Americans: What political party are you part of?

[happysadfun]

We are losing??

You must be an Iraqi terrorist. In that case you'd be losing.

[cowshrptrn]

actually its the Iraqi people who are losing, not us or "the terrorists" (That term encompasses soo many people, a lot of them aren't based int he middle east)

We jsut destabilised their government with no foreseen plan to give them something that resembles a working government. Now baghdad is full of crime, hostage taking and ransoming has become a very popular crime now.

Since it was the republicans who started this war in a VERY blind manner its their fault that the region is so chaotic now.

An Reagan's economic boom wasn't a long-term deal AT ALL. Reagan may have stimulated the economy, but didnt' do anything for real long term benefits. Tax cuts only work as a jump-start, then you implement other policies to keep the economy strong. Privatization has run rampant, lobbyists now wield too much power.

[happysadfun]

And what party do lobbyists tend to be from? The liberals.

[cowshrptrn]

And what party do lobbyists tend to be from? The liberals.

where did you get that statistic from? If you can cite a source then i might take you seriously.

A majority of lobbyists (at least the ones that get in the most trouble), represent private industries. The very fact that they exist is a demonstration of how corrupt our legislative house can be, people are paid to woo congressmen for passing legislation that supports their cause.

Since these are paid for by private industries and big corporations, and republicans support big corporations. A lot of tax cuts, relaxed environmental laws, and similar legislation supports big business, so they can go ahead an dump their toxic waste in rivers, and destroy our ozone layer (i'm on long island, and in november i shouldn't be able to feel my nose, yet i can go outside without a jacket, thats SCARY, global warming is at an alarming point)

[strike wolf]

Here's an economic fact that everyone seems to ignore, the economic health of the economy depends more on consumer spending habits than the government's influence. Next time when you want to find someone to blame for poor economy, maybe the first thing you should do is look at yourself.

Next, I've noticed a lot of people seem to be of the opinion that taxing business owners more will help ease economic stress. From what I have seen, business owners respond to higher taxes by raising prices on goods accordingly and the burden ends up on the middle class.

[Joe McCarthy]

Libertarian, voting Republican every time.

Let me help you guys out back on that communism/fascism business. They are both just totalitarian systems. Communist or Socialist is just the currently fashionable description of a modern totalitarian state. They arent in any way different when you look at what goes on and they arent the extreme of Republican/Democrat.

[Twill]

Wow, I had no idea that CC was so conservative.

I'm, as many would probably guess, one of those die hard liberal tree hugging pascifist lefties.

Give me social wealfare, more govt spending on education, less on war, more on the environment and more on social security.

To go into why would be a very long and very time consuming and probably rather preachy argument which will no doubt change nobody's minds so I shall spare you all

Canada had it right about 15-20 years ago, scandanavia is doing a pretty good job now (with certain reservations)

Just my 1 cent (I happily gave the other cent to the govt in taxes)

[Stopper]

Libertarian, voting Republican every time.

Let me help you guys out back on that communism/fascism business. They are both just totalitarian systems. Communist or Socialist is just the currently fashionable description of a modern totalitarian state.

See, I wouldn't entirely disagree with this, except that to a European ear it sounds like you're lumping "socialists" with "communists". It could be taken to mean you think the British Labour Party, French Socialists, German Social Democrats etc etc are all totalitarian parties, when in fact they're perfectly respectable democratic parties who are, or recently have, governed their respective countries.

They arent in any way different when you look at what goes on and they arent the extreme of Republican/Democrat.

I wouldn't be so sure about the second bit - all political parties, especially "broad church" ones like the GOP and Dems, have their extremists, and I bet you'd have a hard time differentiating some of what these extremists say from what communists/fascists would say.

[happysadfun]

Libertarian, voting Republican every time.

Let me help you guys out back on that communism/fascism business. They are both just totalitarian systems. Communist or Socialist is just the currently fashionable description of a modern totalitarian state.

See, I wouldn't entirely disagree with this, except that to a European ear it sounds like you're lumping "socialists" with "communists". It could be taken to mean you think the British Labour Party, French Socialists, German Social Democrats etc etc are all totalitarian parties, when in fact they're perfectly respectable democratic parties who are, or recently have, governed their respective countries.

I would lump socialist with liberal before i lump it with communist. but the title of the thread says its for Americans.

[Joe McCarthy]

They arent in any way different when you look at what goes on and they arent the extreme of Republican/Democrat.

I wouldn't be so sure about the second bit - all political parties, especially "broad church" ones like the GOP and Dems, have their extremists, and I bet you'd have a hard time differentiating some of what these extremists say from what communists/fascists would say.

See it depends on what kind of relevance you assign to those people. I dont see any reason to think of a fascist or a commie as an extreme anything, I think they are just nuts. Besides which, they just want the same thing anyway, state control of everything. The actual perfect state they have in mind doesnt look much different in either ideology.

