• Thorongil
    3.2k
    Moderator's Note: For discussion related to the stated answers, please go to Political Affiliation (Discussion).


    Based on BC's suggestion, here's a thread about what users here think politically. Perhaps give an answer to the following categories:

    Generalized label
    Form of government
    Form of economy
    Abortion
    Gay marriage
    Death penalty
    Euthanasia
    Campaign finance
    Surveillance
    Health care
    Immigration
    Education
    Environmental policy
    Gun policy
    Drug policy
    Foreign policy

    Here are my answers:

    Generalized label: Classical liberal
    Form of government: Idealistically a Platonic Republic or Enlightened Monarchy; realistically a constitutional republic with a separation of powers that upholds civil and human rights
    Form of economy: Democratic market socialism (private property and markets, but with common/cooperative ownership of the means of production)
    Abortion: Opposed, except in cases where the life of the mother is at risk
    Gay marriage: Undecided, but lean towards being opposed
    Death penalty: Undecided, but lean towards being opposed
    Euthanasia: Undecided, but lean towards being in favor
    Campaign finance: Corporate money needs to be extirpated from politics
    Surveillance: More transparency
    Health care: Should be universalized
    Immigration: Against illegal immigration and for making legal immigration easier
    Education: Higher education should be free, student loans forgiven, and philosophy and religion classes mandatory in both high schools and universities :)
    Environmental policy: Greater subsidies for renewables and protection of endangered species and unique biomes
    Gun policy: Ban the private use of arms, or else abolish the second amendment, or else enforce stricter laws
    Drug policy: Decriminalize and then tax most drugs
    Foreign policy: In favor of military intervention against terrorism
  • BC
    13.2k
    Generalized label-----Hint: "Workers of the world, you have nothing to lose but your chains."
    Form of government-----Decentralized democratic economic government, much smaller state (Hint: "The state is a committee for arranging the affairs of the bourgeoisie.")
    Form of economy-----Socialist, worker council controlled; (To become rich is not glorious; it's antisocial)
    Abortion-----Legalized, routine medical procedure
    Gay marriage-----Personally, don't care. More interested in nurturing happy, long-lasting heterosexual marriages and families, from which healthy society is produced
    Death penalty-----No death penalty
    Assisted suicide-----Strictly voluntary, person-initiated only, for terminal diseases
    Campaign finance-----in existing system, vacate Citizens United, no corporate donations, no PACs, cap private donations at $1000, require free time on broadcast, internet, cable media
    Surveillance-----Surveil the surveilors
    Health care-----Socialized medicine, single payer
    Immigration-----Controlled immigration
    Education-----Very good idea; let's try it.
    Environmental policy-----Reduced energy consumption, renewable energy production
    Gun control-----Made Necessary by arms manufacturers and 2nd Amendment charlatans (Advisory: ArguingWAristotleTiff is neither an arms manufacturer nor a 2nd Amendment charlatan)
    Drug policy-----Safe and effective when used as directed
    Foreign policy-----Active, much less (but not no) military involvement
  • Hanover
    12.1k
    Generalized label - Common sense conservative.
    Form of government - Constitutional democracy limited to what the Constitution actually says.
    Form of economy - Free market capitalistic within reason
    Abortion - In favor of it within the 1st trimester.
    Gay marriage - In favor of it if that's really what they want to do.
    Death penalty - In favor of it as long as we're killing the right folks
    Euthanasia - Limited to very serious cases, not just folks who are annoyed with life.
    Campaign finance - No limitations
    Surveillance - Free reign for the government to conduct surveillance outside of areas where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy, but beyond that only by court order.
    Health care -- Private pay, with some allowances for pre-existing conditions.
    Immigration - Enforce the immigration law.
    Education - Public education for everyone with some accountability for bad schools.
    Environmental policy - Balance the damage done to the environment against the damage done to the economy when considering policy.
    Gun policy - Allow law abiding folks to have guns and triple the penalties for those committing crimes with guns.
    Drug policy - Legalization is way overdue.
    Foreign policy - Do what is necessary to protect US interests and once military action is taken, commit to stabilizing whatever destabilization arose.
  • Michael
    14.1k
    Abortion
    (Y)

    Gay marriage
    (Y)

    Death penalty
    (N)

    Health care
    Publicly funded

    Education
    Publicly funded

    Environmental policy
    Don't shit where you eat

    Gun policy
    Ban ammunition
  • Agustino
    11.2k
    Generalized label: Classical Conservative liberal
    Form of government: Democracy led by an enlightened ruler.
    Form of economy: Regulated capitalism
    Abortion: Opposed, with exceptions for rape, incest, as well as if BOTH partners in a committed relationship agree. Definitely opposed to abortion that results from reckless sexual behavior.
    Gay marriage: Opposed (not highly though) to religious marriage, okay with civil.
    Death penalty: Opposed.
    Euthanasia: Opposed, except in terminal illness circumstances at the request of the patient. If the patient cannot request, family cannot take decision for them.
    Campaign finance: No donations from the rich (top 5%), or from top 1000 companies allowed.
    Surveillance: Yes, but with transparency.
    Health care: Universal health care.
    Immigration: Against illegal immigration and for making legal immigration easier
    Education: Higher education should be free, student loans forgiven, philosophy, religion and morality classes mandatory in both high schools and universities :) In morality classes, students should be assessed based on their observable behavior while on campus. No one should be allowed to get a diploma without passing the morality class.
    Environmental policy: Greater subsidies for renewables and protection of endangered species and unique biomes
    Gun policy: For gun ownership.
    Drug policy: Outlaw most drugs.
    Foreign policy: In favor of military intervention against inhuman threats.
  • _db
    3.6k
    Like I said in the other thread, this is my tentative political stance.

    Generalized label: Left-leaning libertarian
    Form of government: Democratic anarchism (lol not gonna happen though)
    Form of economy: Undecided
    Abortion: Pro-abortion in some cases, in all other cases pro-choice
    Gay marriage: Who gives a shit?
    Death penalty: 100% Opposed
    Euthanasia: On pets or on humans?
    Campaign finance: Undecided
    Surveillance: It hasn't helped, so not exactly supportive
    Health care: Undecided but leaning towards universal
    Immigration: Allow immigrants but they really do need to go through a process
    Education: Pro-education
    Environmental policy: Stahp the pollution
    Gun policy: Guns are allowed but need to be far more regulated than they are (like a driver's license)
    Drug policy: Softer drugs are alright, the harder stuff should be regulated. We already allow alcohol. I'd rather we get rid of all drugs including alcohol instead of being hypocritical and not allowing marijuana or LSD.
    Foreign policy: We're not the earth police. Isolationist-esque.
  • Soylent
    188
    Generalized label - Liberal (Canada)

    Form of government- i) Benevolent dictator ii) Direct democracy.

    Form of economy - Extreme on either side, favouring capitalism based on present state.

    Abortion - Unrestricted in first-trimester; legalized but regulated/watched otherwise (including some cases of permissible infanticide).

    Gay marriage - If marriage must be a part of society, let everyone marry whomever they want (with mutual consent).

    Death penalty - Oppose on practical grounds.

    Euthanasia - Support, but very cautiously.

    Campaign finance - Unrestricted, but with full disclosure.

    Surveillance - Propagates paranoia and creates a feedback loop.

    Health care - Universal two-tier system with no option to opt-out.

    Immigration - Open borders.

    Education - Free access; needs reform.

    Environmental policy - Must protect our environment at all costs.

    Gun policy - Some guns for some; no guns for others.

    Drug policy - Legalize/decriminalize most, but restrict access to addictive substances.

    Foreign policy - Mind your own business. Do not harm others.
  • Baden
    15.6k
    Generalized label - European - left / American - far left.
    Form of government - Social democracy (at least as a starting point).
    Form of economy - Undecided.
    Abortion - Fairly strong restrictions.
    Gay marriage - Sure.
    Death penalty - No. Life no parole.
    Euthanasia - Yes (with strong limits).
    Campaign finance - Strongly restricted.
    Surveillance - Balanced approach.
    Health care - Universal. Single payer.
    Immigration - Freer movement
    Education - Uni subsidized according to income. (How I got it.)
    Environmental policy - Based on the science.
    Gun policy - Ban the big ones.
    Drug policy - Undecided.
    Foreign policy - Based more on ethical concerns and less on political ones.
  • WhiskeyWhiskers
    155
    Generalized label - no idea.
    Form of government - constitutional meritocracy where the public elects from a group selected by the powers that be. Enforced voting with a "none of the above" majority voiding the election if all candidates are poorly chosen.
    Form of economy - undecided. Probably a bit of everything in the right places.
    Abortion - stop reproducing.
    Gay marriage - don't care. Just don't flaunt it if you get it, you queens.
    Death penalty - in theory but not practice.
    Euthanasia - up to you as long as you have mental capacity equivalent to that of the kind defined under the UK Mental Health Act.
    Campaign finance - money bad, money very very bad.
    Surveillance - i have nothing to hide.
    Health care - an NHS that's actually properly funded would be nice, with alternative options in private sector for those who want it.
    Immigration - i might let you in if you have skills, can speak my language, and don't have a particularly troubling recent criminal record.
    Education - undecided - probably same as health care.
    Environmental policy - first do no harm. Environmental interests over economic ones.
    Gun policy - outright ban unless your livelihood depends on it, i.e. farmer, hunter, or bank robber. With stringent tests, regulations, and legislation on par with driving standards in UK.
    Drug policy - legalise weed, not sure about the rest. Add them to a legal white-list once credible science has evaluated the harms and (any medical/social) benefits.
    Foreign policy - respect sovereignty unless there's humanitarian interests.
  • Shevek
    42
    Seems like a lot of people's posts are shot-through with an undercurrent of contradiction; that is, between our 'ideal-state' and what we could reasonably expect ('ideal state heavily attenuated by necessity and circumstance'?). Whatever, I'll give you my ideal:

    Generalized label: libertarian-communism, left-anarchism (in this historical situation, more broadly speaking I fluctuate between 'Deleuzian 'from the left/minority' and at times a more Badiouian approach of politics as a truth procedure/fidelity to the evental horizon of 'Truth')
    Form of government: Libertarian Municipalism
    Form of economy: The collective democratic ownership/control of the means of production, greatly aided by some advanced Project Cybersyn-type system, push to fully automate the boring tasks
    Abortion: Legal, with comprehensive resources to make it as accessible and healthy as possible along with other forms of contraception and birth control
    Gay marriage: Yeah why not?
    Death penalty: No, though things become more complicated when it comes to war criminals and tyrants
    Euthanasia: Right to assisted suicide
    Campaign finance: In this system? Publicly funded campaigns, perhaps only allowing for one-time donations no greater than $50 or some not-so-arbitrary low figure
    Surveillance: No mass 'passive dragnet surveillance', targeted probably allowed in certain cases but heavily watched over by some legal/democratic mechanism
    Health care: Free universal access, no private hospital/health insurance
    Immigration: Mostly free unhindered movement, regulation according to some post-nation-state schema according to need for labour/protection of the environment and so on
    Education: See Paulo Freire, plus free access at all stages (K-Doctoral)
    Environmental policy: Overcome capitalism, transfer to green energy, research fusion
    Gun policy: Legal
    Drug policy: Legal, healthcare programs for those that want to overcome addictions
    Foreign policy: Internationalism, anti-imperialism, context-dependent (Cuba's intervention in Angola was great, US intervention in Vietnam was horrible).

    Of course this is my utopian ideal-type and there's a very low probability it'll actually happen. But not sure what else the OP would be asking for.
  • The Great Whatever
    2.2k
    Generalized label - Hellas reborn
    Form of government - Competing city-states with unifying culture and free immigration between and intercity events ala ancient Greece
    Form of economy - Economics all the way down, civilizations are in competition roughly in the way products are
    Abortion - The right to bodily autonomy trumps the right to life of those infringing upon it; so permissible so long as birth requires inhabitation of a body, but not otherwise
    Gay marriage - Marriage should not be state-controlled in any way, so not a coherent issue
    Death penalty - As the common law permits, no objection in principle (kill 'em)
    Euthanasia - A person has the right to die whenever they please
    Campaign finance - No campaigns
    Surveillance - Population should be extremely hostile to it, to the point that attempting to implement it would be political / economic suicide
    Health care - Medical institutions compete for most effective treatments, people go to whichever city has the treatment they will be allowed
    Immigration - Completely open with extremely powerful impetus toward cultural assimilation / hostility toward multiculturalism
    Education - Vocational, apprentice-based (including for academics)
    Environmental policy - Tear it up
    Gun policy - A well-armed citizenry is necessary to prevent governmental structures from forming; benefit of the doubt in use of firearms should be given to defenders
    Drug policy - Light it up
    Foreign policy - Isolationism and non-interventionism, steal foreign citizens by having a high quality society that everyone wants to immigrate to, maybe even pro-active 'invasions' whose only purpose is to take people out of repressive regimes and 'import' them if they are willing; equivalent of Delian Defense League to kill Persian invaders and toss them into the Aegean Sea
  • ArguingWAristotleTiff
    5k
    Generalized label: Registered (D) usually vote Independent or (R) Dream Ticket: McCain/Lieberman
    Form of government: Little oversight/more personal responsibility
    Form of economy: Capitalism with shorter Patent terms
    Abortion: My female body, my business. Abortions before 20 weeks is patients choice, after 20 weeks it is up to the discretion of a Doctor and patient, based upon health of fetus/expected quality of life.
    Gay marriage: absolutely entitled to be a part of, though consideration of another 'term' might be appropriate
    Death penalty: in favor of
    Euthanasia: Long overdue right for those who choose death with dignity. Three independent Doctor's approval and then the when, where and with whom present can be decided by the patient.
    Campaign finance: anything over 10k in donations and candidate must list name and amount publically.
    Surveillance: This horse has left the barn when you logged onto the Internet for the first time decades ago. It's gone, there is no going back. Coat your roof with metal shavings to restore privacy.
    Health care: Total overhaul back to private pay on a cash basis. Medicare and Medicaid for the poor, the elderly and infirmed.
    Immigration: Annual Country intake limits for legal immigration. But until you can change greed in man, there will always be illegal immigration.
    Education: Retain public/charter school voucher policy, extend thru junior college, upper class university private pay.
    Environmental policy: Leave the place on earth you reside on better for your having cared for it. You pack it in, you pack it out.
    Gun policy: personal responsibility for personal protection, no logging, tracking or licensing unless or until firearm is involved in an illegal incident. The law stops at the property line, not at the threshold of the home.
    Drug policy: Private pharmaceutical companies forbidden from advertising in all forms of media. Full stop. MAJOR reduction in drug patent times and a mandatory fair pricing, rather than being based upon "what the market can bare". Oh and in case you meant 'illegal' drugs? The war on drugs is a farce, it has never worked, all it has done is caused the evolution of designer drugs, to accelerate at a break neck speed to the point that turning to an illegal drug is easier to get and cheaper to buy than a pack of cigarettes.
    Foreign policy: We have more in common with people from other countries than our respective governments have with one another and that is what we need to highlight, rather than our differences which is what they would rather us focus on.
  • Moliere
    4k
    This is a bit easier for me -- less argument, more sharing. :) I tend to have a divided mind on how I'd answer just because some of my beliefs aren't widely accepted and therefore are difficult to implement on a society-wide scale until a time when more folk (if such a time does arrive) see things as I do. In that spirit consider this a set of non-ideal answers, in the world we live in today to the extent that possible to do (because if we were to take that principle to its extreme then I believe I'd just say everything is fine exactly as it is -- you need some kind of ideal to have a belief about the way things should be)

    Generalized label: Labor leftist.

    Form of government: Democracy.

    Form of economy: Socialist.

    Those three were harder to answer in non-ideal terms. I think I tend to label myself in ideal terms and think of forms in ideal terms, while the particular questions are more apt to "here and now" type of thinking.

    Abortion: Legal up until birth.

    Gay marriage: Legal. Pluralistic marriage should be legal too.

    Death penalty: I waffle between illegal in all cases and illegal in most cases. In the end I side with illegal in all cases, though, because I doubt the competency of the state to execute people.

    Euthanasia: I had to look it up again, but I remember a story about Euthanasia in the Netherlands that I read and seemed to do it right. They seem to have a good handle on such policy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia_in_the_Netherlands

    Campaign finance: Parties should be publicly funded, and private donations should be limited. To become a party I'd have some kind of petition procedure in place where X amount of signatures is required.

    Surveillance: The police state is whack. I'm flippant towards even calling this an issue because it gives it too much credence. DHS should be dismantled. Hell, the FBI and the CIA already had too much power to regulate citizens -- but these days it seems that everyone just accepts surveillance like it's part of reality itself when it really wasn't that long ago when there was not the widespread surveillance apparatus we live with today.

    Health care: Be like Canada.

    Immigration: Legal and streamlined. It took a friend of mine 25 years to go through the process of legal immigration from Mexico. That's obscene. Ideally I don't even believe in borders. They should be erased as much as possible. (hey you free market types -- if all markets are to be free, then labor markets need to be able to compete with corporate ones)

    Education: I very much dislike how education is handled in the U.S. -- the funding mechanism makes school budgets look like spaghetti, they are organized in a top-heavy manner, administrative staffers have more say than professionals, the public, and even elected officials, and we have a completely backwards philosophy on what education should be for. I believe reform is possible, but it might only be possible in an abstract way. It would take a second educational movement similar to what made education free in the first place.

    That being said, I still favor having publicly funded education. No society can be free if everyone does not have the opportunity to grow into their personal best.

    Environmental policy: Green party.

    Gun policy: Citizens should be able to own weapons.

    Drug policy: Recreational drugs should be legalized. Medicinal drugs should be produced on a greater scale to drive down prices.

    Foreign policy: I tend towards non-intervention and non-violence. I don't believe in just wars. I believe there are times when organized violence may be necessary, but that it is a perversion of justice to call them anything other than necessary evils.
  • S
    11.7k
    Generalized label: Leftist.
    Form of government: Socialist Democratic Republic with a more direct form of democracy.
    Form of economy: I haven't thought through the complexities and practicalities, but I'm inclined towards a socialist economy or a socialist-leaning mixed economy.
    Abortion: Strongly in favour of the legal right to abortion along the lines of the Abortion Act 1967. Also strongly in favour of responsible use of contraception.
    Gay marriage: In favour of.
    Death penalty: Ought to be abolished in those places in which it hasn't already been abolished.
    Euthanasia: In favour of, within reason. The law regarding euthanasia and assisted suicide ought to be reformed.
    Campaign finance: Severely limited and absolutely transparent.
    Surveillance: Against undue surveillance, of which it seems there's a lot. Limited and transparent.
    Health care: Strongly in favour of a universal, publicly funded healthcare system, such as the NHS, and strongly against privatisation. Take a leaf out of the UK's book.
    Immigration: Against scapegoatism. For a fair and reasonable immigration policy.
    Education: In favour of public education. Significantly reduce tuition fees or scrap them altogether.
    Environmental policy: Green - and much more so than in the past and present.
    Gun policy: Very strongly against loose gun controls, the woefully outdated Second Amendment, and the NRA. Take a leaf out of the UK's book.
    Drug policy: Liberal. Drug laws need serious and extensive reform. They ought to be more treatment-focused, as opposed to punishment-focused.
    Foreign policy: Against militarism and warmongering. Against bombing civilians and so-called collateral damage. Against naïve idolisation of soldiers.
  • discoii
    196
    Generalized label: Techno-syndicalism / Communist
    Form of government: All efforts are to be made to push towards complete automation and collective ownership of the vast majority of human tasks, with distribution of resources to based on some sort of dual form of "basic-income" baseline which is then adjusted for individual needs and abilities.
    Form of economy: Techno-syndicalism
    Abortion: Encouraged. We are suffering from global human overpopulation and the labor market is facing huge automation difficulties, the whole purpose of reproducing is fast becoming unnecessary, at least for another generation, and abortion is a good remedy to the problem.
    Gay marriage: Any form of legal marriage is not recognized by the state, since marriage is an outdated form of a commercial contract between people. In my ideal world, there would be no need to divide up resources in a marriage, since women would never starve or be materially worse off in the event of a collapse of the marriage, since the society provides free childcare and guarantees housing and food, as well as other amenities. If you want to stay or live with a person, the solution is simple: just stay or live with that person.
    Death penalty: Perhaps initially, when we're killing the fascists off, but after a while it will be phased out and ultimately banned.
    Euthanasia: Yes.
    Campaign finance: No need for political parties in a syndicalist society, but mediums for discussion as far as the affairs of society are concerned can be regulated.
    Surveillance: None after the revolution, enough to get rid of the fascists prior.
    Health care: Universal right.
    Immigration: No borders, no citizenship.
    Education: Skills-building education as a focus, life-long commitment by all. Free, of course. People are to be forced to learn multiple histories.
    Environmental policy: All private cars will be banned and remains of said cars to be used to build extensive public transportation. Cars are the leading cause of death in the world and are generally redundant, to be honest. Also, humans are too stupid to drive.
    Gun policy: People can have guns.
    Drug policy: All drugs legal.
    Foreign policy: "Foreign" policy focus will be on figuring out how to remove borders and the concept of citizenship, nation-states, and all that nonsense.
  • Mayor of Simpleton
    661
    Generalized label: I despise lables

    Form of government: representative social democracy (NOT SOCIALISM)

    Form of economy: a bit too complicated for just a quick reply

    Abortion: allowed with minor restriction

    Gay marriage: either allow gay marriage or ban all marriage

    Death penalty: no

    Euthanasia: highly restricted, but allowed

    Campaign finance: no lobbies or personal contributions, each party is allowed a base amount that they are not allowed to exceed for each candidate (ALSO!!! Election day is either a National Holiday or must occur on the Weekend)

    Surveillance: limited, but contextually allowed... again, this is complicated

    Health care: universal (Austrian Model is a good one) where private insurances cover addition medical procedures deemed not necessary, but possible helpful (such as massage therapy or some chiropractic procedures not supported by empirical evidence)

    Immigration: Indeed processing and clarification need to be in place. This is far too complicated to answer in just a few moments

    Education: non-elitist, nearly free of costs, private schools and private institutes are allowed, but run solely on their own profits and receive no government funding whatsoever.

    Environmental policy: Green

    Gun policy: Strong limitation upon what weapons are legal, strict controls and reviews of who owns a weapon, re-write the 2nd amendment (far far too out of date, as I feel they were addressing muskets where every abled body man was part of the military)

    Drug policy: stronger controls over "over the counter" medication. Personally the argument that tobacco is less dangerous than marijuana leads me to the conclusion that we need to make tobacco illegal.

    Foreign policy: more ethical and less political/economic... global community

    I wrote this in less than 10 minutes as I have to fix dinner. I could probably do a bit better and be more exact, but to be honest... this is politics. I hate politics.

    Meow!

    GREG
  • mcdoodle
    1.1k
    Generalized label: Red Green
    Form of government: Social democracy with power delegated to the lowest possible level commensurate with the issue
    Form of economy: Mixed economy with no limited liability to the incorporated. Steady-state (over lifetime of a business cycle) not growth as macro target.
    Abortion: Woman's right to choose up to an age of infant-viability decided by independent experts.
    Gay marriage: Anyone can marry anyone.
    Death penalty: Against
    Euthanasia: Something like the Swiss/Dutch models
    Campaign finance: Strictly limited
    Surveillance: Part of modern Statism that needs to be rigorously reduced.
    Health care: Universal, basic care free paid by taxation/compulsory insurance.
    Immigration: Enriches us but we need agreed formulae for numbers over time
    Education: Radically rethought to remove present militaristic/Statist regimentation. Free, funded by general taxation.
    Environmental policy: 100% renewability
    Gun policy: Highly restricitive ownership and use..
    Drug policy: Decriminalize and supervise.
    Foreign policy:Ethical, biased against military intervention.
  • Jamal
    9.2k
    Generalized label: God knows. How about "Marxian Libertarian Cornucopian"?

    Form of government: Democracy, preferably direct. Tyranny can turn out to be the worst, but I think aristocracy, oligarchy, technocracy, managerial politics, the nanny state and paternalism are bad too.

    Form of economy: Post-scarcity high-tech socialist or communist economy. We don't know how to get there right now, so: for accelerated yet highly regulated capitalist economic growth. Against neoliberalism and over-financialization.

    Abortion: For total decriminalization (it's still technically criminal in the UK, except when the woman meets certain conditions) and for a woman's right to choose what to do with her body, which includes the fetus.

    Gay marriage: It seems a bit of a shame that the gay rights movement embraced this eminently bourgeois issue, but I'm not going to stand in anyone's way. I went to a lesbian wedding recently and enjoyed the champagne and vegan burgers, so I can't be against gay marriage without being hypocritical. It also felt like a sign that much of what the gay rights movement fought for has been achieved, so that's good.

    Death penalty: I'm uncomfortable with the death penalty but I can't bring myself to stand against it in all cases on principle.

    Euthanasia: Despite my atheism and my support of a woman's right to choose in all cases, I also think there's an important concept, of the sanctity of life, that was upheld for a long time by Christianity but which is being lost sight of. I regret this. The pro-dying movement represents a cultural turning away from hope and progress, and I also think relaxation of the laws would result in the deaths of many people who would otherwise be able to get through their problems (I'm not an anti-natalist, so I don't see transient anguish as supporting the argument against life). At the same time, I don't want people to be kept alive to suffer where there can be no hope of recovery.

    Campaign finance: I haven't really thought about it. Off the top of my head, I wouldn't like to see publicly funded parties, but I also think the big money in politics makes it very unfair.

    Surveillance: State surveillance is currently necessary to combat reactionary religious maniacs, but I'm a libertarian so I want it to be targeted rather than implemented as if everyone were a suspect. I don't believe it's practically necessary or good for culture and politics for us to be watched all the time, and on principle I don't trust the state with as much generalized snooping power as it has in many European countries (let alone the US).

    Health care: Socialized. Having said that, a mix of public and private can work well, as in France, which some consider to be the best system in the world.

    Immigration: Open and monitored. An "illegal immigrant" is someone who has been criminalized for their movement in search of a better life. I think this is immoral. But like TGW I also favour a "powerful impetus toward cultural assimilation / hostility toward multiculturalism".

    Education: Let's get back to the ideal of the liberal education, and away from the dreary idea that education is about getting a job, or preparing people for the workplace. It's about the culture as much as the economy, and it's about elevating people: making people better and making them want to be better.

    Environmental policy: Industry and energy can clean up after themselves if properly regulated. Don't base energy policy on short-term profit or political gain. Reduce our contribution to global warming by investing in alternative forms of energy production, but celebrate the human footprint and recognize that people come first. Don't stand in the way of the fossil-fueled industrialization of poorer countries like India. The best way we can deal with climate change is through maximum worldwide industrialization, technological innovation, and bold projects. In general, totally against the reactionary green movement, instead for treating climate change as a practical problem that can be solved without reversing growth and progress.

    Gun policy: I don't know about this. I'm sympathetic to both sides. As a libertarian, some-time radical leftist, and occasional gun-user, I should be sympathetic to gun ownership, but I'm not comfortable with the idea of a weapon-saturated, militarized culture like that of the US or pre-war Germany.

    Drug policy: I'm basically for decriminalization, but I don't much like the excessive, fashionable celebration of cannabis, a drug that makes people dull and stupid when over-used.

    Foreign policy: There are four kinds of foreign policy that I think are pernicious and wrong in our era: (1) Colonialism and other forms of imperialism, (2) post-colonial meddling in foreign revolutions and democratic processes, (3) neoconservatism, i.e., imposing liberal democracy from the outside, and (4) the most recent pattern of Western foreign policy, namely reckless, short-sighted and damaging foreign escapades engaged in with a view to domestic politics and international stature.
  • Sinderion
    27
    Generalized label: You tell me
    Form of government: Modified meritocratic democracy (voters and candidates should meet some minimum requirements, voters select from a pool of qualified candidates)
    Form of economy: Undecided, but leaning towards a Rawlsian distribution of goods
    Abortion: generally pro-choice
    Gay marriage: For
    Death penalty: Undecided, leaning strongly against
    Euthanasia: Undecided, definitely support advanced medical directives
    Campaign finance: Undecided, possibly irrelevant
    Surveillance: For, with limitations and oversight
    Health care: Universal medical insurance, paid for through an enforced savings plan. (roughly)
    Immigration: Undecided, depends on the purpose of the state
    Education: Light touch regulation. Compulsory basic education.
    Environmental policy: Strong focus on duties towards animals. Regulate industrial emissions, invest in sustainable food sources, have infrastructure that promotes recycling and reduced waste and pollution.
    Gun policy: Ban guns, strict regulations on military and police weaponry
    Drug policy: Undecided, but consistency demands it all goes or it all stays
    Foreign policy: Undecided, depends on the purpose of the state
  • Wosret
    3.4k
    [Generalized label: Anarchist
    Form of government: Piles of smoldering ash and rubble.
    Form of economy: Production, services, barter, trade.
    Abortion: If they must.
    Gay marriage: Of course, who would want an unhappy marriage?
    Death penalty: No.
    Euthanasia: If they must.
    Campaign finance: Shit shovelling.
    Surveillance: Only in the form of evesdropping little people.
    Health care: Don't get sick.
    Immigration: No borders.
    Education: Guilds.
    Environmental policy: Reduce, reuse, live small.
    Gun policy: Unskilled weapon class.
    Drug policy: No restrictions, just shaming.
    Foreign policy: Blind eyes on all sides.
  • Benkei
    7.1k
    Generalized label - Rawlsian
    Form of government - direct democracy, more decentralised in its political decision making but centralised in the performance of public tasks and implementation of policy
    Form of economy - the robots are coming, communism then since having a job won't even be an issue of skill anymore and we can't compete with robots anyway, circular economy
    Abortion - legal up to 24 weeks, after that same rules as for euthanisia
    Gay marriage - ok with me
    Death penalty - no
    Euthanasia - legal if suffering is (will be) inescapable and continuous as agreed by the two doctors independently from each other, should be more attention to psychological suffering though as this is not sufficient yet
    Campaign finance - limited in amount, only natural persons, only citizens of that country and public
    Surveillance - less
    Health care - yes and publically financed
    Immigration - open for all refugees, limited for economic refugees
    Education - publically financed, better recognition between different countries of each others degrees
    Environmental policy - circular economy, don't take more resources and produce waste than nature can replenish and process
    Gun policy - US problem, just get rid of guns from a Dutch perspective
    Drug policy - legalise and tax
    Foreign policy - screw real politik and do the right thing, even if it's inopportune or expensive
  • OglopTo
    122
    I'm not from the US but anyways... For future reference when I change my mind.

