The funny thing is, I would have tested out Republican 15 years ago, when I was still voting Democrat!
You Are 72% Republican |
 You have a good deal of elephant running through your blood, and you’re proud to be conservative. You don’t fit every Republican stereotype, but you definitely belong in the Republican party. |
Likewise, 15 years ago, I would have failed the Democrat test, just as I did this time.
You Are 20% Democrat |
 If you have anything in common with the Democrat party, it’s by sheer chance. You’re a staunch conservative, and nothing is going to change that! |
The tests are meant to be jokes, by the way, but it was funny to me that the only thing I have in common with Democrats is expensive tastes: Much as I love Safeway and Target, I also spend way too much time in Whole Foods and Trader Joes. (The last, actually, is a cheap place to shop, which is why I love it, but it doesn’t seem to attract the Wal-Mart crowd.)
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Yeah, that Wal-Mart crowd is the absolute worse.
Funny you should say that, greg. I’d be delighted if there were a Wal-Mart here. Marin being what it is, that’s not one of the market choices we get.
You Are 52% Republican
You aren’t a full fledged Republican yet, but it’s probably the party that fits you best.
You probably consider yourself an independent Republican. You usually support the party, but you also think for yourself!How Republican Are You?
Just goes to show you Book, you are more conservative than I am ; )
I’m just more white bread, YM, and you’re more of an iconoclast.
Reminds me of that David Weber “Shiva Option” quote.
I am become death, destroyer of worlds.
That always sounded pretty catchy to me, for some reason.
I’m 12% Republican. “If you have anything in common with the Republican party, it’s by sheer chance. You’re a staunch liberal, and nothing is going to change that!”
And I’m 60% Democrat. “You aren’t a full fledged Democrat yet, but it’s likely the party that fits you best. You probably consider yourself an independent Democrat. You usually support the party, but you also think for yourself!”
LOL! I was 64% Republican and 12% Democrat. My late parents would be horrified!
52R/12D and I shop at Wal-Mart. Mostly for ammunition, but also to practice reading Spanish.
Wow, I was 92% Republican and 0% Democrat. Go me!
[...] Hat tip: Book of Bookworm Room! [...]
56%R/4%D! Just goes to show that I really am a moderate!
28%R and 20%D
If a viable third party doesn’t show up soon, I’m going to start writing in my name on every ballot.
Like Z, I and Anna, I scored a 56R/12D – I wonder if this fits the the typical moderate profile of bookworm elves (as distinct from the trolls). To Greg’s comment, it’s funny that so many Liberal/Lefties still consider Republicans the party of the “rich”. Are they really so lacking in self-awareness?
Hi Danny, You’d call me a leftie, and I’d say the Republican Party is the “party of the rich.” But don’t misunderstand what I mean. Not all registered Republicans have piles and piles of extra money. Some live from paycheck to paycheck, just as some Democrats do. It’s the mindset. For example in one entry yesterday, Bookworm said something to the effect that “if you need me, I’ll be looking for tax loopholes.” (THIS IS NOT A DIRECT QUOTE.) That’s Republican thinking. Again, yes, some Democrats use tax loopholes. But only the rich (in heart) begin looking the day after an election, when in reality no law has yet changed. Of course, she meant this figuratively, as an expression of her disgust with the election results, but a Democrat, at the same time, when no law has yet changed, would think “now there’s a chance for health care reform.” Health care reform is not something the rich (Republicans)want because we all know that would raise taxes. Republicans want to keep their money, because they have health insurance and don’t want to pay for others to have it; Democrats want to offer services, so that even the poorest have health care. Notice, so far no one has mentioned socialized medicine (and its poor recdord in Europe, etc.) but it’s coming. And who brings it up? Those who can’t fathom being less rich. Republicans are about anything other than equality, because they are too “rich.” Now wher does my self-awareness fit in? It’s about other-awareness, too, not just self!
I am 80%R/8%D. I shop at Wal-Mart and I work there, too!
I linked to you!
Turns out I’m 76% Republican and 20% Democrat–no wonder I enjoy this site so much!
The political spectrum is not so much a spectrum, as it is a pendulum. Swing far enough to the right, and you’ll hit the left side.
The Democrats don’t have to look for loopholes, because they have already legislated them in, that is why people like Bing can afford 50 million dollars wasted on advertisement for a proposition. They don’t pay taxes, that’s why they support higher taxes on the rich, it doesn’t matter to them. The rich don’t need to look for tax loopholes, their lawyers are the ones that does that. The middle class, owners of small businesses, can’t afford any tax raises, so their need is rather more desperate than some Democrat millionaire.
helenl-
I am a Republican and while I’m significantly far from rich, I would consider myself in the comfortable middle class. I also give to charities (often through the church) as well as sponsoring two children in the Philippines. Having laid that background, I have to say that I respectfully (and vehemently) disagree with your viewpoint.
If you choose to give away all your money to this-or-that cause, go right ahead but you have absolutely no right to demand that anyone else should through confiscatory means (i.e. taxes.) My charitable giving is in addition to taxes and yet I don’t expect it of anyone else, nor do I resent the fact that they don’t. My sincere question to you is why can’t Democrats just give instead of whining that others aren’t?
I have noticed that many of the rich Democrats are people who are being paid obscene amounts of money (e.g. actors) for minimal work. Its no wonder these people push liberal causes—they’re feeling guilty. Why don’t they just give away all their money if they honestly believe in what they’re saying? Heck, what effort does it take to offer caring platitudes only to return to the ol’ mansion in Beverly Hills at the end of the “strenuous” day?
I’ll admit that there are also some rich Republicans in this category but I’d be willing to bet that they are a significant minority. The majority of “rich” Republicans I am fortunate enough to know are people who rolled up their sleeves and actually toiled for their money. If an individual chooses to forsake their free time, family, and friends to labor non-stop and build a business, and they happen to amass large sums of money in the process, why shouldn’t they keep it? And why shouldn’t they resent people who try to take it from them?
I’ll conclude with a quotation from Theodore Dalrymple’s book, Life at the Bottom, “The aim of untold millions is to be free to do exactly as they choose and for someone else to pay when things go wrong” along with my addition—and they’re usually called Democrats.
I’m 80% Repulican. I was shooting for at least 90%.:)
Practice, Sigmund, practice.
Kevin,
Why is wealth being re-distributed in the form of government contracts (often no bid) ?????
Isn’t the whole point that the Government should not have control of the distribution of wealth? Is corporate welfare any different than any other welfare? Isn’t it more dangerous considering it is motivating the THEFT of a lot more money??????
I DO NOT WANT ANYONE TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO WITH MY MONEY EITHER!!!!!
SO WHY AM I PAYING TO MAKE CEO’S OF CORPORATIONS INTO BILLIONAIRES?
WHY IS THERE SOMEHOW SOME FALSE BELIEF THAT SOCIALISM AND COMMUNISM DON’T ALREADY EXIST IN OUR COUNTRY???
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT AYN RAND AND OTHERS WERE WARNING OF. DOESN’T HELEN HAVE A POINT?
Doesn’t our socialized society already make us give our money away? So why is it better for it to go to Dick Cheney and his friends than a poor family without healthcare?
Yes, people won’t work for something they can get for free, AND NEITHER WILL HALLIBURTON AND OTHER CORPORATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WE MUST EITHER HAVE A REVOLUTION OR WE MUST DECIDE WHETHER WE WANT THE TAX MONEY TO GO TO THE RICH OR THE POOR.
EITHER WAY, MONEY IS BEING GIVEN TO PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE WORKED FOR IT OR MAY NOT DESERVE IT.
The argument against welfare generally states that “people will not work for something if they know they can get it for free”. Every single time the government gives money to a corporation without accounting for the actual goods and services provided (along double checking the fair market value of the work) they are giving the corporation motivation to: 1)not actually do the work they promised to do; 2) to seek more government contracts; 3)provide campaign contributions to politicians they know will not hold them accountable.
Basically, the lack of accountability motivates people to STEAL public resources
BigAl, I appreciate your passion, but it’s awfully hard to wipe the spittle off the inside of the screen.
Kevin,
That’s precisely the point I would have made to HelenL. I’m definitely comfortable, but it’s by the sweat of my brow. My father worked three jobs, my mother one (in addition to being a full time Mom). I worked my way through college and law school. The only legacy they gave me — and the best legacy they could have given me — is a strong work ethic and a profound respect for education. My husband and I still work extremely hard, which is why we resent seeing our money siphoned away by the Government. (An interesting position for my husband to hold, by the way, because he consistently votes for taxing liberals.) I’m perfectly happy to pay for what I consider legitimate government expenditures — infrastructure, military, police, basic welfare — but I hate wealth redistribution. I work too hard to smile cheerfully on giving money to someone who doesn’t work as hard as I do.
And yes, I recognize that life is unfair. There are people who work hard and do badly, but that is something that is generational more than anything. My parents worked hard, and did badly, to set the stage for my doing well. Same for the fanatically hardworking Chinese immigrants I knew whose children are doctors and lawyers. And if we could finally kill the myth of wealth distribution, new generations of immigrants and poor people will recognize that, while their lives are rotten (sorry), they can make things better for their children. Rampant wealth redistribution destroys an economy so that, eventually, nothing is good for anyone, regardless of generation.
Also, I agree that the Hollywood types, guilty as they must be about getting way too much of something for doing almost nothing, should give it away instead of demanding it from me and from everyone else in the hard-working middle class.
Charles Barkley supports higher taxes on the rich, it is just a game of blackjack to him. How this means, it is a game of blackjack to some small business or guy running in the red because of investments and employees, doesn’t compute. They are so glib and self-righteous about how they are the ones fronting the progressive and fair policy for those who do less than they. Yet they have ever option of paying the IRS more taxes, the IRS is not going to refuse more money if you really really want them to have it.
That scene on Fox, with barkley, was a long time ago, probably about a year, and I still remember it for its sheer ingratitude and stupidity.
No Republican is against football stars, Hollywood actors, and Hollywood directors paying 80% in income taxes. No Republican, except for those pesky principled Republicans, anyways. The Left wants taxes on the rich, well, so do I.
I often ask people who tell me that the Republicans are the party of the rich to name, of the top of their minds, the richest people in America – chances are the majority of people they name are Democrats (Gates, Buffet, Streisand, Soros, Oprah, etc). The dirty secret is that rich Democrats are all in favor of increasing taxes on the “rich” because they know very well that the very rich don’t pay taxes like you and me. Want to hear John Heinz-Kerry, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Ted Kennedy howl? Propose eliminating family trusts and off-shore accounts! In the meantime, they know very well it is those of us in the working middle class that will end-up bearing the tax burden, one way or another.
Oh, HelenL…as a conservative, I am all in favor of health care reform: I am just not in favor of rationed healthcare or turning my healthcare over the same people that run my local Department of Motor Vehicles.
BigAL-
“Why is wealth being re-distributed in the form of government contracts (often no bid) ?????”
We agree on this and I have no doubt that this is one of the factors that lead to the Republican loss of Congress. Many Republicans forgot their conservative roots and paid the ultimate political price. Pork is still pork no matter which side is confiscating the taxes for it. I support any politician who actually fights to reduce the size of government but like Bookworm, I do support taxes for basic infrastructure.
Here, here, Danny. Did you ever call the 800 # for the IRS and try to get a tax problem resolved? Imagine getting health care the same way. Believe me, I’ve thought about this. Workking in government for 25 years has made me extremely skeptical regarding the efficacy of any government agency to accomplish its mission. The liberal ethos of government delivering more services to more people is a chimera. Only works on paper. Like schemes for a perpetual motion machine, it depends on a frictionless world, and we do not live in such a world.
Kevin,
I too agree whole heartedly that we need basic infastructure. There may be some other things that we also need. No matter what, most importantly, we need accountability.
Accountability? I define that as a species of wet dream.
I define it as not giving a billion to Halliburton unless they have proven in an investigative hearing that the work they performed was worth that much –it’s not some unattainable dream—the thieves just want you to think it is. Don’t be fooled.
Say, BigAl, I sympathize with everything you said…however, if you are really so concerned about “corporations” getting all this Federal taxpayer money for work that they haven’t done or earned…let’s talk about the state of Liberal/Left academia for a moment. Then, when that’s done, let’s talk about all the money wasted by Liberal/Left state agencies on so-called social programs that make problems worse, not better. Then, let’s talk about my own deep, deep blue Peoples Republic of Illinois where the Governor and his cronies have done a superbly efficient job of raiding and gutting the teachers’ pension plan, even as they cry rivers about the underfunding of education. Want to fight government waste? I am all for it.