Political Climate Poll

[lawtig02]

I didn’t post much over there. I’m more of a lurker. I’m blue collar, not college educated and suck at arguing my positions (probably the lack of college, ) although occasionally I’ll dive in. I’m also religious so some of the things that influence my positions aren’t provable and won’t make sense to those who aren’t .

The zzl definitely worked to change some of my positions, immigration and economy/labor being the big ones. First time around I voted for Trump but Biden second time around. Pat McCrory and NC pubs are what started my path towards where I am now.

There are a LOT of people here who share that same basic story, my friend.

 

[CFordUNC]

I didn’t post much over there. I’m more of a lurker. I’m blue collar, not college educated and suck at arguing my positions (probably the lack of college, ) although occasionally I’ll dive in. I’m also religious so some of the things that influence my positions aren’t provable and won’t make sense to those who aren’t .

The zzl definitely worked to change some of my positions, immigration and economy/labor being the big ones. First time around I voted for Trump but Biden second time around. Pat McCrory and NC pubs are what started my path towards where I am now.

Give yourself way more grace than that! You are a great poster and we are lucky to have you in this community. Thank you for sharing your views and perspectives. I hope you'll continue to share more. People like you are why this community is so special.

 

[UNCMSinLS]

Mainstream Democrat is closest to where I fall on this poll. Centrist Independent has been my political affiliation since the late 1970s.

 

[HeelingAg]

"Mainstream Democrat" is the closest descriptor, though I categorize that in my mind as global centrist. Biden is fairly representative of a lot of my positions, and he's not a leftist on the global stage. The US versions of mainstream left aren't dramatically left, in wider context.

 

[HeelingAg]

I didn’t post much over there. I’m more of a lurker. I’m blue collar, not college educated and suck at arguing my positions (probably the lack of college, ) although occasionally I’ll dive in. I’m also religious so some of the things that influence my positions aren’t provable and won’t make sense to those who aren’t .

The zzl definitely worked to change some of my positions, immigration and economy/labor being the big ones. First time around I voted for Trump but Biden second time around. Pat McCrory and NC pubs are what started my path towards where I am now.

Appreciate the reply.

I doubt we'll ever see eye to eye on policy positions underpinned by a faith-based arguments, but I'll always read, question, and reflect when presented in good-faith. Now, I acknowledge "good-faith" is ambiguous and situated with biases; where I disengage is the moment obvious Fox News talking points and aspersions such as "baby-killer", "commie", "low IQ", etc. are used to counter evidence-based arguments, and/or when a poster makes the claim of being and/or knowing "real Americans".

Whether you continue to lurk or engage more often, thanks again for the reply.

 

[HandsonFire]

Appreciate the reply.

I doubt we'll ever see eye to eye on policy positions underpinned by a faith-based arguments, but I'll always read, question, and reflect when presented in good-faith. Now, I acknowledge "good-faith" is ambiguous and situated with biases; where I disengage is the moment obvious Fox News talking points and aspersions such as "baby-killer", "commie", "low IQ", etc. are used to counter evidence-based arguments, and/or when a poster makes the claim of being and/or knowing "real Americans".

Whether you continue to lurk or engage more often, thanks again for the reply.

Well we are off to a good start , baby killer commie or low iq aren’t things that you’ll hear out of my typing fingers. And as far as my faith is concerned I’m sure I hold some unpopular viewpoints , I think you’ll find I’m not typical there either. As a general statement about me I have no interest or desire to force you to live according to my faith and I would hope that you would not force me to live to yours. America is for everyone not just straight white Christian’s.

 

[NYCBlueBlood]

I hate these polls... I'm somewhere between "Mainstream Democrat" and "Left Leaning Libertarian". I considered myself libertarian in my 20s, but by my 30s I looked around and realized that pretty much everybody using that term to describe themselves annoyed the living crap out of me.

