Your Political Mirror

Whether or not you consider yourself an Independent, a Republican or a Democrat, you probably have your own political identity. Even if you don't consider yourself either of the above, you are probably pretty proud of that...you're an Independent, and so that is your political identity. Identity politics, the politics of "us versus them," is pretty much the norm in America, it's Blue versus Red, it's Conservative versus Liberal, or at least that's the way it's played out in the media. In Washington, just as in Hollywood, image is everything. And yet we have the Tea Party Movement, a movement that encompasses all different kinds of people, and has it's roots in 1773, before there ever were such things as Democrats and Republicans, before anyone ever divided up the map with "primary colors." So what is a Republican and what is a Democrat? It depends on who you ask. The image that Republicans seek to convey is one of fiscal responsibility, hard-working shop owners and individuals who are strong on defense and proud of tradition. Their heroes are Madison and Reagan. Ask a Democrat, though, and they will tell you Republicans are fat, white, rich guys in suits who check their stocks in newspapers that don't have pictures while they plan the next war for profit. Democrats would like to be seen as fair-minded, tolerant people of all races who value diplomacy and embrace change. Their heroes are Jefferson and Roosevelt. Republicans, however, will describe them as misguided Robin Hoods and aging hippies, one step away from communism, either seeking to take the earnings from others and give it away to the slothful, or sticking their hands out to receive the spare change from Big Government. Libertarians? They will tell you they stand for limited government, private enterprise, and the notion that all people are free to live life as they please, so long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. their heroes are Ayn Rand and H.L. Menken. Republicans and Democrats will tell you that they are naive hipsters and closet pot smokers who want to legalize everything but murder and privatize the sidewalks. Independents? They're just wishy-washy, like Charlie Brown. Most people will tell you, if you gave them the descriptions without the labels, that they are actually a mix of all these things. For example, a person may be for gun control (democrat), against abortion (republican), and indifferent to gay marriage (libertarian). So... are you Red or Blue? Or purple? Maybe, after you've really thought about the things that matter to you, you won't be so sure. I encourage everyone to take The Shortest Political Quiz at http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz As it turns out, I'm a Libertarian.