Political Continuum: Where do you fall?

Left Liberal- Liberal- Open minded in regarding reforms- protect civil liberties- favors change Open minded in regarding reforms- protect civil liberties- favors change Radical- Radical- Wants to make extreme changes in existing habits, customs, traditions- overthrow the old system. Wants to make extreme changes in existing habits, customs, traditions- overthrow the old system.

Middle Moderate- avoids the extremes- favors they way things are today Moderate- avoids the extremes- favors they way things are today

Right Conservative- Conservative- wants to preserve the best of the past- traditional methods- cautious regarding change wants to preserve the best of the past- traditional methods- cautious regarding change Reactionary- Reactionary- wants to turn the clock back to the “good old days”- traditional Christian values wants to turn the clock back to the “good old days”- traditional Christian values

Military Build Up: Reactionary: reinstitute the draft – mandatory service for all 18 year olds Reactionary: reinstitute the draft – mandatory service for all 18 year olds Conservative: increase military spending, preemptive strikes at countries that threaten U.S. Conservative: increase military spending, preemptive strikes at countries that threaten U.S. Moderate: maintain voluntary army - be cautious Moderate: maintain voluntary army - be cautious Liberal: wrong to go into Iraq – reduce military spending Liberal: wrong to go into Iraq – reduce military spending Radical: eliminate spending on military, spend the money on peace not war Radical: eliminate spending on military, spend the money on peace not war

Drug Testing: Reactionary: test all students and staff at all schools Reactionary: test all students and staff at all schools Conservative: Federal money to schools that want to drug test Conservative: Federal money to schools that want to drug test Moderate: random drug testing is okay Moderate: random drug testing is okay Liberal: allow drug testing only if there is reason to believe a student is using Liberal: allow drug testing only if there is reason to believe a student is using Radical: legalize recreational drugs – eliminates the problem Radical: legalize recreational drugs – eliminates the problem

Religion Reactionary: Oppose the removal of symbols of Christian heritage from public and government spaces. Reactionary: Oppose the removal of symbols of Christian heritage from public and government spaces. Conservative: Separation between church and state prevents the government from establishing a national church. However, it does not prevent God from being acknowledged in schools and government buildings. Conservative: Separation between church and state prevents the government from establishing a national church. However, it does not prevent God from being acknowledged in schools and government buildings. Moderate: Support the separation of church and state. Moderate: Support the separation of church and state. Liberal: Support the removal of all references to God in public and government spaces. Liberal: Support the removal of all references to God in public and government spaces. Radical: Religion is a private affair that should not be exercised in public Radical: Religion is a private affair that should not be exercised in public

Minimum Wage: Reactionary: Do away with a minimum wage Reactionary: Do away with a minimum wage Conservative: Against raising the minimum wage because effects on big business Conservative: Against raising the minimum wage because effects on big business Moderate: keep the current national minimum wage Moderate: keep the current national minimum wage Liberal: Periodically raise the minimum wage as needed Liberal: Periodically raise the minimum wage as needed Radical: Yearly raise the minimum wage Radical: Yearly raise the minimum wage

Education: Reactionary: Males take science/math, females take home eco. Women’s place is in the home Reactionary: Males take science/math, females take home eco. Women’s place is in the home Conservative: public schools are failing – vouchers – test all 3rd and 8th graders – close failing schools Conservative: public schools are failing – vouchers – test all 3rd and 8th graders – close failing schools Moderate: public and private schools can coexist Moderate: public and private schools can coexist Liberal: tax money should not go to private schools – more money to improve public schools Liberal: tax money should not go to private schools – more money to improve public schools Radical: allow no private schools Radical: allow no private schools

Social Security: Reactionary: government should not fund a persons retirement, end Social Security Reactionary: government should not fund a persons retirement, end Social Security Conservative: young people should decide where to spend their Social Security dollars (Privatize) Conservative: young people should decide where to spend their Social Security dollars (Privatize) Moderate: leave Social Security alone, increase the retirement age Moderate: leave Social Security alone, increase the retirement age Liberal: increase funding of Social Secuity Liberal: increase funding of Social Secuity Radical: government should full fund a person’s retirement Radical: government should full fund a person’s retirement

Abstinence Education: Reactionary: establish same sex schools to minimize male/female contact Reactionary: establish same sex schools to minimize male/female contact Conservative: teach only abstinence education – teaching abstinence and safe sex sends a mixed message Conservative: teach only abstinence education – teaching abstinence and safe sex sends a mixed message Moderate: allow school districts to decide what to teach Moderate: allow school districts to decide what to teach Liberal: require schools to teach both Liberal: require schools to teach both Radical: teach only safe sex – distribute condoms in schools Radical: teach only safe sex – distribute condoms in schools

Define Marriage: Reactionary: parents determine marriage partner for children Reactionary: parents determine marriage partner for children Conservative: pass constitutional amendment to define marriage as male/female Conservative: pass constitutional amendment to define marriage as male/female Moderate: let states determine Moderate: let states determine Liberal: marriage is between two committed people of either sex Liberal: marriage is between two committed people of either sex Radical: encourage both heterosexual and homosexual living arrangements – marriage is not necessary Radical: encourage both heterosexual and homosexual living arrangements – marriage is not necessary

