Well, there is the fact that libertarianism originally was a form of what we often now call "classical liberalism" The terminology isn't empty even if today's ( ersatz ) liberals observe only a few precepts of their "classical" forefathers. There also is a classical liberal background to RC for the same reason. In some respects, at least the free speech dimension of things, there is little difference between RC and classical liberalism or its latter-day libertarian offspring. Billy -------------------------------------------------- 10/25/2011 7:05:46 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, [email protected] writes:
If this is how the A, B, C lines up then I'm a flaming liberal. I find that hard to believe. David "Anyone who thinks he has a better idea of what's good for people than people do is a swine."--P. J. O’Rourke On 10/25/2011 11:09 AM, Dr. Ernie Prabhakar wrote: Hi all, I've created a greatly condensed version of Billy's questionnaire. Check it out and let me know what you think. -- Ernie P. _http://radicalcentrism.org/forum/_ (http://radicalcentrism.org/forum/) _http://www.esurveyspro.com/Survey.aspx?id=b1f07ef1-22b6-4f22-98aa-fc513dcf7 7f3_ (http://www.esurveyspro.com/Survey.aspx?id=b1f07ef1-22b6-4f22-98aa-fc513dcf77f3) Are you a Radical Centrist? 1. How valuable are opinions? Each person's opinion is equally valuable. Only the truth matters; differing opinions are unimportant. A small number of diverse, well-researched opinions is the best guide to truth. 2. What makes for a good policy? Government Policy should help the disadvantaged. Government Policy should maximize personal freedom. Government Policy should evolve based on an ongoing examination of the actual costs and benefits. 3. What kind of leaders should we vote for? Leaders who will help the government get more done. Leaders who will shrink the government. Leaders who will break with party ideology to find the best possible solutions. 4. Do you support i) teaching evolution, ii) stem cell research, iii) same-sex marriage, iv) abortion on demand, v) legalization of marijuana, and vi) amnesty for illegal immigrants? Yes, I support virtually all of these. No, I oppose virtually all of these. I support some of them, and my position may change based on more information. 5. What kind of speech should we encourage? We should speak carefully to avoid offending people. We should be free to say anything we believe is true. We are obligated to share important facts, even if they offend certain interest groups. 6. Who is to blame for our current economic problems? The upper 1% who use their money to corrupt politics. Big government, which distorts the functioning of the free market. Our rigid economic ideologies, which hinder fundamental reform. 7. Is the market fair? No; it tends to increase inequity and must therefore be regulated. Yes; at least fairer than government regulation would be. Sometimes; we need to guard against both market failure and regulatory failure. 8. Is environmentalism a good thing? Yes, we must protect our planet even if it hurts the economy. No, it is an overreaction which reduces employment and energy security. Only to the extent it acknowledges and encourages a rational and balanced energy policy. 9. Should we support Israel? Only if they grant full sovereignty and civil rights to the Palestinians. Absolutely, they are God's chosen people and/or our closest ally. Yes, but we must also seek peace and constructively criticize their government's mistakes. 10. How can we best achieve racial equality? By using affirmative action to undo historical wrongs. By acting completely color-blind in everything we do. By intervening to fix dysfunctional subcultures that hinder economic progress. 11. Should women always be treated the same as men? Absolutely, there are no important biological differences. Not entirely, we also need to acknowledge and respect traditional gender roles. Politically yes, but we must respect research that identifies fundamental differences between them. 12. Are all religions basically the same? Yes, they teach the same things though they differ in outward observances. No, I believe mine is correct and others are dangerous distortions. All religions contain varying amounts of truth; some are mostly benevolent while others explicitly encourage many kinds of immoral behavior. 13. Are Muslims dangerous? Of course not, Islam is a religion of peace which has been tarred by false association with terrorists. Yes, all Muslims should be treated as potential terrrorists. While relatively few Muslims are terrorists, the core of Islam as practiced even by "moderate" Muslims is is fundamentally incompatible with Western law and human rights, especially the rights of women and the separation of church and state. 14. Is homosexuality natural? Of course, it doesn't matter who or what you love. Maybe, but it doesn't matter, because it is a sin. No, research indicates it is a form of sexual pathology with serious negative consequences 15. Is capital punishment justified? No, killing is wrong even when done by the state. Yes, some people deserve to die for what they've done. Possibly, if the person is unquestionably guilty and the execution is swift and cost-effective. 16. Should the entertainment industry be regulated? No, people should be free to produce and consume whatever they want. Yes, we need to prevent the media from undermining traditional values. They should self-regulate by taking responsibility up-front for the values they spread in society. 17. Is the U.S. Constitution a living document? Yes, judges have the right and freedom to interpret it according to current societal needs. No, it is fine the way it is, and judges must interpret it strictly in accordance with the founders' original intentions. To some extent, but fundamental changes in interpretation and policy must come via the amendment process, not legislating from the bench. 18. What should schools teach? A broad multicultural agenda that affirms the historical contributions of many different groups. A traditional education that focuses on the basics. An evolving curricula that trains students to be effective citizens, consumers, and creative workers. 19. Is the United Nations a good thing? Absolutely; we should expand international collaboration wherever possible. No; we should abolish it or at least dramatically reduce our involvement. In theory, but not in practice; it should be fundamentally reformed and membership restricted to democracies in order to fulfill its original vision. 20. Is war ever justified? No, except possibly if our existence is directly threatened Yes, if it is in our national interest Not really; it may be necessary, but is usually a sign of failure elsewhere Powered by eSurveysPro.com If you answered a majority of questions (more than 10) with: A) You are Conservative B) You are Liberal C) You are a Radical Centrist. Come join us at _www.RadicalCentrism.org_ (http://www.radicalcentrism.org/) If you had an balanced mix of A and B with some C, then you are what we call a "Sensible Centrist." You probably won't change the world, but you're much less annoying at parties. -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]> Google Group: _http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism_ (http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism) Radical Centrism website and blog: _http://RadicalCentrism.org_ (http://radicalcentrism.org/) -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org
