Are political views a choice?

[Soaring]

I vote for the party which is less intrusive in my personal life, and allows me to keep as much of my own money as is possible. The Fereralists under Obama are robbing the general public, and the modern Republican has been doing the same for the last 8 years. However, the Republicans are less intrusive in my personal life than the federalists. If the other parties had a chance in hell to win an election, I would vote for them, but the truth is they don't. Our American public has grown lazy and entirely too dependent on the central government to make their life comfortable. We are spoiled, and the day will come soon when that wall of protection will come tumbling down around our shoulders just like it did with the complacent left wing government back in the late 20's and early 30's, and just like it did with the Roman Empire.

 

[DamnYankee]

I vote for the party which is less intrusive in my personal life, and allows me to keep as much of my own money as is possible. The Fereralists under Obama are robbing the general public, and the modern Republican has been doing the same for the last 8 years. However, the Republicans are less intrusive in my personal life than the federalists. If the other parties had a chance in hell to win an election, I would vote for them, but the truth is they don't. Our American public has grown lazy and entirely too dependent on the central government to make their life comfortable. We are spoiled, and the day will come soon when that wall of protection will come tumbling down around our shoulders just like it did with the complacent left wing government back in the late 20's and early 30's, and just like it did with the Roman Empire.

Was that a "yes"?

 

[Soaring]

Yes, that is a yes. I chose and choose my own political views, and vote for the party which is more inline with my views than the others. My father was a devout Democrat back in the day when the democrats were the conservatives, and I had to educate him during the 70's that the democratic party was now the liberal party. He quickly changed parties because he was educated. My father-in-law is 82 now, and I asked him who he voted for and he said Obama because he has always been a democrat. After educating him, he vows to vote Republican in the next election. We have a lot of ignorant voters our there folks.

 

[DamnYankee]

Yes, that is a yes. I chose and choose my own political views, and vote for the party which is more inline with my views than he others. My father was a devout Democrat back in the day when the democrats were the conservatives, and I had to educate him during the 70's that the democratic party was now the liberal party. He quickly changed parties because he was educated. My father-in-law is 82 now, and I asked him who he voted for and he said Obama because he has always been a democrat. After educating him, he vows to vote Republican in the next election. We have a lot of ignorant voters our there folks.

No kiddin'.... But I've found that my own views aren't in line with today's Republican or Democratic party. So, while you have a problem with that "wasted vote", I won't sacrifice my principles simply because my choice "doesn't stand a chance". Unless and until ignorance is overcome, it will remain that way -- not that I see much hope for it, but I'll be damned if "the lesser of two evils" will get my vote.

 

[Soaring]

Yes, that is a yes. I chose and choose my own political views, and vote for the party which is more inline with my views than he others. My father was a devout Democrat back in the day when the democrats were the conservatives, and I had to educate him during the 70's that the democratic party was now the liberal party. He quickly changed parties because he was educated. My father-in-law is 82 now, and I asked him who he voted for and he said Obama because he has always been a democrat. After educating him, he vows to vote Republican in the next election. We have a lot of ignorant voters our there folks.

No kiddin'.... But I've found that my own views aren't in line with today's Republican or Democratic party. So, while you have a problem with that "wasted vote", I won't sacrifice my principles simply because my choice "doesn't stand a chance". Unless and until ignorance is overcome, it will remain that way -- not that I see much hope for it, but I'll be damned if "the lesser of two evils" will get my vote.

What we conservatives need to work on is to educate the American public as to what the conservative party should look like. The right wing right now is not the party I am willing to vote for. The neocon candidate is nothing more than a left wing candidate in sheep's clothing. However, none of the other two conservative parties offer nothing much more than the Republican party does, making voting for them a wasted vote on my part. I want to see a true Republican party candidate who is is true conservative candidate make it through the preliminaries and actually wind up on the final ballot.

 

[DamnYankee]

Yes, that is a yes. I chose and choose my own political views, and vote for the party which is more inline with my views than he others. My father was a devout Democrat back in the day when the democrats were the conservatives, and I had to educate him during the 70's that the democratic party was now the liberal party. He quickly changed parties because he was educated. My father-in-law is 82 now, and I asked him who he voted for and he said Obama because he has always been a democrat. After educating him, he vows to vote Republican in the next election. We have a lot of ignorant voters our there folks.

No kiddin'.... But I've found that my own views aren't in line with today's Republican or Democratic party. So, while you have a problem with that "wasted vote", I won't sacrifice my principles simply because my choice "doesn't stand a chance". Unless and until ignorance is overcome, it will remain that way -- not that I see much hope for it, but I'll be damned if "the lesser of two evils" will get my vote.

What we conservatives need to work on is to educate the American public as to what the conservative party should look like. The right wing right now is not the party I am willing to vote for. The neocon candidate is nothing more than a left wing candidate in sheep's clothing. However, none of the other two conservative parties offer nothing much more than the Republican party does, making voting for them a wasted vote on my part. I want to see a true Republican party candidate who is is true conservative candidate make it through the preliminaries and actually wind up on the final ballot.

