Your political compass (and other political quizzes)

[Hunchman801]

Well that's obviously what I assumed

[Phoenixan]

I just still find it intriguing about my relativity to most people involved in American politics... Though I did always know that the Democratic and Republican parties really aren't that much different than each other. They even say that in US History. Really, the two parties just pick issues to give themselves difference.

"Well, I don't support abortion!"

"Well, just to be different, we will make our official possition as that we do! Even though many members within our party don't just like you."

[Xenon]

I don't see what's wrong with the death penalty. Obviously there'd need to be some justification, but really, it's just a strong form of punishment. Though, a part of me does feel bad for advocating the act of killing criminals.

Also what's illegal abortion?

[Acarr]

Either it meant abortion being illegal, or "backstreet" abortion...?

[El Dango]

it's just a strong form of punishment.

I doubt the dead people will ever learn their lessons though. You know, since they're dead and all...

[Matyuv]

I don't see what's wrong with the death penalty.

It costs a lot.

[Xenon]

I don't see what's wrong with the death penalty.

It costs a lot.

Now that depends how traditionally minded you are doesn't it

[Phoenixan]

But it costs the prisons more to keep them alive. Especially in some states in the US, where they're entitled to better food, internet, medications, and the whole lot. As far as I'm concerned, and you don't have to agree with me, if one chooses to illegally take the life of another, I think they put themselves up for the justice system to take their own life away.

Though, wrongful imprisonment is also an issue that the death penalty certainly complicates, since, if you find someone innocent, you can't exactly bring them back to life, but that's another story.

[Matyuv]

But it costs the prisons more to keep them alive.

Actually no, apparently the death penalty trials are very costly
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/costs-death-penalty
http://deathpenalty.procon.org/viewansw ... nID=001000
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=death+pe ... 5bf9d43a8f

[Acarr]

I can't believe in prisons, they're entitled to have things like plasma TV's, pool tables etc.

[Matyuv]

Lifetime incarceration is a much worse punishment than death anyway, more humane in a way perhaps, but worse.

[Phoenixan]

Yeah, the trials are expensive too, but I'm pretty sure that either we can lose a few or at least take some of the luxuries away. For frig sakes, they get faster internet and more bandwidth in that prison my dad works in (with prisoners given, yes monitored, time online) than what's even available to the public because phone company is too darn lazy to upgrade any part of their infrastructure without the government stepping in and flat-out ordering them to do so.

I still remember when I had to use dial-up up until about 2007/2008.

Though, I suppose it also doesn't help that prisons are also slowly becoming loony bins because mental institutions have closed down.

Minor edit here, but I suppose that's another issue I have with the way the US works. Capitalism just doesn't seem to work in terms of companies controlling information systems, water, and power, because they never bother to spend a buck to improve anything because they're already holding getting the monthly pay-out, so why should they bother? I saw something on the news here in Canada about their internet lagging behind the rest of the world, but I can't help but sit by, think of back home in Utah, and realize that we're only behind because Quest (the western phone company) doesn't want to get off their ass and upgrade anything by any means. You want something on the level of what I have right now, here in Newfoundland, I have to pay $100 a month for god damn satellite.

[Matyuv]

You make it sound like prison is actually a nice place to be in
I don't know about the US but here we don't have any luxuries in prisons at all, even in those that they show on tv (the best ones that is).
I'm pretty sure not every prison in America is a luxury place either, no matter what the mass media may claim (it is not to be trusted by default anyway).

[Phoenixan]

Yes, it's indeed only in some states. I've at least seen the inside thanks to my dad working there in Utah, and it's more luxurious than, let's say, a prison in Colorado.

[Matyuv]

You mean you've been inside a prison? Was there anything special you felt about the atmosphere in it? Was there anything interesting in there... or not so much?
Got any photos?

[Phoenixan]

Not on me, but I could get some for you eventually.

But I will tell you a few things, at least true for Utah:
- The same company that delivers food to the prisons delivers food to the schools, so prison food is exactly the same as school food.
- They got flat screen TV's and cable, but the correctional officers get the remote.
- Yes, they do have pool tables, art supplies, paints, sports, and what-not, but they are all monitored by the correctional officers.

Actually, the best way I can sum it up from seeing it is that it's like being thrown back into Jr. High School for a time, only you live there, in a cell.

[Matyuv]

But I will tell you a few things, at least true for Utah:
- The same company that delivers food to the prisons delivers food to the schools, so prison food is exactly the same as school food.
- They got flat screen TV's and cable, but the correctional officers get the remote.
- Yes, they do have pool tables, art supplies, paints, sports, and what-not, but they are all monitored by the correctional officers.

Hmm, does sound decent, to a certain extent.

Is it some kind of special prison or just a typical one? Because if that's typical imagine what those rich prisons for huge financial criminals would have... gold fields? Jet piloting lessons?

Not on me, but I could get some for you eventually.

Cool.

[PluMGMK]

Well, I know the purpose of prison is to rehabilitate, not punish, but this is insane!

[Tobbe]

Not on me, but I could get some for you eventually.

But I will tell you a few things, at least true for Utah:
- The same company that delivers food to the prisons delivers food to the schools, so prison food is exactly the same as school food.
- They got flat screen TV's and cable, but the correctional officers get the remote.
- Yes, they do have pool tables, art supplies, paints, sports, and what-not, but they are all monitored by the correctional officers.

Actually, the best way I can sum it up from seeing it is that it's like being thrown back into Jr. High School for a time, only you live there, in a cell.

Was this a high security prison for death row and lifetime inmates?

Anyway, I oppose death penalty, both for practical and ideological reasons. I think it's a barbaric and primitive form of punishment that's just as welcome in a civilised society as the burka, and I don't think it's the state's task to exert this sort of vengeance on its citizens. Any criminal killed by the justice system in a democracy is in principle killed by the entire society, and I certainly don't wanna be a part of such a society. There's a saying by Gandhi I've always liked: "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

[Phoenixan]

Just a typical one, really. It's the standard Salt Lake County Prison. Though, people from other counties do go there, because it's one of the few prisons that exist in the state. Though, I guess one thing that is special about it is that people considered to be higher risk move onto a max. security prison rather than this one. So, for example, the only murderers there are really only there temporarily until either their court sessions are finished or until a spot frees up for them in a max. security prison.

So, to Tobbe, no, this isn't a high security prison for death row and lifetime inmates. I actually can't say what they're like because I've never been in one personally.