Immigration Reactionary: End all new immigration Reactionary: End all new immigration Conservative: Support legal immigration at current numbers, but do not support illegal immigration Conservative: Support legal immigration at current numbers, but do not support illegal immigration Moderate: Guest worker program Moderate: Guest worker program Liberal: Support legal immigration and increasing the number of legal immigrants permitted to enter the U.S. each year. Support blanket amnesty for current illegal immigrants. Liberal: Support legal immigration and increasing the number of legal immigrants permitted to enter the U.S. each year. Support blanket amnesty for current illegal immigrants. Radical: Believe that regardless of how they came to the U.S., illegal immigrants deserve: U.S. government welfare, healthcare, social security & financial aid for college tuition. Radical: Believe that regardless of how they came to the U.S., illegal immigrants deserve: U.S. government welfare, healthcare, social security & financial aid for college tuition.

Welfare: Reactionary: Force people to be responsible for themselves- no public assistance Reactionary: Force people to be responsible for themselves- no public assistance Conservative: Rely on the private sector local church & charities to help those in need Conservative: Rely on the private sector local church & charities to help those in need Moderate: Leave the system alone as is Moderate: Leave the system alone as is Liberal: Expand more welfare programs Liberal: Expand more welfare programs Radical: Communism- state sponsored society Radical: Communism- state sponsored society

Gun Control: Reactionary: Wild West days – require all people to wear guns Reactionary: Wild West days – require all people to wear guns Conservative: Brady Bill has gone too far in limiting guns Conservative: Brady Bill has gone too far in limiting guns Moderate: Keep the Brady Bill Moderate: Keep the Brady Bill Liberal: Strengthen Brady Bill – add other guns to list Liberal: Strengthen Brady Bill – add other guns to list Radical: The Second Amendment gives no individual the right to own a gun, but allows the state to keep a militia (National Guard). Radical: The Second Amendment gives no individual the right to own a gun, but allows the state to keep a militia (National Guard).

Prescription Drugs/ Health Care: Reactionary: No government funded insurance, discontinue Medicare & Medicaid – buy on your health care insurance privately Reactionary: No government funded insurance, discontinue Medicare & Medicaid – buy on your health care insurance privately Conservative: Leave the system as is- continue Medicare & Medicaid to those who qualify Conservative: Leave the system as is- continue Medicare & Medicaid to those who qualify Moderate: Let the states decide if they want to provide government sponsored healthcare Moderate: Let the states decide if they want to provide government sponsored healthcare Liberal: Require all citizens to buy government sponsored healthcare, or buy in the private sector Liberal: Require all citizens to buy government sponsored healthcare, or buy in the private sector Radical: The government will provide national health care for all Radical: The government will provide national health care for all

Homeland Security Reactionary: government has full access to all personal information Reactionary: government has full access to all personal information Conservative: metal detectors, background checks, wiretaps, etc. Increased security to prevent terrorism Conservative: metal detectors, background checks, wiretaps, etc. Increased security to prevent terrorism Moderate: extend the USA PATRIOT ACT Moderate: extend the USA PATRIOT ACT Liberal: established civil rights involving search and seizure should not be violated Liberal: established civil rights involving search and seizure should not be violated Radical: no search and seizure Radical: no search and seizure

Working Women: Reactionary: a woman’s place is in the home Reactionary: a woman’s place is in the home Conservative: only women without children should work outside home – not executives Conservative: only women without children should work outside home – not executives Moderate: should be woman’s choice Moderate: should be woman’s choice Liberal: government should provide child care so all women can work – affirmative action encourage women in higher jobs Liberal: government should provide child care so all women can work – affirmative action encourage women in higher jobs Radical: men should be required to stay home – corporations should fire men corporate leaders and hire women Radical: men should be required to stay home – corporations should fire men corporate leaders and hire women

Dress Code: Reactionary: Uniform policy Reactionary: Uniform policy Conservative: strict dress code – hair cuts/ hair color will be enforced Conservative: strict dress code – hair cuts/ hair color will be enforced Moderate: allow individual schools to establish dress code policy based on community standards Moderate: allow individual schools to establish dress code policy based on community standards Liberal: few restrictions on dress Liberal: few restrictions on dress Radical: no dress code– dress is an expression of free speech – no clothes if person desires to be nude Radical: no dress code– dress is an expression of free speech – no clothes if person desires to be nude

Marriage: Reactionary: chaperoned dates – no premarital sex – parents arrange marriage Reactionary: chaperoned dates – no premarital sex – parents arrange marriage Conservative: young men should ask for father’s permission to marry the woman Conservative: young men should ask for father’s permission to marry the woman Moderate: should be the individuals choice and decision Moderate: should be the individuals choice and decision Liberal: all couples should live together before marriage – after trial period marry Liberal: all couples should live together before marriage – after trial period marry Radical: marriage is just a piece of paper – live together then move to the next person Radical: marriage is just a piece of paper – live together then move to the next person