Politics

[shelie]

All the hype about the US elections, and some recent conversations about Australian politics, has had me thinking

Comments

[nolawitch]

Here you go. Check out that website for basic differences between each of your parties. On the page devoted to each one is a link to their "platform" or core beliefs or goals that they are promulgating if elected. For example, not unsurprisingly, the Green Party devotes much of its policy goals on environmental issues. Read through all the parties' materials and see which one fits your own core beliefs.

[shelie]

Ooh, that looks pretty good, thank you.

[17catherines]

I spent a few hours a few years back going through the Senate website before an election, finding out the names of all parties who were running that year. Then I went and found all their websites. Then I posted this information on my livejournal. It will probably be out of date, but I'll have a hunt around over the next few days and see if I can find it.

love

Catherine

[shelie]

Thanks. Since I'm hoping to get a grasp of more general/core beliefs, info from a few years ago will still help. I think.

I appreciated the posts you made during last year's run-up. Very informative!

I like the Australian voting system,

[pecosdave]

instead of ignoring your favorite candidate to vote for one who has a better chance of winning to keep the idiot out, it's a ranking system where you rank in order from the most liked to the least liked. That way if there's three candidates that are good and one guy who's an idiot but is of an opposite political party and the only guy running you can put the three good candidates first in before the idiot instead of spreading the good guy votes out allowing the idiot to slip through to the top.

I like this system. The US could learn from the Australian system, but unfortunately it wont take off here because the special interest make the rules. A Libertarian getting in at the top would upset the whole balance of the Republicrat vs. Demonican system.

Re: I like the Australian voting system,

[kakos]

Sounds like it's approaching the Condorcet method of voting. In that method, you rank the candidates and then using the POWER OF MATHS, the ideal winner is chosen based on a series of instant run-offs between the candidates. I'd love to see a system like this in the US. It would allow third parties to become viable as you could rank them first and not be throwing away your vote, as your second vote still counts if your first choice isn't viable.

[krikkert]

Getting an understanding of the philosophy behind the party is often a clue to the party itself. The two key notes are 'social' and 'fiscal', modified by 'liberal' and 'conservative'. Fiscal-wise, the liberal fiscal policy is known by relatively high taxes (usually accompanied by an extensive welfare system). The conservative fiscal policy, au contraire, boasts relatively low taxes and a comparatively smaller state.

Liberal social policies are focused on righting perceived unfairness, usually by funneling taxes so that the poor or disadvantaged get a higher degree of support from society. On the other hand, conservative social policies seek to preserve the status quo.

A socialist party will be socially and fiscally liberal. A liberal party usually means fiscally conservative and socially liberal. A conservative party is fiscally and socially conservative.

A short introduction to political ideology.

[shelie]

Thank you :)

[kakos]

http://www.politicalcompass.org/

Political Compass isn't perfect, but it gives you a pretty good idea of where you fit politically. I'd give that test a try, see where you roughly are in the political field, and then research from there.

[shelie]

Hmmm sounds like a plan. Thank you.

[shelie]

And for lack of a better place to record my results:

Economic Left/Right: -8.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.87