Left or right?

It seems to me that a lot of people tend to think that the American political spectrum is a simple left to right line. On the left are the liberals, or Democrats (evil, immoral people!); on the right are conservatives, or Republicans (stupid, racist people!). In the middle are the moderates or centrists (wishy-washy compromising people!).

I have found a better way of describing yourself involves a 2-dimensional graph, with one axis representing economic issues, and another representing personal issues. Some examples follow.

World's Smallest Political Quiz

Political Compass

Politopia

Political Spectrum Quiz

The Enhanced Precision Political Quiz...in 2D

Political Quiz.net


Some of these quizzes are shorter, some are longer. Some appear to be more biased in the way they word the questions. Some give demographic information, some give you reading recommendations. That is why I have listed several, in order to give you a more balanced view of where you stand.

I personally tend to end up on the extreme end of the economic scale, and moderate, but slightly conservative on the personal issues scale. Here is an example:

MY PERSONAL VIEWS AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN

I want the Federal government to stay out of the economy as much as possible. I support a flat tax or a consumption tax (such as the Fair Tax), but I would prefer no national income tax at all. For this to work, government needs to spend as little as possible. No subsidies or bailouts. Get back to sound money and get rid of the Federal Reserve.

I believe that the 2nd Amendment is in place to allow the citizenry to protect ourselves from a tyrannical government. Therefore, the only limits on how many and what kind of weapons I can own should be based on what I can afford.

I believe the role of the US Armed Services should be national defense, not nation building and empire sustaining. The best way to spread our views of proper government are by example, not through force. We need to declare victory in Afghanistan and Iraq and bring the troops home. We also need to close most of our military bases that are outside the US.

I believe doing drugs is stupid, but I believe that the government doesn't have the right to tell you what to do with your own body. I also oppose laws against prostitution, and laws mandating the wear of seat belts and motorcycle helmets for adults for the same reason. Ending the "War on Drugs" should be a priority to help our families, our overcrowded justice system, our national security, and our economy.

I believe abortion isn't something a woman does to her own body, but to a separate, living human that is inside her. Your right to do what you want ends when it interferes with somebody else's right to do as they choose. This goes both ways. If a mother's life is in danger, she has the absolute right to defend herself, even against an unborn child.

I believe our national borders should be secured, and everyone who is here illegally should be deported. The process to enter the country legally and to become a citizen should be made easier. (ie. tall fence, wide gate.)

I believe the education of our children is done best at the local level. Get rid of the Department of Education.

There are many, many more views that I have, but here are some of them. Please, share yours in the comments! I realize that most people do not agree with my views, and I think open and honest discussion is the best thing for all sides!