Can you think of the "other side" in a positive light? What I mean is are you able to see their opinions from their point of view-ish?
It depends on how fervent they are. I am pretty liberal....but more often than not, I can engage in civil debate with Republicans and honestly talk about opposing issues without it turning into a childish name calling fest. True, we don't often see eye to eye, and usually end the debate with a "well I respect your opinions but we'll have to agree to disagree it seems" and walk away with no hard feelings. I CAN see some of the points they make on financial issues, but aside from that, we can be civil and polite, but don't really agree on much beyond that. Conservatives and Tea Partiers on the other hand I detest and refuse to really associate with.
I'm solid left, and far right by US Standards, although I don't agree with almost any right policies, I'd be willing to compromise to try to get something done.
I've pretty much come to the conclusion that on social issues, the left wins by far, and when it comes to financial issues, there's a bit of both parties that work. The other thing about all this is that it depends on the country. For example, because China has so many people that overpopulation becomes a problem, a heavy dose of socialism is what seems to have worked for the country. It didn't work with Russia so much, because they had a lot of plans that looked fantastic on paper, but ended up being godawful in practice. Not to mention the government got corrupt very quickly. Some people don't understand what true conservatism is, including people who call themselves conservatives. My father watches Fox News (especially Bill O'Reilly) and goes through the Drudge report more often than he opens the Bible (which is actually quite often). He likes to pull out this quote: "The government that governs best governs least or not at all". Almost sounds like something a Left party would say. It also reminds me of this quote, by Ben Franklin: “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” It's really strange how political parties have changed over the years. There's a little bit of the founding principles behind all of them, especially of the Republican and Democratic parties. If the politicians from 100 years ago were running for President today, we'd have a completely different roster for who would be running for which party. To give an example, Woodrow Wilson seems very much like Mitt Romney in terms of social issues, and his successor, Warren Harding, looks like your typical Democrat now, although he was a Republican president. Honestly, I think the true goal is anarchy. I think that's where humanity is headed towards, but it's obvious that people aren't quite ready for that. Meanwhile, my politics stay open.
I've got a similar stance. I'd say I'm more of a solid conservative than a moderate one, but I also support immigration law reforms, for example.
I'm very far-right in the economic sense, the closest label I would fit is probably 'Laissez-faire Capitalist' in terms of economic views. In social views I am very liberal, I think that people should be allowed to do whatever they want if it doesn't affect others whether that it is harmful to themselves or not. There is a quote that really my social views are summed up by from John Stuart Mill's 'On Liberty'. "The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant. Over himself, over his body and mind, the individual is sovereign." I would be here forever if I started writing down my views on specific social things, but overall they're very liberal in the European meaning of the word liberal. I think the closest thing to European Liberalism for those of you in the US would be Libertarian. By most people who know me I would mostly be described as far-right BUT I do see the merits of a Socialist/Left-wing government. I will put it like this, I would rather live in a well managed Socialist country than a badly managed Capitalist country. Both systems have their merits, both have their shortcomings. I really don't have any respect for those who debate politics and refuse to see the other side's point, people who think that those on the right are just horrible people or people who think that those on the left are living in a fantasy world and trying to impose their views on everybody. In the end, everybody just wants a better world for themselves and everybody else. Nobody wants to make the world worse, people just have a different idea of how the world would be better and I think everybody has good intentions. The politician I actually look up to most and respect most is John Major, he belongs to a party I would NEVER consider voting for (tory) and the policies he introduced I would never have supported but I still respect him immensely because he was so polite, he would listen to what EVERYONE had to say whether he liked it or not, he gave everybody a chance. He is the kind of politician that our modern ones should look at as a role model wherever they come from on the political spectrum he was just a great human being and a great man. Sorry for the large post, but it's hard to fit how I feel about this into a small paragraph!
In a European context, I'm probably quite centrist, maybe leaning a little left. Though most of my views are left wing, I do see some merit in some right wing thinking on certain topics. All of the main political parties here are centre-right (even though they also all support gay marriage) and I find my views are largely in line with them. That being said, the political system and culture is a completely different ball game here in Ireland. Obama is also immensely popular here, as have been all other recent Democratic leaders. We seemed to universally despise Romney during the election campaign, and saw Bush and his republican predecessors as a bunch of dithering idiots too. So, on an American scale as opposed to a European one, I think Ireland would be considered predominantly left wing. In terms of American politics, I'm definitely to the far left of the spectrum and loathe the right. Even though I've spent a lot of time studying political science and should take a more educated stance on it, and while I know that this isn't necessarily true, I can't help but shake the ingrained perception that I have that the American right as a bunch of gun-toting, bible-bashing, poorly educated, grossly intolerant, money hungry hill billies.
I think both right and left are appropriate so long as they are not far reaching, the far-left and the far-right would be the first to remove our democratic systems and may even cause atrocities. Some people think right wingers and the Tories are anti-LGBT, but that is very wrong. The Conservative Party have more LGBT MP's than the other parties and are keen to advance rights for such people. It is not healthy having entire sections of the community voting exclusively for one party, of course certain people are more likely to vote for certain parties and have different views, but don't let labels and identity define views and do not allow anyone to take your vote for granted. The LGBT community have been heavily linked to socialism, which may be the reason why they don't speak out against immigrant communities assaulting people in gay bars in Tower Hamlets, could you have imagined the noise if they wouldn't have been immigrants? In the US context I don't particularly like right-wingers, because the views they hold are very different to European right-wingers. The Republicans are linked to Protestant fundamentalism, foreign invasions and uncompassionate millionaires, who impose their values on everybody. In summary I think so long as it isn't the extreme left or extreme right they both have a place.
I border in the middle on a lot of things, I will listen to someone else's views and see their side I it's casual conversation, but it never is. People don't want to discuss their views they want to force them on you.
