Obamacare: 
Legalize Marijuana:
Minimum Wage: 
Higher Taxes on the Wealthy:
Lower Taxes on the Poor: 
Welfare: 
Trans-Pacific Partnership: 
Puerto Rico Bailout: 
Building Wall: 
Deportation: 
Full Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants: 
Diminish Student Loans:
Common Core: 
Declare War on ISIS: 
Increase Military Spending: 
Drone Usage:
Guantanamo Bay Facility: 
Troops in Syria: 
Government Surveillance: 
Gun Control: 
Iphone Encryption: 
Reduce Campaign Finance:
Reduce Climate Change: 
Reduce GMOs: 
Pardon Edward Snowden:


Gold Standard:

Beliefs Table (HTML Code)

Spoiler

<p>
    Abortion:<br>
    Gay Marriage/Gay Rights:<br>
    Planned Parenthood:<br>
    Religious Freedom Act:<br>
    Required Vaccination:&nbsp;<br>
    Trans Rights:&nbsp;<br>
    Death Penalty:&nbsp;<br>
    Obamacare:&nbsp;<br>
    Legalize Marijuana:<br>
    Minimum Wage:&nbsp;<br>
    Higher Taxes on the Wealthy:<br>
    Lower Taxes on the Poor:&nbsp;<br>
    Welfare:&nbsp;<br>
    Trans-Pacific Partnership:&nbsp;<br>
    Puerto Rico Bailout:&nbsp;<br>
    Building Wall:&nbsp;<br>
    Deportation:&nbsp;<br>
    Full Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants:&nbsp;<br>
    Diminish Student Loans:<br>
    Common Core:&nbsp;<br>
    Declare War on ISIS:&nbsp;<br>
    Increase Military Spending:&nbsp;<br>
    Drone Usage:<br>
    Guantanamo Bay Facility:&nbsp;<br>
    Troops in Syria:&nbsp;<br>
    Government Surveillance:&nbsp;<br>
    Gun Control:&nbsp;<br>
    Iphone Encryption:&nbsp;<br>
    Reduce Campaign Finance:<br>
    Reduce Climate Change:&nbsp;<br>
    Reduce GMOs:&nbsp;<br>
    Pardon Edward Snowden:
</p>


<p>
    Gold Standard:
</p>

 

[Inner Power]

No offense but some of what went on in the religion thread I wouldn't really call successful. This seems like a bad idea.

 

[Bone2pick]

 

[Dugym]

No offense but some of what went on in the religion thread I wouldn't really call successful. This seems like a bad idea.

It never got out of hand. There were a few bumps but they smoothed out.

 

[Hige]

I'm more on the liberal side myself. 

 

[Protagonist]

Neo-conservative, I think?

I'm a bit more liberal on immigration issues, but I'm staunchly socially conservative.

 

[Truthblade]

My beliefs would be considered conservative, though I personally don't consider myself to have one.

 

[Lost Swordlance]

Capitalist. 


More power to individuals, more power to companies. 

 

[The Gunrunner]

According to the "Original Internet Political Quiz," I'm a centrist slightly curving towards authoritarianism - " Centrist prefer a "middle ground" regarding government control of the economy and personal behavior. Depending on the issue, they sometimes favor government intervention and sometimes support individual freedom of choice. Centrists pride themselves on keeping an open mind, tend to oppose "political extremes," and emphasize what they describe as "practical" solutions to problems. "


Pretty much spot-on. I won't say I always keep an open mind, but I try.

 

[M.J. Saulnier]

I honestly haven't kept up or concerned myself with any political parties since I started learning about them and realized people limit themselves to a format when looking at and exploring individual situations with individual variables and aspects.


I tend to not subscribe to any views or schools of politics. I look at issues objectively, as individual issues, and make an individual choice that reflects the nature of the issue itself.


They probably have a name for that too though, lol.

 

[Count Gensokyo]

First religion, now politics? Why am I not surprised?

 

[Idea]

It´s hard for me to precise what my beliefs are (although there likely is a name for it and I just don´t know it), as my approach to things is not to pick and choose but to attempt to conceive what kind of system I would think most suitable for the functions of a government. As far as I am aware, aristrocacy would be the system I defend, one based on education to assert the elite which are entitled to vote and government participation.

 

[adrian_]

Communism is pretty good, yeah, Communism.

 

[Kololf]

It varies really on the individual subject up for debate.

 

[Dugym]

@0Spacedawg @Protagonist @Truthblade @Lil Carnage @The Gunrunner @Loco Mofo @Idea @Arion @Kololf


I added a beliefs table to the OP, if you guys want to fill it out.

 

[adrian_]

[COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Abortion: Do what you want.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Gay Marriage/Gay Rights: Do what you want.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Planned Parenthood: Uhhhhhhh....[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Religious Freedom Act: Do what you want.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Required Vaccination: Do it pls.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Trans Rights: Do what you want.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Death Penalty: It's ethical. I guess.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Obamacare: Huh?[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Legalize Marijuana: Fuck yeah. (I'm in Canada so get fucked America.)[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Minimum Wage: I'm bad at economics, so I'm just going to say: For.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Higher Taxes on the Wealthy: Eh.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Lower Taxes on the Poor: They need to work harder. Nuff' Said.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Welfare: Lemme just google that.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Trans-Pacific Partnership: Well Woods needs to get more of a swing in his drive or he won't be able to win the champ-.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Puerto Rico Bailout:  The fuck is that?[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Building Wall: stahp pls.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Deportation: Go to Common Core.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Full Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants: Go to common core. [/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Diminish Student Loans: Go to common core.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Common Core: [/COLOR]

Spoiler

 

[COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Declare War on ISIS: You can't declare war on a Terrorist organisation, you eliminate it.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Increase Military Spending: Dafuq. We need dat shit. (I'm speaking on Canada, not America.)[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Drone Usage: Do we even use them?[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Guantanamo Bay Facility: The hell?[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Troops in Syria: Idek.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Government Surveillance: NSA is BAE.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Gun Control: Idfk.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Iphone Encryption: Idfk.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Reduce Campaign Finance: Idfk.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Reduce Climate Change: Idfk.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Reduce GMOs: Idfk.[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(255, 255, 255)]Pardon Edward Snowden: Wasn't he Canadian?[/COLOR] 

 

[Idea]

@0Spacedawg @Protagonist @Truthblade @Lil Carnage @The Gunrunner @Loco Mofo @Idea @Arion @Kololf


I added a beliefs table to the OP, if you guys want to fill it out.

are we like, suppose to put yes/no answers or elaborate?

 

[adrian_]

3 minutes ago, Idea said:





are we like, suppose to put yes/no answers or elaborate?




 

I elaborated. I have no idea.

 

[Dugym]

are we like, suppose to put yes/no answers or elaborate?

It doesn't matter, as long as we can understand what position you take on it.

 

[Protagonist]

@0Spacedawg @Protagonist @Truthblade @Lil Carnage @The Gunrunner @Loco Mofo @Idea @Arion @Kololf


I added a beliefs table to the OP, if you guys want to fill it out.

OK:

Abortion: Very staunchly anti-abortion, even by Conservative standards.
Gay Marriage/Gay Rights: Relatively in favor of.
Planned Parenthood: Defund right away.
Religious Freedom Act: I agree with some but not all of the principles, not overly fond of the title.
Required Vaccination: Absolutely in favor of!
Trans Rights: I might say that I'm moderate? I believe that one has a right to go outside traditional gender roles and try to become the other gender/sex. However, I look upon the idea of "gender identity" with...skepticism. A man declaring that they're a women in a male body, I believe a more accurate statement is that they're a man who thinks in a manner similar to how society expects women to act.
Death Penalty: In favor of.
Obamacare: No opinion.
Legalize Marijuana: No opinion.
Minimum Wage: Maybe a little higher.
Higher Taxes on the Wealthy: No opinion.
Lower Taxes on the Poor: Sure.
Welfare: It needs some adjustment but the idea is sound.
Trans-Pacific Partnership: I believe that I'm in favor, but am unsure.
Puerto Rico Bailout: I know nothing about this.
Immigration: I want more border security, but I want it to be easier to become a US citizen.
Diminish Student Loans: No opinion
Common Core: It's bad.
Declare War on ISIS: Not formally.
Increase Military Spending: It's pretty high, so let's keep it where it is.
Drone Usage: A society that does not use drone warfare does not value human life.
Guantanamo Bay Facility: Keep it open.
Troops in Syria: Sure.
Government Surveillance: It's fine if you're on public property.
Gun Control: Against assault weapon bans, but I am in favor of certain restrictions on gun sales.
Iphone Encryption: I think we just need to build better computers that can defeat encryption.
Reduce Campaign Finance: No.
Reduce Climate Change: Yes.
Reduce GMOs: No.
Pardon Edward Snowden: No.

 

[Kololf]

You most likely won't like some of my answers.What is this for again?

 

[Novislav Đajić]

Fascism all the way


And before I go, I must add this:


https://www.facebook.com/freehelicopterridesforcommies/

 

[The Gunrunner]

Abortion: Interesting thing: Human sentience continues to develop even after birth... but try to convince people of THAT kind of abortion. Anyway, I am of the opinion that no animal's life matters until they are sentient enough to recognize their own life. Early in development, there will not even be a brain yet.


I think that abortion is fine so long as it is before sentience has developed to recognizing itself. The only problem is that some laws allow abortions a bit into the late stages.
Gay Marriage/Gay Rights: Sure.
Planned Parenthood: Doesn't this tie in with "Abortion"? 
Religious Freedom Act: I don't know anything about this.
Required Vaccination: Depends where the person is. In a school, yes. In the military, yes. As a doctor or nurse or whatever, yes. 
Trans Rights: I haven't followed this much, so I don't know what rights would be in question. Do you mean the bathrooms thing? I was originally against it, but then had the thought that the idea of gendered bathrooms is based on nothing to begin with, so I stopped giving a shit (pun intended.) I don't know what else there is though.
Death Penalty: I had a debate in my law class about this. "Is it just to take the life of a human being?" I was one of the few people on the 'yes' side. I argued the practicality of it, argued against the misunderstood idea that it's more expensive to kill someone (actually has much more to do with the trial process and, weirdly enough, the fact that they aren't going through with the execution sometimes,) and ended it with "If someone can not be reintegrated back into society - they are purely a detriment, and a violent one at that - then it makes sense to kill them."
Obamacare: Socialist healthcare sounds like a good idea. We have it here in Canada. I remember watching a documentary on the old system called 'Sycko,' or something similar. There were people who were unable to pay their health bills, so they were literally left outside.
Legalize Marijuana: Smoke weed everyday. I think all drugs, excluding those that are very likely to cause violent behaviour, should be legalized. It's one's responsibility to take care of themselves - If one wants to kill him or herself on a dangerous substance, that's up to them. Nothing wrong with agencies meant to help those people, but I think there is a lot wrong with the use being illegal.
Minimum Wage: Entirely for it, but dubious on it being increased. The abolishment of minimum wage will only work if there is a lot of competition between companies. So long as this is the case, wages won't be an issue. If there is no competition, then workers are forced to take on a small selection of companies - This means the companies are free to fuck them over.


Quick tangent: Isn't it funny that those who argue for free market capitalism also argue for the abolishment of minimum wage?
Higher Taxes on the Wealthy: Entirely against it. I do not at all understand the concept that someone should have more taken from them because they earn more. They should pay the same amount as the middle-class. I understand that some do not feel this way for most, but do understand that there are those in the 'upper level' that earned that position. It isn't sensible to punish them for their work.
Lower Taxes on the Poor: Yet I'm for this. Minimum wage isn't enough for someone to live on, and taxing them can make it harder. 
Welfare: If the requirements for it make sense and the welfare is only able to provide food and registered housing, then sure.
Trans-Pacific Partnership: Don't know anything about this.
Puerto Rico Bailout: Don't know anything about this.
Building Wall: Worked for China, worked for Rome (In britain,) it'll work for the USA. If it can be built, and the price isn't as ridiculous as some have argued, then there's nothing wrong with it.
Deportation: Yes.
Full Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants: 50/50. If it isn't impractical, then it'll solve the moral issue of splitting up families. Immediately after, though, they should crack down on illegal immigration so the same problem doesn't come up again.
Diminish Student Loans: Don't know much about this.
Common Core: I don't know what this is.
Declare War on ISIS: Already happening.
Increase Military Spending: Depends what country you're in. For the US? Idk.
Drone Usage: Just another weapon of war. The operators get really messed up though, which is a shame. 
Guantanamo Bay Facility: Eeehhhhh idk. There's a report by your own government, which used former CIA directors and agents as well, that concluded the current CIA blacksites were shady and run like dogshit; they lied to their oversight, they lied to the president, they lied to the media,  many interrogators were inexperienced, there is no complete record of inmates, and most of the time 'enhanced interrogation techniques' weren't even necessary. This is ignoring the fact that many techniques used are illegal according to international law, but I digress on this point.


