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Political 180

Have you ever done a political 180?

  • Yes - why?

    Votes: 21 61.8%
  • No - Why?

    Votes: 8 23.5%
  • Other?

    Votes: 5 14.7%

  • Total voters
    34
Please Etheral....you are as partisan and opinionated as any poster on this site. Sorry.....just keeping it real.

Opinionated? Certainly.

Partisan? How could I be? I have no political allegiances, which means I don't have much to be partisan about.

Apparently your definition of "partisan" simply means, "Doesn't like Barack Obama."
 
Yes we have, though they were at least 10 months and older, in the past. But truthfully speaking you know your own propensities and you have at least a modicum of control over your moods. Tonight's exercise of the same was quite refreshing. I can assure you it will help to persaude to the exact opposite effect that your prior approach did.:cool:

To quote Patrick Stewart as Gurney Hallek, in a none too PC way, MOODS are the playthings of women and cattle.

I'll take your word......and we probably will have more.
Doesn't mean that we'll always disagree. I think sometimes people here have perceptions of other posters based on some of their posts...that may not be 100% accurate. I know that I have been wrong about some people here.
If I am being honest about myself I would say this:

Am I opinionated - absolutely...I think most of us are.
Am I far-left - probably pretty close to being as far left as anyone here (except maybe a couple).
Can I be unreasonable - sure
Do I overstep the line - at times.
Am I sometimes wrong - certainly....and I've admitted it several times here

One thing I try very hard not to be is hypocritical...and I think that I am consistent in that vein.
 
Opinionated? Certainly.

Partisan? How could I be? I have no political allegiances, which means I don't have much to be partisan about.

Apparently your definition of "partisan" simply means, "Doesn't like Barack Obama."

Sorry Eth.....you don't have to belong to a political party to be partisan. I hate to break it to you....but you are extremely partisan in your positions.
Doesn't mean that it is bad. I am very partisan myself. However, I admit it....if you are partisan you shouldn't try to pass yourself off as open-minded and reasonable.
 
I'll take your word......and we probably will have more.
Doesn't mean that we'll always disagree. I think sometimes people here have perceptions of other posters based on some of their posts...that may not be 100% accurate. I know that I have been wrong about some people here.
If I am being honest about myself I would say this:

Am I opinionated - absolutely...I think most of us are.
Am I far-left - probably pretty close to being as far left as anyone here (except maybe a couple).
Can I be unreasonable - sure
Do I overstep the line - at times.
Am I sometimes wrong - certainly....and I've admitted it several times here

One thing I try very hard not to be is hypocritical...and I think that I am consistent in that vein.
Well as you know being able to admit you are wrong is a rare trait at a forum like this. Tell you what? Let us two agree to *actually* try to discern what each other is saying in the future? That could be a *real* start to communication, one which I would welcome. We can teach and learn from each other, I think.:cool:
 
Well as you know being able to admit you are wrong is a rare trait at a forum like this. Tell you what? Let us two agree to *actually* try to discern what each other is saying in the future? That could be a *real* start to communication, one which I would welcome. We can teach and learn from each other, I think.:cool:

Agreed. And don't be afraid to take me to task if....when.....you think I'm being unreasonable. I think its good to be checked every now and then.
But save it for the really unreasonable v. the just disagree....ok?
 
Meaning....as long as you've been here....you views have been so far to the right that I doubt seriously that you ever had anything negative to say about GWB.

Wow, so much nonsense, so little time...

1. I'm "far right" on economic issues and "far left" on social issues, so your characterization of me as "far right" is not accurate.

2. Bush was hardly representative of "far right" economic thought, and he certainly wasn't "far left" on social issues, so there wasn't much agreement between ol' Bush and I.

3. I've said plenty (and I do mean plenty) of negative things about Bush, but since Barack Obama is the President now (you're aware of this?) I don't have much reason to critisize Bush, unless it is germane to the topic.

In other words....its difficult for a Leopard to change its spots. (Its an old saying).

I know what the saying means. It simply isn't relevant.

I didn't vote for Bush. I wasn't supportive of his administration. I don't know what else to tell you.
 
Wow, so much nonsense, so little time...

1. I'm "far right" on economic issues and "far left" on social issues, so your characterization of me as "far right" is not accurate.

2. Bush was hardly representative of "far right" economic thought, and he certainly wasn't "far left" on social issues, so there wasn't much agreement between ol' Bush and I.

3. I've said plenty (and I do mean plenty) of negative things about Bush, but since Barack Obama is the President now (you're aware of this?) I don't have much reason to critisize Bush, unless it is germane to the topic.



I know what the saying means. It simply isn't relevant.

I didn't vote for Bush. I wasn't supportive of his administration. I don't know what else to tell you.


Then perhaps I've misjudged you. I haven't seen many posts from you evidencing a socially liberal view. I very well may have missed them.

If you are a fiscal conservative/social moderate in the Goldwater sense....then I think I may actually like you.
 
Sorry Eth.....you don't have to belong to a political party to be partisan. I hate to break it to you....but you are extremely partisan in your positions.
Doesn't mean that it is bad. I am very partisan myself. However, I admit it....if you are partisan you shouldn't try to pass yourself off as open-minded and reasonable.

I'm quite open-minded. My opinions have changed a great deal since I've been a member of this forum.

I used to favor a Federal ban on abortion. I no longer hold that position. My views on abortion have softened quite a bit.

I used to think homosexuality was a kind of mental disorder and that it was a choice. I no longer hold either of those positions. I think homosexuals are fine people. I also think genetics play a large role in their sexuality.

I used to think that the General Welfare Clause wasn't an actual authority to be acted upon by the government. I'm don't necessarily agree that it is but I certainly appreciate the arguments suggesting otherwise, especially those of Madison and Hamilton, which RNYC espoused.

I used to be against any government welfare. Now I favor mandatory health coverage for all children. Hell, if I thought the government could actually do it right I would probably support UHC.

Basically, you have no idea how open my mind is, and your accusations of partisanry are meritless and without substance.
 
Then perhaps I've misjudged you. I haven't seen many posts from you evidencing a socially liberal view. I very well may have missed them.

If you are a fiscal conservative/social moderate in the Goldwater sense....then I think I may actually like you.

What do you consider socially liberal? In my opinion, it's resistance to legislating morality.
 
I'm quite open-minded. My opinions have changed a great deal since I've been a member of this forum.

I used to favor a Federal ban on abortion. I no longer hold that position. My views on abortion have softened quite a bit.

I used to think homosexuality was a kind of mental disorder and that it was a choice. I no longer hold either of those positions. I think homosexuals are fine people. I also think genetics play a large role in their sexuality.

I used to think that the General Welfare Clause wasn't an actual authority to be acted upon by the government. I'm don't necessarily agree that it is but I certainly appreciate the arguments suggesting otherwise, especially those of Madison and Hamilton, which RNYC espoused.

I used to be against any government welfare. Now I favor mandatory health coverage for all children. Hell, if I thought the government could actually do it right I would probably support UHC.

Basically, you have no idea how open my mind is, and your accusations of partisanry are meritless and without substance.


I accept and appreciate your positions. It helps give me some idea of who you are.
I don't think that these views have been portrayed in mosts of the posts that I have read from you which I think is partially why I had the opinion that I had.
Obviously I mischaracterized you and I apologize for that. I'll try not to be so quick to jump to judgment.
I hope to see you expressing these views as much as other views that I have seen from you that I disagree with.
 
I would pretty much agree with that.

Then why would you think I'm far right on social issues? When have I advocated anything that would contradict my earlier sentiment concerning social liberalism?
 
I can be anywhere from the center to the far-right on any given day. I've hardly been interested in politics long enough to have a set of solid opinions, not to mention to turn those opinions around.

I don't think I could ever be a liberal though. Maybe I could be a libertarian, but that's not exactly a 180.
 
Well....I guess that's how we are different. You are a partisan hack that engages in personal attacks. You do understand that its a sign of weakness right?

lol. Ask around about me, buddy. You'll find people on both sides of the aisle on this site that would say I'm one of the most reasonable posters on this site. It's just that I only attack retarded posters.
 
