We're all amply aware of the hard-right political positions, as well as those of the extreme left. But what do the people in the middle believe, the ones who eschew both extremes in favor of solutions to the country's problems that are practical rather than dogmatic? That question, of course, breaks down into multiple questions for every issue, and answers to many of those questions can be found on the Americans Elect website.
Americans Elect, in case you are unfamiliar, is a non-partisan organization seeking to "break the gridlock in Washington, open up the political process and give every single voter—Democrat, Republican or independent—the power to nominate a presidential ticket in 2012." The Americans Elect candidates will be nominated via an internet ballot and the group has currently secured a spot on the ballot in 16 states. The intent is to be on every state's ballot.
As part of the group's efforts to define a platform, those who sign up are asked to answer a series of questions about a wide-ranging set of issues. Once you state your positions, you can then see the percentages on how others have answered the questions. (The following numbers are subject to change as more people register their preferences.)
On the whole, the results show the political middle to be a lot more tolerant and pragmatic than either extreme. For instance, a strong majority believes the appropriate way to address the U.S. deficit is by a combination of tax increases and spending cuts. Here are some of the numbers.
When you think about the US budget deficit, which of the following solutions is closest to your opinion?
16% - Cutting existing programs
37% - More spending cuts than tax increases (mix of both solutions)
35% - More tax increases than spending cuts (mix of both solutions)
8% - Raising Taxes
4% - Unsure
On the question of energy, those in Americans Elect primarily favor a focus on renewables.
When you think about America’s energy needs, which of the following solutions come closest to your opinion?
44% - Strong investment in renewable energy like wind and solar
12% - More drilling than investment in renewables (mix of both solutions)
33% - More investment in renewable than drilling (mix of both solutions)
8% - Strong focus on offshore drilling and allowing drilling in federal lands including wildlife reserves
2% - Unsure
Government involvement in health care is considered desirable.
When you think about healthcare reform in the United States, which of the following solutions is closest to your opinion?
17% - The Government should be the sole provider of healthcare insurance
40% - The Government should have a major role in providing healthcare insurance
27% - The Government should have a limited role in providing healthcare insurance
13% - Only private companies should provide healthcare insurance
3% - Unsure
Illegal immigration is an issue on which there is more disagreement, although blanket deportation of all illegal immigrants is rejected by the vast majority.
When you think about illegal immigration, which of the following solutions come closest to your opinion?
5% - All illegal immigrants should be able to stay in the US legally
48% - Most illegal immigrants should be able to stay in the US, with some exceptions
28% - Most illegal immigrants should be deported, with some exceptions
13% - All illegal immigrants should be deported
6% - Unsure
Thoughts about education are also divided.
When you think about education in the US, which of the following is closest to your opinion?
14% - School curriculums should be set entirely at a local school board level
34% - School curriculums should be set more by local school boards than at a national level
35% - School curriculums should be set more by national standards than at a local level
13% - School curriculums should be set entirely at a national standardized level
4% - Unsure
A strong majority favors civil union, at least, for gay couples.
When you think about the rights of same-sex couples, which of the following is closest to your personal opinion?
11% - Same-sex couples should not be allowed to marry or form any kind of civil union
20% - Same-sex couples should be allowed to form civil unions, but not to marry in the traditional sense
66% - Same-sex couples should be allowed to marry legally, with all the same rights as traditional marriages
3% - Unsure
There are more than 100 questions and you are free to answer as many of them as you choose. You can then view the announced and suggested presidential candidates and see how closely their positions jibe with your own.
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