So, how progressive am I?
Pretty damned progressive, it seems. Which is funny, because I never think of myself as THAT progressive. I mean, I believe in capitalism, but yeah. I'm probably not that far left for NJ, but...like, yeah.
Okay, so I was reading an article on FiveThirtyEight (cue people calling me a commie now), where Nate wrote about a survey done by the Center for American Progress.
And they had an online version of it, where you can take it for yourself.
My score was 320/400, which makes me extremely progressive by American standards. The average score is 209.5.
I think a lot of things weighted it - for example, I disagreed vehemently with the statement that homosexuality is unnatural and should be condemned. (I would.) I also believed a lot in diplomacy at almost all costs.
But still...I don't see me as a humongously flaming, obnoxious liberal. (Okay, personally, I kind of am.) I think that's more due to the fact that I - at heart - consider myself a diplomat; I'm the kind of guy that wouldn't really care about people hating gays/blacks/Muslims/whatever, as long as they didn't go out and actively go against them (by legislation or otherwise). Likewise, while there are a lot of things I believe in (like universal health care), I don't necessarily believe foisting it on people is the best idea because a lot of people are against it.
And CAP, apparently, states that we've moved sharply more progressive in the past few years...but still, I can't help but feel that a score of 210 is only slightly left of American center. Which is probably right of center by global standards, if not far right of center. (On the other hand, I will give Americans credit for generally being more open-minded about racial issues than our brethren on the Continent.)
It also provides shift in position over the years - I found it interesting that NJ has universally become bluer, even in its red counties. My state, you make me proud. Even if our junior senator was being a tonto over Cuba.
Also interesting: A lot of Kirsten Gillibrand's old territory (which I believe...NY-20 covers Dutchess, Rensselaer, and Columbia counties) went a lot bluer this past cycle than we gave it for. Those counties are less liberal than NY as a whole, but all voted for Obama - and were at least the national margin, I think.
So the hues and cries of "OMG SHE'S A FASCIST AND HER OLD DISTRICT IS TO THE RIGHT OF GENGHIS KHAN FUCK THAT BITCH" are even more unfounded than they were when she was named.
lol@Massachusetts, though. It looks like the redheaded stepchild of the Northeast, mostly because of a lack of home field advantage (Senator for Life Kerry vs. Obama). AHAHAHAHAHA.
Okay, so I was reading an article on FiveThirtyEight (cue people calling me a commie now), where Nate wrote about a survey done by the Center for American Progress.
And they had an online version of it, where you can take it for yourself.
My score was 320/400, which makes me extremely progressive by American standards. The average score is 209.5.
I think a lot of things weighted it - for example, I disagreed vehemently with the statement that homosexuality is unnatural and should be condemned. (I would.) I also believed a lot in diplomacy at almost all costs.
But still...I don't see me as a humongously flaming, obnoxious liberal. (Okay, personally, I kind of am.) I think that's more due to the fact that I - at heart - consider myself a diplomat; I'm the kind of guy that wouldn't really care about people hating gays/blacks/Muslims/whatever, as long as they didn't go out and actively go against them (by legislation or otherwise). Likewise, while there are a lot of things I believe in (like universal health care), I don't necessarily believe foisting it on people is the best idea because a lot of people are against it.
And CAP, apparently, states that we've moved sharply more progressive in the past few years...but still, I can't help but feel that a score of 210 is only slightly left of American center. Which is probably right of center by global standards, if not far right of center. (On the other hand, I will give Americans credit for generally being more open-minded about racial issues than our brethren on the Continent.)
It also provides shift in position over the years - I found it interesting that NJ has universally become bluer, even in its red counties. My state, you make me proud. Even if our junior senator was being a tonto over Cuba.
Also interesting: A lot of Kirsten Gillibrand's old territory (which I believe...NY-20 covers Dutchess, Rensselaer, and Columbia counties) went a lot bluer this past cycle than we gave it for. Those counties are less liberal than NY as a whole, but all voted for Obama - and were at least the national margin, I think.
So the hues and cries of "OMG SHE'S A FASCIST AND HER OLD DISTRICT IS TO THE RIGHT OF GENGHIS KHAN FUCK THAT BITCH" are even more unfounded than they were when she was named.
lol@Massachusetts, though. It looks like the redheaded stepchild of the Northeast, mostly because of a lack of home field advantage (Senator for Life Kerry vs. Obama). AHAHAHAHAHA.