<p>thanks videogamerx2. Here in Arizona, I'm a rarity.</p>
<p>then you are a communitarian, a collectivist, and various other labels for moralists with guillotines generous with other peoples money. we're having a duel, hamilton-burr style. you choose the weapons i'll choose the location. loser pays for the beer.</p>
<p>Gee paintedocean, thanks for dumbing that down...</p>
<p>Do you really believe Bush was re-elected because 51% of the voters are homophobic, policies and beliefs be damned?</p>
<p>Apologies for (sort of) hijacking this thread, but...</p>
<p>John Kerry should have easily won the last election, but instead of being who he is and offering sound plans and arguments to back them up, he tried to be "everyman" and rarely gave specifics about how he and the democratic party planned to solve problems. "I have a plan" and "I will be smarter" was his consistent, uninspiring response to most any question.</p>
<p>Seriously, in the long run it will not matter if you are liberal or conservative going into college. Just make sure you go with an open mind. Your political beliefs are formed over a long period of time.</p>
<p>Kerry lost for a few reasons, but one of the most important was that per capita disposable income grew in the year prior to the election by the required threshold amount (4% or so) for an incumbent to be considered successful.</p>
<p>You don't think the inflammatory issue of gay marriage being flung into the public consciousness near the election pushed the "values voters" to the polls? </p>
<p>The Dems took a major loss with the Latino and black voters, where homosexuality tends to be a greater taboo. </p>
<p>WC13, I have no disagreements on your criticisms of Kerry. The Dems need to grow a spine. Fast. </p>
<p>When you say "your political beliefs are formed over..." I assume you mean specifically the people on this board. B/c the vast majority of Americans' political leanings mirror their parents.</p>
<p>"You don't think the inflammatory issue of gay marriage being flung into the public consciousness near the election pushed the "values voters" to the polls?"</p>
<p>To a point, but poll after poll indicated that the primary issue for the voting public was the war on terror. Also, it seems to me that it was the gays themselves that flung gay marriage into the public consciousness. Yes, opponents took advantage, but...those same values voters didn't trust Kerry and his secret plan regarding the war on terror.</p>
<p>A spine, indeed....agreed.</p>
<p>the "liberal Columbia student" is more of a stereotype than a reality. it's just leftover from the 60s. Columbia isnt much more liberal than any college in a east coast city. it surprises me more than anything else how politically apathetic Columbia students are than what I expected.</p>
<p>I would have thought Columbia was a pretty liberal place, but considering the recent backlash against the Miss Columbia Competition, I wouldn't be so sure. Apparently, many students opposed the competition simply because it involved some of the competitors in not-so-G-rated pictures.</p>
<p>Here's the link on the Spectator:
<a href="http://www.columbiaspectator.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/05/02/4275e105bf2bd?in_archive=1%5B/url%5D">http://www.columbiaspectator.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/05/02/4275e105bf2bd?in_archive=1</a></p>
<p>I think that you could even be the anti-gay marriage, anti-abortion, anti-affirmative action, total regressive taxation capitalist and still survive if you defend yourself intellectually and more importantly, understand the other side, but if you are the racist, closed-minded type of conservative...well always wear a thick turtleneck in case you get lynched</p>
<p>I'm not anti-gay marriage, nor totally against affirmative action but most of the rest applies and I certainly have not had a difficult time. First, the College Republicans at columbia has been one of the most active in the ivy league over the past couple of years. Second, you will find plenty of republican/libertarian/conservative students around, though such are still rarities among faculty. Third, most of the liberal students are up for a political spar and, though they may challenge you at times, they certainly wont hate you for your views. Most of my friends at Columbia are liberal - I laugh at them, they laugh at me, then we go have a beer. I've even been successful in converting a few on-the-fence people...</p>
<p>so you're racist :p</p>
<p>nope. I believe AA should be based entirely on economic status alone...</p>
<p>Also the ROTC issue was quite contentious and the decision ended up being made by "educated" persons who turned out to be extraordinarily ignorant, with very little knowldge about exactly what the military is like and how it operates. They based their decision more on emotion than reason. It was very saddening to watch. This is one more reason that ROTC must return to Columbia - to bridge this civil-military gap that is only growing wider, especially among the educated elite.</p>
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<p>No I made a bad joke based on these two sentences :)</p>