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Post 0

Sunday, January 20 - 2:02pmSanction this postReply
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There's a short, presidential candidate-sorting quiz here. Here's what I got when I tried to answer from an ANTI-Objectivist stance. I wonder what Peikoff thinks of these results! ...

Total50% 
Social25% 
picture Dennis Kucinich
Democratic Representative (OH-10)

Biographical Profile  
Dennis Kucinich's answers
Dennis Kucinich's stances  

Total45% 
Social31% 
picture Barack Obama
Democratic Jr Senator (IL); previously State Senator

Biographical Profile  
Barack Obama's answers
Barack Obama's stances  

Total43% 
Social25% 
picture Cynthia McKinney
Green candidate; Former House member (D, GA)

Biographical Profile  
Cynthia McKinney's answers
Cynthia McKinney's stances  

Total38% 
Social19% 
picture John Edwards
2004 Nominee for Vice President; Former NC Senator

Biographical Profile  
John Edwards's answers
John Edwards's stances  

Total38% 
Social19% 
picture Hillary Clinton
Democratic Jr Senator (NY); former First Lady

Biographical Profile  
Hillary Clinton's answers
Hillary Clinton's stances


I'd be interested to see the results of others' attempts to answer in an ANTI-Objectivist manner. Thanks.


Ed

(Edited by Ed Thompson on 1/20, 2:06pm)




Post 1

Sunday, January 20 - 3:49pmSanction this postReply
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He would vote for the President of Bolivia!
red,yellow,green flag of Bolivia



Post 2

Sunday, January 20 - 5:10pmSanction this postReply
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Ha!  Kucinich was the first name to come to mind when I saw the thread title.



Post 3

Sunday, January 20 - 5:29pmSanction this postReply
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I got this rogue's list of agreement by a Toohey clone for the presidential candidates:

John Edwards 85%
Barack Obama 80%
Dennis Kucinich 72%
Hillary Clinton 70%
Cynthia McKinney 70%

Note that these responses were based on responding to the linked explanations of what a particular vote meant, which got some counterintuitive responses. For example, "strong support" for the immigration question included this statist tidbit, "Social services should be offered to all residents of the United States regardless of immigration status", so I went with "support" instead, since it was the most pro-immigration response that didn't advocate a larger welfare state.

Oh, and to keep from getting confused, I answered all questions from a freedom-oriented POV, then reversed the percentages. So, since John Edwards got a 15% rating for freedom-oriented responses, I gave him an 85% Toohey approval rating.

I've taken other presidential rating quizzes and got similar results, except Cynthia McKinney wound up as the worst candidate and Barack Obama wound up as somewhat less bad than HRC. But, meh, anyone who claims to want copious doses of freedom and votes for any of these five deserves, as Mencken put it, to get what they ask for good and hard.



Post 4

Sunday, January 20 - 6:10pmSanction this postReply
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If we want to know who Toohey would vote for, we just need to ask some of the real-life Tooheys.  I think Paul Krugman of the New York Times is a good example of one.  I'm not aware of whether or not he's endorsed a certain candidate yet, but whenever I read one of his op-eds, I think of Toohey.

Ed, thanks for linking us up with this site.  It's a great way to compare the candidates.

(Edited by Eric Rockwell on 1/20, 7:57pm)




Post 5

Sunday, January 20 - 6:56pmSanction this postReply
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I got about the same, but with Mike Gravel in there at Number 3.  Would Toohey support abortion?  Think about it.  He would deny that, but require employers to pay full family benefits.  The same logic applies to public schools.  You might think he would be against "family values" as that is a conservative buzzword, but Toohey would be for that, especially in the public schools. ... which is something to consider with our conservative friends.  Similar thinking applies to churches providing welfare.  I mean, who else?  But the question means should the federal government grant contracts to private agencies that happen to be churches.  I think that contracting out government services is a good idea, and I don't care if they are churches.  Separation of church and state is a test of blindness, not opposition.  But I recognize that Toohey would want the union of church and state for other reasons.  So, there is that, as well.

(Edited by Michael E. Marotta on 1/20, 7:08pm)




Post 6

Sunday, January 20 - 8:37pmSanction this postReply
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Clicking on Economic (on the left) brings you to this summary ...


You agree with Dennis Kucinich significantly more on economic issues than on personal issues. You will likely agree with Dennis Kucinich on issues like taxes, budget, and spending issues, but will not agree as well on issues like drugs, morality, and civil rights.

Comparing Economic Answers between You and Dennis Kucinich

 
 

You

Dennis Kucinich

Require companies to hire more women and minoritiesStrongly SupportStrongly Support
More federal funding for health coverageStrongly SupportStrongly Support
Privatize Social SecurityStrongly OpposeStrongly Oppose
Parents Choose Schools via VouchersStrongly OpposeStrongly Oppose
Replace coal & oil with alternativesStrongly SupportStrongly Support
Allow churches to provide welfare servicesNeutralOppose
Make taxes more progressiveStrongly SupportStrongly Support
Support and Expand Free TradeStrongly OpposeStrongly Oppose
Stricter limits on political campaign fundsNeutralSupport
The Patriot Act harms civil libertiesStrongly OpposeStrongly Support
Imagine if Kucenich were the front-running Democrat. Can you imagine Peikoff voting for a guy who supports:

-requiring companies to hire by quota
-nationalizing health care
-arbitrarily switching to alternative fuels, even if it bankrupts us
-increasing the taxes on the very producers of wealth in this nation

... and who opposes:

-privatizing Social Security
-Parent's choice of schools via vouchers
-Free Trade

[?]

Peikoff would probably say that the personal (Social) issues are more important than the Economic issues -- citing Rand's answer to when it's the proper time for a revolution [paraphrased]: "Accept 80% taxation if you must, but the minute they start telling you what to think or believe, revolt, because 'all bets are off' at that point."

Did I paraphrase her response accurately?


Ed
[Peikoff's not yet talking to me, personally. Though I emailed him directly.]



Post 7

Monday, January 21 - 4:01amSanction this postReply
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Oh, sorry, I am a little slow, but now I get it.  This is all because someone who claims to be the Official Voice of Rational-Empiricism said that if the Republicans nominate Ron Paul, then everyone who values the primacy of existence should vote Democratic.  Ed, you are giving this Scarecrow of Thinkology way too much credence.

(Edited by Michael E. Marotta on 1/21, 4:06am)




Post 8

Monday, January 21 - 8:28amSanction this postReply
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Michael,

This "Scarecrow" concluded that you should vote Democrat no matter what comes -- i.e., BEFORE he had the "brain" to envision any kind of Republican front-runner.

;-)


Ed





Post 9

Monday, January 21 - 11:05amSanction this postReply
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Toohey-lite casts his vote.
(Edited by Jeff Perren on 1/21, 5:23pm)




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