My Views
3:49 PM
Table of Contents
I. Nagging Question
II. Bipolar America
III. How Others See Me
IV. My Views
V. My Presidential Picks
VI. Finishing Thoughts
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
=======================================
I. Nagging Question
For a while now, people have been constantly asking me where I stand on the political spectrum. People are confused because of the positions I take on different issues and because of the candidates I support for president. I figured I should explain it to you once and for all.
------------------------------------------------------
II. Bipolar America
The reason I have such a hard time explaining my views sometimes is because this country as a whole is so politically bipolar. Basically, everyone has to be either a Democrat or Republican. For the various levels of office you have to vote for one of those two or else your vote is a wasted one for a candidate who has zero chance of winning. Why does it have to be this way? Are we not allowed to be independent thinkers? Why can't we take different sides on different issues, whether or not they agree with our party affiliations?
------------------------------------------------------
III. How Others See Me
So where do I stand on the political spectrum? Which party do I strongly support? Actually, a more appropriate question would be, "How do I see the world?"
It's extremely difficult--if not impossible--to give me a political label. I look at each issue INDIVIDUALLY and do extensive research before I take a position. Most people, however, don't see it that way. They're so quick to jump to conclusions every time some political statement comes out of my mouth.
-When I talk about the Second Amendment, I must be a Republican.
-When I slam the incumbent president, I must be a Republican (or a Democrat if the incumbent's a Republican).
-When I talk about the environment, I must be an environmentalist.
-When I mention the blatant lies that the McCain campaign kept throwing at Obama, I must be an Obama supporter.
-When I talk about the problems with healthcare, I must be a Socialist.
-When I address the grievances of rural family farmers, I must be a Populist.
-When I question the motives of the Dalai Lama, I must really hate pacifists.
-When I accuse the federal government of resorting to unconstitutional means to enforce Civil Rights programs in the 1960's, I must be a states' rights Dixiecrat.
-When I talk about the problems with the two-party system, I must really hate Americans and the democratic process.
-When I say that Ross Perot looked more Presidential than either George H. W. Bush or Bill Clinton in the 1992 Presidential Debates, I must be a member of the Reform Party.
-When I question the need for income taxes, I must automatically support a national sales tax.
-When I talk about how government spending has gone out of control, I must be a Libertarian.
-When I advocate a non-interventionist foreign policy that doesn't involve in America policing the rest of the world, I must be a terrorist lobbyist who gets paid to keep the U.S. government out of doing good to the rest of the world.
-When I talk about how Libertarians deserted their party platform, I must be a member of the Boston Tea Party (real political party est. 2006 on the sole basis of separating themselves from the likes of Bob Barr).
-When I question whether Reagan deserves credit for taking down the Soviet Union, I must be a Communist.
-When I accuse Israel of using the persecution of Jews as an excuse to ignore every international law when dealing with foreign affairs, I must be an anti-Semite.
-When I say that Black leaders like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have taken the race issue too far, I must be a white supremacist.
-In elections where I refuse to support either the Democratic or the Republican candidate for president, my views are automatically null and void because third party votes don't matter.
-When I worry about things like NAFTA and the gradual move to "Unionize" Africa, North America, East Asia, Europe, etc., I must be one of those crazy conspiracy theorists.
-When I try to explain why there really isn't a gender wage gap, I'm a woman-hater.
-When I show just how ridiculous American attitudes towards racism are, I must be a white supremacist.
Who knows? Maybe there's some elaborate conspiracy where someone like me is secretly plotting to overthrow all forms of conventional wisdom (and in the process destroy everything great about America and Americans)? Maybe I'm a part of it. Or maybe you're just being paranoid.
------------------------------------------------------
IV. My Views
No, there's no conspiracy. I just come up with my own ideas and then stand up for them. When people ask me where If you REALLY want to label me, you can call me an Extremist Independent.
------------------------------------------------------
V. My Presidential Picks
Just to show you how I think, I made a list of every man who I would have voted for in every Presidential election since 1788. You won't be able to make much sense of this list unless you know at least as much American political history as I do.
NOTE: I had this written out when I wrote the first version, but it's really irrelevant and I wasn't getting anywhere with it. Whatever, it's not important.
------------------------------------------------------
VI. Finishing Thoughts
You don't have to support one party or another. You don't have to think one way or another. There is absolutely no reason why you must conform to the political standards as they are now. You don't even have to agree with me on anything!
All I'm asking is for you to be consistent in your views and defend them.
=======================================
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++