Where would each party stand...

[micfranklin]

On affirmative action, racism, censorship, and issues like that? Where would democrats stand, republicans, libertarians, greens, independents, constitutionalists, where?

I'm having a discussion with some people and I don't wanna seem biased.

[wonder cow]

Why would you be biased?

Decide based on the issues, not the party. If not, you will eventually find yourself defending stupid shit you don't even believe in because "your" party advocates it.

racism, censorship

Everyone claims to be against these things. But they argue over definitions.

affirmative action

Dems – mostly for
Reps – mostly against
Libertarians – mostly against
Greens – More than likely for, but I can’t swear to it
Constitutionalists – most likely against

[firefox]

I am fully against affirmative action, at least info far as it applies to governments. If you run your own business, school, or whatever and you decide to give minorities of some type some form of special treatment, that's perfectly fine. In a government setting, however, equality before the law is mandatory, and thus no one should get any kind of unique treatment, either positively or negatively.

As for greens, I don't really know for sure, not being one. However, I do know quite a few (I'm on a college campus after all), and it seems that there are some who are very much for it (state socialists) and others who are more for individual freedom (decentralists, or social anarchists). Can any greens confirm or deny this?

[Pookie]

Honey, rather than ask us, look up the issues yourself, review these, and make up your own mind. That way, you can make an informed decision and state exactly where some people stand, some don't, etc., and make a fair assessment from there. That might work best. Just do the research.
Purrs,

[micfranklin]

I'm libertarian, but I just wanna know where every other party is.

Affirmative action is something I'll never ever support, much like the War in Iraq.

[Alonzo]

There are two kinds of equality, de facto equality and de jure equality. Obtaining equality before the law (de jure) is easy. But obtaining it in practice is very difficult. Affirmative action is designed to attempt to gain equality in practice, as obtaining it legally is only as good as how effective that law is.

[firefox]

Laws always have unintended consequences, though, wouldn't you agree 'zo?

[Alonzo]

Not always, but mostly. But that doesn't mean the consequences are necessarily bad or good. It also doesn't mean not to have any laws either.

I simply don't get some of the libertarian arguments. "Something unintended may happen, therefore lets do nothing so we stay screwed".

In terms of discrimination, it takes more than simply banning discrimination to get rid of it. That's where affirmative action comes in. You can have all the anti-discrimination laws in the world, but such laws alone are rarely enough.

It's one thing to achieve legal equality, quite another to obtain equality in practice.

[ClayBarham]

micfranklin:
Always look to the roots, and you are close to them as a Libertarian. Read Albert J Nock and Leonard Read (FEE) if you want to go deep. Read my website, as I deal with the roots in quick, short paragraphs. From the roots, each issue takes shape and declares itself. For instance, Affirmative Action is one such program that levels the playing field, meaning that those who have are forced to give some to those who have not. The responsibility for each individual is to grow on their own, whereas Affirmative Action means some meddling do-gooder is responsible. America grew to a prosperity never experienced before in this world, and it wasn't because government was busy taking from those who have to give to those who have not. Go to the roots and each issue declares itself.

[Truth_and_Power]

micfranklin:
Always look to the roots, and you are close to them as a Libertarian. Read Albert J Nock and Leonard Read (FEE) if you want to go deep. Read my website, as I deal with the roots in quick, short paragraphs. From the roots, each issue takes shape and declares itself. For instance, Affirmative Action is one such program that levels the playing field, meaning that those who have are forced to give some to those who have not. The responsibility for each individual is to grow on their own, whereas Affirmative Action means some meddling do-gooder is responsible. America grew to a prosperity never experienced before in this world, and it wasn't because government was busy taking from those who have to give to those who have not. Go to the roots and each issue declares itself.


Clay is president of the 'Give us back our 40 acres and that mule' committee.

[ClayBarham]

Does that mean you took them? If so, give 'em back! Of course, if you took them to share with the illegal immigrants, then by all means, be my guest. After all, we know the whole idea of private property and one gets to keep what he earns is foreign to the compassionate elite few who will take over and rule the great unwashed.