By Terry Paulson, PhD

(Please feel free to print this test for personal use or distribution to others)

This Test Helps You Make a Thoughtful Decision when You Vote: None of the short political commercials from either political party do justice to the issues we face as a state or country. The media and political ads often seem preoccupied with negatives and provocative sound bytes. This guide is designed to help you think through your voting decision on the basis of issues that are important to you. The twenty issues identified will help isolate the voting tendencies of the Republican and Democratic parties. It is our collective responsibility to make thoughtful choices in any election. I hope this guide helps you do that. It is expansive enough to help you identify most of the critical issues of the day that ought to be considered. The test scoring also allows you to individualize the test to give more weight to the issues that are most important to you in making your decision.

Take the Test One Issue at a Time: While both parties care about the future of this country, there are major differences as to the best way to achieve that future. In each issue area included, I have tried to identify the general tendency of each party in as unemotional and specific way as I can. That being said, on each issue, check the party that most reflects your opinion. It is rare that you will support any one party on all issues, so try to be honest with yourself in scoring each issue.

Individualize Your Issue Weighting: As with any decision, you bring a unique set of priorities to your choice of how to vote. In each of the twenty issues, you will be asked to identify the position you most identify with. Totaling your Democrat and Republican position votes should help you determine your vote selection in November. It is also clear that some issues are more important to you than others in any given election. In addition, some issues are not important to you at all. To adjust for that difference in an issue’s level of importance, at the end of the test you can increase the weight of your most important issue to three points. You can increase the weight of up to two additional important issues by giving those issues an increased weighting of two points. To account for the fact that some issues are not important to you at all, you can cross off up to three issues to discount their significance in making your decision. Wait to the end after reviewing all issues to make those decisions and then add up your total vote preference scores.

Now the Issues that Count…

1. Government Size and Intervention:
___ Democrat: While wanting to curtail waste, fraud and abuse, government intervention is still critical in meeting the needs of our complex society. The obstacles faced by some American individuals and businesses today are too difficult for them to face on their own; the federal and state governments must remain active in developing programs and funding agencies to meet those expanding needs.
___ Republican: Government should be limited to critical roles that people cannot do for themselves. Politicians should work to keep more money in the pockets of American citizens by reducing the size and scope of government by ending unnecessary programs and avoiding starting new ones. Work to keep the power and resources close to the people though their local governments rather than through a centralized and distant state government.

2. Government Regulations:
___ Democrat: One of the principle functions of government should be to regulate and control the actions and performance of corporations, organizations and individuals who can impact the environment, health, or safety of our citizens. The rules, forms and controls generated are a cost that businesses and individuals are obligated to fulfill in order to protect citizens and the environment.
___ Republican: We support the free-enterprise system with minimal controls as a positive force for creating economic growth, more jobs, and personal wealth for its citizens. Government regulations and controls are necessary but should be limited to high-priority concerns. The emphasis should be on enforcing accountability for the rules and controls that are in force. Extensive regulations and paperwork increase costs, make it hard for businesses to compete, and make states less attractive for needed business investment.

3. Social Services or Self-Reliance:
___ Democrat: Welfare reform, while necessary, has gone too far in cutting back services for the truly needy. True caring is expressed in government programs that can allocate more resources for people unable to cope with the demands of our society. As a wealthy, industrialized society, our government should be more involved in providing funds and programs that ensure the health and happiness of the less fortunate. Private charity cannot meet the needs without strong government involvement and funds. Self-reliance is not for everyone; it takes a village.
___ Republican: Measure true caring by how many people no longer need government programs and are self-sufficient instead of by how many are served by welfare aid. We have made progress in getting people off welfare and back into living productive lives. We must continue to care enough to keep a safety net that assists those in need without allowing the net to become a dependency trap for those who are capable of working. Private charity is more efficient and can be more effective when coupled with some government support. Self-reliance in support of the American Dream is a critical American value that must be supported with tough love.

