Hypothetical: You have a 25 inch snowstorm. You're unable to shovel your own snow - perhaps age or disability.Who is more likely to help you? A member of the Tea Party? A Sanders supporter?

Depends for free/charity or cash?

Are you serious with an either/or scenario? It seems like you have a negative opinion of both parties and already have assigned a poor outcome for both and have a ludicrous position which does not allow for actual dialogue. Ridiculous presupposition leaves no room for rational discourse.

My neighbor. And I have absolutely no idea of his political affiliation, because we don’t talk politics. (And I am “that neighbor” to most of my own neighbors. I have frequently cleared their drives and sidewalks, and they don’t have the least idea of my politics.)

Incidentally, if you want to get it correct, it’s “TEA” in all caps.

We (would) have staff for that.

I help my neighbour when I can. I’m a Sanders supporter. I live on a shared private drive but we each pay our walks and drives up to garages. I pay my share to have the entire drive plowed and for the use of a sewage pump our houses need to join it up to the county services. See, I don’t expect the government to cover my private costs.

My only experience with snow-shoveling was when I was a child. My dad and I shoveled the driveway of the approximately 1000 year old woman next door (I was eight. I have no clue how old she really was).

Didn’t talk to Dad much about politics, but I know he voted for Dukakis because he let me pull the lever.

A Boy Scout. My son would if he was near you.

Or a Sanders supporter. Tea Party types believe in social Darwinism, so if unable to get out because of age or infirmity, they would prefer you quietly die and freeze to death until your family can come get your body. They don’t want the socialist police or fire department spending money that has been taxed from them on getting your body to the coroner.

This is a ridiculous question, as the behavior of any given individual cannot be predicted by single factors such as political affiliation.

I think they either one of them might help you out, it would depend on the individual but I don’t think a Sanders supporter would expect the government to provide snow shoveling to clear private property. And we already have socialized snow removal and have for a long time. That’s how the roads get cleared, ya know?

I think it’s a nice litmus-paper question.

Grudging charity, charity that comes bundled with a sermon, or charity that’s actually a trade of value for value is not really charity.

I happen to believe, though, that being a Good Samaritan is more likely to be a personal than a political trait. I think help can come from any quarter, no matter how unlikely. Absent any prior connection or claim (“We’re members of the same club, tribe, community, nationality”), it’s going to depend more on the character of the prospective helper, that helper’s own resources, and the fit of perceived need with perceived relief than on any political conviction.

Not that politics won’t play a part, seeing that politics is about who gets to control the resources; but it won’t be party politics.

One of the things I read right after Katrina was a first-hand essay by a survivor, who said that when resources (water in particular) were scarce, people were dangerously hostile in guarding their supplies; but as soon as there was a plentiful supply, people shared liberally with others in need. This stands to reason, doesn’t it? Perception seems to be the key.

Or I could have it all wrong. Oh, well.

@Darth_Algar , several responses.

Most important: There are countless examples of ‘predictions’ of personal activity based on political affiliation. You need look no further than the cross-selling of mailing lists by candidates to related candidates and organizations. (I gave money to Dukakis and they sold my name to the ACLU and the Audobon Society).

Even more germane: how do you think internet advertising tracking works? If I go to the Sanders campaign site, for example, you can be darn sure that some other web sites will access that tracking cookie and, based on certain assumptions, try to sell me something or push some related cause.

So your ‘ridiculous’ answer doesn’t hold water.

But even more to the point – this was a thought experiment. A theoretical question. hence the term “hypothetical” as the first word of my queston.

Good Christ…..

That marketers sell information to other marketers does not mean shit when it comes to the actions of individuals in particular situations.

Because of the dearth of Democrats or Independents here in Texas it would probably be a Tea Party member. That is, if they were not afraid to get out and help. Fear is the driving force among Republicans in our state.

You can’t make generalizations like that about individuals. There are plenty of Tprs. who would personally shovel your driveway, yet throw a fit at the idea that the government should plow the public streets.

As my son recently observed….. and he is 11, “extrapolation to such a far end point from such minimum data can only result in more errors than accurate results”. My kid understands logic. Be more like my kid.