Truth be told, I'm pretty far left on some topics, and rightward leaning on others. In my 20s it was more of a mix of left and right leaning, but the older I get, the more I drift left. I grew up in a rabidly liberal family. I was always the black sheep. They used to tease me about being Alex P. Keaton. They'd call me the "young republican" of the family, which was definitely not meant as a compliment.

I did my undergrad at the Wharton School. I overlapped with Trump Jr., and Musk used to hang out in my fraternity house for free pot and to pretend he could hang with the hackers. Before I left for college, my mom sat me down and gave an impassioned plea for me to drop Wharton and go into UPenn's main school. She said I was wasting an opportunity to get a meaningful world class education.

I spent my 30s saying I was socially liberal and fiscally conservative. But I think a combination of moving up the corporate ladder quickly and living through the Bush years gave me the vantage point to see just how skewed the landscape is in terms of opportunity... and has gradually shifted me more and more left on the fiscal side as well.

I still don't like "free money" social welfare programs, as I think they just trap entire families in cycles of poverty... bribing them to be content with just enough money to get by on... and maybe do a little bit better if they are smart enough to find ways to cheat the system.

My sister died yesterday, so I'm feeling a touch introspective today. She spent most of her life petrified of doing anything that would cause her to be taken off disability by the government. She lived what I consider to be a horrible life, always on the razor's edge of not having enough to get by. When people talk about these welfare queens taking advantage of the system and living the high life... I guarantee you they have never walked a day in the shoes of somebody actually living that life.

 

[mpaer]

I hate these polls... I'm somewhere between "Mainstream Democrat" and "Left Leaning Libertarian". I considered myself libertarian in my 20s, but by my 30s I looked around and realized that pretty much everybody using that term to describe themselves annoyed the living crap out of me.

Truth be told, I'm pretty far left on some topics, and rightward leaning on others. In my 20s it was more of a mix of left and right leaning, but the older I get, the more I drift left. I grew up in a rabidly liberal family. I was always the black sheep. They used to tease me about being Alex P. Keaton. They'd call me the "young republican" of the family, which was definitely not meant as a compliment.

I did my undergrad at the Wharton School. I overlapped with Trump Jr., and Musk used to hang out in my fraternity house for free pot and to pretend he could hang with the hackers. Before I left for college, my mom sat me down and gave an impassioned plea for me to drop Wharton and go into UPenn's main school. She said I was wasting an opportunity to get a meaningful world class education.

I spent my 30s saying I was socially liberal and fiscally conservative. But I think a combination of moving up the corporate ladder quickly and living through the Bush years gave me the vantage point to see just how skewed the landscape is in terms of opportunity... and has gradually shifted me more and more left on the fiscal side as well.

I still don't like "free money" social welfare programs, as I think they just trap entire families in cycles of poverty... bribing them to be content with just enough money to get by on... and maybe do a little bit better if they are smart enough to find ways to cheat the system.

My sister died yesterday, so I'm feeling a touch introspective today. She spent most of her life petrified of doing anything that would cause her to be taken off disability by the government. She lived what I consider to be a horrible life, always on the razor's edge of not having enough to get by. When people talk about these welfare queens taking advantage of the system and living the high life... I guarantee you they have never walked a day in the shoes of somebody actually living that life.

Very sorry to hear your sister died That is sad -life changing ....
The Fiscal conservative today -is denying their own humanity......Especially if they have money
As you said ..........see just how skewed the landscape is in terms of opportunity
I had a really smart friend (whose mother was a social worker ) I can't match Jeans words exactly but along the lines of
Social welfare programs should be designed by Veterans of social welfare programs-true knowledgable lobbyists

 

[farce©]

I don't fit into any of the categories listed. And I think "libertarian" is an insult so I would never choose that designation. I have no party loyalty, so I am a left-leaning unaffiliated voter. Other than their first bullet point, DurhamK has described my political convictions pretty accurately on page one.

 

[superrific]

As a general statement about me I have no interest or desire to force you to live according to my faith and I would hope that you would not force me to live to yours. America is for everyone not just straight white Christian’s.

That's all that matters, really. If your faith in God is edification for you, then good for you and I mean that. I'm sorta Christian though almost exclusively New Testament, which makes me an awkward fit for what is called "Christianity" today. My wife is very Christian, though. She was raised conservative Free Methodist; now she is liberal UCC.

 

[superrific]

I didn’t post much over there. I’m more of a lurker. I’m blue collar, not college educated and suck at arguing my positions (probably the lack of college, ) although occasionally I’ll dive in. I’m also religious so some of the things that influence my positions aren’t provable and won’t make sense to those who aren’t .

The zzl definitely worked to change some of my positions, immigration and economy/labor being the big ones. First time around I voted for Trump but Biden second time around. Pat McCrory and NC pubs are what started my path towards where I am now.

College doesn't make the man. Yes, it helps for learning how to argue positions (though law school helps far more for that, which is one reason politicians have historically been lawyers), but it's not the only way and regardless, having the right positions is much more important than arguing for them well. If you are open-minded, willing to listen to good faith arguments while rejecting quackery and BS, then I want you on my team. I don't need you to agree with me on everything, or even anything. I just ask that people have reasoned foundations for their views -- or as reasoned as possible consistent with their lives.

 

[Zoo_View]

I hate these polls... I'm somewhere between "Mainstream Democrat" and "Left Leaning Libertarian". I considered myself libertarian in my 20s, but by my 30s I looked around and realized that pretty much everybody using that term to describe themselves annoyed the living crap out of me.

Truth be told, I'm pretty far left on some topics, and rightward leaning on others. In my 20s it was more of a mix of left and right leaning, but the older I get, the more I drift left. I grew up in a rabidly liberal family. I was always the black sheep. They used to tease me about being Alex P. Keaton. They'd call me the "young republican" of the family, which was definitely not meant as a compliment.

I did my undergrad at the Wharton School. I overlapped with Trump Jr., and Musk used to hang out in my fraternity house for free pot and to pretend he could hang with the hackers. Before I left for college, my mom sat me down and gave an impassioned plea for me to drop Wharton and go into UPenn's main school. She said I was wasting an opportunity to get a meaningful world class education.

I spent my 30s saying I was socially liberal and fiscally conservative. But I think a combination of moving up the corporate ladder quickly and living through the Bush years gave me the vantage point to see just how skewed the landscape is in terms of opportunity... and has gradually shifted me more and more left on the fiscal side as well.

I still don't like "free money" social welfare programs, as I think they just trap entire families in cycles of poverty... bribing them to be content with just enough money to get by on... and maybe do a little bit better if they are smart enough to find ways to cheat the system.

My sister died yesterday, so I'm feeling a touch introspective today. She spent most of her life petrified of doing anything that would cause her to be taken off disability by the government. She lived what I consider to be a horrible life, always on the razor's edge of not having enough to get by. When people talk about these welfare queens taking advantage of the system and living the high life... I guarantee you they have never walked a day in the shoes of somebody actually living that life.

Blueblood,

Sorry to hear about your sister’s death and to learn that she appears to have lived a life filled with struggles.

 

[CLT Heel]

I didn’t really see a category that fit me today as an independent. I selected left leaning libertarian, but when I’m asked in a conversation what my political stance is, I stated that I’ve evolved from a moderate republican to (my best way of describing it now) a fiscal conservative/social democrat.

 

[Centerpiece]

I didn’t see this as an option but I’m totally independent and registered unaffiliated voter who is fiscally conservative when it comes to unnecessary government waste and allowing the Uber rich and huge corporations to get away with unfair tax breaks while burdening the middle class. I’m also very much left leaning on most if not all social issues. Call me WOKE, PC, DEI, LGBTQ+, heck, just call me alphabet soup on social issues. Other than that, I’m a dirt munching, tree hugging Druid on Mother Earth, ecology, science and fully aware of climate change and our limited, finite natural resources.