To my mind on conservatism anyway, its about smaller government. So I would say if I had to describe an extreme conservative he would be an anarchist. A fascist being described an extreme conservative makes no sence to me. What some of these nuts do though, to be more accessible, is describe themselves with a label people can deal with. Doesn't mean we have to accept that.

[Skittlesandmnms]

I am a weird rebulican
Same Sex Marrage is ok in my book
and Abortion too (but has to be ok'd by both mom and dad)

whoa... an open minded republican... never thought id see one of those...
good job!

The mind is like a parachute. It only functions properly when open.

[sfhbballnut]

where is the other button in the pole? I go with whoever the best candidate is regardless of party. The parties fighting is going to bring down the US government, something has to be done. weather its getting rid of parties so that the reps can focus on issues rather than their party, or something else, bottom line this needs to be fixed

[OnlyAmbrose]

where is the other button in the pole? I go with whoever the best candidate is regardless of party. The parties fighting is going to bring down the US government, something has to be done. weather its getting rid of parties so that the reps can focus on issues rather than their party, or something else, bottom line this needs to be fixed

That's what the "independent" choices are for.

[strike wolf]

And if we don't like any parties and like to stay neutral?

[OnlyAmbrose]

And if we don't like any parties and like to stay neutral?

Anyone who claims they have no preference in terms of conservative or liberal policies is either lying or ridiculously passive. Or possesses objectivity which is quite beyond what I feel is in the capacity of the human mind.

I guess that in the unlikely event that you're not in a political party AND you have no political beliefs whatsoever, conservative or liberal...

don't vote.

[sfhbballnut]

those are still parties, I'm talking about getting rid of the mess entirely. The constant fighting between the parties is blinding them to the issues.


And I'm pro- republican right now because the democrats are being pig-headed about having been out of control for a few years. What I'm really worried about is that the american people will at some point get so sick of one party or the other that they'll put up the wrong person just because of their party. Then where will we be?

[vtmarik]

And if we don't like any parties and like to stay neutral?

Anyone who claims they have no preference in terms of conservative or liberal policies is either lying or ridiculously passive. Or possesses objectivity which is quite beyond what I feel is in the capacity of the human mind.

I guess that in the unlikely event that you're not in a political party AND you have no political beliefs whatsoever, conservative or liberal...

don't vote.

Well, not everyone is wholly conservative or wholly liberal, I think that's what he meant.

The solution: Write in candidates. Vote for who you think should be in office.

[strike wolf]

The reason I am neutral is this thought process "I don't want to vote for this guy because he sucks but the other guy is in the party I don't like. Well, he is a good president and would be more sucessful than this other guy. What reasons do I have for not voting for the better candidate regardless of political party?"

Also I don't like how you said "don't vote", lack of voting has been the problem with America for years.

[sfhbballnut]

And if we don't like any parties and like to stay neutral?

Anyone who claims they have no preference in terms of conservative or liberal policies is either lying or ridiculously passive. Or possesses objectivity which is quite beyond what I feel is in the capacity of the human mind.

I guess that in the unlikely event that you're not in a political party AND you have no political beliefs whatsoever, conservative or liberal...

don't vote.

I'll vote for the better candidate either way, and at some points it may come down to voting against someone rather than voting for the other

[OnlyAmbrose]

those are still parties, I'm talking about getting rid of the mess entirely. The constant fighting between the parties is blinding them to the issues.


And I'm pro- republican right now because the democrats are being pig-headed about having been out of control for a few years. What I'm really worried about is that the american people will at some point get so sick of one party or the other that they'll put up the wrong person just because of their party. Then where will we be?

The implication of "independent" is no party, friend.

Seems to me you have a conservative preference, thus your choice would be 3rd Party/ independent (conservative).

[sfhbballnut]

I'm not saying I don't have a party, I'm saying they all need to go, its political reform in the interest of the American people, who the parties seem to have forgotten put them in power and are fighting there battles, not the battles of the people

[sfhbballnut]

I also dont pretend to be extremely well educated on the subject, so I say it as I see it, but I am enough in the know to see that there is a problem, if this isn't the solution what is? there needs to be one, this is just the one I see working

[strike wolf]

See this is what I have been preaching for a long time.

[OnlyAmbrose]

I'm certainly not saying I disagree with you, but for the purposes of the poll (which is what you were initially asking about), I'm stating that if you are independent there are two choices for you.

Personally I put 3rd Party/Independent (conservative) because I (like you) think that the party system is indeed largely responsible for the political corruption in America today.

[sfhbballnut]

Someone with someback bone in the government needs to stand up and say this, but I doubt they will because this is their power. The one guy who says it will get crushed, then someone with a better approach and some good influence to suggest it less radically and slowly change the problem. I was never a believer in the idea that we are the same as all powers throughout history, but if something doesn't change we'll end up like all the great powers that collapsed or were severly weakened by corruption and greed