What is your Merkin political persuasion?

[amused]

Yellow dog Democrat.

I'm a fiscal conservative and social liberal, which should make me an independent. But Clinton balanced the budget and Bush destroyed it. Here in Texas the Republicans are synonymous with Christian Dominionists, hence yellow dog Democrat is the only choice for me.

[Svartalf]

You make more than twice my income. Not surprising given you've got a half decent job.

Wow, that's unfair.

He ought to pay some of your bills.

Meh, he can substitute in kind by sending me a couple of his sluttiest students.

[Gallstones]

Small "i" independent, libertarian leaning with a social conscience.

[FBM]

You make more than twice my income. Not surprising given you've got a half decent job.

Wow, that's unfair.

He ought to pay some of your bills.

Meh, he can substitute in kind by sending me a couple of his sluttiest students.

I'd be more likely to send you money.

[drl2]

I've considered registering as a Democrat simply to be able to exert a tiny bit of extra influence on which candidates are chosen (in Delaware you have to be a registered member of a party in order to vote in that party's primary) but I'm not terribly eager to associate myself with the corrupt old-boys-network that's behind the local Dem movement. (A similar network backed the local repubs, but it's in shambles in the wake of Christine O'Donnell; name-calling and punch-throwing do not a coherent political party make.)

[Svartalf]

You make more than twice my income. Not surprising given you've got a half decent job.

Wow, that's unfair.

He ought to pay some of your bills.

Meh, he can substitute in kind by sending me a couple of his sluttiest students.

I'd be more likely to send you money.

You're selfish and cruel.

[FBM]

You make more than twice my income. Not surprising given you've got a half decent job.

Wow, that's unfair.

He ought to pay some of your bills.

Meh, he can substitute in kind by sending me a couple of his sluttiest students.

I'd be more likely to send you money.

You're selfish and cruel.

Yes. Is that a problem?

[Svartalf]

To my Asian starved libido, it is.

[Strontium Dog]

I would be a Democrat, albeit on the libertarian wing of the party. Someone like Mike Gravel is pretty close to what I believe. Unfortunately, while that kind of liberal prevails in Europe, I understand they are far less common in the US.

[Ele]

I support the Australian Sex Party and hold social libertarian views. If I was a merkin I think I'd be drawn to the Modern Whig Party. They seem rather interesting. However, I think they should stop sitting on the fence with regards to reproductive rights and same-sex marriage; leaving these policies up to the individual states seems pretty inconsistent with their determinedly progressive character.

Established in 1833, the Whigs are one of America’s oldest mainstream political parties. We were the original party of Abraham Lincoln and four other U.S. Presidents.

Revived in 2007 by Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, this grassroots movement has quickly attracted thousands of new members. We represent politically moderate and independent-minded voters from all walks of life that are committed to finding pragmatic solutions to the problems facing our country by putting methodology above ideology and using rational thinking instead of partisan dogma.

Modern Whigs are citizen-legislators with a deep respect for the vocation of public service who clearly distinguish themselves from other parties in the following ways:

More here if anyone is interested:
http://www.modernwhig.org/handbook/who-are-modern-whigs

I'd not heard of them before. Had any of you guys? Are they very well known about in the U.S?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Until the two-party system is replaced, voting for a third-party candidate is at most a protest.

[Coito ergo sum]

I voted for Ron Paul in 1988 as a protest vote. I was in my "all the politicians are crooks and both parties are the same shit upside down" phase.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

SSDD then?

[Coito ergo sum]

SSDD then?

Nah...I'm not a Paul guy. In 1988, I hardly new his policy ideas. I knew he was this new thing called a "libertarian" which was basically the "leave me the fuck alone" party. I like that idea. Get off my back and leave me the fuck alone. That's generally a good policy to follow. It's Paul's other policies that bother me.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

SSDD then?

Nah...I'm not a Paul guy. In 1988, I hardly new his policy ideas. I knew he was this new thing called a "libertarian" which was basically the "leave me the fuck alone" party. I like that idea. Get off my back and leave me the fuck alone. That's generally a good policy to follow. It's Paul's other policies that bother me.

But "leave me alone" ultimately means society will break down completely.