4. Crime Policy:
___ Democrat: Because of the unfair application of the justice system, strong discretion is needed for judges to establish fair sentencing. Punishment should be applied, but rehabilitation should be as important as punishment. Capital punishment should be minimized if not stopped. Controls on the police must be established to ensure fair treatment of all, an end to racial profiling, and strong punishment for hate crimes. More money should be spent on programs to prevent crime than on constructing more prisons.
___ Republican: Because of the tendency of the legal system to err on the side of leniency, strong guidelines such as “the Three Strikes Law” should remain in place to ensure accountability and punishment for crimes. Capital punishment should be rare but should be considered in first-degree murder cases. Accountability over rehabilitation should be stressed. The rights of the victims should be more important than protecting criminals. An investment in adequate prisons and police is a wise investment.

5. Tort Reforms:
___ Democrat: The rights of individuals and groups to sue in order to right wrongs must be expanded beyond the current limits. By increasing pain and suffering judgments, judges and juries will be able to send a strong message to irresponsible companies that unethical and illegal behavior will not be tolerated. To require the loser to pay legal costs or to limit judgments is to tip the scales in the favor of the rich and corporations at the expense of those who are least able to defend themselves.
___ Republican: Individuals and groups should have the right to sue, but the growing use of frivolous lawsuits is costing all Americans and is making a lottery out of our courts. “Victim thinking” has been taken to an extreme and pain and suffering limits must be maintained. “Loser pay” provisions, limits on pain and suffering judgments and limits on the share of judgments going to lawyers should be considered in future tort reforms.

6. Education Policy:
___ Democrat: We need to invest more money into our classrooms. We should be funding additional teachers and giving our public schools the funds they need to improve the educational excellence of our youth. Charter schools and standard testing will help achieve this. A separation of church and state must be maintained in our schools. Only those able to afford private schools should be able to use them. Public school teachers should not have to pay state income taxes, and home schooling should have more controls to ensure the quality of instruction.   
___ Republican: We are committed to educational excellence in support of the goal of leaving no child behind. Our public education system is not producing results. Our youth “feel” more competent but consistently perform at low levels of achievement compared to other industrial countries. A strong education system that works is very important to the future of our country. We must give more control to local schools, give vouchers a chance to prove themselves where states want to experiment, and support home schooling and more parent choice where possible.

7. Tax Policy:
___ Democrat: Fairness must take into account that those who are able to pay should pay significantly more than others. Because of the success our society affords the successful achievers, they should be expected to shoulder more of the costs to sustain the government that maintains it. To make a flatter system or provide an across-the-board tax cut for all levels would unfairly benefit primarily the rich. Because of the wealth of the rich citizens, it is not unfair to have 10% of American workers paying 60% of the income tax bill. Surpluses should be used to pay down the debt and help fund new, needed programs.
___ Republican: No matter what form tax relief or reforms take, we support minimizing taxes to the lowest appropriate level possible in order to maintain work incentives in support of the American Dream, minimize unnecessary government growth and waste, and stimulate the dynamic growth of our economy. During difficult economic times tax cuts stimulate the economy and the business growth that keeps economies growing. Where possible, tax rates should be flatter and tax regulations simpler. All Americans should pay some of the load.

8. Military Support and Homeland Security:
___ Democrat: While a strong military and a secure homeland are both important, we must put an even stronger emphasis on diplomacy, restraint and UN cooperation. The best defense is expanded commerce with shared technology and mutual interests. While sustaining a strong military is a priority, our current involvement in the war in Iraq should be ended as soon as possible to increase our needed funding for homeland security, domestic programs and critical social services.
___ Republican: In a world with more rogue countries and terrorist groups capable of attacking our homeland, America must invest adequate resource to remain strong, progressive, and technologically sophisticated. We must continue to walk softly but continue to carry a big, technologically-advanced stick that is positioned to deal with new, smaller engagements wherever necessary. The new realities in the war on terror, make investing in homeland security and the War in Iraq an expensive but necessary priority we must continue to fund.

9. What Special Interests Do You Most Support:
___ Democrat: The primary sources of special interest funding for campaigns remain the trial lawyers, the NEA (the teachers union), the entertainment industry, and unions in general. Aligning yourself with these groups’ values concerns you less, and you fear the influence of the Republican special interest groups more.
___ Republican: The primary sources of special interest funding for campaigns remain large business, small business, conservative Christian groups, and the NRA (National Rifle Association). Aligning yourself with these groups’ values concerns you less, and you fear the influence of the Democratic special interest groups more.

