Agh. All this roots talk is making me morose. Missed my appt. with my beautician because I’d stupidly auto-scheduled it for the week of the elections. Weeks later, I look the hag — Roots Central. Might have to break down and get a box of 6N if I can’t get in on a stand-by soon.

Larry Roth — that “World’s Smallest Political Test” linked up thread sorts people along the very axes you describe, statist or personal governor. But then the site is published to promote Libertarianism, neglects the X axis for the Y axis (or vice versa).

The Political Compass test also linked up thread does the same thing, but with greater granularity and along both X-Y axes. (egregious: no explanation necessary, the numbers speak for themselves. I worry only when I run into someone who’s not a negative-negative, vowing to stay away from positive-positives.)

Yes, the Political Compass test is quite similar, possibly even derivative. I think Pournelle’s post does a bit better job explaining the logic behind the axes though and sorting schools of political thought, while the Compass demonstrates how the axes could be applied to individuals. They’re complementary.

Frankly, I’m a little confused….

Except for the fact that if it’s published, filmed, videoed or mouthed in the Corporatist Media….

It is quite simply a lie.

If you apply this simple rule you will not be far off the mark in figuring out what the pathetic AssClowns of the ReichWing want you to do, think, feel.

John McCain’s ability to laugh casually and tell a good joke on the Daily Show does not mean he is not morphing into a cynical right-wing wacko before our eyes.

Absolutely spot-on, Jane. Bless your heart. I can’t figure out how seemingly intelligent observers are paying no attention to the bizarre stuff McCain is saying, and is not even trying to hide.

Thanks for pointing out yet again that more than half the country is pro-choice.

Take that Reich wingers!

You rock!

David Gergen on Hardball looked and sounded grim- kept sayin that Clusterfuck may turn a failure in Iraq into a catastrophe..

That’s exactly the kind of comment that moves us towards that moment when a delegation pays a visit to the WH to tell them it’s time to go. More please. Gergen is old school, and remembers Nixon.

egregious — that’ll be me, the patriotic skunk-head with the dead lawn. ;-)

Mrs. K8 — OMG. Up With People??? KAA-aack!!! I am definitely old enough not only to worry about roots but to remember those excessively perky pastel-wearing freaks and wondering what kind of drugs those goopers were on, having been forced to attend a mandatory program featuring their nauseous pastel-ness. I will confess to going to school with a beauty queen that also went on to a career of performing with a similar group, came from a moneyed background; yet another “positive-positive”. But I also know that chick is majorly f*cked up, been dried out a few times, married the worst sort of men three times. Perfect example of why staying away from the “positive-positive” type is a shrewd move: you’re clear of the debris field when they fall apart.

Economic Left/Right: -7.88
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.08

estiv @
110

I’d like to think it’s more complicated than this, but honestly I don’t.
A centrist is someone whose position is just far enough to the left to not draw open derision from Limbaugh or Fox News.
It would be nice if there were some deeper ideological underpinning, but I don’t think there is.

I think that’s as good a functional definition as any I’ve seen.

I make an absolute point about NEVER using Limbaugh for defining anything more involved than a biological function. Pick another, please.

Hugh @ 180

Asshat alert: On the NewsHour, a Donald Kagan, a Yale professor and no relation to Fred except for the nuttiness, lambasting those who call Iraq a civil war and use it “to flee our responsibilities.” Geez, where do they dig up these fossils?

The Yale prof said that Civil War was just a term that was used by those against the war. It was only used as propaganda unlike the terms that Bush uses I guess. I had to leave the room, so missed most of the interview.

Actually, I don’t think they called it the Civil War. It was called the War between the States.

Grammar Police Warning:

It’s not “by-in-large”, it’s by and large

This has been a warning from the Grammar Police. It’s stupid, but we do it for love :-)

Punctuation police, commas go inside the quotes…I think…oh who cares.montag @
138

Mary McCurnin @ 129

Sometimes I have my roots done at Slippery Slope Salon but today it seems like an uphill battle.

Your hairdresser’s named Sisyphus?

Camus, rinse, repeat!