How did you change your political views?

[Berzerker]

"The Veil of Ignorance" will likely preclude a laissez-faire or libertarian system because the miniscule chance of being rich and among the winners is far overshadowed by being among the vast pool of losers. Likewise, people will prefer a democratic system with strong minority protections. Democratic so the will of the people is follwed, and strong minority protections so that 51% of the people cannot enslave/convert to Christianity/otherwise abuse the other 49%.

When the Pilgrims arrived, they tried a socialistic system with sharing, community property/crops, and all that. They almost starved to death. They switched to a capitalist system and survived quite well...until the Puritans reared their ugly heads. And when the colonies won their freedom, without forced taxes or a draft, they created a libertarian system (with few exceptions like slavery). Btw, "minority" protections in a democracy? You gotta be kidding. We have a Constitution strictly limiting federal power and look at the monstrosity residing in Washington, D.C.

[cinch]

When I first started thinking about politics, I was more into the conservative side of things (Reform Party, Preston Manning, who I still like, for some odd reason), simply because that is what I am surrounded by out here.

Gradually, though, as I thought about it, I began to question such things as privatized health care and the destruction of multiculturalism. I gained more respect for different cultures (which was actually a feat for my younger mind, in this whitebread home o' mine). I had debates in school over health care, and I could never understand the kids who would say "But if my dad has the money for his operation now, why can't he get it done before everyone else?".

I don't come from a lower-class family, but I do come from a lower-middle-class family, with lots of connections to both the class 'below' me and the class 'above' me... And I can see the disparities. This has led me to become an advocate of social programs.

However, I'm not a communist. The idea was exciting to me when I first read about it, but even then I could see how it would have myriad problems and disfunctions.

So I've settled into a comfortable little rut, very progressive on social issues, fairly left-wing on economics. Boring, yes, I know, but it's the only way that feels right, for the moment.

(As for which Canadian political party I align myself with at the moment... Couldn't tell ya. Liberals? Too bloated. Alliance? Too corporatist. NDP? Too... flaky. PCs? With Joe Clark: Maybe. With Peter: Don't think so... Looks like it's Natural Law for me!)

[Odin]

The Libertarians live in thier own fantasy world where no one is greedy, GET REAL! I used to be Libertarian, then came Enron. I realized how f*ched up capitalism was and have been a socialist ever since then.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Odin
The Libertarians live in thier own fantasy world where no one is greedy,

Aren't you a commie?

[Odin]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
Aren't you a commie?

I became a commie about 6 months later after I red some Marxist literature.

[DinoDoc]

That went over your head, didn't it?

[Odin]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
That went over your head, didn't it?

OH, now I get what you were saying, you were saying WE are in a fantasy world.

At least we realize people are greedy, unlike the libertarians.

[Lord Merciless]

Communism is just another failed attempt to suppress human basic instincts such as greed. It won't work.

I'm very very suprised that people still believe it despite its catastrophic failure in the 20th century.

UR, how much does CCP pay you?

[Proteus_MST]

I am moderately to the left and somehow environmentalistic (although I don´t share some fears other environmentalists have, for example their absolute refusal of Nuclear Powerplants)
I had this POV from my youth on and it hasn´t changed much since this time.

What really has changed is my View of american Politics.
From being more supportive of the american Policies in the time where Clinton was President of the USA to becoming a harsh Critic of the American Policies, since George W. Bush jr. introduced purely profitoriented Policies without regards for environmental issues and a strict unilateralism without respecting international treaties.