POLITICAL POSITIONS
My wife and I filled out an online survey this week where you chime in about your political positions and it shows you which party and candidate you are most closely aligned with. I encourage you to do the same: go to www.ontheissues.org.
Anyway, this sparked some really good discussion, so I figured this was good blogger fodder. Of course, if I ever run for president, my opponent will find something that I’ve changed on and call me a “flip-flopper.” Or will that be called a “Kerry” by then? Sorry, low blow.
So here are my one-paragraph comments to go with each of the questions this online survey asked, as well as the 2000 presidential candidate I am in closest agreement with:
1. Abortion is a woman’s right (oppose). Certainly, I despise the Moral Majority’s high and mighty attitude, which comes off as so anti-female and sexist. Nevertheless, in morality and in policy, I do not believe abortion is a matter of a woman making a choice about her body, as though it were like plastic surgery or piercings. (Most like: Buchanan, Keyes, Bush, McCain)
2. Sexual orientation protected by civil rights (support). I personally believe homosexuality is a sin, but then again I also believe sex before marriage is a sin. And while people who sleep around before marrying aren’t being teased, attacked, and tortured, homosexuals are. We must protect them from such atrocities. (Bradley, Gore, McCain)
3. Organized prayer in public schools (support). Some would say organized prayer makes those who are atheists feel uncomfortable. I think you can – in fact, you must – have organized times for prayer that are open enough to allow for the diversity of faith backgrounds of our children. (Keyes, Buchanan, Bush, McCain)
4. Death penalty (strongly oppose). It says something that I think Iran and the US are the only countries that allow for the death penalty. Both morally and practically, I don’t think the death penalty should be on the table. I suppose this is (pardon the pun) political suicide, since you have to show that you’re “tough on crime.” Don’t get me started on who that means you’re really tough on – see below. (None)
5. Mandatory “three strikes” sentencing laws (strongly oppose). Seems too arbitrary, since your three strikes could be for a whole range of crimes. Isn’t the fact that a convict has had priors already built into the sentencing decision? Why require a mandatory punishment then? (Bradley)
6. Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (strongly oppose). While I won’t go so far as the conspiracy theorists, I will say that the “war on drugs” is a sham. Hindering the supply has only enriched the suppliers and upped the demand, and the racial make-up of those arrested is way out of proportion. (Bradley)
7. Allow churches to provide welfare services (strongly support). This really should say “faith-based organizations,” but I still support the statement. You mean good-hearted people want to help others in need? Gee, why don’t we let them? (Bush, Keyes, Gore)
8. Link human rights to trade with China (strongly oppose). OK, I’m flavored by the recent atrocities in Abu Ghraib, which make it hard for us to take the high moral ground on foreign policy issues. But even before that, I was under the impression that opening trade was a way to have a say in how a country treated its people, rather than shutting down trade until that country treated its people right. Plus I’m an avid free-trade guy. (Bush, Gore, McCain)
9. Require companies to hire more women/minorities (support). This is not inconsistent with my business mindset. I believe it is best for the company in the long run to hire for diversity: 1) for the great women and minorities that other companies might miss 2) for the broader overall perspective that a mixed team brings 3) for the reputation you develop as the kind of company that does the right thing. (Bradley, Gore)
10. More federal funding for health coverage (oppose). I’m a “market forces” kind of guy, and so even though everyone should be entitled to a minimum amount of health coverage regardless of economic status, I am generally uncomfortable when it comes to government intervention in something that could be more efficiently managed by the market. (Buchanan)
11. Privatize Social Security (support). See above. Let consumers have choice, and educate them. SS money is long-term stuff, so it’s actually safer to inject a little risk into the mix. (Buchanan, Bush)
12. Spend resources to stop global warming (support). Now here’s where there is a market failure that the government can plug with its resources. Spending money to mitigate the effects of global warming is a long-term economic gain, but one that involves short-term cost. Not a formula for the markets to have an incentive to lead. (Bradley, Gore)
13. Make income tax flatter and lower (support). The quintessential Democrat vs. Republican question. While special times (like now, for example) call for special sacrifices, and while I don’t believe that anything trickles down the way the Reaganites say, still I prefer for more money to be released into the market than held by the government. Call me a fiscal conservative. (Buchanan, Bush, Keyes, McCain)
14. Immigration helps our economy -- encourage it (support). True on a local and national level. But for the xenophobes and those who blame immigrants for “taking our jobs and using our social services,” none too popular nowadays. Still, for many reasons, immigrants are good for America. (Gore, McCain, Bradley, Bush)
15. Support and expand free trade (support). See above. The more free trade, the more everyone wins, including and especially poor nations. This is an important one for me. (Bradley, Bush, Gore)
16. Continue foreign aid to Russia, Israel, and others (support). With riches and power comes responsibility. Unfortunately, too often humility doesn’t come along. Still, this is one that is a net gain for our economy in the long run. (Gore, McCain, Bradley, Bush)
17. Absolute right to gun ownership (oppose). The second amendment was for another time. Whereas drugs are an issue of addiction and rehab, guns are just plain dangerous. Guns don’t kill people; people with guns kill people. (Bradley, Gore)
18. Parents choose schools via vouchers (oppose). Call me a fan of the local school, but this is one instance where I’m not a fan of encouraging market forces. Vouchers often mean the rich get richer and the poor poorer as it relates to schools, and I’m not convinced that parents choosing schools leads to kids getting a better education. (Gore, Bradley)
19. More spending on armed forces personnel (oppose). I’m forever changed by Sider’s Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. The insane amount we spent on defense under Reagan has only slightly abated. Give me that money to lessen poverty, hunger, and disease, and I promise you a much safer world for America than by using Star Wars or stationing troops into the hundreds of thousands all over the world. (Bradley)
20. Reduce spending on missile defense (oppose). See above. (Bradley, Gore)
My wife and I filled out an online survey this week where you chime in about your political positions and it shows you which party and candidate you are most closely aligned with. I encourage you to do the same: go to www.ontheissues.org.
Anyway, this sparked some really good discussion, so I figured this was good blogger fodder. Of course, if I ever run for president, my opponent will find something that I’ve changed on and call me a “flip-flopper.” Or will that be called a “Kerry” by then? Sorry, low blow.
So here are my one-paragraph comments to go with each of the questions this online survey asked, as well as the 2000 presidential candidate I am in closest agreement with:
1. Abortion is a woman’s right (oppose). Certainly, I despise the Moral Majority’s high and mighty attitude, which comes off as so anti-female and sexist. Nevertheless, in morality and in policy, I do not believe abortion is a matter of a woman making a choice about her body, as though it were like plastic surgery or piercings. (Most like: Buchanan, Keyes, Bush, McCain)
2. Sexual orientation protected by civil rights (support). I personally believe homosexuality is a sin, but then again I also believe sex before marriage is a sin. And while people who sleep around before marrying aren’t being teased, attacked, and tortured, homosexuals are. We must protect them from such atrocities. (Bradley, Gore, McCain)
3. Organized prayer in public schools (support). Some would say organized prayer makes those who are atheists feel uncomfortable. I think you can – in fact, you must – have organized times for prayer that are open enough to allow for the diversity of faith backgrounds of our children. (Keyes, Buchanan, Bush, McCain)
4. Death penalty (strongly oppose). It says something that I think Iran and the US are the only countries that allow for the death penalty. Both morally and practically, I don’t think the death penalty should be on the table. I suppose this is (pardon the pun) political suicide, since you have to show that you’re “tough on crime.” Don’t get me started on who that means you’re really tough on – see below. (None)
5. Mandatory “three strikes” sentencing laws (strongly oppose). Seems too arbitrary, since your three strikes could be for a whole range of crimes. Isn’t the fact that a convict has had priors already built into the sentencing decision? Why require a mandatory punishment then? (Bradley)
6. Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (strongly oppose). While I won’t go so far as the conspiracy theorists, I will say that the “war on drugs” is a sham. Hindering the supply has only enriched the suppliers and upped the demand, and the racial make-up of those arrested is way out of proportion. (Bradley)
7. Allow churches to provide welfare services (strongly support). This really should say “faith-based organizations,” but I still support the statement. You mean good-hearted people want to help others in need? Gee, why don’t we let them? (Bush, Keyes, Gore)
8. Link human rights to trade with China (strongly oppose). OK, I’m flavored by the recent atrocities in Abu Ghraib, which make it hard for us to take the high moral ground on foreign policy issues. But even before that, I was under the impression that opening trade was a way to have a say in how a country treated its people, rather than shutting down trade until that country treated its people right. Plus I’m an avid free-trade guy. (Bush, Gore, McCain)
9. Require companies to hire more women/minorities (support). This is not inconsistent with my business mindset. I believe it is best for the company in the long run to hire for diversity: 1) for the great women and minorities that other companies might miss 2) for the broader overall perspective that a mixed team brings 3) for the reputation you develop as the kind of company that does the right thing. (Bradley, Gore)
10. More federal funding for health coverage (oppose). I’m a “market forces” kind of guy, and so even though everyone should be entitled to a minimum amount of health coverage regardless of economic status, I am generally uncomfortable when it comes to government intervention in something that could be more efficiently managed by the market. (Buchanan)
11. Privatize Social Security (support). See above. Let consumers have choice, and educate them. SS money is long-term stuff, so it’s actually safer to inject a little risk into the mix. (Buchanan, Bush)
12. Spend resources to stop global warming (support). Now here’s where there is a market failure that the government can plug with its resources. Spending money to mitigate the effects of global warming is a long-term economic gain, but one that involves short-term cost. Not a formula for the markets to have an incentive to lead. (Bradley, Gore)
13. Make income tax flatter and lower (support). The quintessential Democrat vs. Republican question. While special times (like now, for example) call for special sacrifices, and while I don’t believe that anything trickles down the way the Reaganites say, still I prefer for more money to be released into the market than held by the government. Call me a fiscal conservative. (Buchanan, Bush, Keyes, McCain)
14. Immigration helps our economy -- encourage it (support). True on a local and national level. But for the xenophobes and those who blame immigrants for “taking our jobs and using our social services,” none too popular nowadays. Still, for many reasons, immigrants are good for America. (Gore, McCain, Bradley, Bush)
15. Support and expand free trade (support). See above. The more free trade, the more everyone wins, including and especially poor nations. This is an important one for me. (Bradley, Bush, Gore)
16. Continue foreign aid to Russia, Israel, and others (support). With riches and power comes responsibility. Unfortunately, too often humility doesn’t come along. Still, this is one that is a net gain for our economy in the long run. (Gore, McCain, Bradley, Bush)
17. Absolute right to gun ownership (oppose). The second amendment was for another time. Whereas drugs are an issue of addiction and rehab, guns are just plain dangerous. Guns don’t kill people; people with guns kill people. (Bradley, Gore)
18. Parents choose schools via vouchers (oppose). Call me a fan of the local school, but this is one instance where I’m not a fan of encouraging market forces. Vouchers often mean the rich get richer and the poor poorer as it relates to schools, and I’m not convinced that parents choosing schools leads to kids getting a better education. (Gore, Bradley)
19. More spending on armed forces personnel (oppose). I’m forever changed by Sider’s Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. The insane amount we spent on defense under Reagan has only slightly abated. Give me that money to lessen poverty, hunger, and disease, and I promise you a much safer world for America than by using Star Wars or stationing troops into the hundreds of thousands all over the world. (Bradley)
20. Reduce spending on missile defense (oppose). See above. (Bradley, Gore)
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