Huh...Really?

Ross provided this link for a quiz about which candidate best reflects my opinions. Now, I've been an Obama supporter for quite a while, mostly since listening to The Audacity of Hope and remembering how his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention seemed far more presidential (and no, I don't know how to define that any better than, well, presidential) than even Senator Kerry. Surprisingly, though, it seems I am most closely aligned with Dennis Kucinich. Huh? Really?

Ross asked the question about what it would be like if we, as a nation, voted our minds rather than the spin. Frankly, I don't think it's possible to do that at the moment, at least in the presidential election, because the candidates are selected by fund-raising ability rather than the quality of their ideas. There is precious little nuance in the American political system today, and unfortunately those of us who would prefer the chance to think more independently about it get hammered about throwing our votes away. In the 2006 election for Governor here in Minnesota, I voted for the person I felt was best qualified to hold the office: Peter Hutchinson, the Independence Party candidate. He seemed best able to think clearly about the challenges and opportunities facing us as a state in the future. No, I never once considered it as a "throwaway" vote: why would I even do such a thing? But, unfortunately, those of us who supported a candidate in whom we believed got blamed for "losing" the election for the Democratic candidate. I don't have any regrets. I wish we could get out of this polarizing and ultimately regressive state of things and try and find a way to govern ourselves without the brinksmanship that currently dominates American politics.

Anyway, take the quiz: I'd be interested to see if you think your result makes sense. All parties welcome - no political proselytizing from me, I promise!