I was not entirely surprised by the results of this test because recently, I have begun developing more libertarian views about issues. A few weekends ago, I read The Revolution: A Manifesto by Ron Paul, and I found many of his ideas to be very fascinating. Interestingly enough, before discovering his thoughts (which occurred shortly after the election), I found myself to be much more Democratic because I have always thought that we need to help people that are struggling. I actually voted for Obama because I was eager to see how he would help out the less fortunate. The Audacity of Hope is actually the next book on my reading list, so it will be interesting to compare the two positions. Since the election, I also took a philosophy class (238 - Rights and Wrongs). Along with my external research and a more questioning outlook on life (I say that with hesitation because I feel that I am generally a curious person), I began to contemplate the role of government in our lives. Ideally, a democracy involves everyone having a say in what the government does. However, because of our winner-take-all system, much of the population goes unrepresented. For instance, Obama's approval rating is around 60%. That means that approximately 40% of the population either disapproves or has no opinion. Hypothetically, that would mean that a group of five friends could disagree about where they would like to eat dinner; three people could favor one restaurant, while the other two oppose that choice. With more government intervention, those two friends would be forced to go along with the group, even if they disliked the selection. With less government, the three friends could still go to their restaurant while allowing the other two to choice what they wanted for themselves; they would still be united as friends and meet up later even though they split up. Translated into American government, the Democrats favor more intervention and the use of force to accomplish goals (i.e., taxes). I do feel that a lot of those issues do need to be addressed, and I certainly support helping others. Still, I believe that we can achieve those same goals in other ways. Rather than rely on the government to take care of it for us, we should take responsibility for our own actions and use our personal abilities to make a difference. I think that nonprofit organizations are a wonderful entity, and I believe (somewhat like Peter Singer's views in Famine, Affluence, and Morality) that people have a moral responsibility to at least reconsider their priorities and assist others.
As for this test itself, I found it to be somewhat interesting. Unfortunately, I found some of the questions to be very broad, and thus, I had a difficult time selecting an answer. Plus, I wanted to explain some of my answers because I believe that many people could pick the same answer for a variety of reasons. Nevertheless, I thought that the test was pretty good. I fell into the Libertarian Right, like Milton Friedman. Traditionally, this seems to be more conservativist leaning, but truly I would probably fall more in line with "Republicans" like Ron Paul. Therefore, if I were to select a party, I would side with the Republicans. However, I disagree with quite a few of the policies they tend to stand for these days. For instance, I like the idea of a noninterventionist foreign policy rather than fighting multiple wars and stationing troops in so many countries. Recently, I obtained a book by Nelson Mandela and another by Gandhi because I would like to know more about them, especially with regards to civil disobedience and nonviolent alternatives. Additionally, I am like the justice on the West Wing in the sense that I would allow civil unions / gay marriages because the government should not decide that for its people. I oppose the death penalty as well. Nonetheless, as we briefly discussed in class, the two parties in the US are not that drastically different, and many times, they want the same results, but they simply disagree about the means to achieve them. I think that we need to hold each and every individual responsible for making a difference in society.
I noticed that both the GOP and the Democrats' websites are very professional-looking, and they are fairly easy to navigate through. They certainly appeal to a wide audience and provide an ample amount of information. Nevertheless, I did not appreciate the "The Democrats are advancing their agenda. Your life is now under their scrutiny" introduction on the GOP site. I think that a lot of the decisions being made within the Republican party these days are not very wise in terms of political strategy. Sadly, they are tearing the party apart from the inside, and the Democrats are more than happy to let them.
Personally, I vary on many issues, and I do not like to simply accept things that I am told. I prefer to question what I am learning and critically evaluate it. I have just begun to understand some of the intricacies involved in politics, and I am eager to continue growing and becoming a more active citizen.
As for this test itself, I found it to be somewhat interesting. Unfortunately, I found some of the questions to be very broad, and thus, I had a difficult time selecting an answer. Plus, I wanted to explain some of my answers because I believe that many people could pick the same answer for a variety of reasons. Nevertheless, I thought that the test was pretty good. I fell into the Libertarian Right, like Milton Friedman. Traditionally, this seems to be more conservativist leaning, but truly I would probably fall more in line with "Republicans" like Ron Paul. Therefore, if I were to select a party, I would side with the Republicans. However, I disagree with quite a few of the policies they tend to stand for these days. For instance, I like the idea of a noninterventionist foreign policy rather than fighting multiple wars and stationing troops in so many countries. Recently, I obtained a book by Nelson Mandela and another by Gandhi because I would like to know more about them, especially with regards to civil disobedience and nonviolent alternatives. Additionally, I am like the justice on the West Wing in the sense that I would allow civil unions / gay marriages because the government should not decide that for its people. I oppose the death penalty as well. Nonetheless, as we briefly discussed in class, the two parties in the US are not that drastically different, and many times, they want the same results, but they simply disagree about the means to achieve them. I think that we need to hold each and every individual responsible for making a difference in society.
I noticed that both the GOP and the Democrats' websites are very professional-looking, and they are fairly easy to navigate through. They certainly appeal to a wide audience and provide an ample amount of information. Nevertheless, I did not appreciate the "The Democrats are advancing their agenda. Your life is now under their scrutiny" introduction on the GOP site. I think that a lot of the decisions being made within the Republican party these days are not very wise in terms of political strategy. Sadly, they are tearing the party apart from the inside, and the Democrats are more than happy to let them.
Personally, I vary on many issues, and I do not like to simply accept things that I am told. I prefer to question what I am learning and critically evaluate it. I have just begun to understand some of the intricacies involved in politics, and I am eager to continue growing and becoming a more active citizen.
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