Religion and politics: is there a correlation? (a thread for troglodyte)

MRRiley · 09-24-2010, 06:46 AM

Originally posted by troglodyte

Mr. Riley,
I left out center on purpose. Even those 'at the very center' will lean more left. I see left as group rights and the right as individual rights.
People who are at the fourths points will tend to label themselves as 'center'.

So you left out the center because in your world view everyone leans one way or the other? This is just a way of skewing the poll results. And I fundamentally disagree with your assertion that people in the center "will lean more left". People in the center may lean but it is usually by only slight degrees and the lean can vary according to the issue at hand.

Really, polls like this that insist that people declare themselves as party to one extreme end or the other are why the vast American middle is ignored... and this is why/how the extremists control the debate...

Why, because the honest moderate will not chose any of your artificial shoeboxes thus for the purposes of the poll we do not exist.

Last edited by MRRiley; 09-24-2010 at 07:12 AM.

GeneV · 09-24-2010, 06:58 AM

Originally posted by troglodyte

GeneV,
Yes, the USA way is democrat but I was simplifying it for other countries like the UK, aren't they opposite?
Anyway, democrats are for social programs? Like FDR's Great Plan(the masses)? While republicans are for small business? Like your mom and

---------- Post added 09-23-10 at 04:08 PM ----------

pop shops or Joe the plumber able to get his own? Dems are for big governmemt for the masses(bigger fed), while repubs are for small government(more state and local). Have I been voting wrong this whole time?

It is explained better on the thread about libertarian Democrats, but that summary is just plain wrong. Mike is right. Those of us who answer to the term "moderate" don't like these simplifications.

Moreover, it is just plain wrong to say that Republican policies favor small business. Unleashing a Wal-Mart or some other behemoth multinational or letting banks run wild destroys more small businesses than any social program. And despite current rhetoric, a Republican president actually supported and signed into law OSHA, the EPA, the ADA, Medicare drug coverage, etc. so it is oversimplifying to say that Republicans don't support some programs.

reeftool · 09-24-2010, 08:08 AM

Originally posted by MRRiley

So you left out the center because in your world view everyone leans one way or the other? This is just a way of skewing the poll results. And I fundamentally disagree with your assertion that people in the center "will lean more left". People in the center may lean but it is usually by only slight degrees and the lean can vary according to the issue at hand.

Really, polls like this that insist that people declare themselves as party to one extreme end or the other are why the vast American middle is ignored... and this is why/how the extremists control the debate...

Why, because the honest moderate will not chose any of your artificial shoeboxes thus for the purposes of the poll we do not exist.

I agree completely. We all lean one way or the other at times but but many of us are not locked into a political agenda. I could be considered a Conservative on certain issues but not others. I remain independent because I will not be put in anybody's shoebox.

View Poll Results: Check the box that corresponds most closely to your political/religious coordinates
Left / Secular	6	42.86%
Left / Religious	2	14.29%
Right / Secular	2	14.29%
Right / Religious	4	28.57%
Voters: 14. You may not vote on this poll

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09-24-2010, 06:46 AM	#16
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	Originally posted by troglodyte Mr. Riley, I left out center on purpose. Even those 'at the very center' will lean more left. I see left as group rights and the right as individual rights. People who are at the fourths points will tend to label themselves as 'center'. So you left out the center because in your world view everyone leans one way or the other? This is just a way of skewing the poll results. And I fundamentally disagree with your assertion that people in the center "will lean more left". People in the center may lean but it is usually by only slight degrees and the lean can vary according to the issue at hand. Really, polls like this that insist that people declare themselves as party to one extreme end or the other are why the vast American middle is ignored... and this is why/how the extremists control the debate... Why, because the honest moderate will not chose any of your artificial shoeboxes thus for the purposes of the poll we do not exist. Last edited by MRRiley; 09-24-2010 at 07:12 AM.

09-24-2010, 06:58 AM	#17
GeneV Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Albuquerque NM Photos: Albums Posts: 9,830	Originally posted by troglodyte GeneV, Yes, the USA way is democrat but I was simplifying it for other countries like the UK, aren't they opposite? Anyway, democrats are for social programs? Like FDR's Great Plan(the masses)? While republicans are for small business? Like your mom and ---------- Post added 09-23-10 at 04:08 PM ---------- pop shops or Joe the plumber able to get his own? Dems are for big governmemt for the masses(bigger fed), while repubs are for small government(more state and local). Have I been voting wrong this whole time? It is explained better on the thread about libertarian Democrats, but that summary is just plain wrong. Mike is right. Those of us who answer to the term "moderate" don't like these simplifications. Moreover, it is just plain wrong to say that Republican policies favor small business. Unleashing a Wal-Mart or some other behemoth multinational or letting banks run wild destroys more small businesses than any social program. And despite current rhetoric, a Republican president actually supported and signed into law OSHA, the EPA, the ADA, Medicare drug coverage, etc. so it is oversimplifying to say that Republicans don't support some programs.

09-24-2010, 08:08 AM	#18
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,555	Originally posted by MRRiley So you left out the center because in your world view everyone leans one way or the other? This is just a way of skewing the poll results. And I fundamentally disagree with your assertion that people in the center "will lean more left". People in the center may lean but it is usually by only slight degrees and the lean can vary according to the issue at hand. Really, polls like this that insist that people declare themselves as party to one extreme end or the other are why the vast American middle is ignored... and this is why/how the extremists control the debate... Why, because the honest moderate will not chose any of your artificial shoeboxes thus for the purposes of the poll we do not exist. I agree completely. We all lean one way or the other at times but but many of us are not locked into a political agenda. I could be considered a Conservative on certain issues but not others. I remain independent because I will not be put in anybody's shoebox.