And now for this week’s internet quiz.
Let me say this: The test includes several false dichotomies that cannot be used to differentiate liberalism from conservatism. Here are some examples.
Question #1: The available answers are (1) Not exactly and (2) True. That is not a clear distinction. Although I think the answer is simple to determine, how does one go about justifying reservations when they either have to choose an ambiguous answer or an absolute answer?
Question #7: Carrying a gun is (1) Taking responsibility for one’s own defense, and admirable, or (2) Dangerous and sketchy. Both answers are correct and mean little when determining if someone leans left or right. I am generally liberal but am a staunch supporter of gun rights (even though I hate guns). I believe an unarmed populace is ripe for governmental abuse; it also represents a people unable to defend themselves should the government lack the ability to do so. Nevertheless, people carrying guns with them all the time creates a bit of an issue when overzealous wielders decide to enforce justice on their own and by their own definition. Supporting someone’s right to bear arms while being concerned about never knowing when someone will pull out their pistol and start firing has little to do with being a liberal or conservative.
Question #8: Some people have less luck than others. Huh? While many want to pin the “luck is not the government’s business” on liberals, not only is that concept nonsense, but the question is nonsense. Luck is the word most often used to describe fortune (whether good or bad). No one can deny some people are dealt a better hand than others (e.g., the rich are more likely to stay that way while the poor seldom reach the same level). To make luck a partisan issue smells of intellectual vacuity.
Question #10: Taxes should be… (1) Cut to stimulate the economy and give people more of their money back. or (2) Something the rich pay more of. They can afforded [sic]. Look at the answers and tell me how one true statement (#2) versus one possible course of action (#1) means anything. We know the rich pay more and we know they can afford it. That is common sense and public record. How does a truth compete with a possible change to fiscal policy? Another issue with the question is that the answers are not mutually exclusive. What prohibits the government from cutting taxes for low- and middle-class people while maintaining a higher tax burden on the rich?
Question #11: It’s more important for our country (1) [to] Reduce the deficit and national debt, or (2) To help the poor and helpless. What a shallow and heartless decision. Why must the two be at odds? To achieve #1 does not require ignoring #2 (take a look at where the deficit came from to understand that; reckless spending by an out-of-control government does not negate the need for public welfare). Again, this question pits reality against humanity, and it ignores the truth of our present financial crises in order to make a partisan point that rings hollow at best.
And I could go on, but I’ll stop now. What’s the point of over-analyzing these quizzes when we already know they’re unscientific and rarely worth more than the fun of taking them to see what results you get…
Your Political Profile:
Overall: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal Social Issues: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal Personal Responsibility: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal Fiscal Issues: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal Ethics: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal Defense and Crime: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal