News Comparing Your Opinions to Candidates: Romney vs Johnson

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The discussion centers around a political quiz that compares users' opinions to various candidates' positions. Participants share their results, revealing a wide range of political alignments and preferences. Many express surprise at their matches, particularly with candidates like Jill Stein and Gary Johnson, who are less mainstream compared to Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Users discuss the complexity of their views, noting that their results can shift significantly based on how they prioritize different issues. Some participants highlight the limitations of the quiz, such as the inability to express nuanced opinions on complex topics. The conversation also touches on the perception of political parties, with some users identifying as independents or expressing dissatisfaction with both major parties. Overall, the quiz serves as a tool for self-reflection on political beliefs and the challenges of categorizing diverse viewpoints within the current political landscape.
  • #31
Jill Stein 96%
Gary Johnson 83%
Rocky Anderson 80%
Barack Obama 74%
Virgil Goode 31%
Mitt Romney 16%Democrat 95%
Green 92%
Libertarian 65%
Republican 4%

Not too surprisingly, I had already decided to vote for Jill Stein because my state is foregone conclusion. The party analysis is apt: I have come close to voting for Libertarians, but not Republicans.

[Edit: I register independent, consistent with the above - NOT in the sense of 'between' democrat and republican, but in the sense that I agree most with a variety of third party candidates. For me, this test seemed accurate - mainstream democrat and republican candidates were at the bottom, and all but one of the 3d party candidates were on top.]
 
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  • #32
Jill Stein for President! Go go green party.

Terrible stage presence though, they need an actor.
 
  • #33
74% Barack Obama Democrat
on environmental, science, foreign policy, and immigration issues
71% Jill Stein Green
on science, foreign policy, healthcare, domestic policy, and immigration issues
69% Gary Johnson Libertarian
on healthcare, science, and immigration issues
54% Mitt Romney Republican
on environmental and domestic policy issues
41% Virgil Goode Constitution
on environmental issues
39% Rocky Anderson Justice
on healthcare and domestic policy issues
58% American Voters
on environmental, science, foreign policy, healthcare, immigration, and domestic policy issues.
Who you side with by party...
59% Green
58% Republican
54% Libertarian
52% Democrat

I'm a bit surprised that according to that pool if I were an American I should vote Obama. I considered myself rather right wing leaning. (though with huge amount of unorthodox ideas that that can outrage both right and left wing)

I also effectively stated - yes, global warming is real (as a scientific fact, though abused by left wing as excuse for silly ideas) but no problem with offshore drilling or looking for resources in natural preserve. Such stance made me a supporter of Greens. Controversial.

As non-American I consider asking for views on evolution as something odd for me. (However, because of crusades in Europe against nuclear power and GMO, I can't say, that on the my side of Atlantic people let science win with their gut feeling)

EDIT:

It could be worse, like:

92% Palpatine
87% Vlad the Impaler

;)
 
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  • #34
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  • #35
I'm a bit surprised that according to that pool if I were an American I should vote Obama. I considered myself rather right wing leaning. (though with huge amount of unorthodox ideas that that can outrage both right and left wing)

If you're European, that's normal. Even though social democrats are considered right-wing here, they'd be considered left wing in US. Obama would probably be considered a social democrat in Europe.
 
  • #36
Jill Stein: 95%
Rocky Anderson: 88%
Barack Obama: 84%
Gary Johnson: 70%
Virgil Goode: 5%
Mitt Romney: 3%
 
  • #37
Jimmy Snyder said:
Here's a site that compares your opinions to the positions of the candidates.

I side with ...

Gary Johnson 91%
...
Mitt Romney 74%

... I intend to vote for Romney.
This post (before the clipping) reads like a non sequitur. Care to fill in some of the blanks and share your thought process?
 
