Do you satisfy the Republican purity test?

[Torie]

(1) We support smaller government, smaller national debt, lower deficits and lower taxes by opposing bills like Obama’s “stimulus” bill; [spam feel good question. The devil is in the details. The stimulus money was probably largely wasted by not focusing on incentivising hiring and apparently the bill had a minimal impact on the economy and job creation, but that is based on the details, not some over-arching small government grand unified theory.]

(2) We support market-based health care reform and oppose Obama-style government run health care; [Too vague to comment; I support mandatory insurance and oppose the public option and single payer, so should I answer yes or no, and market based health reform does not seem to address what to do with the impecunious.]

(3) We support market-based energy reforms by opposing cap and trade legislation; [Agree, but cap and trade is dead anyway, so it's kind of moot.]

(4) We support workers’ right to secret ballot by opposing card check; [Yes!]

(5) We support legal immigration and assimilation into American society by opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants; [Some form of amnesty is essential, and my ideas are too discursive to outline here, but I am between the parties on this issue, good moderate that I am. )

(6) We support victory in Iraq and Afghanistan by supporting military-recommended troop surges; [Generally agree, but the term "victory" is inane. The goal is and must be far more modest than that, along the lines, that we don't want to leave a rogue nation in place over time that causes the planet heartburn big time down the line.]

(7) We support containment of Iran and North Korea, particularly effective action to eliminate their nuclear weapons threat; [Sure, easier said than done, and the tough issue is what to do if nothing works short of acts of violence.]

(8 ) We support retention of the Defense of Marriage Act; [No!]

(9) We support protecting the lives of vulnerable persons by opposing health care rationing and denial of health care and government funding of abortion; and [No! Rationing is essential, and if abortion is legal it should be funded.]

(10) We support the right to keep and bear arms by opposing government restrictions on gun ownership. [I don't think so in the sense that I am a Baysian on this, and want to weigh the costs and benefits in specific instances, and do support Fed action where wise because guns are easily transportable across state lines]

So which party do I belong in folks?  Tell me. Thanks in advance.

[Torie]

So which party do I belong in folks?  Tell me. Thanks in advance.

D-CA
D-CA
D-CA
D-CA
D-CA
D-CA
D-CA

Is Lunar not the only one who marks JC down as his personal hero, ass-hole?

[Torie]

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Um... cap and trade is a market-based solution, idiots.

Its a government imposed tax, you idiot!

No, the carbon tax, which is the progressive solution, is a government imposed tax. Cap and trade is a conservative idea.

Whether cap and trade is a tax or not, it raises the cost of carbon based energy, because an artificial scarcity is created. It is only justified if 1) carbon really is a negative externality that should be paid for, 2) the economy right now can stand the shock of a critical set of inputs increasing in price due to a government fiat mandated scarcity, and 3) it really will make some affective difference given that China and India are just discovering their love of big time energy consumption.

[Torie]

5/10. I was close.

Apparently that was my score, and it says something about why my political anchor is not at present moored as it were.

[Torie]

5/10. I was close.

Apparently that was my score, and it says something about why my political anchor is not at present moored as it were.

Torie, I don't know which party to identify you with, but despite my disagreement with you on 2, if you ever ran for office, you'd get at least one Democratic vote...mine.

As for the list of purity qualifications, it's bogus, just like any wishlist of Democratic feel-good slogans would be. 



 

Thanks for the generous words; I appreciate it.

[Torie]

5/10. I was close.

Apparently that was my score, and it says something about why my political anchor is not at present moored as it were.

I think it mostly says something about how gay that list of principles is. 

Is it still politically correct to use the word "gay" as a pejorative in this context?  Given your station in academia at the moment, you do know that failing to be politically correct can be dangerous to future prospects don't you? Not everyone can "afford" to just let it all hang out, such as for example moi. Eat your heart out Lunar; I just know you are consumed with jealousy over this. 

[Torie]

     The thing I found curious about #9 is the "denial of health care" part. I wonder if that just continues on the rationing part or if it refers to something separate. Health care is not an issue that I am as familiar with as I probably should be.

The Dem plan to balance the books PiT posits slashing medicare spending my 350 billion over 10 years or something. The GOP is telling seniors that as a talking point, and thus it is on the list, using the rationing word - oh the horror, the horror!