How would you describe your political beliefs without labels?
For better or worse, political labels are often used as shortcuts to express our views without having to explain them. Sometimes people become attached to labels for their familiarity, other times for their exoticism. But labels that apply to groups are, by their nature, inexact.
Therefore, I would like to ask people to explain their core views without using any such terms. Words like “Republican,” “Democrat,” “conservative,” “liberal,” “libertarian,” “moderate,” “leftist,” “centrist,” “progressive,” and so forth are out. Substantive descriptions are in.
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12 Answers
I believe in helping but with limits.
(is this what you meant, @SavoirFaire)?
lazy freedom fighter . Passive aggressive. Patient and impatient. Sorry I can not.
@jca It’s up to you how many details you want to provide. You can give an overall description, a list of policies you support, or whatever other sort of description you feel comfortable with or think is most relevant. You just can’t use labels.
Things that I think are ideals for a society. I hate the political labels for those reasons, too, so I refuse to label myself as well.
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My political beliefs are based on the presumption, or assumption, that the society I live within is structured to benefit everyone that I include in that society. I believe that we, the people I think of as part of my society, should work together for everyone’s benefit, not a me-first, a me-most, or a me-step-on-you-to-get-what-I-want structure. To me that means that I expect us to pool our resources, balance our income against our expenses, take care of those who cannot take care of themselves and have serious words with (if not more serious ostracizing of) those who seek to take advantage.
This is difficult. I could just list my positions on a number of things, and it could take a long time.
I’ll try to list just a few…
- I am for income-redistribution in a massive way to shrink income inequality.
– I believe that healthcare is a right, and therefore support taxpayer-funded healthcare. In general, I want to maximize freedom of the individual, while balancing it with concerns about societal health. In other words, I support full legalization of all drugs, unrestrained freedom of speech, and freedom of religion (or irreligion). But I support laws that restrict an individual’s right to pollute – including noise and air pollution.
– I support a woman’s right to full control over her body, including the right to terminate a pregnancy and full access to birth control.
– I believe it is important to protect the minority from the majority, and so I generally distrust direct-democracy style voting (ballot measures).
– While freedom is the goal here, I tend to side on supporting government when it comes to government vs. private power. At least the government is theoretically democratic.
– I support federal vs. state rights. State rights movements allow corporations more power by allowing states to compete in a race to the bottom. If it’s important enough to legislate, it should apply to everyone in the country.
– Corporations are not people.
– The environment is to be protected at almost all costs.
– I believe that prisons should not be run for profit.
– I believe that prisons should be used to keep dangerous individuals from the general population. They are not to be used for retribution or be filled with drug users.
– I am not a pacifist, and I admittedly struggle concerning foreign policy. While I believe the U.S. has a nightmarish foreign policy record, I am not completely opposed to the use of military force to help end suffering where necessary.
– I believe that all of my positions are subject to change, based on evidence. I don’t believe in the inerrancy of the US Constitution or the “founding fathers”. It’s clear that progress is possible and desirable. We should expect to look back at the state of things in 2014 with the same embarrassment as we do at our support of segregated schools or pre-women’s suffrage.
In general, it seems clear that much of privilege and need are subject to luck (genes, upbringing, etc) and do not feel that people can take credit (in the deepest sense) for their success or take blame for their most lack of success. Therefore, I think it’s vital that we strive towards equality of outcome rather than “opportunity”.
Ok. Sorry for the ramble. Hope I didn’t use any labels above or misspeak.
I favor individual freedom of action – and responsibility for one’s own actions – in nearly all cases. I agree with the non-aggression principle: I will not be one to initiate force against another. I am a firm believer in property rights and totally opposed to forced income redistribution. I would not be opposed to a group of opposite-minded people to collectivize the property of anyone who chooses to join their group, but those groups tend to use force to overcome those who disagree with them.
I Believe in hard work & helping others. Individual rights. Rehab instead of welfare for life. The American Dream.
Shit. I cannot. I usually say I’m not even on the political spectrum; liberal is too conservative to describe my ideas of how we can all get along.
If we all loved each other as we do those we currently hold most dear, and we wanted every happiness for everyone, and if we all saw each other as ourselves, and acted accordingly, there would be no greed or envy, no mine and yours, just us, humanity, we’d all live in a peace and love.
Fuck. I swear I’m not a hippie.
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