10. The Environment:
___ Democrat: Strong action is needed now to protect future generations from the effects of unchecked business interests and global warming. Limitations now are a small price to pay for a future for our children and endangered species. The scientific data is conclusive enough to warrant new regulations and limitations on American businesses and domestic oil exploration and drilling. Put a bigger investment into alternative energy.
___ Republican: There is no consistent evidence that man is the principle contributor to global warming than there was evidence of the global cooling and ice age predicted in the 70s. We must be good stewards of the environment without making radical unsubstantiated interventions. Extreme regulations and environmental limits make us less competitive globally and cost jobs. Work to expand domestic energy sources, oil, nuclear and other alternatives to decrease our foreign dependence on energy.

11. Separation of Church and State:
___ Democrat: The separation of church and state is a firm value that must be maintained at all levels of government. There should be less display of religious conviction or holidays of any sort in schools or on government property. Personal faith is important but should be separated from any kind of public support. No government or voucher funds should be used in any religious school.
___ Republican: We must support the value of religious faith as a cornerstone for the values and moral compass that helps sustain our country. We must not institutionalize any one religion, but we must ensure that freedom “of” religion should never become freedom “from” religion. Separation of church and state is not meant to limit reference to God or to stop the free exercise of religious faith by a minority or a majority believer. Vouchers and public support for proven religious programs should be allowed.

12. Affirmative Action:
___ Democrat: Societal bias and wrongs still exist to the extent that additional support for racial minorities is warranted. Race preference regulations should be sustained to make sure that more minorities are hired and more minority students are selected by college programs.
___ Republican: While still rigorously defending civil rights laws, we must work to create a color-blind society that puts an end to quota preference systems on the basis of race. Race ought to be irrelevant. Affirmative action needs to be reframed to allow support of any citizen on the basis of need, not race.

13. Hate Crime Legislation:
___ Democrat: To ensure the protection of rights for minority groups, some crimes, attacks and murders against minority group members are so heinous that the federal government should be allowed to intervene to ensure prosecution. A hateful murder or crime against a minority member is dangerous to our society’s values and warrants additional punishment.
___ Republican:  To single out any one group for increased prosecution is not wise. Equal protection under the law is an important value that must be maintained. Rather than single out “hate” crimes, we should work to ensure that all crimes are punished strongly. Adequate laws exist; the will to punish strongly must be maintained.

14. Gay Rights:
___ Democrat: Because gays are an abused minority in America, we should work to provide civil rights protection and equal status for same-sex marriages including the right to adopt children. Efforts should be made to develop and promote early-childhood interventions that promote tolerance and acceptance of gay relationships and lifestyles.
___ Republican: Gay citizens should be afforded equal protection under the law but deserve no special civil rights protection. No special training should be provided in the schools that promotes acceptance of a gay lifestyle. The American value of tolerance should not require acceptance or agreement. The full rights and responsibilities of marriage should not be afforded to same-sex partners, especially the right to adopt children. Civil unions should be a state-rights issue.  

15. Social Security Reforms:
___ Democrat: Democrats have taken a stand for applying any budget surpluses to help deal with the Social Security Fund shortfalls. Allowing any portion of a citizen’s funds to be invested by the individual is too risky. Any lowering of the cost-of-living calculations or change in support levels for the poorest seniors cannot be allowed. A proposal to require wealthy Americans, to pay additional payroll taxes on income over $200,000 may be required to sustain the program.
___ Republican: Although viable at this time, our Social Security Fund is in serious long-term trouble. As baby boomers retire, working Americans will be facing higher payroll taxes unless changes occur. New proposals call for a lockbox of funds and allowing a small percentage of payroll taxes to be used by citizens to invest in their own investment options while still meeting the obligations to those already retired.

