laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

Julie once said that I'm the most middle-of-the-road person she knows.  Now, she has confirmation.  I discovered The World's Smallest Political Quiz this morning.  In way less than five minutes, I had the results – Personal Issues: 60% liberty, Economic Issues: 40% liberty, classification: Centrist.  Uh-oh.  Nobody tell Rush.

The quiz site has this definition for a centrist:

Centrists espouse a "middle ground" regarding government control of the economy and personal behavior.  Depending on the issue, they sometimes favor government intervention and sometimes support individual freedom of choice.  Centrists pride themselves on keeping an open mind, tend to oppose "political extremes," and emphasize what they describe as "practical" solutions to problems.

Now, I suspect that the web site has Libertarian leanings, but I haven't looked for any proof.  It doesn't really matter.  To me, this "centrist" label is like a badge of honor.  I always try to approach situations independently and objectively, evaluating each one with the information I have available and measuring it against my personal, Christian world view.  I can usually see both sides of the situation and I want to treat people equitably while still standing on my principles.  I seriously doubt that any issue has ever been as black-and-white as the DNC and RNC would have us believe.

I have a great deal of disdain for both liberals and conservatives when all they want to do is regurgitate the same old tired party lines.  Can we get a few more people who are willing to think for themselves, please?  Don't just sit there and parrot back to me the same crap you heard this afternoon on Rush Limbaugh or Al Franken.  Rush Limbaugh, in particular, annoys me with his tirades against moderates as people who are afraid to take a stand.  He makes his living by being dogmatic and extreme – I get that, though I don't understand how people find it entertaining – but it still grates on my nerves.

This is one of the reasons I enjoy listening to Glenn Beck.  Though conservative, he isn't afraid to say what he really thinks, sometimes even working through issues on the air and essentially debating himself as he explores both sides of an issue.  He doesn't follow any political party's cue card.  Sure, he says outrageous, over-the-top stuff, same as Limbaugh.  Sure, he's in the entertainment business, same as Limbaugh.  The difference is, Glenn Beck makes me laugh.  Rush Limbaugh makes me feel like my head is going to explode.  Al Franken makes me want hemlock.

This is something that I really want to explore some more.  Expect more of this kind of post in the future.

If you're interested, here are the other political definitions on the quiz site:

Right (Conservative)

Conservatives tend to favor economic freedom, but frequently support laws to restrict personal behavior that violates "traditional values." They oppose excessive government control of business, while endorsing government action to defend morality and the traditional family structure. Conservatives usually support a strong military, oppose bureaucracy and high taxes, favor a free-market economy, and endorse strong law enforcement.

Left (Liberal)

Liberals usually embrace freedom of choice in personal matters, but tend to support significant government control of the economy. They generally support a government-funded "safety net" to help the disadvantaged, and advocate strict regulation of business. Liberals tend to favor environmental regulations, defend civil liberties and free expression, support government action to promote equality, and tolerate diverse lifestyles.

Libertarian

Libertarians support maximum liberty in both personal and economic matters. They advocate a much smaller government; one that is limited to protecting individuals from coercion and violence. Libertarians tend to embrace individual responsibility, oppose government bureaucracy and taxes, promote private charity, tolerate diverse lifestyles, support the free market, and defend civil liberties.

Statist (Big Government)

Statists want government to have a great deal of power over the economy and individual behavior. They frequently doubt whether economic liberty and individual freedom are practical options in today's world. Statists tend to distrust the free market, support high taxes and centralized planning of the economy, oppose diverse lifestyles, and question the importance of civil liberties.