Political Spectrum
Eh-heh, I am definitely a lefty.
My Political Views
I am a left moderate social libertarian
Left: 5.89, Libertarian: 3.17
My Foreign Policy Views
Score: -2.45
My Culture War Stance
Score: -5.58
Political Spectrum Quiz
My results were heavily affected by my area of study. Half my left-ish-ness comes from my economic views. My economic view are left-wing authoritarian. Economics is all about how people mess things up. Basically, the government messes up the economy's equilibrium through taxes and regulations, but human and corporate greed do far worse. The problem is wealth tends to be inert: the rich stay rich, the poor stay poor. Taxes and the services taxes pay for level the playing field. Without a strong social safety net people tend to fall off the economic map, which harms the whole economy in the end. Education, healthcare, employment insurance, welfare, and living wages are essentially an investment for future economic growth. The narrower the gap between the rich and the poor, within a reasonable range, the more stable society and the economy are. When the gap between the rich and everyone gets too wide, the economy splits, which hurt the workforce and thus the economy. So economic growth is good as long as it benefits the majority. A lot of the recent growth the US experienced recently was only felt by the top 1% of income earners. The US already has an economy for the rich and one for everyone else.
I know I support higher taxes then many people, but I would prefer taxes to outright regulation where possible. I'd rather the government taxes polluting than outright set limits on pollution. i don't care whether the government uses traditional tax measures or sells trade-able credits. Taxation is a very effective behavior modification tool. In the case of environmental issues, taxes make companies pay for the full cost of their choices. Similarly, taxes on cigarettes & alcohol help pay for the damage caused by smoking and drinking. A smoker pays for the health problems his or her smoking causes through cigarette taxes. i view high income taxes as paying for any social damage caused by said income. CEOs earn millions at the cost of their employees and customers. The social programs that their taxes paid for are compensation for damages done. That being said, taxes are never actually equal to the cost.
On social issue, my view is "The government has no place in the bedroom." It's none of the governments business what people chose to do with their bodies, who they chose to be with, what they say, or if they use plastic bags and non-flourescent light bulbs. As long as no one is getting hurt, I don't think governments should interfere. I don't think people should be fined or imprisoned for voicing their views. A person is allowed to be racist and voice their opinions in a public forum, and I have the right to call them stupid and ignorant, as long as they are neither authority nor public figures. By taking on such a position an individual forfeits certain rights. Teachers should not allowed to make racist comments in class or to students and keep their position, but then they're not suppose to swear either or have sex with students. With power comes responsibilities and restrictions. I don't want anyone interfering with my affairs and I stay out of the affairs of others. It's not that I don't have a strong beliefs, but I recognize most people don't share my views. I could never force my moral code in moral grey areas on others, so I believe it's wrong for others to do so to me. I do believe the basic rights of an individual should be protected.
My Political Views
I am a left moderate social libertarian
Left: 5.89, Libertarian: 3.17
My Foreign Policy Views
Score: -2.45
My Culture War Stance
Score: -5.58
Political Spectrum Quiz
My results were heavily affected by my area of study. Half my left-ish-ness comes from my economic views. My economic view are left-wing authoritarian. Economics is all about how people mess things up. Basically, the government messes up the economy's equilibrium through taxes and regulations, but human and corporate greed do far worse. The problem is wealth tends to be inert: the rich stay rich, the poor stay poor. Taxes and the services taxes pay for level the playing field. Without a strong social safety net people tend to fall off the economic map, which harms the whole economy in the end. Education, healthcare, employment insurance, welfare, and living wages are essentially an investment for future economic growth. The narrower the gap between the rich and the poor, within a reasonable range, the more stable society and the economy are. When the gap between the rich and everyone gets too wide, the economy splits, which hurt the workforce and thus the economy. So economic growth is good as long as it benefits the majority. A lot of the recent growth the US experienced recently was only felt by the top 1% of income earners. The US already has an economy for the rich and one for everyone else.
I know I support higher taxes then many people, but I would prefer taxes to outright regulation where possible. I'd rather the government taxes polluting than outright set limits on pollution. i don't care whether the government uses traditional tax measures or sells trade-able credits. Taxation is a very effective behavior modification tool. In the case of environmental issues, taxes make companies pay for the full cost of their choices. Similarly, taxes on cigarettes & alcohol help pay for the damage caused by smoking and drinking. A smoker pays for the health problems his or her smoking causes through cigarette taxes. i view high income taxes as paying for any social damage caused by said income. CEOs earn millions at the cost of their employees and customers. The social programs that their taxes paid for are compensation for damages done. That being said, taxes are never actually equal to the cost.
On social issue, my view is "The government has no place in the bedroom." It's none of the governments business what people chose to do with their bodies, who they chose to be with, what they say, or if they use plastic bags and non-flourescent light bulbs. As long as no one is getting hurt, I don't think governments should interfere. I don't think people should be fined or imprisoned for voicing their views. A person is allowed to be racist and voice their opinions in a public forum, and I have the right to call them stupid and ignorant, as long as they are neither authority nor public figures. By taking on such a position an individual forfeits certain rights. Teachers should not allowed to make racist comments in class or to students and keep their position, but then they're not suppose to swear either or have sex with students. With power comes responsibilities and restrictions. I don't want anyone interfering with my affairs and I stay out of the affairs of others. It's not that I don't have a strong beliefs, but I recognize most people don't share my views. I could never force my moral code in moral grey areas on others, so I believe it's wrong for others to do so to me. I do believe the basic rights of an individual should be protected.