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["Andrew C. Oliver" <acoliver AT buni.org>]

Childers.Paula AT epamail.epa.gov wrote:

> In fact, I appreciate that you don't have the exact same viewpoint as
> the Standard INW Flaming Liberal. And although I don't necessarily agree
> with everything you say, I think you might be surprised to see how much
> I would agree with you on certain specific issues.

I'm not sure the majority of the people on here actually fit the 
"Flaming Liberal" label.  Certainly some do.  I think the "red 
state/blue state" "conservative/liberal" categorization is nearly 
useless and inadequate.  I always show up in the libertarian quadrant of 
most political spectrum tests but since having kids....I show up 
increasingly near the center.  Even that misses the nuances of my actual 
opinions.  I think even the "Statistical" "majority" is more nuanced 
than they're given credit for.  Take any divisive issue like abortion 
and you'll find that most people aren't served by either "side".  Part 
of the problem is that the "spoils system" and our particular form of 
representative democracy nearly guarantees a two party system. 
Traditionally this lead mostly to a left of center party and a right of 
center party but both parties were pretty firmly grounded in the center. 
   A supposed majority (according to Time magazine) of Americans don't 
trust the government to regulate abortion so far as to make it illegal 
(indeed the extreme as found in Ireland 
http://linuxintegrators.com/acoliver/blog/2007/05/10/x-0314.html) but 
would like them to occur more rarely.  Such a nuanced position, for 
instance, isn't presently covered by either party.

I get the longing of some for a "third party" but our system doesn't 
really allow for one.  Parliaments allow for a healthy "green party" 
which forms a coalition with various other parties to create a strong 
majority.  However, in our system if you voted for the losing candidate 
-- you get nothing really.  I think throwing out labels like "flaming 
liberal" really isn't helpful and frankly a little childish (to use my 
own label ironically).  Granted I say that a little less cleverly than 
MC did.

-Andy
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