I don't know what, exactly, YOU are looking for and WHICH TWO "conservative parties" you are referring to, but I chose to put my vote with the one that most closely matched MY political views (as per the thread question), as always.

 

[Soaring]

I was referring to Ron Paul and the other few independent candidates who ran during the prielims but bowed out shortly after seeing that the Dems and the Repubs were going to carrry the vast majority of the votes. Even with Ron Paul running on the Repub ticket, he didn't stand a chance. That's what I mean by a waste of a vote.

 

[DamnYankee]

I was referring to Ron Paul and the other few independent candidates who ran during the prielims but bowed out shortly after seeing that the Dems and the Repubs were going to carrry the vast majority of the votes. Even with Ron Paul running on the Repub ticket, he didn't stand a chance. That's what I mean by a waste of a vote.

I can see your problem.... Voting for someone NOT ON THE BALLOT might definitely be a waste for you, as I find it highly unlikely, based on what you've written that you'd even consider a "write in". Not at all what I referred to or chose to do. Interesting to me that you haven't once mentioned the candidate who was endorsed by Ron Paul. I will, however, give you credit for "standing on principle" of sorts.
I HAVE BUT TWO OPTIONS. MORE LIBERAL, MORE CONSERVATIVE.
PULL LEVER.

 

[Soaring]

Not sure what state you are from, but there were only two choices available in the final vote for president, and that was Obama and McCain. I was referring to the prelims regarding choices for "other" candidates besides those two. Given the choice between Obama and McCain, I voted for McCain.

 

[DamnYankee]

Not sure what state you are from, but there were only two choices available in the final vote for president, and that was Obama and McCain. I was referring to the prelims regarding choices for "other" candidates besides those two. Given the choice between Obama and McCain, I voted for McCain.

Politics1 - 2008 Presidential Election (P2008)

So what you're telling me is that none of the 11 "THIRD PARTY and INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES" were on the ballot in YOUR state? Okay.... Then I accept your rationale. Maybe you ought to work hard to change that....

 

[Shogun]

So shogun as soon as israel kills all the Palestinians er sorry ex Transjordanians, you'll be happy intriguing...

Notice the words EQUALITY and DEMOCRACY in my post... What is actually intriguing is how you seem to salivate at the idea of genocide solutions to palis kinda like the germans did towards ironic jews... Go ahead, skippy.. tell all about your idea of a Final Solution..

 

[catzmeow]

Many people seem to have no compunction whatsoever to making the most vicious and vile comments about people with different political views than their own. The kinds of things that were they said to someone, not based on politics but race, gender, ethnicity etc. would most certainly and immediately brand one a bigot. The reason most often given for the different standard is that people don't choose their race etc. but they do choose to be [insert political label]. But is that really true? Do people really choose what they think and believe, anymore than say, someone chooses their sexuality?

My political views are a combination of my personal life experiences: growing up in a traditional two-parent home, on a farm in the midwest, being raised in fundamentalist Christianity, attending a liberal arts college, moving out west, working in inner city areas with gang-involved kids and cops.

The only people who really annoy me, politically speaking, are the type that seem like they are only parroting the views of other people, and aren't capable of rational thought.

 

[manifold]

I've given this question some more thought and this is what I've come up with.

Generally speaking, people do not choose how and what they think. Choices have to do specifically with actions, not thoughts. So yes, you choose who you vote for based on what you think, but you don't choose what you think per se. So therefore people don't really get to choose their political views anymore than they get to choose whether they like the taste of brocolli, or whether they like the music of Englebert Humperdink, or whether they think Jim Carrey is funny. HOWEVER, people can greatly influence what they think by where they CHOOSE to get their information and what they CHOOSE to accept as truth.

 

[Ravi]

If one believes intelligence is static then one must believe political views are not a choice.

 

[manifold]

If one believes intelligence is static then one must believe political views are not a choice.

Me no follow.

 

[DamnYankee]

I've given this question some more thought and this is what I've come up with.

Generally speaking, people do not choose how and what they think. Choices have to do specifically with actions, not thoughts. So yes, you choose who you vote for based on what you think, but you don't choose what you think per se. So therefore people don't really get to choose their political views anymore than they get to choose whether they like the taste of brocolli, or whether they like the music of Englebert Humperdink, or whether they think Jim Carrey is funny. HOWEVER, people can greatly influence what they think by where they CHOOSE to get their information and what they CHOOSE to accept as truth.

Ideally, one need to HAVE a thought about this prior to taking action. I realize there are many political robots out there to whom that doesn't apply. You said that in the preceding sentence. But then you cannot generalize as you did with the follow-up.

 

[timbo_slice]

Did you choose the political views you now hold?

I know i did. I used to be a wide-eyed liberal and have slowly morphed into a Libertarian because of exeriences.