16. Immigration Controls:
___ Democrat: The tradition of America is strongly supportive of being a welcoming country for immigrants. Any limitations to illegal immigration should be limited to making entry difficult. Once here and contributing, even illegal aliens should be allowed to find their rightful place in our society and open to receiving the benefits of citizenship. Bilingual education should be provided to assist large immigrant groups.
___ Republican: The tradition of America is strongly supportive of being a welcoming country for immigrants. Those who arrive here legally must be supported and embraced as part of the rich American mosaic. Before there is any talk of guest worker programs or a path to citizenship for the illegal immigrants in our midst, priority should be placed on securing our borders. English-first education focus should be used to help all immigrants learn our language as quickly as possible.

17. Minimum Wage:
___ Democrat: The great American economy is not getting the rewards down to the poor working Americans. We need to increase the minimum wage to a higher level to allow the poorest Americans to benefit from our economy. The gap between the have’s and the have-not’s must be addressed through government policy and intervention.
___ Republican:  Increasing the minimum wage while providing short-term reward for those whose bosses can afford to pay it, will also cause some companies to go under and some workers to lose jobs. Most minimum wage employees do not stay in that job. They can use entry-level jobs to prove their worth, learn new skills, and then move to jobs that pay more. Getting beyond minimum wage jobs is one incentive to keep improving and learning.

18. Healthcare Reform:
___ Democrat: There are too many Americans who are falling through the cracks in healthcare coverage. More should be done to pass a patient bill of rights that addresses the inadequacies of health care coverage. Medicare coverage should be extended to more citizens who have no healthcare coverage. The efficiencies of scale and the scope of the problem warrant federal remedies and we should work towards universal coverage, starting first by covering all children. 
___ Republican: Any form of socialized medicine should be resisted or at least minimized to those with the greatest need. The expanded drug benefit for seniors should mix competition and personal accountability with government support. It is best to let competition keep viable healthcare options for Americans to choose from. Tax-free Medical Savings accounts and major-medical plans should be encouraged to allow citizens to get better control of their healthcare costs.

19. Abortion:
___ Democrat: Sustain our current abortion policy that emphasizes the woman’s right to choose an abortion with minimal restrictions. We should be proud of the fact that in industrialized countries, only Japan has a more unrestricted abortion policy than the United States. Serious limits should be placed on Pro-Life demonstrations close to abortion clinics. The banning of late-term abortions is a step in the wrong direction.
___ Republican: Although Republicans vary strongly, most agree with the need to establish limits on abortion to make them rare. A fetus may not be a baby, but it is more than a mass of tissue. We support the ban on late-term, partial-birth abortions and should work to establish parental notification. Pro-Life demonstrators should be allowed the same rights of expression any other American is allowed.

20. Gun Control:
___ Democrat: Continue to make it more difficult for citizens to buy guns by retail and at gun shows without adequate checks or delays. Increase the pressure to ban the sale of automatic and semi-automatic weapons. Hold gun manufacturers responsible for increasing the safety of guns. Pass more laws restricting gun purchase and possession.
___ Republican: Resist any major change in gun laws beyond more efficient and immediate checking for criminal records. The right to bear arms is a Constitutional law that should be protected. Guns don’t kill people; people kill people. Support gun safety and strong penalties for criminal use. Enforce existing laws restricting gun purchase and possession.

Determining Your Voting Preference Score

Make one issue your top priority and score that issue 3 points.
Make up to two others important by scoring them 2 points.
Cross off up to three issues because they are not important to you. Do not count them.
Give 1 point to each remaining issue.
Now Add Up Political Party Points:
Democratic Issue Points: _____  Republican Issue Points: _____

Voting Team or Individuals: Unless ethical or legal issues cause you to find a candidate unacceptable, discerning American citizens learn to vote for any candidate from the political party that most effectively stands for the principles, values, and positions that best matches their own views. A winning President will use his/her Rolodex to appoint skilled and like-minded politicians and the judges, leaders, and professionals he or she will appoint to key positions. In Congress, the party in power has committee control to increase their influence. Use this test to help identify your political team of choice.

Now make sure you VOTE!
This country is not run by polls but by the voters who show up to vote!

Duplication of this test for use and distribution is authorized as long as the reference below is included on the copies of the test.
© 2008 Terry Paulson terry@terrypaulson.com
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