The Compass
For those of you that missed out on yesterday’s SecondHand Radio with Miss Britt, you can download it from Blog Talk Radio and listen to it at your leisure. We talked about a lot of stuff in less than 60 minutes, and we had a number of callers call in to talk with us.
One of the things we talked about a little bit was politics. I don’t discuss them very often here, because as I’ve admitted before I consider myself more conservative than liberal. Lots of my friends are liberals (or Democrats, whatever term you prefer) and we get along just fine. In fact, I pride myself on getting along with everyone equally.
As much as I may think Senator Obama is a trustworthy and honorable man, I can tell you flat out that i won’t be voting for him. I’ve never voted for a Democrat and I’m not about to start. Bend me, shake me, any way you want me, but it’s not going to happen.
I recently took The Compass survey on Facebook, which is put out by the Washington Post. Not that I include the Post among my regular reads, but I did think the survey was interesting. It gives you 10 questions and then gauges where you stand on the political spectrum. Here are the questions and my responses, just in case you were wondering where I stand on things:
Each one offers you the following responses: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, No opinion, Agree, Strongly Agree.
- The federal government should raise taxes so it can provide more help for people who need it: Disagree.
- Law-abiding citizens should have more access to guns: Strongly disagree.
- Except in rare instances, such as when a woman’s life is threatened, abortion should be illegal: Strongly agree.
- The United States must do more with its military power to fight terrorism around the world: Agree.
- A same-sex couple should have access to the same marital benefits as those given to heterosexual couples: Agree.
- The military should be given a timetable to leave Iraq: Strongly disagree.
- The government should increase funding on embryonic stem cell research: Agree
- The death penalty should be available for those convicted of heinous crimes: Strongly disagree.
- Affirmative action is still needed and should be used to promote diversity in the workplace and higher education: Strongly disagree
- Illegal immigrants who have shown they are productive members of society should be given amnesty and receive social services: Strongly disagree.
These responses bring me the following score on The Compass: Moderate.
So there you go. I’m all over the place, it seems. I’ll admit that my answers to these questions have changed over the years. I used to be staunchly conservative. I used to think being gay was an aberration. I used to be pro-choice when it comes to abortion. I used to strongly support the death penalty. Things change and so do people.
I wish there were more political parties, more candidates that more closely represent my interests and beliefs. I doubt that these things will come to pass in my lifetime. I also believe strongly that it is my responsibility to vote in every presidential election. That’s America, dammit. So I WILL be voting.
And even though I could easily get out of my impending grand jury duty because of my disability, I also believe it is every citizen’s duty to participate in the justice system, so I’ll be serving (if they’ll have me).
I told Britt that I don’t discuss politics most of the time because I know it’s a divisive issue, and I’m fairly certain that the bulk of my readers are liberals. I’m usually not a pot-stirrer. Politics and religion, you know? Don’t discuss them. But screw it. My friends are my friends and I love them all. If a little thing like politics comes between that, then I’m not sure we were proper friends to begin with.
My belief is that everyone can get along, provided we can appreciate our differences and not try to shove our opinions down each other’s throats. I don’t like extremists of any kind: political, religious, or otherwise. So I guess I really am a moderate.
Filed under Memes, Politics | Comments (39)39 Responses to “The Compass”
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My answers were fairly close to yours. And I don’t discuss religion and politics with people either. Mostly because 1) I’m never gonna make anyone change their mind on these issues and 2) it gets really boring. The only fun in politics is when SNL and Leno make fun of it.
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I’ll talk religion and politics with people, but they usually get discouraged when they realize that I’m right and they’re wrong. Dead wrong.
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I really hate it when people try to shove religion down my throat. Why can’t they be happy with their religion and leave me alone? Now politics? I don’t care if people talk to me about their favorite candidate until they are blue in the face. I’m still going into that voting booth and selecting my favorite candidate, Ronald Reagan. What?
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I think most people who are paying attention in this complicated world have views that put them in the ‘moderate’ range. Only those who want the short cut of a label really think it’s only black and white.
