Just curious about the political leanings in MENA, since it was brought up recently. Are you more of a "liberal" or a "conservative"?

Lifelong dem raised by a dem mom and a republican dad. I've inculcated Tamer in the democratic ways, took him to some campaign rallies with Jesse Jackson and Al Franken, and made another democrat, bwahahah!

I classify myself as moderately left, since I don't view (most) republicans as evil and feel that I can compromise to find common ground.

I just wanna say that I always hated American Govn't when I was in High school, and I don't really follow politics. I know it's bad, but I also know that I can't complain because I didn't voice my opinion is the past few elections. But since America has a way of sticking it's nose in other countries business, if someone were to say that they would pull out of other countries and let them take care of themselves so we can take care of ourselves, I would be voting for that person 100%! I hope that makes sense.

libertarian! (mostly... but dont necessarily follow all their *rules*... but comes very close!)

So you voted moderate right then?

moderate right is me...

i guess i would be a Left-Libertarian... and moderate Left at that.

I'm moderate but tend to lean left. I voted moderate left.

I see. Most libertarians I've spoken with have nothing "left" about them. Seems libertarianism has its own spectrum as well.

I think I'd need a definition...or one of Rahma's quizzes to figure out what I am.

My views:

stop invading other countries
put a definite time limit on welfare recipients
privatize social security
improve education system
preserve our freedom and stop spying on us
improve the immigration system!!!!

other than that i think i'm good.

I voted Moderate Left as well...anyone wanna give a quick explanation on Libertarian? (I'm too lazy to do wikipedia)

http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html




Simplest explanation in my mind is socially liberal and fiscally conservative.

i suppose, i support personal freedom among many other items, however I do find their anti-welfare stance silly and other nixed social programs

i guess there might be another party i would be better affiliated with.... but so far, this is the best fit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-libertarianism

ok so apparently i'm a right winged conservative. who knew? lol

I see there are lots of branches of libertarianism:
Agorism
Anarcho-capitalism
Geolibertarianism
Green libertarianism
Left-libertarianism
Minarchism
Neolibertarianism
Paleolibertarianism

I'm gonna have to go through them all and find out which I like best.

ETA: I find most self-proclaimed libertarians to fit into the "neolibertarian category"....

I'm one of those could-care-lesstists, generally on the side of good will, and anti-pidgeon-hole-ist. *waits to be pelted with empty tin cans*

this is from a political test someone sent me the other day - sums me up pretty well, I'd say! Otherwise, I hate politics and stay out of it as much as possible.

Your true political self:
You are a

Social Liberal
(65% permissive)

and an...

Economic Liberal
(10% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Socialist


You exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness. loc: (56, -150)
modscore: (6, 39)
raw: (936)




Explanation Of Results

We wanted to get beyond the two catch-alls of American politics, the Democratic and Republican parties, and see where people actually stand. Parties can bring together people with marginally differing values and make collective action easier. But party platforms can misrepresent their constituents, and blind loyalty to a party can convince individuals to harbor inconsistent views.


The goal of this test was to exactly classify your personal politics, without the traditional labels. We avoided the edgy party issues and focused on fundamental values. Your score is a measure of what you believe in, economically and socially.


Higher permissiveness, on either axis, indicates a "live and let live" philosophy. Of course, we're almost conditioned in America, "Land of the Free", to think positively of such a philosophy. But practically speaking, permissiviness (or its opposite, regulation) can create any number of outcomes:

For example, on the economic axis, a highly permissive system, like the American system of the early 1900s, might mean things like low taxes and increased scientific innovation. It might also result, as it did back then, in unrestricted child labor and millions of poor people with black lung.

At the other end of the economic spectrum, a highly regulated system might conserve the environment, establish national health care, and eliminate poverty. But as we've learned from the Soviet system, extreme regulation can also lead to stagnation, sameness, and unhappiness.

here's the link to that test if you want to check it out!
http://www.okcupid.com/politics

Your true political self:
You are a

Social Liberal
(80% permissive)

and an...

Economic Liberal
(21% permissive)

You are best described as a:
Socialist


Me too noura!

Well I am not (yet) a USC, no voting here yet, but I am quite eager to start. So hope my opinion still counts for something.

