Presidential Candidate 'Computer Dating' 122
engywook writes "On National Public Radio's Morning Edition this morning, there was a story that mentioned the SelectSmart Presidential Candidate Selector. This was described as a kind of 'computer dating service' for deciding which of the remaining presidential candidates match your views most closely. According to the story, it is not limited to just the Democratic and Republican candidates. Might be just the thing to help gel a decision in swinging undecideds!"
For More Years (Score:5, Funny)
VOTE MYSQL_CONNECT IN 2004!!!! LET FREEDOM RING!!!
Re:For More Years (Score:2, Funny)
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Warning: mysql_db_query(): Access denied for user: 'root@localhost' (Using password: NO) in
Warning: mysql_db_query(): A link to the server could not be established in
Re:For More Years (Score:1)
Re:For More Years (Score:2)
"Too many connections in [...] President"
But..I am not working for Halliburton!
Re:For More Years (Score:2, Informative)
PROFESSIONAL
Became a Computer Programmer in 1977 for Commonwealth Edison at their nuclear power plant in Zion, Illinois; taught control room operators about computers. Was promoted to Senior Software Engineer for their Braidwood Nuclear Simulator project, which he managed from '82-'85 (his favorite job assignment, basically a $6-million "computer game" for which he was totally responsible).
Moved to Monteb
Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:a neat toy... nothing more (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:a neat toy... nothing more (Score:2)
*ahem*
Re:a neat toy... nothing more (Score:2)
I'll bet everyone's getting Badnarik, Cobb, or Nader higher up on the list than Bush or Kerry. It's why there's so much bizarre spin out there in the world, no one agrees with Bush or Kerry enough to not ignore a lot of the things they do.
Does anyone actually get Bush or Kerry as one of the top candidates on their list?
Re:a neat toy... nothing more (Score:2)
Re:a neat toy... nothing more (Score:2, Interesting)
I removed candidates that are no longer running from your list of results. It's interesting that you have four candidates who match your views up to 70% or more according to this quiz. Let's check my results:
1. Your ideal theoretical candidate. (100%)
2. Badnarik, Michael - Libertarian (72%)
3. Bush,
Re:a neat toy... nothing more (Score:2)
Honestly, look at the rest of the democratic world- the US is the most far right democracy o
Re:a neat toy... nothing more (Score:2)
Your Results:
1. Your ideal theoretical candidate. (100%) Click here for info
2. Badnarik, Michael - Libertarian (69%) Click here for info
3. Bush, President George W. - Republican (61%) Click here for info
4. Kerry, Senator John, MA - Democrat (38%) Click here for info
5. Peroutka, Michael - Constitution Party (36%) Click here for info
6. Cobb, David - Green Party (29%) Click here for info
7. Nader, Ralph - Independent (29%) Click he
Re:a neat toy... nothing more (Score:2)
1. Your ideal theoretical candidate. (100%)
2. Badnarik, Michael - Libertarian (91%)
3. Bush, President George W. - Republican (44%)
4. Cobb, David - Green Party (40%)
5. Nader, Ralph - Independent (40%)
6. Peroutka, Michael - Constitution Party (36%)
7. Brown, Walt - Socialist Party (31%)
8. Kerry, Senator John, MA - Democrat (31%)
I find it interesting that for me, Bush just barely edges out the Green Party, and that Ker
Re:ABSOLUTELY FUCKING BOGUS (Score:1)
Funny thing is I selected agree with ACLU while against NAACP, which doesn't really mean that I am against the ideals that the NAACP stands for but simply that I am against the jackasses who run it and the race-baiting and idea supression that actually h
Re:a neat toy... nothing more (Score:1)
Re:a neat toy... nothing more (Score:1)
Comment removed (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Everyone, post your results (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Everyone, post your results (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Everyone, post your results (Score:2)
Re:Everyone, post your results (Score:1)
BIASED RESULTS! (Score:5, Interesting)
I took this test two weeks ago. IT IS HEAVILY BIASED TOWARDS BUSH. The test is a push poll, a type of poll that askes biased questions in the hopes of directing people in one direction or another.
Specifically, the test's first set of questions dealt with taxes. The question was something like "Are you in favor of more taxes or fewer taxes?" and gave the nod to Bush for being for lower taxes.
This hides the true position of both candidates. Bush and the Republican congress have passed the tax cuts that gave most of the benefits to the richest 1 percent, and barely anything to the middle class or working-class poor.
Kerry has proposed repealing the tax cut (also known as "raising taxes") on the richest 1% in order to pay for important social spending (medicare = healthcare so the very poor and children don't die). Do you want to pay less taxes so children die from not having immunizations, antibiotics when they're sick, fixed broken bones, etc.?
SelectSmart has a good set of polls for other things, but I found this poll to be VERY VERY BIASED and would challenge anyone taking it to consider the way the questions are asked.
Disagree (Score:2, Interesting)
1. Your ideal theoretical candidate. (100%) (i.e., writing my own name on the ballot)
2. Dean, Gov. Howard, VT - Democrat (81%)
3. Cobb, David - Green Party (78%)
4. Nader, Ralph - Independent (78%)
5. Sharpton, Reverend Al - Democrat (75%)
6. Clark, Retired General Wesley K., AR - Democrat (72%)
7. Moseley-Braun, Former Senator Carol, IL - Democrat (66%)
8.