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Last paragraph sums it all up. Our beauty is that we’re all different and need to accept that. A healthy discussion among friends is good….force feeding your views on someone else…not so good.
I was in the hospital a couple of years ago and someone that I graduated HS with came by. Apparently her uncle was on the same floor as I. We passed in the hall and she said she wanted to come visit me before she left. That’s cool I thought…hell it had been 16 years at that point. Little did I know what I was in for. She came in my room and got all preachy on me. She’s a JW and was trying her damndest to recruit me. Nope…not gonna happen. No matter how much or how little I believe in the religion I am, please don’t try to make me yours. so much for catching up on all our years after hs!!! LOL
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1. The federal government should raise taxes so it can provide more help for people who need it: Disagree.
Agree. The US pays some of the lowest taxes when compared to other countries, but we also get the least for our taxes. I think raising taxes and offering more positive structured assistance to individuals & society would be a positive move.
2. Law-abiding citizens should have more access to guns: Strongly disagree.
Agree. There should be controls on guns (just like you need a license to drive a car), but they should be available to those that meet preset requirements (says the girl who is completing her C&C application).
3. Except in rare instances, such as when a woman’s life is threatened, abortion should be illegal: Strongly agree.
Disagree. We have seen what happens when abortion is illegal here and abroad. Women (or any human) will always seek a way to have control of their body. If safe legal abortions are not available, illegal dangerous life threatening ones will be.
4. The United States must do more with its military power to fight terrorism around the world: Agree.
Agree BUT our military needs to stop choosing those worthy of assistance and protection based on the natural resources they can offer us. There was little hesitation about running into the middle east to “liberate” the citizens, but we have nothing about the impending genocide occurring in South Africa right now.
5. A same-sex couple should have access to the same marital benefits as those given to heterosexual couples: Agree.
Agree.
6. The military should be given a timetable to leave Iraq: Strongly disagree.
Agree. I have no idea if that timetable should be months or years, but a plan needs to be established.
7. The government should increase funding on embryonic stem cell research: Agree
Agree
8. The death penalty should be available for those convicted of heinous crimes: Strongly disagree.
Disagree. Do I want to see these people put to death… HELL YES! but our justice system was created and run by humans… humans are fallible. If there is one in a million chance an innocent person will mistakenly be put to death, the risk is not worth it.
9. Affirmative action is still needed and should be used to promote diversity in the workplace and higher education: Strongly disagree
I have never felt directly affected by AA and it really seems like something from the past. I have never thought much about it.
10. Illegal immigrants who have shown they are productive members of society should be given amnesty and receive social services: Strongly disagree.
If someone, anyone, is on US soil and hurt or sick they should NEVER be denied medical treatment. If a minor is on US soil, they should NEVER be denied access to education. If the US military allows someone to serve this country, their families should be safe and cared for in the US (for those who do not know, you do not have to be a citizen to join the US military and be sent to the middle east (or anywhere). While serving in the middle east, some families left behind in the US have been deported out of the country).
This issue is so big and so complex, I have no idea how to address it beyond the above.
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That was actually really interesting. I wish more people would be able to say WHY they believe what they believe.
I much prefer the “how you got there” to the “you can put this political label on your blog” result.
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Not only do I think that abortion should be legal, but I have been thinking about doing it on the side to earn a little extra money.
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I’m a conservative and I married a liberal. We’re divorced now, just sayin’
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You have a lot of Stongly Somethings listed and you are called moderate, that is pretty funny. I don’t fit nicely a political party either. If we had instant run off voting here, we would be much better represented.
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Most if not all of my answers would be the same as yours. I honestly have no idea who I’m going to vote for though because what do you do when you don’t really like/agree with either of the people you can choose? I guess I’ll have to figure that out.
I hate talking politics, but I do love reading WHY people feel the way they do. Most people around me who try to force me to talk politics just tell me who they think is best, not the why part.
Great post!
