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[Childers.Paula AT epamail.epa.gov]

Uh, for those who know me, you'll know why I'm laughing at this
response. For those who don't, I am, as much as anyone on here, a
Flaming Liberal.  Although very little of my life is Standard.  The term
was meant as a humourous dig for both others here and myself, in that we
*do* realize and honor that there's a big huge space between poles, not
all of which neatly fits into one or the other.  If you'd actually read
what I wrote, that would hopefully have been obvious.

Paula


internetworkers-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org wrote on 07/18/2007 01:17:43
PM:

> 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
> --
> Buni Meldware Communication Suite
> http://buni.org
> Multi-platform and extensible Email,
> Calendaring (including freebusy),
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> [attachment "smime.p7s" deleted by Paula Childers/RTP/USEPA/US] ---
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