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SoutherDem

(2,307 posts)
Sun Jun 10, 2012, 11:16 PM Jun 2012

Do people vote for the right person?

Do people really know the issues and where the candidates stand?

Yesterday there was a post with a link for "I Stand With". You answer questions and it tells which candidate your stand with based on your answers.

I did ok. Mine was 92% Obama and 16% Romney.

I had my step father take the test. He is a strong Democrat. But, he mostly stands with Paul, next Obama but Romney wasn't that far below Obama.

No of course I am not going to argue with my step father that he is voting for the wrong person, but it shows no matter how often he may say he follows the issues the truth is he votes for the party.

I wonder how many Republicans do the same?

I have included the link to yesterday OP which has the link for the website. I encourage everyone to take the test, even if you don't want to post your results.


[link:http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=44578|

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Thinkingabout

(30,058 posts)
1. From many I talk with their main issue is abortion.
Sun Jun 10, 2012, 11:27 PM
Jun 2012

Though I realize this is important issue to many the candidate needs much more to handle the needs of the office they are running for. I sincerely think this has produced the radical get nothing done Congress we currently have.

SoutherDem

(2,307 posts)
3. As to abortion
Sun Jun 10, 2012, 11:38 PM
Jun 2012

I agree candidates need more qualifications to be elected than that one stand.

IMHO, those who vote based on abortion causes a bigger problem which goes well beyond the life of a fetus. Republicans know this is important for a large size group of voters, some of which don't care about any other standing of the candidate. I honestly don't think most of those Republicans who so want to protect the life of a fetus actually doesn't care, they simply know by just taking that stand they are insuring a group of votes which doesn't care about anything else.

fishwax

(29,146 posts)
2. I don't think it proves he votes for the party more than the person
Sun Jun 10, 2012, 11:32 PM
Jun 2012

It may be that he values the issues on which he is in agreement with Obama more than those he agrees with Paul or Romney. I don't know your dad, of course, so I'm just speculating, but as a general rule I don't think it holds that just because you don't vote for the person with whom you most often agree you aren't really aware of the issues.

SoutherDem

(2,307 posts)
4. I understand your point
Sun Jun 10, 2012, 11:54 PM
Jun 2012

And for some I would agree. If you took the test you saw the questions are grouped together you also could state how important they are to you. I could see someone over all agreeing with Paul on most issues but Obama on economic issue and if the economic issues are the most important to them vote for Obama.

I feel this is true with many Christians who the social issues are more important than other issue and will vote for the candidate which is against abortion and gay marriage even if the economic policy of their candidate will do things which will hurt them.

I find the website very interesting because I really feel most people don't really know what the candidate they will vote for stands for. When simply asked how they stand on various issues it becomes hard to match the party. Something I hear many Republicans do.

As to my father, yes I have told him for years he votes for the wrong party. I am not trying to get him to vote Republican, I just know from conversations and even the way he answered the questions, he doesn't really match what most Democratic candidates agree with but rather the Republican.

frazzled

(18,402 posts)
5. Why would you rely on some stupid Internet test?
Mon Jun 11, 2012, 12:41 AM
Jun 2012

How do you even know that it is not skewed in any direction?

Ron Paul isn't even a candidate of any party for this election. So why was his name even on there? I smell a rat.

Jamaal510

(10,893 posts)
7. Maybe because he never dropped out. He only said he was finished "actively campaigning."
Mon Jun 11, 2012, 01:00 AM
Jun 2012

I thought the test was a little weird, too. According to my results, I agreed with him 58% while I agreed with Mitt Robme 19%. I think both of those guys are lunatics, and I thought my numbers for them were a bit too high to be credible. And it said that I agreed with Ron Paul on health care...doesn't he want to privatize the whole thing? I said on the test that I wanted single-payer.

frazzled

(18,402 posts)
8. He's not the Republican Party candidate.
Mon Jun 11, 2012, 01:08 AM
Jun 2012

That would be Romney.

But I suppose hope springs eternal for some. Those somes shouldn't be here.

(PS: every candidate who drops out merely "suspends" their campaign--this is for financial reasons, not because they are running for anything anymore.)

SoutherDem

(2,307 posts)
9. I am not saying "rely" on the test
Mon Jun 11, 2012, 01:16 AM
Jun 2012

Or that anyone should change there vote. It included other candidates also, from a variety of political parities, I think this was set up for the California primary and included all candidates including green party, also it has several questions which seemed to me to be important for Californians.

I don't think it was skewed for the following reasons;

First, I did stand with the president 92% of the time, that is better than most here on DU based on some posting. Also, on replies to the OP many were standing with the president by a large %. So I do feel it is simply comparing the candidates answers to the person taking the test and gives a matching %. It doesn't seem to be supporting any candidate, just matching answers.

Second, I read the questions and entered the answers on my father's test. I knew as he was answering it would not match him to Obama. On social/religious issues is does not support the Democrat stand.

Third, it does explain the results.

I would suggest taking the test and see the results for yourself. I am not saying to change your vote. I am simply saying when I hear someone say I vote for the person or I vote for the person who most closely match what I believe does not hold true. At best they are voting for their most important issues to them.



spin

(17,493 posts)
6. I ended up with 83% for Obama, Johnson and Stein ...
Mon Jun 11, 2012, 12:54 AM
Jun 2012

Ron Paul, who was the only Republican in their primary that I liked, scored 68%

I was disappointed to find that Romney scored 37% with me.

I realize that I often have Libertarian views as I support gun rights, the legalization of marijuana and a rational immigration policy. I was surprised that I also apparently agree so many of the views of the Green Party.

With me the Democratic Party scored 83%, the Green Party 80%, Libertarian 76% and Republican 37%.

Of course, I refuse to waste my vote in such an important election so Obama wins.

I found the test to be interesting and informative and worth the time.

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