I unregistered as a Republican in 2004 and became an independent. I still vote for some Republicans, depending on the candidate. It's about even.
 
Yeah when I was a kid, I used to think liberalism was cool. I mean, what kid wouldn't? Forced fairness, everyone gets a share, no one's feelings get hurt. But then...something amazing happened. I grew up and realized life isn't all rainbows and unicorns, and someone's got to pay for all this ****. And since no political party was exactly what I wanted, and the terms Libertarian and Independent were both as vague as their platforms...I created the Epic Party. Taking a page from Teddy Roosevelt I created my own political party. My life has been a chaotic blur of awesomeness ever since. But in terms of political views, I guess it was a 180, I'm now a happily estranged minarchist with nothing to lose but my Nation.
 
I unregistered as a Republican in 2004 and became an independent. I still vote for some Republicans, depending on the candidate. It's about even.

I did that to get local republicans to put me on the ticket for local office...it still hasn't worked.
 
For example, the reaction of the right wing to the current administration is constantly showing me how unreasonable I was during the Bush years.

Objective much? It's that kind of "Bi-Partisan" "See both sides of an argument" attitude that's KILLING this Nation, Mr.! You'd better unmess yourself and choose a party like a good little sheep...I mean, American!


;)
kudos to you.
 
Other

I used to be a hardcore libertarian from the time I first began thinking about politics when I was about 10 'til I was about 21. I would say studying the social sciences catalyzed me becoming more fiscally liberal. My views on social issues have never changed significantly, though.
 
Re: Other

Yes, I was not only an extreme Christian rightists and social reactionary, but a a Christian Reconstructionist who favored the restoration of Old Testament law as well as the use of military force to establish Christendom in conjunction with the theocratic kingdoms of the Bible. My views were almost parallel with those of the Calvinist theologion Rousas John Rushdoony, who I still regard as a rather interesting figure. My political apostasy was in many ways joined at the hip with my religious apostasy; I was a standard rightist "libertarian" as most people in the U.S. would define it, then was a social democrat, and eventually shifted into anarchism.
 
Anyone hear ever done a political 180?

Nope. I have eased back and forth on some issues but haven't really done a 180. I'm liberal on some issues and conservative on others. I don't believe in the Party system which is why I list myself as an Independant. People are just too varied to be subscribed to ONE party.
 
Re: Other

Yes, I was not only an extreme Christian rightists and social reactionary, but a a Christian Reconstructionist who favored the restoration of Old Testament law as well as the use of military force to establish Christendom in conjunction with the theocratic kingdoms of the Bible. My views were almost parallel with those of the Calvinist theologion Rousas John Rushdoony, who I still regard as a rather interesting figure. My political apostasy was in many ways joined at the hip with my religious apostasy; I was a standard rightist "libertarian" as most people in the U.S. would define it, then was a social democrat, and eventually shifted into anarchism.

...Just can't do anything in moderation can you?
 
lol. Ask around about me, buddy. You'll find people on both sides of the aisle on this site that would say I'm one of the most reasonable posters on this site. It's just that I only attack retarded posters.

Riiiight. Your willingness to engage in personal attacks tells everything that we need to know about how "reasonable" you are.
How old are you anyway?
 
I started out as a hard core Democrat. As I got older I became a neocon'ish conservative under Regan. After the disaster of Bush, I moved closer to the right fiscally and more moderate socially.

So here I am a social moderate and fiscal conservative.

Someplace in the middle like the majority.

Same here, although I started out a bit more to the right and have adjusted some of my social views after rejecting religion about 25 years ago. I'm still a somewhat right-leaning social moderate and a strong fiscal conservative, but I don't think I've ever done a 180 by any means. Maybe a 45. :lol:
 
I used to be an anarchocapitalist. My views softened somewhat as I neared adulthood and I considered the Libertarians an acceptable compromise solution.

My views are now about as diametrically opposed to those ideologies as possible, even though I still have numerous agreements on individual positions.
 
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