What makes you Dem/Repub/Indep?

[ottermax]

I will probably be a Democrat when I can vote, but i'm open-minded.

I was raised by a very diverse and open-minded family (i'm part asian, part caucasian, and jewish) and I have always known to accept all people. On social aspects, i'm basically a strong liberal except for drugs and affirmative action. On economic aspects, i'm not too far too the left, but i believe in combating poverty and getting people off the streets. I believe in capitalism, but I believe the higher and middle classes have an obligation to help the poor. I'm also a very strong environmentalist.

Since the Democrats are the closest of the two major parties for me politically, I am loyal to them, but I despise the two-party system because it has made the parties so corrupt. I would probably vote Green if they had more power.

[AkSaber]

I'm a Republican cause I used to be a major Right-Winger. You know, the whole deal. Strongly supported the PATRIOT Act, Iraq War, anti-drug and anti-gay rights, I even opposed medical marijuana. Abortion and gun control were big reasons why I identified with the GOP. I'm still strongly pro-life and against gun control.

I think that me being pro-life is one of the few reasons why I'm still a Republican. I know I have much more in common with the Libertarians.

[HappyWarrior]

I am a Democrat because I believe in the ideals of the Democratic party, I am a Hawkish Democrat but am both socially and fiscally liberal.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

All political parties (and all politics, frankly) are based around interest groups of some sort. That's the whole point.

Which is what makes me an "other" I am young un' with an upper-middle class background and thus no interests to defend. Perhaps when I start paying regular taxes or *shudder* a mortgage..

[frihetsivrare]

I am an Independent because I am angry at the system.  I have never really identified myself as a Democrat or Republican, but in the past I was not totally sure about that.  Now I know for sure that I will never ever see myself as either of those.  That is because most of them are only puppets for the lobbying and banking interests that really run the government.  I highly doubt that I will ever support any political parties.  I plan on only supporting people running for office.  Honestly, I think that all offices should be non-partisan like the Nebraska legeslature.  Parties should endorse candidates, but parties should not run candidates.

[defe07]

I just took the test and it said that I'm a social moderate libertarian and a fiscal center-capitalist. I'm still in the Libertarian square but does this mean that I'm still a moderate libertarian or not (even though I qualify myself as such)?

[defe07]

I just took the test and it said that I'm a social moderate libertarian and a fiscal center-capitalist. I'm still in the Libertarian square but does this mean that I'm still a moderate libertarian or not (even though I qualify myself as such)?

By the way, does issue importance play any big part in the test or is it just an option that has no effect when making a stance on a certain issue? Thanks

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Political ideologies don't spring out of nowhere you know, I suspect most people here (especially the younger ones) are more ideologically inflexible because a) they have very little "real life" experience (No BRTD, real life does equal staying a few days in a run down Ghetto) and more importantly, b) They identify themselves as "Conservative" or "liberal" or whatever early on - perhaps in the same way people choose brands of shoes - Political people often like to think of themselves as "smarter" which often equates in their minds as being "good in School" (which it does not; actually schools damage true intelligence in many cases.) this may be more true in conservative, as I tend to think there is a "Conservative" mindset and a "Liberal" mindset (very simplistic here) which is not just about politics but about your daily decision making - which is reflected in your politics.

I will not say here what I think makes up a "conservative" or "liberal" mindset simply because I don't want to be sued for libel by the conservatives on this board.

[defe07]

Political ideologies don't spring out of nowhere you know, I suspect most people here (especially the younger ones) are more ideologically inflexible because a) they have very little "real life" experience (No BRTD, real life does equal staying a few days in a run down Ghetto) and more importantly, b) They identify themselves as "Conservative" or "liberal" or whatever early on - perhaps in the same way people choose brands of shoes - Political people often like to think of themselves as "smarter" which often equates in their minds as being "good in School" (which it does not; actually schools damage true intelligence in many cases.) this may be more true in conservative, as I tend to think there is a "Conservative" mindset and a "Liberal" mindset (very simplistic here) which is not just about politics but about your daily decision making - which is reflected in your politics.

I will not say here what I think makes up a "conservative" or "liberal" mindset simply because I don't want to be sued for libel by the conservatives on this board.

Yes, I know. I was a registered Democratic voter in Florida because in the past, Florida was still inflexible with third parties. I agree with you that some people like to belong to one ideology (or else no ideology in that case) because it sounds cool. I'm a moderate libertarian not because I wanted to call myeslf as such, but rather because I feel represented by the ideals. I now practice it in my daily life. I'm 23 and promised myself to do research after the 2004 Elections and see what I believed in. I luckily found it and believe in it (but in no means want to impose my ideology on others; I believe in letting people decide what represents them the most). By the way, ever since I've discovered that I'm a moderate libertarian, I've felt good in myself and found myself.  

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I'm with whichever side is pro-life.  But I'm very socially conservative overall.  Economics - I'm conservative, but I put social issues WAY ahead of economic issues.  Therefore, I'm a Republican.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Massive incompetence, partisanship, and the domination of both parties by the most insanely out-of-touch ideological extremists.

[CPT MikeyMike]

My belief is simple: Keep the government out of your wallet and out of your house.

The Democrats won't stay out of your wallet and the Republicans (in recent years) won't stay out of your house. I was a registered Republican until Sept 2006 and now an Independent. Hell would have to freeze over for me to become a Democrat.

[Ebowed]

Massive incompetence, partisanship, and the domination of both parties by the most insanely out-of-touch ideological extremists.

Which leads us to question... where exactly are all of the insanely out-of-touch ideologically left-wing extremists?  The ones that have any power, I mean.

[MarkWarner08]

I'm a Teddy Roosevelt Republican. I'm skeptical of big business, a conservationist,  and a strong support of national defense and American hegemony in our sphere of influence.

I believe in personal liberty, economic freedoms, but I support a government provided economic safety net for the least fortunate members of our society. I support legalizing "soft drugs," as a way to help stop the prison boom in America.

I'd reserve the death penalty for unrepentant murderers.  I support Sisyphean labor for the sexual offenders; we should mentally torture those who violate the innocence of the weakest in our society.

Large corporations serve an essential purpose in our society, but they should be taxes at a higher rate and they should not receive welfare from the government.

Today I reside in the party of Andrew Jackson, tomorrow I may rejoin the party of Lincoln. If the Republican party rejects the nativists, the isolationists, the protectionists, and the supply siders, I will leave the Democrats. For now, I stay with the Democrats because they are closer to my socially progressive and economically centrist views.

[AndrewTX]

I'm a Republican because thats the box I checked when registering to vote.

 Eh, I'm known to be socially moderate/liberal, and fiscally conservative. What puts me into the socially liberal area in my stance on abortion, gay marriage, and a few other items.

[Franzl]

I consider myself to be pretty moderate. My leaning towards the Democratic Party is based primarily on current events rather than party principles.