I cant tell if I am liberal/conservative, democrat/republican anymore?

Question

I've always thought I was a liberal with only a few conservative views. Lately, I've been annoyed by some of my other liberal friend remarks.

What are some key issues that would define me as liberal or conservative. Or if there is a website you can link that I can do like a "ideology test" or something? Think hard because a lot of people are gonna mention the same issues. THANKS!

To sleepbucket; it will matter when I go to the voting booth.

Answer 1

In many ways it is getting more and more difficult to define conservatives and liberals as a whole for there are always the extremes in both groups. I consider myself a conservative yet I have some liberal views on social issues. My suggestion for you is to study the candidates and don't vote a straight ticket if you like one candidate over another in how they view the issues. The one things I can't stand are the politicians who say they are one thing and then do another thing that is directly opposed to what they promised in their campaigns. I think both parties want the same things for our country, they just have different ways of getting there. You don't have to declare what you are right now....be an Independent if you like. I am just glad you are taking your civic responsibility seriously.

Answer 2

There is a test actually that you can check yourself on. It shows right left, coservative, liberal, Libertarian, Green, Republican and Democrat, it will probably show you an area you fall into like a graph rather than saying one or the other. I took it and it was acurate for me. The one I had I printed out and just did myself. I do not have the link on hand though.
But roughly I would say it mostly comes down to economics in a lot of it. Surprisingly the way one thinks about ecenomics says a lot about how they view rights and other issues. How do you feel money should be used? Republicans feel the individual's rights should be upheld while Democrats would line up money with society at the expense of the individual. Same thing with property rights. Democrats are a little stronger on individual rights in some areas and Republicans are in others. Republicans will feel that your money that you earn can best help you by helping you and you have your personal freedom to donate to causes while Democrats would feel that everyone should be taxed more so that the weaker members of society can have it too.
If you are questioning these things I would think about all the issues closely and read what each side feels and thinks about so you can make the most informed decisions on all subjects...
I tend to be Libertarian - Republican personally. You may also truly be an independent thinker. That is perhaps better than choosing things by party lines.
If you choose the conservative side we would be happy to have any thinking person with us !

Answer 3

There are ideology tests, yes. But you can easily determine where you rank by a frank appraisal of where you stand on the matter of human nature. Everything is relative. Something is "conservative" only when compared to something relatively more "liberal". The way these are generally distinguished is by discerning the attitude toward human nature. The conservative
has a generally negative view of human nature (relatively speaking), and the liberal has a positive view of human nature (relatively speaking).

Hatred and distrust (of people) is inherently illiberal.

Beware: most people are really quite conservative. Statements like "All Republicans ought to be shot," while they seem to oppose conservative values, are in fact very conservative. Since the statement is destructive of human life, the words are extremely conservative. Just opposing what someone conservative says does not make a person truly liberal. It is more the cautious approach to one's own oppositional attitudes that make him or her genuinely liberal.

Answer 4

The answers are helpful. I took the quiz on the links posted, and I was defined as a liberal. I think the words begin with a meaning of declaration, then they get slung around in ways that distort them.
For me personally, being a liberal means live and let live....I believe in the protection of all civil liberties and have a strong understanding that if we don't protect ALL people's rights, then we defend NONE.
We can't put religion into politics, which has been an unfortunate by-product of dirty campaigning. Separation of Church and State PROTECTS! It does not declare anti-spiritual views. It just directs spirituality to the individual.
I am sure I do not agree nor disagree with ALL liberals or conservatives. Acceptance, freedom and respect for my fellows tends to govern my views.
Thanks for a provocative question!!

Answer 5

I still believe all politics is local.
Look around your local landscape. See who makes sense. Dig deep. It's not hard if you keep it close. Liberal and conservative vary by degree depending on where you are.
Don't get tied into the nutty rhetoric at the national level. That's more political football than it is policy (by either party). Look at the bills being written in congress and who's voting. Most of it is pretty boring. Most government is not big issue. Most is mundane detail. Real politics is nuts and bolts.

As some others mentioned above. You aren't likely to be a straight line Democrat or Republican. I don't belong to any clubs that do everything my way. I'm Catholic but I don't agree with all of the church's teachings but I don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

I'm biased but I think if you're really trying to figure this out, you're probably a liberal. Conservatives usually just believe everyone thinks like them. (Sorry. I just had to throw this in)

Answer 6

Confused---how can you be confused? Watching Fox News once in awhile or something? You can be a conservative democrat with liberal views. You can be a liberal democrat with conservative views. Being anything republican other than Anti is pretty popular position no matter where your beliefs lie. Goto wikpedia and do your own research as far as plutonic values go. I look at it in these simple terms, if your middle class--poor---make less than 250k a year---then you are a democrat regardless if you side with the republicans on one issue or another. Period. If your an American who cares about Americans as a whole and not as a small club of rich people, you are a democrat.

Answer 7

I consider myself to be an independant voter. I hold no loyalty to any party or candidate. I share some views that are considered liberal, and some that are conservative. I like to think common sense should prevail when I take a stand on an issue.

Answer 8

i respectfully disagree with the previous commenter.

it isn't that easy anymore - both parties have taken positions and phrases that used to go with the other party.

I'm liberal, but i don't agree with EVERYTHING any liberal says; some things are stupid, impractical impossible..

If there was a test out there, i am not sure it would be trustworthy.

Truthfully, i think you should pick your own positions and vote those positions in the races where those positions matter.

Answer 9

youmight be a libertarian

"Republicans feel the individual's rights should be upheld while Democrats would line up money with society at the expense of the individual. "

this is horsecrap.

Republicans are constantly, while esposuing a belief in the free market, pushing legislation that tries to dictate morality. For votes, thats it.

They are also constantly saving money for the upperclass which never trickels down to actual investment in capital.

Answer 10

Applying self discipline to yourself in some ways that matter to you and also striving to be responsible with your money and other peoples' money makes you significantly conservative in my book.

Openness to new ideas. Tolerance for things that may be only PERSONALLY or culturally difficult for you. Advocating for opportunity to be equally available to people, particularly wherever citizens are to be found most dejected. These are liberal qualities people probably already recognize in you. (Even if many people who think they advance "liberalism" actually happen to make you wince a bit nowadays.)

Notice they are not necessarily incompatible.