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Actually, I could be an enthusiastic Democrat on principle, if any elected Dems would join me. Joel Send a noteboard - 05/02/2012 01:49:48 AM
I like Milton Friedman's quote: "I'm a Republican out of expediency, not out of principle". The thing is that my beliefs fit the Republicans better than the Democrats, on balance, especially considering that the most socially conservative ideas are talked about but never acted upon.


I think that describes almost all of us, and probably the dems, green, etc. The majority of my social circle in life is made up of party officials, which is kinda sad, but they should be the most doctrinally pure, and none of them fail to have at least one or two issues they break ranks on, and most can't really produce an issue-based litmus test. I regularly jump on people to define 'conservative' and no one can, it obviously doesn't fit well to 'preserve the status quo' or 'maintain traditions' except very loosely especially on the former. Fiscal con can mean anything from 'balance the budget at all costs, even if you must raise taxes' to 'reduce spending, deficit fine', there are plenty of fiscally conservative socialists after all. Personally I'd like to see Fed, state, and local all be about 10% of GDP each, with a formal declaration war required to exceed 10% GDP federal spending, I have no idea what that makes me on the fiscal lib/con thing but IIRC total gov't (fed/ST/loc) spending in FY11 was 6 trillion and GDP was 15, so 40%, presumably my desire to hack about 25% off that makes me at least somewhat fiscally conservative.

The big one is social con, nobody knows what they hell that means nowadays besides gays and guns and abortion, but that's a bit rough on the first two because the GOP has mellowed a lot about gays and the Dems ditto on guns, and all the socially conservative GOP candidates appear to have an identical view on gay marriage as our liberal president. There's not really much else that the social con platform really has a unified specific push on. School vouchers and to include parochial schools, I suppose, probably pot too, none of them I know seem to care enough to mention it though. Gambling and prostitution but it's not exactly like anyone of major power is clamoring to legalize those, or lower the drinking age. Libertarian as I am, with the full belief an adult of sound mind should be allowed guzzle a gallon of drain cleaner if they want to, I don't really sit up agonizing at night about it either. But, like I said earlier, I think this stuff is almost all age based, or generation really, more than party affiliation.

I just cannot take a principled stand on GOP-Lite, though our "liberal" president has a taste for it but then, so did our last "Democratic" president. It is funny how the base on each side keeps getting more and more extreme but the differences between elected officials keep getting smaller and smaller. Connection...?

Well, you vote for Mitt Romney (R-MA) I will vote for Mitt Romney (D-IL) the best Romney will win and Americas unending prosperity and security will continue.

In ten years the "two" major parties will be playing the same game with different wedge issues, and the only Americans doing well out of it will remain those who own factories in China.
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This message last edited by Joel on 05/02/2012 at 01:50:20 AM
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Intelligence Study Links Low I.Q. To Prejudice, Racism, Conservatism - 03/02/2012 08:58:00 PM 1515 Views
I think ... - 03/02/2012 09:28:02 PM 993 Views
I agree. - 03/02/2012 10:48:25 PM 1733 Views
Yeah, I am unsure whether to be impressed or disappointed. - 05/02/2012 02:38:05 AM 1931 Views
That is a logical and reasonable assessment. - 04/02/2012 08:59:59 PM 1911 Views
You think very well. - 05/02/2012 04:12:11 AM 1755 Views
note: "social conservatives", not "fiscal conservatives" - 03/02/2012 09:37:18 PM 1756 Views
I've wondered: - 03/02/2012 09:55:14 PM 1768 Views
It bothers the living fuck out of me - 03/02/2012 10:59:01 PM 1729 Views
Just wait ten years - 03/02/2012 11:21:25 PM 1653 Views
Oh, I still vote Republican. - 04/02/2012 01:49:43 AM 1653 Views
Re: Oh, I still vote Republican. - 04/02/2012 01:15:10 PM 1748 Views
Actually, I could be an enthusiastic Democrat on principle, if any elected Dems would join me. - 05/02/2012 01:49:48 AM 1890 Views
Re: Just wait ten years - 04/02/2012 05:16:16 AM 1663 Views
By referencing it… - 03/02/2012 10:50:59 PM 1635 Views
That's an odd idea. - 03/02/2012 11:10:31 PM 1702 Views
It was a mostly facetious comment…. - 03/02/2012 11:49:28 PM 1086 Views
Clearly you endorse it. - 05/02/2012 02:23:41 AM 820 Views
Only endorsing its validity, not its soundness. *NM* - 04/02/2012 02:24:24 AM 495 Views
Tempting... - 03/02/2012 11:17:43 PM 976 Views
I expected no less. - 05/02/2012 12:25:14 AM 998 Views
Still fun though - 05/02/2012 01:30:26 AM 1087 Views
Well, that is the main thing. - 05/02/2012 02:25:36 AM 1125 Views
Well, racists are dumb. What's to discuss? - 04/02/2012 01:23:27 AM 808 Views
I think that generally agreed, though we need a study PROVING what we already know. - 05/02/2012 12:41:26 AM 1089 Views
Proving is something you do in maths, not science. - 05/02/2012 09:05:30 AM 812 Views
So the Moon might still be made of green cheese? - 05/02/2012 10:20:57 AM 923 Views
Yes. It is not very likely, though, since no measurement we have done so far indicates that it is so - 05/02/2012 02:28:18 PM 766 Views
Oh, let us not go THERE. - 05/02/2012 02:54:30 PM 997 Views
Bad comparison - 05/02/2012 03:36:12 PM 865 Views
Well, that last part will make sure this gets ugly.... - 04/02/2012 02:05:11 AM 700 Views
Do you not think it's true then? - 04/02/2012 07:32:13 AM 1020 Views
Same here *NM* - 04/02/2012 12:13:44 PM 406 Views
Not in my experience. - 04/02/2012 04:17:01 PM 920 Views
Granted, you do move in different circles than I (or Jens, for that matter.) - 04/02/2012 10:24:52 PM 863 Views
Corfirmational bias much? - 04/02/2012 04:25:24 PM 875 Views
I did mention that I didn't care enough to look into it. - 04/02/2012 10:22:09 PM 901 Views
As a few others have noted, it is important to preserve the causality chain. - 05/02/2012 02:35:02 AM 874 Views
I dont see that it matters. - 13/02/2012 01:40:45 AM 1071 Views

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