I am a political moderate (probably leaning towards the left, I sat here for a moment pondering if I should vote moderate or moderate left. So I voted moderate left) I have some conservative or traditional views/values ...whatever you want to call them, but since I value freedom, choice and free thinking, I stand politically I stand on the middle. I believe what I believe, but will not try to push it on others. Being right or left only seems to me as being on two extreme sides of the spectrum. I am really tired of hearing the extreme behaviours and ideas of the right and left side. And not even get started on radicals… a whole other side of crazy. I am all for compromise, consenses, common sense and rational thinking. Conservatives work from the inside of a problem, while liberals work from the outside.
Moderates were once the backbone of this nation.
I am:

Freedom of religion

Gender equality under the law

Race equality under the law

Pro-choice (with some laws of course to ensure this is not abused/used instead of birth control and absentence)

Education reform and aide

Anti-drug legislation

More money to put into domestic issues, rather foreign ones

Anti-war

Pro-death penalty

Pro-property rights

Pro-animals rights

Pro- environmental causes

Pro gay rights (I donnot agree with gays but I still they have rights too…and I let the judging up to God)

Anti-gun

Ballot reform (electronic ballot protection)

Anti- political corruption

Pro- Palestine

Pro-healthcare

Against USA getting involved in territorial disputes unless the majority of the country's population ASKS for help.

Foreign aide to the countries who really need it, not our "friends"

Unsure about Euthenasia. (I am against suicide, but if someone is terminally ill or in vegative state that is what get me)

Social security: I have not read enough on this but I should.





Some political bumper stickers I just find appealing.

And these too esp ... express my views.

Thanks for the link Noura.
This quiz was quite interesting and the result surprised me
I am:



Your true political self:
You are a
Social Moderate
(50% permissive)

and an...
Economic Liberal
(23% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Democrat

You exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness. loc: (
0, -100)
modscore: (14, 30)

I see on the ballot 1 vote for right and one for moderate right.... who was that? Care to comment?

I would also be interested to see where everyone's SO stand too...

Interesting link Noura.
I'm not sure if this is good, bad, or ....

Your true political self:
You are a

Social Moderate
(56% permissive)

and an...

Economic Moderate
(43% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Centrist

You exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness.

I picked moderate right in this poll.

According to the political quiz:

Your true political self:
You are a

Social Moderate
(50% permissive)

and an...

Economic Moderate
(43% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Centrist


You exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness.

lotta leftists around here

You are a

Social Conservative
(26% permissive)

and an...

Economic Conservative
(66% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Republican

You exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness.

You are a

Social Liberal
(61% permissive)


and an...

Economic Liberal
(21% permissive)


You are best described as a:


Democrat


You exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness.

I never would have guessed that! I think I've changed a LOT over the past 5 years....

Wondering where you were at Charles....
Ye alot considering MENA is pretty conservative.

it's odd that so many mena women are liberals when islam is conservative.......

i also chose moderate right

"you are a

Social Conservative
(31% permissive)

and an...

Economic Moderate
(41% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Totalitarian


You exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness."

so im not a totalitarian. but pretty well on the rest of it. lol... im glad it told me i have a well developed sense of right and wrong... which it tells everyone?

it's ok, not everyone can be a republican

I'm the one that voted "far right" because I'm more socially and economically conservative than those whom I would consider to be among the "moderate right".

Islam is a very progressive religion. What is conservative about promoting women't rights, economic justice, promoting charity and issues of the poor, democracy?

im sad, i kept telling people i was a republican... i feel like such a fraud!!!!! please let me back republicans!

Islam is an incremental faith, not necessarily a progressive one, and in no way a liberal one. A lot of Muslims would disagree that those you listed are exclusively liberal values, and I would be one of them. Certainly, much of the difference would be in what would be considered to be elements of such "rights" when enumerated, and also in incorporating responsibilities along with the push for rights.

This thread got me a thinking and reading. It seems I agree with many liberatianistic views.

I'm far left... but I'm also kind of libertarian in that I think people should be able to do what they want as long as they're not hurting anybody else, and I think the government should stay out of peoples' personal lives. Like if people want to gamble, drink, use drugs, have sex for money, marry someone of the same sex, marry more than one person, it's all good in my opinion. Not that I want to partake, but who am I to say someone else shouldn't if they're not hurting anyone? On the other hand, most libertarians are very against taxes and things like that, and I think taxes are important and government programs are important.

Me too. I think I can be best classified as a libertarian socialist!

i said i was a moderate right....but here are my quiz results.

Your true political self:
You are a

Social Conservative
(28% permissive)


and an...

Economic Liberal
(33% permissive)


You are best described as a:


Totalitarian


You exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness.