Whoever set this poll up has been brainwashed by the American political system. Politics is not a one-dimensional spectrum, where you're either liberal on the left or conservative on the right or somewhere in between. There's another axis, which measures how much of what you believe should be enforced by the government, and how much by free people and free markets. It's "authoritarian" at the bottom and "libertarian" at the top. There are plenty of left-wing and right-wing dictatorships in the world. On the other hand there aren't many countries that have crawled up out of the muck into a condition of expanded liberty with extremely limited government. The last I heard, New Zealand came the closest. I have no idea where Kiwis stand on the liberal/conservative axis. How do they feel about women possessing their bodies including the contents, consenting adults doing whatever they want that doesn't directly harm other people, peaceful people having the right to migrate freely, military forces being staffed entirely by volunteers who are paid market wages, governments being able to collect fees only for services they provide, corporations having no sacred legal status, and any individual, organization, or country that initiates violence or fraud against another being held accountable by the entire world community?
Just as a side note, I have a web site that view from time to time to see where politicians stand based on their voting records. It's called "On the Issues", and it incorporates the second axis you mention. They rate politicians on a four-point compass with a nice graphical representation and boatloads of detailed reporting. Some say it's a bit biased to the left, but it's always seemed fair to me. http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm
Well put. I voted the same way. Blind subscription to partisan dogma is so utterly bereft of any critical thought that I'm in favor of you not voting at all, if you're so inclined.
- on the old spectrum i come somwhere with the Stalinists, when i couldnt think of anything i'd less like to be!