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Winter – Yeah, I love SNL’s news updates for just that reason. For the most part, politics bores the shit out of me.
Whit – Heh, funny, I’m the same way.
Been There, Done That – Reagan was actually the first guy I voted for back in – *cough* – 1984.
Turnbaby – I totally agree. It’s never black and white.
Rachel – Ah, JW’s. Yeah, they’re stereotypically very pushy people when it comes to their preaching. I had a good friend in high school that was a JW and I told her we could be friends if she’d quit preaching to me. She did.
Anonymous City Girl – Thanks for detailing your responses. Very interesting. I should have elaborated, but I was up against the midnight deadline.
Miss Britt – I may go back and detail my responses if I get a wild hair up my ass or something.
Fab – Always the entrepreneur.
Lady Jaye – Yeah, it’s difficult to marry someone on the other side of the spectrum, but not impossible to make it work. I know a number of “mixed” marriages.
PocketCT – I know, right?
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Tori – Yeah, I think we’re in the same boat there. I usually hate talking politics, but love reading about other people’s views.
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So if there was a Democrat who shared many of your moderate beliefs running against a Republican who was very extremely to the right, and no good independent parties, you wouldn’t vote for the Democrat?
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I have to ask the same question Avitable did. It would seem ideology is more important to you than party lines.
In the end, I think it moderation is the key. Extremes are never the answer. Balance is everything.
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“The federal government should raise taxes so it can provide more help for people who need it: Disagree.”
I will never understand that. If the government would raise taxes so everyone had health insurance, there wouldn’t be this massive problem of people not getting cared for, of people losing their life because they can’t afford to go to the doctor, of kids going without vital treatment, of hospitals turning away people and most of all, NO INSURANCE companies say “sorry, denied” to people who need an operation, kemo, or other life saving treatments.
I am so glad I moved to a land with Universal Health Care. I will never move back to the States.
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Funny, I read over those answers I thought, except for the death penalty and gun control the man is VERY conservative. I think it’s a matter of perspective. You would be by Canadian standards.
And to add the flip side of the argument The Man is a social conservative. We’ve been together for 16 years. As I like to tell him, he has a right to be wrong.
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Avitable – Yes, I suppose I would vote for the Democrat in that case. So far that hasn’t happened, though.
Finn – Abortion is a big issue for me. I can’t vote for Democrats based on that one alone.
DaDuck – I don’t have the faith that my government will spend the money on the proper things. If I did, it’d be totally different.
Nat – So it CAN work.
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Hey, I am gonna take care of you too, buddy. I will send you the phone numbers and addresses of the hot ones. Easy pickin’s for the K-Man…
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I pretty much agree with you across the board! Guess I AM a moderate!
I was pro-choice until I saw my oldest daughter in her 8 week ultrasound. That changed me and my perception of life forever.
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I agree with you on many of your responses. I think I may be a bit more conservative than you. I tend not to talk politics on my blog, although I’m more than happy to talk them face to face. We have a couple we love to hang out with and they are major libs. We always talk politics after a couple glasses of wine and then move on to something else. I can talk about it without getting all worked up; except of course when I go somewhere with my sister who is sporting 15 Hillary pins on every part of her body. As far as I see it, she’s disgracing her Vera Bradley purse by puncturing it with Hillary but it’s an argument not worth arguing (so I instead just place a piece of masking tape over “Hillary” with the name of my candidate, John Locke of course).
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Fab – You’re the man!
LVGurl – Yeah, my story is similar.
BBM – I’d totally vote for John Locke.
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Um… The year you voted for Reagan… um. Yeah. I was four!
Thanks for the early birthday greetings! I came by to say hey and (yet again) you are not watchable! I finally got a new laptop and it has a built in webcam! YAY! So I was gonna wave and say hi, but you’re not around… so sad!
xoxo,
L
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Dude. How can a smart guy like you say in one sentence that you will never vote for a democrat, in another lament the two party system and in a third say it is your duty to vote! It’s reasoning like this that got us in this mess!