Can we add that to the options above?

 

[Centerpiece]

I didn’t really see a category that fit me today as an independent. I selected left leaning libertarian, but when I’m asked in a conversation what my political stance is, I stated that I’ve evolved from a moderate republican to (my best way of describing it now) a fiscal conservative/social democrat.

We are of a mind good sir

 

[CallMeTyler]

I didn’t see this as an option but I’m totally independent and registered unaffiliated voter who is fiscally conservative when it comes to unnecessary government waste and allowing the Uber rich and huge corporations to get away with unfair tax breaks while burdening the middle class. I’m also very much left leaning on most if not all social issues. Call me WOKE, PC, DEI, LGBTQ+, heck, just call me alphabet soup on social issues. Other than that, I’m a dirt munching, tree hugging Druid on Mother Earth, ecology, science and fully aware of climate change and our limited, finite natural resources.

Can we add that to the options above?

Druid is always an interesting class in D&D.

 

[aGDevil2k]

Yeah I didn't know the demarcation line so I went with mainstream

OH you are able to change your vote? Nice.

I changed to far left. I figure that I would actually ban all non-musket guns if I could. So that seems fairly left
I would also tax all income over $1M at about a 50% rate....back to how it used to be. And over $5M in revenue at 75% rate
I would also do everything to eliminate billionaires. They shouldn't exist. NO ONE needs that much money.

 

[hedge]

I consider myself somewhere between a mainstream Democrat and a far left. I went with far left for funsies, and while I don’t think I’m rabid about it, some of my top issues are the environment, healthcare for all, and LGBTQ rights.

That's what I was thinking for myself but I went with mainstream Dem...

 

[Ddseddse]

... fiscally conservative when it comes to unnecessary government waste and allowing the Uber rich and huge corporations to get away with unfair tax breaks ...

I have never bought in to the the "left want more services while the right wants lower taxes" narrative.

1. It's a balance sheet, long term it has to balance, but we can borrow to invest
2. We all (left or right) have a right to expect value back for the taxes we pay and should be demanding that we get it
3. We all have different priorities about what want to spends money on, but we can work that out
4. Dipshits who want to shrink the government so that it's "small enough to drown in a bathtub" are just that, dipshits.

I don't see anything particularly left or right in any of those statements.

Mostly I think the powers that be want to use the left=more services vs. right =lower taxes catfight to completely distract us from point #2 which is what really burns me up. When we let them egg us on to fighting about whether it's a good idea to cut/raise taxes by 2% or not, we're ignoring that we're getting shit-all for the other 98% we are paying.

Stop squabbling about how much tax you are paying, and start demanding more value for the taxes you do pay! (But of course to actually do that you have to recognize that collection of tax revenue by the government is a legitimate and necessary role of the government... which of course lead us full circle back to the "drown the government in a bathtub" dipshittery,. They know full well that's an impossibility, they also know full well that if you're incapable of admitting that collecting tax revenue is a legitimate function of government that you are then fundamentally unable to demand that they spend your tax dollars in a way that accrues to your benefit.

Just like with every other magician, don't watch the hand they are flourishing around wildly, watch what the other hand is doing.

You must be able to BELIEVE that the government is capable of providing you back value for your tax dollars you give it, before you can DEMAND that they give you back value for the tax dollars you give it (this seems self evident, no?).

The dirty little secret is that both the left and the right want you to believe that you can't have nice things "Oh, there's no money to pay for that!", "Oh, of course you could have that but those mean Republicans won't let us give it to you". Meanwhile all that money is getting spent, just not on you. Specifically because you've been trained to never ever ever expect that it could be spent for your benefit, much less demand that.

 

[HeelInTheOzarks]

I would pick socialist but I actually want to win elections and understand the binary nature of voting to attain power in America, so I had to say far left Dem.

(Very annoyed recently having to argue with my Bernie Bro younger brother about how you can't just protest vote every time and then be mad our country goes further right)