The Beginning of the End

Well, this is my very first blog. I used to have another place here on BlogSpot... that was until The New Republic magazine threatened to sue me for using their name. I now hate them. Even if I like their work. Jerks.

I am going to try to put something in here every day, or at least every other day. Hopefully something big and exciting will come along for me to comment on. If not, then I'll just talk about something else for a bit.

To start off, I want everyone to get a feel for what I believe, politically, socially, economically, philosophically, religously. I have lots of opinions, and they pretty much never stop. I'd let you know the few things I have no opinions about, if they ever came up. I'm not even sure what they are offhand. Anywho!

I consider myself to be a moderate libertarian Democrat. Party labels are crap and meaningless, so the part to focus on there is the moderate libertarian part. I no longer identify with the Libertarian (big L) Party, not that many of you know who they are. Basically, I believe in smaller government, but also more responsible government. My ideas have shifted over time and I believe different things.

I think you should take a quiz over here.

Very well written, and based on the political map as I believe it should exist, with 4 dimensions, not the "traditional" left-right spectrum. The map placed me as being: Moderate Libertarian. If I can get it to work, I'll put the picture of where I am on the spectrum on here.

My spot in the spectrum
Originally uploaded by aerix88.

The quiz asks if you support or oppose a series if issues ranging from abortion to national defense. You also rank whether you strongly support or just regular support the issue, and an option for No Opinion/Neutral if need be. Here are my answers:

Individual Rights

Support - Abortion is a Woman's Right
Oppose - Require Companies to Hire More Women/Minorities
Strongly Support - Sexual Orientation Protected by Civil Rights Laws
Oppose - Permit Prayer In Public Schools

Domestic Issues

Support - Death Penalty
Oppose - Mandatory "Three Strikes" Sentencing Laws
Suppot - Absolute Right to Gun Ownership
Oppose - More Federal Funding For Health Coverage
Oppose - Privatize Social Security
Oppose - Parents Choose Schools Via Vouchers
Support - Reduce use of coal, oil, & nuclear energy
Strongly Oppose - Drugs Damage Society: Enforce Laws Against Use
No Opinion - Allow Churches to Provide Welfare Services

Economic Issues

Support - Decrease overall taxation of the wealthy
Support - Immigration Helps Our Economy - Encourage It
Support - Support and Expand Free Trade

Defense & International Issues

Oppose - More Spending on Armed Forces
Strongly Support - Reduce Spending on Missile Defense ("Star Wars")
Support - Link Human Rights to Trade With China
Oppose - Seek UN approval for military action

I am, as always, interested in finding out what everyone else's scores may be on this particular quiz. Let me know!
Have to get going for now, but I hope to add more later today or tomorrow.

For now,

Your Blue Box Citizen.