Political Test: Do You Vote the Way You Believe?

Take the following test to determine your political philosophy. Mark down your “yes” and “no” responses on a separate sheet of paper.

-Do you believe there should be restrictions on Abortion?
-Do you believe cutting taxes can result in higher revenues to the government?
-Do you believe in the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, (the Second Amendment)?
-Do you believe Illegal Immigrants should be treated as law-breakers?
-Do you believe people have more Rights than animals?

-Do you believe it’s wrong to grant children the Right to sue their parents?
-Do you believe Sex Education is the parent’s job, not the schools’?
-Do you believe Hate Crime legislation is a form of Big Brother, Thought Police?
-Do you believe Global Warming is unproven science used to sell a political agenda?
-Do you believe the Death Penalty is a legitimate form of punishment?

-Do you believe Western Civilization is the best social system in history?
-Do you believe we should be drilling for more oil within our borders, (ANWR, etc.)?
-Do you believe most homeless people are homeless by choice?
-Do you believe the Soviet Union was an “Evil Empire” like Reagan said?
-Do you believe Capitalism is an economic force for good?

-Do you believe reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in school is a good thing?
-Do you believe issuing vouchers for parental “school choice” is the right policy?
-Do you believe Government-run, Universal Health Care is a bad idea?
-Do you believe Creation Science, like all ‘theories,’ should be taught in schools?
-Do you believe winning the War on Terror is crucial for preserving our Way of Life?

-Do you believe Individualism is a better philosophy than Group or Class identification?
-Do you believe it’s better to have inequities under freedom than equities under tyranny?
-Do you believe the Rich are already paying more than their fair share of taxes?
-Do you believe America was founded upon Judeo-Christian principles?
-Do you believe our government taxes and spends too much?

-Do you believe the U.S. should never submit to any form of Global Government?
-Do you believe Family Values are important for maintaining our societal foundation?
-Do you believe America is basically good and shouldn’t be radically changed?
-Do you believe Marriage is only between a Man and a Woman?
-Do you believe we should always provide for a strong National Defense?

For scoring, count the number of times you answered “yes.” 26-30 = ultra conservative;
21-25 = conservative; 16-20 = moderate-conservative; 11-15 = moderate-liberal; 6-10 = liberal; and, 1-5 = ultra liberal.

Politics consists of two main components: (1) Patronage or Cronyism; and (2) Ideology. The first category has equal application on both sides of the aisle. Republicans and Democrats alike are guilty of its abuses. Therefore, it’s inadequate in serving as a definable criterion to tip the scale for one party over another. The second category, however, offers a much more clear distinction for those not obtaining any special “favors” which may bias their vote. Generally speaking, the Republican party, at its base, is controlled by the ideology of Conservatism while the Democrat party, at its base, is controlled by the ideology of Liberalism. If you don’t have a political pay-off in the offing- the reasonable choice would seem to be that candidate who not only exemplifies your Ideas…or Ideology, but also, that candidate who will have the best opportunity to advance those ideas through his or her respective Party Leadership.

How did you score? I believe, if your vote is not “for sale,” and that, you can’t be swayed by the various promises of political spoils, then you should always vote your conscience and cast your ballot for the candidate who shares your beliefs…whatever they may be! After all, America is about more than Who gets What! Isn’t it?
(send comments to WFC83197@aol.com, or mail to POB 114, Jacksboro, TN 37757)