In the event where torture is the only method to extract vital information on a plot capable of killing large amounts of people, maybe it is necessary.
Troops in Syria: Peace-keepers is fine, but please jesus not that retarded no-fly-zone. That would have made things very bad.
Government Surveillance: With proper restrictions and, if possible, some way for the public to check on the surveillance agency so it's harder for them to abuse their power.
Gun Control: Depends on the weapon. Assault rifles, shotguns, SMGs, and pistols all have a place (yes, even in defending yourself.) Mortars do not.
Iphone Encryption: Idk what this is.
Reduce Campaign Finance: Idk what this is.
Reduce Climate Change: Sure.
Reduce GMOs: The GMO hysteria is ridiculous and overwhelmingly unfounded. It doesn't even make sense to be anti-GMO, since genetic modification points to no specific method. It's bad to modify genetics? What about selective breeding, which we've been doing since our first civilization? 
Pardon Edward Snowden: Idk who that is.


Gold Standard: Idk what this is about.

 

[Truthblade]

Yeah, I think most of my answers would get me killed.

 

[Grey]

I am unapologetically a democratic socialist.


Abortion: Pro until such time as it becomes less of an issue, via improved education and availability of contraceptive options.



Gay Marriage/Gay Rights: Entirely in favour. 



Planned Parenthood: Not relevant to me here in Ireland, but it seems a worthy institution worth protection and expansion.



Religious Freedom Act: Again, not directly relevant to me - seems to be more trouble than it's worth.



Required Vaccination: A wholly reasonable means to protect public health.



Trans Rights: In favour, no question.



Death Penalty: I'm of two minds on this - rehabilitation is absolutely a superior choice to punishment, but some offenders cannot be rehabilitated and will therefore prove a drain on the state in being kept from doing harm. A question to ask after more widespread reforms, I think.



Obamacare: A stop-gap, but it appears broadly positive. Universal healthcare is great.



Legalize Marijuana: In terms of pure economic advantage, you'd be silly not to; ethically it's laughable to allow alcohol and not weed.



Minimum Wage: 
Higher Taxes on the Wealthy:
Lower Taxes on the Poor: 
Welfare: 


I'm going to roll these into one answer, since I've shifted my position to be in favour of a universal basic income recently. Minimum wage is necessary until such time as better methods to prevent corporate exploitation can be put in place (and may then persist, we don't yet know). The provision of a basic income, as a form of welfare, would potentially remove this necessity by forcing employers to compete for employees by offering superior payment and benefits rather than the current model of coercion. Taxation is a necessity to support such an initiative, and those who can afford to give more might need encouragment if empathetic engagement and civic responsibility are not enough for them. But if everyone has their covered and therefore all additional income is pure luxury, a lower and flatter tax rate might be sufficient.



Trans-Pacific Partnership: Good for corporations, bad for humans.



Puerto Rico Bailout: I heard nothing about this, so I'm in no position to comment until after some reading.



Building Wall: Delusional.



Deportation: My understanding is that deportation is sometimes a legal necessity? If you have exhausted your visa, you may be deported; seems reasonable. Mass deportation based on xenophobic fantasies, on the other hand, is as ludicrous as it sounds.



Full Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants: Something of an economic necessity, from what I've read. Texas would collapse without its migrant workers.



Diminish Student Loans: Education is crucial in all arenas of life, and it should be more available.



Common Core: On skimming the wiki page, this seems like a rational program with some flaws.



Declare War on ISIS: The broader geopolitics and logistics on this are beyond me, and I have no strong opinion at this time.



Increase Military Spending: Based on the statistics, this is a bad move.



Drone Usage: It's merely a more refined tool for the purpose of murder. A bullet or a missile - all the same to the dead and the grieving.



Guantanamo Bay Facility: Immediate closure. I am not so naive as to believe such a grotesque criminal enterprise will ever be met with justice, but for it to end must suffice for now.



Troops in Syria: I defer to the more qualified.



Government Surveillance: Should be limited to monitoring and protecting public spaces, not invading private homes.



Gun Control: A necessity. Taking the guns away is impossible, at this point, but more restrictons on sale and use have proven effective elsewhere.



Iphone Encryption: Not the business of government.



Reduce Campaign Finance: Yes, there should be a cap - and a low one, at that.



Reduce Climate Change: A vital pursuit.



Reduce GMOs: No. GMOs are too useful.



Pardon Edward Snowden: I would be inclined to say yes.


Gold Standard: I'd rather we move towards a moneyless society, but there are good arguments to be made for the gold standard as a measure to cripple corporate ambitions.