Comments on: Which Candidate? http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/ Come on in and stay a while... laugh a little. Maybe even think. Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:07:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: The blog of whall » No wonder everyone’s so negative http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-45502 The blog of whall » No wonder everyone’s so negative Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:46:26 +0000 http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-45502 [...] in January, I posted a comparison of where the candidates stood in comparison to my personal position on the issues, and it showed that I was more in line with [...] [...] in January, I posted a comparison of where the candidates stood in comparison to my personal position on the issues, and it showed that I was more in line with [...]

]]> By: jflins http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-42429 jflins Mon, 21 Jan 2008 08:37:51 +0000 http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-42429 Hey Steve, just responding to what you put on Hilly's blog where you mentioned a feeling that tattoos are evil: I'd already put 2 posts there plus I don't want to go around dropping scripture too much as I don't know if it's fine or annoying to her so thought I'd post it here - sorry for going off-thread. To your point (which is better read in the context of knowing that I have a lot of ink on me): “You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the LORD.” Leviticus 19:28 Cutting ourselves for the dead hasn't been too hard to buck society on ;) But the tatts, well... Jack BTW: If you're interested, scripture like this can be looked up on the online bible at: http://www.biblegateway.com/ although for me, reading the Bible was only confusing until I read John, Acts, and Romans. Then I could get the rest (sorry if this is too much unrequested info - I don't know what the right amount is). Hey Steve, just responding to what you put on Hilly’s blog where you mentioned a feeling that tattoos are evil: I’d already put 2 posts there plus I don’t want to go around dropping scripture too much as I don’t know if it’s fine or annoying to her so thought I’d post it here - sorry for going off-thread. To your point (which is better read in the context of knowing that I have a lot of ink on me):
“You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the LORD.” Leviticus 19:28

Cutting ourselves for the dead hasn’t been too hard to buck society on ;) But the tatts, well…

Jack
BTW: If you’re interested, scripture like this can be looked up on the online bible at:
http://www.biblegateway.com/
although for me, reading the Bible was only confusing until I read John, Acts, and Romans. Then I could get the rest (sorry if this is too much unrequested info - I don’t know what the right amount is).

]]> By: Absurdist http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-42345 Absurdist Sun, 13 Jan 2008 20:34:43 +0000 http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-42345 There are a few things that are very important to me for the next term: 1. Our crappy education system (I am in favor of privatization) 2. Healthcare: I will not purport to know the solution, but I did do extensive research and put together a very long document about a year ago on our healthcare system vs. about six other countries. 3. More decentralization of government. Less federal invasion into state government. I have not done enough research on the candidates yet, but I have watched the YouTube debates. I need to do more research before I submit any preference for any candidate(s). There are a few things that are very important to me for the next term:

1. Our crappy education system (I am in favor of privatization)
2. Healthcare: I will not purport to know the solution, but I did do extensive research and put together a very long document about a year ago on our healthcare system vs. about six other countries.
3. More decentralization of government. Less federal invasion into state government.

I have not done enough research on the candidates yet, but I have watched the YouTube debates. I need to do more research before I submit any preference for any candidate(s).

]]> By: whall http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-42334 whall Sat, 12 Jan 2008 15:14:50 +0000 http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-42334 <b>Avi</b>, very true. But given that a lot of the questions are just "favor" or "oppose" it's hard to not be partisan in an answer. Still, it's helping me become more aware of the issues, because quite frankly, although I probably have quote, "a stance" I could not honestly say I'm well versed in the issues. I think that's the next wave to help elections - internet-enabled issue education and "web 2.0" type of discussions <b>Ren</b>, I tried the second one and disliked it for the complexity of some of the questions and liked it for the formatting of the results. At least with these results, you can see immediately the stance of the candidate and whether it matched yours: <img src="http://whall.org/blog/files/candidate-mccain-1.jpg" alt="john mccain results" border=0 /> But it had Romney at 17, Hunter at 16, Thompson at 16, again showing how different the limited issues-based voting results would be from general favorability of the candidate. And Obama and I only see eye-to-eye on Iran and Death Penalty, and with Clinton it's only the Death Penalty. And I've learned that if Gravel takes office, I might as well become expatriated. <b>Dave2</b>, I like the summary of "any quiz that puts him at the top of my list" because that's what it comes down to. I wonder if someday voting won't REQUIRE answering on issues, and then your vote is calculated rather than tabulated. Scary stuff. And also proving how out-of-touch with issues I am, I had never heard any POW betrayal info. I googled a little bit but so far the stuff I'm trying to read is full of shouting, name-calling and arguing. As a veteran, I take POW very seriously and I will admit that McCain's veteran status puts him up a notch higher. Who knows, maybe after I educate myself more, the POW issue will become polarizing for me as well. <b>Poppy</b>, I do what I can. And what's funny is I'd probably call myself more Libertarian than Republican! Avi, very true. But given that a lot of the questions are just “favor” or “oppose” it’s hard to not be partisan in an answer. Still, it’s helping me become more aware of the issues, because quite frankly, although I probably have quote, “a stance” I could not honestly say I’m well versed in the issues. I think that’s the next wave to help elections - internet-enabled issue education and “web 2.0″ type of discussions

Ren, I tried the second one and disliked it for the complexity of some of the questions and liked it for the formatting of the results. At least with these results, you can see immediately the stance of the candidate and whether it matched yours:
john mccain results
But it had Romney at 17, Hunter at 16, Thompson at 16, again showing how different the limited issues-based voting results would be from general favorability of the candidate.

And Obama and I only see eye-to-eye on Iran and Death Penalty, and with Clinton it’s only the Death Penalty. And I’ve learned that if Gravel takes office, I might as well become expatriated.

Dave2, I like the summary of “any quiz that puts him at the top of my list” because that’s what it comes down to. I wonder if someday voting won’t REQUIRE answering on issues, and then your vote is calculated rather than tabulated. Scary stuff. And also proving how out-of-touch with issues I am, I had never heard any POW betrayal info. I googled a little bit but so far the stuff I’m trying to read is full of shouting, name-calling and arguing. As a veteran, I take POW very seriously and I will admit that McCain’s veteran status puts him up a notch higher. Who knows, maybe after I educate myself more, the POW issue will become polarizing for me as well.

Poppy, I do what I can. And what’s funny is I’d probably call myself more Libertarian than Republican!

]]> By: Poppy http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-42330 Poppy Sat, 12 Jan 2008 03:17:22 +0000 http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-42330 I was wondering when I would finally see answers to the quiz that didn't completely separate the blues from the reds. Thanks, Wayne. I was wondering when I would finally see answers to the quiz that didn’t completely separate the blues from the reds. Thanks, Wayne.

]]> By: Dave2 http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-42329 Dave2 Sat, 12 Jan 2008 02:58:21 +0000 http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-42329 And that's the thing. I am actually really impressed with some of the things McCain has been saying... but, as you say, quizzes don't take into account the fact that I would never vote for somebody who so deviously betrayed his fellow POWs and their families by trying to bury their plight. As somebody who is involved with keeping MIA-POW awareness alive, it just ain't going to happen. Ever. I don't care if we see eye-to-eye on every single issue, any quiz that puts him at the top of my list isn't an accurate reflection of who I want to see as president. And that’s the thing. I am actually really impressed with some of the things McCain has been saying… but, as you say, quizzes don’t take into account the fact that I would never vote for somebody who so deviously betrayed his fellow POWs and their families by trying to bury their plight. As somebody who is involved with keeping MIA-POW awareness alive, it just ain’t going to happen. Ever. I don’t care if we see eye-to-eye on every single issue, any quiz that puts him at the top of my list isn’t an accurate reflection of who I want to see as president.

]]> By: Ren http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-42328 Ren Fri, 11 Jan 2008 21:11:38 +0000 http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-42328 I believe one of these does give you result information comparing your views with the candidates: http://www.wqad.com/Global/link.asp?L=259460 http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/select_a_candidate/poll.php?race_id=13 The first is a derivative of the second with the choices refactored a bit, but the second is the one that I think showed the details results. It looks like the available choices might be actual stances from the various candidates. I believe one of these does give you result information comparing your views with the candidates:

http://www.wqad.com/Global/link.asp?L=259460
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/select_a_candidate/poll.php?race_id=13

The first is a derivative of the second with the choices refactored a bit, but the second is the one that I think showed the details results. It looks like the available choices might be actual stances from the various candidates.

]]> By: Avitable http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-42327 Avitable Fri, 11 Jan 2008 20:19:08 +0000 http://whall.org/blog/2008/01/11/which-candidate/#comment-42327 Given your stance on a few issues, this doesn't surprise me too much. Answering one or two of the questions in a partisan way will make the results seem more polarizing than they actually are. Given your stance on a few issues, this doesn’t surprise me too much. Answering one or two of the questions in a partisan way will make the results seem more polarizing than they actually are.

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