Political Stripes

POSTED BY: dreamtrove
UPDATED: Friday, January 20, 2006 14:33
VIEWED: 4118
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DREAMTROVE

Thursday, January 12, 2006 4:39 PM

At first I thought all this political perspective anonymity was kind of cool. But now I think maybe we'd have less misunderstanding if we knew where each other was coming from.

I don't mean to tie everyone down to a position, people can change their minds, just thought we could shed some perspect, so without bashing anyone for their political perspective as being different than my own, here it is.

I derive most of my political perspective from historical republicans, particularlly TR to Eisenhower/Nixon, but by no means exclusive of others. I support internationalism as a diplomatic style, and containment as a military stategy.
I am basically civil libertarian, I strongly support a free market, with constrainst to fairness and in favor of competition. I would see govt. role as to keep things moving, and protect the rights of the people, make sure everyone plays nice, but not as a provider of goods and services for the people.

To keep it short:
Presently, republicans I like most are Larry Craig, Chuck Hagel and John McCain.
Democrats I like most are Russ Feingold and Barbara Boxer.

If need be I could probably add a dozen names or so but that fuzzies the picture. If these five people were my govt, we wouldn't always agree, but I'd have little problem with what they came up with collectively.

TANSTAAFL28

Friday, January 13, 2006 1:55 AM

I'm a Libertarian too, but I think the whole barrel is tainted. Unfortunately, most of them are too entrenched to chuck out, so I guess we'll have to figure out what to do with them. Our grand democratic-republic isn't what it used to be.

The majority of U.S. citizens have reneged on Social Contract by failing in their obligations to keep government in check via awareness, education, and activity. Prevailing apathy and extremism have given politicians free reign.

"You can't take the sky from me..."

DREAMTROVE

Friday, January 13, 2006 2:49 AM

Yeah, there's something to this. The powers that be have decided to exploit human's biggest failing: Laziness. The party leaders round people up like sheep and tell them to choose between the puppet on the left and the puppet on the right. Usually lately one of them is a patsy and is trying hard to lose to the other one.

What the people need to do is organize.

AURAPTOR

Tuesday, January 17, 2006 5:49 PM

I am a conservative, of a Libertarian mindset. I really identify w/ Mal. The Gov't has a short list of proper functions, which start with National Defense. Keep my taxes low and keep a low defecit, if any at all.

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

RUE

Tuesday, January 17, 2006 7:45 PM

I believe in the power of cooperation.

Little local problems can be solved by local cooperation (sometimes called government), larger problems can be solved by more extensive cooperation.

Nearly everything I know I learned by the grace of others.

SEVENPERCENT

Wednesday, January 18, 2006 4:00 AM

My 2c (or my 7%, whatever) -

The responsibility of government is not to interfere with the lives of citizens, it is to handle situations the citizens cannot take care of themselves (or to set policies/laws to prevent citizens from oppressing others - which is, I suppose, a situation that couldn't be handled alone).

For example, I'm all for the assisted suicide ruling today. The role of gov't is not to tell people how they can or cannot die, that's their decision (same with the Schiavo thing, etc.). The government's job is national defense, keeping the peace, and providing services the common person can't (such as infrastructure), in exchange for taxes and obeying the laws enacted by duly appointed representatives.

Therefore (more or less):
-I support gay marriage, due to belief that the government has no say in who can/cannot get married; it is a contract between consenting adults. It also causes no harm to me or my family, therefore, none of my business.

-Abortion, same thing; woman's right to decide what is right for her own body. Does not affect me, unless said abortion is prevented and child grows up impoverished, abused, and becomes a danger to me.

-I expect higher incomes to pay more taxes, as they have more to gain from the services the government provides. No roads, no police, and no laws = no wealth from no production, no protection, and no agreements. Part of the social contract, get over it. Also, the country was founded by people trying to prevent dynasties, therefore, it's not a 'death tax,' it's an estate tax. It's taxed against people with millions; little Billy will still go to Harvard, trust me.

-Pro death penalty (though waffling), pro aggressive foreign policy (when not used in an idiotic manner), pro-gun (but really - 1, the Dems are never going to take away guns, contrary to what Fox tells you; 2, the days of a citizen militia were over the minute they invented tanks, jets, and napalm - if Uncle Sam wants your shit, he'll get it; and 3, as a hunter, let me set you straight - you don't need an uzi to hunt deer, and your kids would benefit from trigger locks and registration).

Probably too much for this thread, but I got on a roll.

At one time, these beliefs made me a moderate conservative - Now, I'm apparently a bleeding heart liberal. So much for the neocon revolution.

------------------------------------------
He looked bigger when I couldn't see him.

Anyone wanting to continue a discussion off board is welcome to email me - check bio for details.

FLETCH2

Wednesday, January 18, 2006 8:49 AM

Actually 7% I suspect that your position is where most of the country is.

Government is a service industry, they should work for us.

SERGEANTX

Wednesday, January 18, 2006 12:24 PM

I consider government to be sort of a necessary evil. But I'm not entirely sure on the 'necessary' part.

Anyway, the smaller the better and the less involved in our day-to-day lives the better. I used to be involved with the Libertarians but in the last ten years or so I've turned into your garden variety 'cynical curmudgeon'. I just got tired of trying to convince the peasants that all the stories about Dragons were bullshit. They sure like those stories.

I've recently taken a job at a software company with a pretty radical agenda - namely to change the world. The fascinating thing, and the most appealing part for me personally, is that they plan to do it despite government. The CEO sees our modern notion of government as something we can transcend. The 'cynical curmudgeon' in me finds this hard to swallow, but results speak for themselves and we are making things happen.

SergeantX

"Dream a little dream or you can live a little dream. I'd rather live it, cause dreamers always chase but never get it." Aesop Rock

DREAMTROVE

Wednesday, January 18, 2006 3:47 PM

I'm trying to avoid this from turning into a political war, it's just a statement of position so we can all know where everyone else is coming from, so I won't comment on 7%'s post, but it did make me think about some of my positions I wanted to be sure to be clear on.

I disagree with the assisted suicide ruling, I side witht the dissenters, and oppose the death penalty because I think both can become thinly veiled murder. I don't think right to die is a right to life issue, and I can see circumstances where people either in a not-sound frame of mind or, through deliberate deception, an illusion of of consent cna be created, as is frequently done with wills.

I would add that I support the rights of individuals to do their own thing, as long as they're not hurting others, but I also support that right for consenting groups, or communities, ie. I support the right of a community to have gay marriage, and I also support the right of a community to ban it, ie not recognize it. In short I guess this, and many issues like it, should not be a federal policy issue.

ARAWAEN

Wednesday, January 18, 2006 3:59 PM

I have constructed my political philosophy from the likes of Aristotle, Plutarch, G.K. Chesterton and Frank Herbert.

I lean conservative on social issues and liberal on economic issues, so I never have anyone to vote for that actually represents my views. I typically vote 3rd party because the dominance of the two parties needs to be broken, but I have never been enthusiastic about those I have cast a vote for.

Knowledge is sorrow; they who know the most
Must mourn the deepest o'er the fatal truth,
The Tree of Knowledge is not that of Life.
-- Byron

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