All this Hillary vs. Obama drama -- do you vote for the woman, do you vote for the black man?
Regardless of how these individual candidates shake out, I think it's got us all thinking about our own political calculations for all candidates.
Do you vote for experience or freshness? Ideas or Oratory?
What are your key categories?
I'm all about understanding the spectrum within which I judge candidates in order to cast my vote. I sat down to make the list, and a few short items turned into a laundry list. This is MY list. Other people, I'm sure, would argue with not only my categories but my goal posts on either end. Too bad! Make your own list (actually, shouldn't we all know our lists by heart??? Informed democracies and all that?)
Anyhoo... I'm feeling tentative about posting my list because it will be so immediately attackable, and on some level our lists are indefensible. They are what they are. I'm willing to entertain revisions with good justification, however, so for your review I offer my political matrix as a young-to-middle age progressive white woman voter from New Mexico.
They're presented in roughly the order of importance to me and my vote. Please understand that they do NOT map across categories in columns.
Mjae's Political Spectrum Matrix 2008
| One side of the spectrum: | Other side of the spectrum: |
| Republican | Democrat |
| Govt. used to force social conservatism | Govt. used to ensure social freedoms |
| Anti-women, Anti-choice | Pro-women, Pro-choice |
| White | Minority |
| Male | Female |
| Rich | Poor |
| Politically Privileged | Grassroots Based |
| Govt. Budget for Social Programs | Govt. Budget for Military Spending |
| Experienced | Fresh / Idealistic |
| Dumbed-Down & Infuriating | Articulate & Inspiring |
| Politically Calculating | Personally Motivated |
| Pro-economy | Pro-environment |
| Free Trade / Invisible Hand | FairTrade |
| Pro- Global Corporations | Pro- Local Businesses |
| Pro-owner | Pro-labor |
| Privatization | Socialism |
| Balanced Budget Govt. | Deficit Budget Govt. |
| Sketchy Past | Personal Creditability |
| Old | Young |
| Not Presidential Looking (homely, small, overweight) | Presidential Looking (attractive, dignified, put together, athletic, etc.) |
| Not Attractive | Attractive |
| No charisma Grating voice | Charisma Honeyed, stentorian, or soothing voice |
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