    :: Generalized label - unknown
    :: Form of government - benevolent leadership (individual or council)
    :: Form of economy - basic income for all (with aid of technological advancement); work-rotation; inheritance not allowed;

    :: Abortion - Not OK but with exemptions; be responsible for one's actions
    :: Gay marriage - not really needed in general but OK in paper for admin stuff (e.g. taxes, wealth-sharing, etc)

    :: Death penalty - OK but to be presented to accused as an alternative to conventional sentences

    :: Euthanasia - OK but to be scheduled X months or years in advanced and for certain age groups only; with exemptions

    :: Campaign finance - government sponsored events; voters should make the effort
    :: Surveillance - OK for judicious use only; mostly AI-operated with limited personal access
    :: Health care - OK for basic services and accidents; not OK for 'self-induced' diseases due to smoking, alcohol and drug use, obesity, etc...; controlled drug use especially with antibiotics; gov't sponsored research on basic drugs

    :: Immigration - OK but should live in harmony with the community
    :: Education - non-mandatory; there should be enabling mechanisms for free access to education until old age

    :: Environmental policy - sustainability and minimal damage to environment
    :: Gun policy - state/government monopoly
    :: Drug policy - undecided; leaning towards medicinal/prescription use only
    :: Foreign policy - no meddling with other's affairs but with regular polls for public opinion; help when requested
  • BC
    13.2k
    :: Generalized label - Dream on

    :: Form of economy - socialist; production for need and social enhancement
    :: Power expressed by the people through direct voting
    :: Form of governmental administration - a branch of the system of production
    :: Public services - managed by regional associations
    :: Campaign finance - no campaigns to finance
    :: Foreign policy - depends on existing conditions inside and outside this and that country
    :: Health care - socialized (includes family planning, fertility control, population reduction)
    :: Environmental policy - sustainable regeneration of healthy environment
    :: Immigration - only as part of long range planning and consistent with population reduction
    :: Education - free; career tracked; mandatory through age 18, life long education
    :: Surveillance - conducted by the people if at all

    :: Property - No real property in permanent private hands (land, factories, rental buildings, utilities, etc)
    - Inheritance of personal property (household/family goods)
    - Long-term leaseholds for family home, at lease's end, reversion to state property

    :: heterosexual Marriage - mandatory part of a comprehensive program of family planning and fertility control, population reduction (sanctions for child begetting/child bearing outside of marriage for purposes of maintaining quality family life and long-term family stability
    :: Death penalty - limited to refractory criminals -
    :: Euthanasia - limited -
    :: Gun policy and illicit drug control - Very tightly controlled; severe punishment for violation
    :: Drug policy - some recreational drugs allowed under controlled conditions
  • Harry Hindu
    4.9k
    Generalized label:Libertarian
    Form of government:Civic Lottery. Every citizen is well educated and takes an active part in running their govt. for a period of time. No more elections, therefore no more special interests buying elections.
    Form of economy:Pro-Competition, not Pro-Capitalist where monopolies become entities that threaten the liberties of citizens as much as any despotic govt. can. Checks and balance system where consumers have just as much power as the corporations. Arm consumers with the necessary information so boycotts can be more effective and govt. doesn't need to meddle.
    Abortion:Parents' choice.
    Gay marriage:Unnecessary.
    Death penalty:Used in certain, well-deserved cases.
    Euthanasia:Individual choice.
    Campaign finance:Eliminate through the implementation of a civic lottery system. See above.
    Surveillance:I have nothing to hide.
    Health care:Needs a complete overhaul.
    Immigration:Put the breaks on it. We have enough poverty in this country, we don't have the resources to solve all the worlds problems.
    Education:Needs a complete overhaul.
    Environmental policy:Point out and hold polluters responsible for their actions.
    Gun policy:Prevent the mentally ill and criminals from getting weapons. Everyone else is free to own.
    Drug policy:Legalize marijuana, but keep the others illegal.
    Foreign policy:Speak softly and carry a big stick.
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