LeftRightPoliticalSpectrumAnalysis

Directions: Eitherprintoutthisworksheetorgogetsomethingtowriteon.Youmustanswereachofthestatements below.Foreachstatement,youhave5answerstochoosefrom: FullyAgree(Thefirststatementisalmostalwayscorrect,withnosignificantexceptions.) Agree(Thefirststatementisnormallycorrect,butwithsignificantexceptions.) Neutral(NeitherstatementseemsnormallycorrectorIdontknow.) Disagree(Thesecondstatementisnormallycorrect,butwithsignificantexceptions.) FullyDisagree(Thesecondstatementisalmostalwayscorrect,withnosignificantexceptions.) Note:Thesecondstatementistheoneinparentheses,andismeanttorepresenttheideologicalopposite ofthefirststatement. Afteryouhavefinished,looktowardstheendofthisworksheetforthescoringprocess.Isuggestthat youdonotlookoverthescoringprocessuntilafteryouhavefinishedthequiztoavoidlabelbias. 1.GovernmentshouldnotberelieduponwhenattemptingtosolveAmericasproblems.(Government shouldberelieduponwhenattemptingtosolveAmericasproblems.) 2.Publicelectionsshouldbeaccountabletogovernmentregulations.(Publicelectionsshouldonlybe accountabletopublicopinion.) 3.Mostgovernmentresponsibilitiesshouldbeheldbythestateorlocalgovernments.(Most governmentresponsibilitiesshouldbeheldbythefederalgovernment.) 4.Thegovernmentshouldbeabletocreateadeficitif,inthelongrun,theybelievetheirpolicieswill helptheeconomy.(Thegovernmentshouldnotbeabletocreateadeficittheyshouldrequirea balancedbudget.) 5.Inordertohelpeliminatethefederaldeficit,taxesshouldbeloweredandprogramscut.(Inorderto helpeliminatethefederaldeficit,taxesshouldberaisedandprogramskept.) 6.Taxesonthewealthyandbusinessesshouldbeincreased.(Taxesonthewealthyandbusinesses shouldbedecreased.) 7.Theminimumwageshouldbelowered.(Theminimumwageshouldberaised.) 8.Thegovernmentshouldbeallowedtouseinflationasaneconomictool.(Thegovernmentshouldnot beallowedtouseinflationasaneconomictool.)

9.Thereshouldbefewerbarrierstointernationalfreetrade.(Thereshouldbemorebarriersto internationalfreetrade.) 10.Businessesshouldhavemoreenvironmentalregulations.(Businessesshouldhavelessenvironmental regulations.) 11.Thefreemarketshouldallocateresourcesandservethepublicgood.(Thegovernmentshould allocateresourcesandservethepublicgood.) 12.ThereshouldbeanationalhealthcareplanwhichcoversallAmericans.(Healthcareshouldbe privatizedandmanagedbythefreemarket.) 13.Welfareshouldbedecreased.(Welfareshouldbeincreased.) 14.Thegovernmentshouldplacemorefundsintopubliceducation.(Thegovernmentshouldfund parentschoiceofeducation,whetheritisprivateorpublic.) 15.Thegovernmentshouldnotsupportsexeducation.(Thegovernmentshouldsupportsexeducation.) 16.Thegovernmentshouldprohibitofficialprayersatassembliesinpublicschools.(Thegovernment shouldallowofficialprayersatassembliesinpublicschools.) 17.Thegovernmentshouldcensorgraphicmaterial.(Thegovernmentshouldnotcensorthemediaat all.) 18.Thegovernmentshouldallowgaymarriage.(Thegovernmentshouldprohibitgaymarriage.) 19.Victimlesscrimessuchassmokingmarijuanaorsuicideshouldbeenforced.(Victimlesscrimessuch assmokingmarijuanaorsuicideshouldnotbeenforced.) 20.Abortionshouldbelegalinallcases.(Abortion,exceptincasesinwhichthemotherslifeisatrisk, shouldbebanned.) 21.Minoritieswhohavebeendiscriminatedagainstshouldnotbegivenpreferentialtreatment. (Minoritieswhohavebeendiscriminatedagainstshouldbebegivenpreferentialtreatment.) 22.Thereshouldbemoreguncontrol.(Thereshouldbelessguncontrol.)

23.Itshouldbemoredifficultforsuspectstodefendthemselvesincourt.(Itshouldbeeasierfor suspectstodefendthemselvesincourt.) 24.ThegovernmentshouldnotbeabletousespytechnologyonU.S.citizenstocatchcriminalsand terrorists.(ThegovernmentshouldbeabletousespytechnologyonU.S.citizenstocatchcriminalsand terrorists.) 25.Theobjectiveofourcriminaljusticeandpenalsystemsshouldbepunishment.(Theobjectiveofour criminaljusticeandpenalsystemsshouldberehabilitation.) 26.ItshouldbeeasiertoimmigrateintoAmerica.(Itshouldbemoredifficulttoimmigrateinto America.) 27.Illegalimmigrantsshouldbepunishedmoreharshly.(Illegalimmigrantsshouldbepunishedmore leniently.) 28.Governmentspendingonforeignaidshouldbeincreased.(Governmentspendingonforeignaid shouldbedecreased.) 29.Thefederalgovernmentshouldhandleinternationalconflictsthroughthemilitary.(Thefederal governmentshouldhandleinternationalconflictsthroughdiplomacyandotherpeacefultactics,suchas economicsanctions.) 30.ThefederalgovernmentshouldleaveinternationalinterventiontosuchorganizationsastheUnited Nations.(Thefederalgovernmentshouldbewillingtointerveneininternationalconflictswithoutthe supportofothernations.) Scoring: Scoringisrathersimple.Thestatementsareeitherleftorright.Everyleftpointisnegative,andevery rightpointispositive.Thesecondstatementwillbetheoppositeofthefirst.Assuch,ifyouanswered disagreeonarightbasedstatement(effectivelyansweringagreeonthesecond,leftbased statement),youscore1forthatstatement.Ifyoufullydisagreeorfullyagreetoastatement,thenthat statementisworth2points,insteadofthe1earnedfromasimpledisagreeoragree.Neutralisworthno points.Allofthefirststatementsontheoddnumbersareright(soallthesecondstatementsontheodd numbersareleft)andallofthefirststatementsontheevennumbersareleft(soallthesecondstatements ontheevennumbersareright). Firststatementsareeitherleftorright. Secondstatements,inparenthesis,aretheoppositeofthefirst. Leftstatementsscorenegatively.

Rightstatementsscorepositively. Agreeingordisagreeingscores1point+orbaseduponthestatement. Fullyagreeingordisagreeingscores2points+orbaseduponthestatement. Neutralscoresnopoints. Alloftheoddnumberedfirststatementsareright. Alloftheevennumberedfirststatementsareleft. Results: 60to46:FarLeftLiberal 45to30:LeftLeaningLiberal 29to15:ModerateLeaningLiberal 14to5:LiberalLeaningModerate 4to4:TrueModerate 5to14:ConservativeLeaningModerate 15to29:ModerateLeaningConservative 30to45:RightLeaningConservative 46to60:FarRightConservative