The Political Test

Are you a Republican or a Democrat?




The following quiz by Victor Kamber and Bradley S. O'Leary appeared in the October 28-30, 1994 issue of
USA Weekend.

Before you vote in the next election, take this test to see where, and with whom, you really stand.

Requires a JavaScript enabled browser



1. Generally, do you tend to trust or distrust government's ability to solve problems?

Trust
Distrust


2. Which do you trust more:

The Pentagon or
The U.S. Postal Service?

The executive branch or
The legislative branch?

The FBI or
The IRS?

The CIA or
The Peace Corps?

The Joint Chiefs or
The United Nations?


3. What about private institutions and people? Which do you trust more?

Trial Lawyers or
Doctors?

Union leaders or
Business executives?

Professional athletes or
Team owners?


4. The federal government should do more to solve the nation's problems even if it means higher taxes on (pick as many as you want.):

You
Big corporations
The wealthy
The Middle Class
Small Businesses
None


5. Where should government be cut? (pick as many as you want.)

Eliminate farm subsidies
Eliminate subsidies to the arts
Abolish public broadcasting
Cut entitlement programs (Social Security, Medicaid, etc.)
Cut defense spending
Reduce welfare spending
Reduce foreign aid
Keep illegal immigrants from receiving public education
Reduce environmental regulation
Cut taxes
Don't cut at all


6. Which would do more to guarantee competitive elections?

Term limits
Public Financing


7. Who was a better president?

Ronald Reagan
Franklin D. Roosevelt


8. Do you see the ideal America as an ethnic "melting pot" in which religious, cultural and ethnic distinctions are blurred, or as a nation in which ethnically diverse groups ought to coexist while retaining their cultural identity?

Melting pot
Multicultural society


9. Whose political views do you consider more extreme, those of (former) Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders or the Rev. Pat Robertson?

Elders
Robertson
Neither


10. Which would curb violent crime most?

Stricter controls on the sale of guns
Mandatory sentences for those who use guns in the commission of a crime
Both


11. In the long run, do you think we can reduce crime more by building more prisons or providing more financial assistance to rebuilding our inner cities?

Build prisons
Rebuild cities
Both



Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements:


 12. Even if it means cutting programs, spending must be cut to reduce the federal deficit.

Agree  Disagree


13. The federal government is too big.

Agree  Disagree


14. U.S. interests are more seriously at stake in Haiti than they are in Korea.

Agree  Disagree


15. Gays and lesbians should be able to marry or at least be treated as married under law if they so desire.

Agree  Disagree


16. The news media is dominated by liberals.

Agree  Disagree


17. The religious right is a threat to our political system.

Agree  Disagree


18. The federal government should include funds to make abortion services part of any standard benefits package in health care reform.

Agree  Disagree


19. Deceptive political campaign commercials should be banned.

Agree  Disagree


20. Graphic pornography should be banned.

Agree  Disagree


21. As a society, we should spend more money trying to find a cure for AIDS than for cancer and heart disease because AIDS threatens younger people.

Agree  Disagree


22. Talk radio shows should be regulated to ensure both sides of a debate are represented, because talk radio has an unhealthy impact on the political process.

Agree  Disagree


23. The breakdown of the traditional family is the most serious domestic crisis facing our society.

Agree  Disagree


24. Women and racial minorities should be given preferences in hiring until we achieve true gender and racial equality in America.

Agree  Disagree


25. Certain environmental problems call for government action, even if it means new programs or increased taxes.

Agree  Disagree




Click the Calculate button to receive your score.

Respondents with the most points (40) are 100 percent
conservative; those with the least (0) are 100 percent liberal.

See where you fall on the chart below.

  Your Score: 


Jesse
Jackson
 Ted
Kennedy
 Hillary
Clinton
 Bill
Clinton
 Colin
Powell
 George
Bush
 Jack
Kemp
 Bob
Dole
 Ronald
Reagan
0510 152025 303540
<100% Liberal100% Conservative>

About Your Score






A note for those who can't grasp the obvious: In case you didn't see the large bold text at the top of the page, I'll mention again that I am not the author of this quiz. It was written by Victor Kamber and Bradley S. O'Leary for the October 28-30, 1994 issue of USA Weekend.

Comments are welcome, but please do not complain to me if you don't like the questions, or are unsatisfied with your score.



Go To Back To The Politics Page