At least vote libertarian!
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LilMissSassy – Yeah, haven’t turned on the cam today. Damn, I missed you!
Steve – The reason I won’t vote for a Democrat, primarily, is because of my stance on abortion. The moment a Democrat says they’re going to ban abortion, I’m there. I just checked out the libertarian web site and I don’t agree with their views on privatizing Social Security or welfare systems. They believe in totally freeing people from government (for the most part). I think the government should have a hand in helping the people. According to their quiz, though, I’m a Centrist.
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I know what your political party is…you are a KARL! May I join your party?
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Been there – absolutely!
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What shall our party animal be? A beaver?
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Karl, I guess what I was getting at is that I’m frankly very surprised that a guy as smart as you does little more than rubberstamp whomever happens to be the current GOP candidate.
The libertarian remark was said tongue in cheek. While I agree with some of their principles, the idea was that you could make a statement as a conservative by voting for a third party rather than for a dud candidate from the GOP. The liberal alternative is the Green Party.
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Been There – ha, I think you’re onto something.
Steve – I don’t like “rubberstamping” anyone, honestly. I wish there were viable alternatives to the two-party system. I voted for Perot in 92 to “make a statement” and even though 19% of the popular vote went to Perot, I still think it was a wasted vote. I don’t know, maybe I need to read Obama’s book. I won’t buy it, though, so I’d have to check the library. Can’t in good conscience vote for Hillary, she makes my skin crawl, as does her husband. I actually like McCain. I respect him. He’s trustworthy in my mind, as is Obama. Yeah, I’m as flummoxed as you are about it.
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I am so like you. I don’t agree with a general Democratic view (or is liberal?) that the government should have to pay, or tax us so we pay for everything for everyone else… I should be allowed to pick and choose where I want my money to go, shouldn’t I? I don’t WANT more government interference in my life. And yet, I am so sick of the same old politics as usual shit, so I am at a real conundrum here. (I swear I’ve never written conundrum before in my life!) Maybe the right word is crossroads?!
Anyway, I am moderate, basically, like you.
Except I fully think people should be allowed to have guns. I don’t have a gun now, but i guarantee you the crackheads down the street do! So what happens when the govt. takes away my right to have a gun and the only people running around with them are the crackheads?
Sorry – I’m babbling.
Good post!
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[...] know if I should be insulted or complimented by some of the comments I’ve received over yesterday’s post. I got a few “you’re a smart guy, but…” statements. Funny when I think [...]
(nods) yeah, your last paragraph nailed it. Everyone is an individual and as such we’re going to disagree on some issues. The important part is to recognize that fact and not try to convert anyone.
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Until I grow a uterus, I don’t feel like I have any business telling someone what can and can not happen in theirs.
It seems incomprehensible to me that so many people choose money and religious fairy tales over the welfare and education of society. It’s more incomprehensible that a choice is even available.
But then again, I’m a flaming fag who cries at the drop of an Oprah commercial.
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Kevin Spencer – Yep, agreed.
Jester – You cry for Oprah? Wow.
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My answers to the above questions:
1. Disagree.
2. No opinion
3. Strongly disagree.
4. Strongly disagree.
5. Strongly Agree.
6. Strongly Agree.
7. Strongly Agree
8. Agree.
9. No opinion
10. Agree (although I need to add that they should go through the process of becoming a US citizen before receiving any tax-payer funded benefits)
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Martymankins – I definitely think children should be allowed medical care no matter what the condition. And yeah, if people go through the citizenship requirements, I’m all for it.
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I’m a bleeding liberal, for the record — but I feel like the thing most important to me actually BEING liberal in mind and not just saying that, is respecting other people’s viewpoints. If you’re conservative, you’re conservative. Good for you; everyone votes for different reasons, and has different opinions. It’d be pretty boring if we didn’t.
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Sandra – I wish that everyone got along so well, respecting other’s viewpoints. I get along great with everyone here and online. Doesn’t seem to work that way offline, though.
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