Websites to Help You Choose the Next President
So I admit, I tend to tune politics out. That is, unless it involves issues I’m passionate about. Like many of you I took political science classes in school, yet I could never identify myself clearly within a political party. I tend to sway with the issues. So then who should I vote for this next coming presidential election?
The first step was to understand my political affiliations. I wanted to see a graphical chart showing where I stand. Political Compass does exactly that. It was developed by a political journalist and a professor of social history. This anonymous test places you on a grid that goes from both left-wing to right-wing and authoritarian to libertarian. It gives you modern examples of who you’d love to have a cocktail conversation with.
After I found out if I’d be sipping brandy with Stalin or Gandhi I wanted to put this newfound information to work. How can I research a 2008 presidential candidate based on the issue positions that are stressed in their campaigns?
Connect2Elect is a new website that matches your personal issues to a list of candidates with similar views. These stem from social issues (where I stand on stem cell research, the Patriot Act), political issues (military spending, trade policies) and core beliefs (flat tax, global military strength vs. diplomatic global peace).
So now that I have candidate values versus mine, I’m able to compare them with graphs and review my custom top 10 recommendations. The site’s biggest downfall is that it only references the campaign websites and doesn’t offer any open discussion.
Choosing a candidate based solely on their official public stance may also be a mistake. A solution would be to decipher their speeches and paper trails and convert them into what they are most likely to actually support when voted into office.
At least now I’ve narrowed down the field a little with a few innovative tools. Too bad they still need some sharpening.
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Blogging The Movie said
am October 24 2007 @ 8:20 pm
hey.. those fires are close
lordmanilastone said
am October 25 2007 @ 7:43 pm
a political compass surely helps discombobulated voters narrow down their choices to the deserving candidates, i think my country ensuriently needs that because all politicians seem so corrupt our country maintains its notorious title as one of the poorest and most corrupt nations in the world^^
Jerad Kaliher said
am October 25 2007 @ 9:58 pm
@lordmanilastone, well I wouldn’t say it’s the most corrupt. On the corruption index the Philippines is 131/179.
To tell you the truth most politicians worldwide are scumbags. It really comes down to a decision. Puppet on the right or the puppet on the left.
In the end, I just want a president here that supports science and is a front runner for reason. Am I asking a bit too much – most likely.
Lipton said
am October 26 2007 @ 7:55 am
Hmm, interesting… I tend to tune out politics as well, a political compass sounds like a neat tool to play with.
Jerad Kaliher said
am October 26 2007 @ 9:12 am
@Lipton, it gives you an idea of where you stand on the political map. There is too much talk of left and right. People don’t realize that there are more detentions to the way they vote. That little test just helps uncover a little bit of understanding.
Connie T. said
am October 27 2007 @ 10:38 pm
Those are cool websites, they make for good eyeopeners.
Personally I never affiliate myself with any political party, because I find that too limiting in various ways. I’ve met enough people who say they are Republican or Democrat but don’t really know why. Clearly, the most dangerous voters are the ones who aren’t equipped to think for themselves…maybe they should visit these sites.
On a side note: I always thought it would be interesting if candidates could run anonymously somehow. We would only be able to read their views on paper. Voters would then be electing someone with the focus purely on the issues at hand, without relying on their usual media-bombarded senses. Which brings up another issue I have with dumb voters: people who blindly believe the media without questioning who controls that media. Politicians may be corrupt, but the voting population is often not much more impressive, I daresay.
Jerad Kaliher said
am October 27 2007 @ 10:51 pm
@Connie T., I’m in the same boat, just like I said above, I’m an issues guy and I’m driven by what I think will get done. Putting a stamp on your forehead with a donkey or an elephant just limits what you can get away with. Hillary is a great example, if she had less party affiliation yet the same support she might actually rise in the polls. Too bad American politics is a multi-party system with two parties keeping a vigilant watch with greenbacks, keeping all the others buried in the editorials.
I’m not so sure that anonymous voting would be all that dissimilar to what we have now. The majority of people are only hearing that the candidates staff comes up with and opponents slur out.
Don’t even get me started on the average American voter. They have at least one positive side, they get up and cast their say.
Connie T. said
am October 27 2007 @ 10:54 pm
@Jerad: Regarding your last comment on anonymous candidates, I have only three words: Nixon. Kennedy. Television.
I wanted to add: Regarding your wish for a president that is a front runner for reason, I couldn’t agree with you more. I have no problem with religion per se, but whatever the heck happened to the separation of church and state?
Jerad Kaliher said
am October 27 2007 @ 11:17 pm
@Connie T., Good point.
There should be a deep line in the sand, so deep that if you dare traverse to the edge you fall into an infinite chasm, never to see the light of day again.
david said
am October 28 2007 @ 9:24 am
You’re right about needing a forum for open discussion about the presidential election. I’m more surprise at how the chart indicates most democrats have the same view and opinion as the republican.
Jerad Kaliher said
am October 28 2007 @ 10:55 am
@david, it is pretty surprising isn’t it. When you really get down to the nitty-gritty the candidates really do end up in the same distribution pattern on a chart. I think that’s just the stark reality of politics, it all depends on actions behind what the campaign says they will do. Before they’re elected they all say they’ll do more or less the same thing!
david said
am October 28 2007 @ 11:24 am
[...] talks about websites to help you choose the next president! Those charts they have are [...]
Karen said
am October 28 2007 @ 7:13 pm
I tune out politics! I wish I knew more about what was going on but my eyes glaze over and I start daydreaming and then I realize I have not heard a thing. Oh well.
Jerad Kaliher said
am October 28 2007 @ 9:34 pm
@Karen, I couldn’t relate to your sentiment more. Whenever cocktail party discussions start mentioning names in politics I sign off mentally. When they start talking about issues I tend to enjoy and engage. I wish there was a way to bring the two together for me.