  • #38
Gary Johnson 99%
Jill Stein 70%
Virgil Goode 63%
Mitt Romney 55%
Barack Obama 41%

Libertarian 75%
Green 69%
Democrat 63%
Republican 58%
 
  • #39
I predict Jill Stein will win the election with about 50% of the popular vote, followed by Obama, then Johnson, with Romney finishing in single digits.

Who made that survey, anyway?
 
  • #40
Tosh5457 said:
If you're European, that's normal. Even though social democrats are considered right-wing here, they'd be considered left wing in US. Obama would probably be considered a social democrat in Europe.
I'd say that's it's only a partial answer. Also keep in mind that Europe (even if narrowed down only to the UE) is still less uniform than the US.

There is one serious source of bias here - I'm asked here about issues that are within US mainstream or fight to become such, like matter of legalisation of marijuana. When such question are answered - then indeed I can end up left from centre. However, there are a few questions that no one would dare to ask in the US.

Example: I'm not convinced that no education but merely 18 years is all that one need to be allowed to affect official policies through voting. (Such idea is clearly outside US politics, thus ignored) According to standards of my country that would place me outside mainstream, but wouldn't be shocking at all. (one candidate in our last presidential election dared to speak such a blasphemy too) Thus, for such idea I'd be moved a bit towards semi democratic systems as right wing. (unless speaking such a heresy in the US places me as proponent of the NWO, and that would move me left wing even further, at least in eyes of your right wing? ;) )
 
  • #41
Example: I'm not convinced that no education but merely 18 years is all that one need to be allowed to affect official policies through voting. (Such idea is clearly outside US politics, thus ignored) According to standards of my country that would place me outside mainstream, but wouldn't be shocking at all. (one candidate in our last presidential election dared to speak such a blasphemy too) Thus, for such idea I'd be moved a bit towards semi democratic systems as right wing. (unless speaking such a heresy in the US places me as proponent of the NWO, and that would move me left wing even further, at least in eyes of your right wing? ;) )

Why would you be considered right-wing for supporting that, if you support left-wing policies too? There we arrive at the problem of the left-right paradigm: that classification doesn't provide all the information about a person's political positions.
 
  • #42
Tosh5457 said:
Why would you be considered right-wing for supporting that, if you support left-wing policies too? There we arrive at the problem of the left-right paradigm: that classification doesn't provide all the information about a person's political positions.
I have mixed stances. (I see very well both market and government failures, with proper rephrasing of seemingly similar questions I can give different answers; example: the abovementioned questions considering ecology)

That approach towards democracy moves me, at least formally, on axis authoritarianism vs. individual freedom towards authoritarianism, right? (any other idea how to interpret it?)

Yes, I see the problem in one dimensional axis, and it still exists in two dimensional distinction. Any idea of reasonable multidimensional political axis'? (Maybe some kind of ranking of conflicting aims?)
 
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  • #43
Czcibor said:
That approach towards democracy moves me, at least formally, on axis authoritarianism vs. individual freedom towards authoritarianism, right? (any other idea how to interpret it?)

Yes, I see the problem in one dimensional axis, and it still exists in two dimensional distinction. Any idea of reasonable multidimensional political axis'? (Maybe some kind of ranking of conflicting aims?)
Have you ever seen a Nolan chart?
 
  • #44
Ryan_m_b said:
Have you ever seen a Nolan chart?

For sure I've seen its mutations. I already mentioned it as two dimensional model.
 
  • #45
Czcibor said:
For sure I've seen its mutations. I already mentioned it as two dimensional model.
Ah I see you did. I skim read before and missed it.
 
  • #46
BobG said:
I predict Jill Stein will win the election with about 50% of the popular vote, followed by Obama, then Johnson, with Romney finishing in single digits.

Who made that survey, anyway?

Most people only vote for either democrats or republicans, assuming they are the only viable candidates (or just vote based on ticket, whatever.). Because of this, there is the phenomenon of appeal to the so called middle. A lot of democrats, for example, might actually be closer to the positions of the green party then the democratic candidate, but will still vote for the democrat. I think the "right" is a bit more complex, as you have a hodgepodge of people who might not like each other very much (in fact this is becoming an increasing issue for the GOP.)

EDIT: On the other hand, the paradigm is more complex. My preferences were 1. Libertarian 2. Green, which for me is accurate. I would vote for Libertarians over greens, and greens over republicans or democrats (and in fact constitution party over democrats or repubs, as the survey results indicate.) That might seem an odd thing, but it makes sense to me.

Do you feel your results were inaccurate? If so, why do you think that is?

Did others feel the poll accurately ranked their preferences?
 
  • #47
SHISHKABOB said:
81% Obama on foreign policy, science, social, economic, and immigration issues
18% Romney no major issues

82% Democratic
17% Republican

I liked this quiz, as I felt like *most* of the questions were fairly straightforward, or whatever. But there were a few where I almost wish I could pick more than one option, or an option only expressed part of my view.

Like, what's the difference between saying "Yes" to Do you believe the theory of Evolution?

and saying Yes, Evolution is a fact (the one I chose)?

anyways, I wasn't surprised by the results

You could. They had a "choose another option" option, and if you didn't like the additional choices, you could create your own.
 
  • #48
I wonder why some got Rocky Anderson as an option and others didn't.
 
  • #49
Galteeth said:
Most people only vote for either democrats or republicans, assuming they are the only viable candidates (or just vote based on ticket, whatever.). Because of this, there is the phenomenon of appeal to the so called middle. A lot of democrats, for example, might actually be closer to the positions of the green party then the democratic candidate, but will still vote for the democrat. I think the "right" is a bit more complex, as you have a hodgepodge of people who might not like each other very much (in fact this is becoming an increasing issue for the GOP.)

EDIT: On the other hand, the paradigm is more complex. My preferences were 1. Libertarian 2. Green, which for me is accurate. I would vote for Libertarians over greens, and greens over republicans or democrats (and in fact constitution party over democrats or repubs, as the survey results indicate.) That might seem an odd thing, but it makes sense to me.

Do you feel your results were inaccurate? If so, why do you think that is?

Did others feel the poll accurately ranked their preferences?

I thought it was accurate for me: green, libertarian, justice, democrat, and way down republican - in that order (by candidates; the way the classified by party seemed less accurate for me).
 
  • #50
Interesting poll. Here were my results:

Gary Johnson - 90%
Virgil Goode - 75%
Mitt Romney - 74%
Barack Obama - 65%
California Voters - 59%
American Voters - 59%

Libertarian - 76%
Democrat - 71%
Republican - 70%
Green - 70%

I guess my views were too eclectic to fit easily into one box.

I thought I would have a higher green showing, but there were only a few environmental questions vs. many on foreign policy and the economy (I expanded all the topics to show all the questions). My green rating took a ding because one of the three questions was about offshore drilling, which I support in a qualified way.

I think government should meddle a lot less than it does, which explains the high libertarian ranking. But I also think we need some kind of social security and health plans, which I guess must have given me points with the "status quo" parties.

I actually hate both the Republican and Democratic parties, so it's funny to see them in second and third place.
 
  • #51
Galteeth said:
Do you feel your results were inaccurate? If so, why do you think that is?

Did others feel the poll accurately ranked their preferences?

Obama 89%
Stein 89%
Johnson 68%
Goode 53%
Anderson 53%
Romney 46%
American voters 59%

Democrat 92%
Green 80%
Libertarian 55%
Rebuplican 41%

This is disturbing, since I belong to the Republican Party. But the Republican Party and the Democratic Party definitely have shifted their positions over the past decade and I would have classified myself as a moderate Republican even back then (in fact, I would have been a pretty big fan of Governor Romney, but definitely not a fan of Presidential candidate Romney).

None the less, it wasn't the shocking results that kept me from posting. It was this message:

Because of you, 0 people have taken this quiz.

It made me feel kind of bad.
 

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