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
Your Results:
1. Your ideal theoretical candidate. (100%) Click here for info
2. Kerry, Senator John, MA - Democrat (58%) Click here for info
3. Bush, President George W. - Republican (12%) Click here for info
YMMV
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
I'm surprised my preferences matched even 12% of the current administration's proposed platform. Apparently the survey bases the match on what the candidate *says* as opposed to past performance.
----
This matching utility was actually quite amusing. The questions wording seemed to be derived from headlines
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:not so biased -- only overly simple (Score:3, Insightful)
Of course, it would be weird going to the UN in such a case, since the UN Treaty already allows for use of force in such cases.
Re:not so biased -- only overly simple (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:not so biased -- only overly simple (Score:2, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:not so biased -- only overly simple (Score:2)
The Arabs? Remember the whole thing about Egypt, Red Sea etc.?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:not so biased -- only overly simple (Score:2)
Let's see ... if 15 of 19 hijackers were Canadian, would you think that this is a g
Re:not so biased -- only overly simple (Score:4, Interesting)
"...So I tried diplomacy, went to the United Nations. But as we learned in the same report I quoted, Saddam Hussein was gaming the oil-for-food program to get rid of sanctions. He was trying to get rid of sanctions for a reason: He wanted to restart his weapons programs.
We all thought there was weapons there, Robin. My opponent thought there was weapons there. That's why he called him a grave threat.
I wasn't happy when we found out there wasn't weapons, and we've got an intelligence group together to figure out why.
But Saddam Hussein was a unique threat. And the world is better off without him in power.
And my opponent's plans lead me to conclude that Saddam Hussein would still be in power, and the world would be more dangerous."
So, in few words, first it was about terrorists, then about WMD, since there were no terorrists there, and now there's no WMD, it's all about Sadaam being an evil, dangerous man. Which is not something i disagree with, but it begs the question: why the fuck did the Bush administration was so eager to rush into war with Iraq - so much that they bypassed the UN completely? To this day, just like you, i have no idea.
Oil? I thought it was far fetched back then. Now i don't know.
What scares me is that so many people over the USA not only accept this, but embraces and defends this actions.
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:1)
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
I don't think so; I would propose instead that you are heavily opposed to Bush, hence the poll SEEMS biased towards Bush.
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:1)
The poster probably took the test and discovered a 12% score with Bush. Instead of taking heart with a 92% Kerry score, he's panicking that his black-and-white world has some grays in it.
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
Of course one could argue that it's up to the intelligence of the reader to select the 'right' option
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:1)
They also quote from voting r
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
Of course I only got SQL errors as my results. Guess I'll vote for that SQL guy.
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:1, Troll)
Kerry has proposed repealing the tax cut (also known as "raising taxes") on the richest 1% in order to pay for important social spending (medicare = healthcare so the very poor and children don't die).
The 80s called, they want "do it for the children" back.
Everyone should know that raising taxes means the (r
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
Laugh out loud, realize I'm at work, close office door, oops, too late.
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
He, like Bush, says one things but does the exact opposite.
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
Guess which senator(s) from Massachusetts pay it? If you guessed "Neither", you'd be correct!
FWIW less than 1% of 1% (roughtly) actually opted to pay higher. I think it works out to a few thousand people. So much for the bleeding he
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
Kind of like the GOPers who, while calling for 'Family Values', can keep their dicks in their pants.
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:3, Insightful)
Anyway, who's running for president who i
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
It goes to show that the man condeming people not paying their fair share goes out of his way not to pay his. WHats even more pathetic is his donations to charity (between 1992-1996 it was about 11$ a month). Only when he is going to be in the national view (in his runup to the 2000 and 2004 elections) has he donated any significant amount of money. He is high on talk and slow on acti
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
And yet John Kerry can legally pay only 13 cents on the dollar. Those other rich people who are paying 35-40% must really hate him and wish that his loopholes were closed.
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
Than close the existing loopholes, how does raising the bracket do anything other than trick the middle and lower class into thinking kerry gives a damn.
Your failing to see hte big picutre. George Bush says that the rich invest their money and create jobs, so what doesw he do? he gives a tax cut to all Americans (rich and poor) and bel
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
The big picture includes a lot more than what you said. It includes the fact that we're running up a monumental deficit mostly because of the Bush tax cuts. It includes the fact that the trickle-down "the rich invest their money and create jobs
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
It says he is so serious about helping others he avoides paying taxes..
. It includes the fact that we're running up a monumental deficit mostly because of the Bush tax cuts.
Do you honestly believe the tax cut is the main reason for the deficit? Wow you are the sheeple, lets look at the numbers (http://www.federalbudget.com/)..
2000 (Bill Clintons Policy) receipts were 2025 billion D
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
I agree with you right up to this point: "So the fact the top 1% of wage earners pays 30% of the tax burden and the to 20% pay nearly 70% is not enough for you?"
I think by pointing to those numbers you're ignoring the elephant in the room. The real problem isn't the tax brackets or who pays what. The real problem lies with the distribution of wealth in our society.
By your presentation one would be left with the impression that an injustice were being done to the top 1% or 20%. Hardly. Our governmen
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
I think the two are mutually exclusive. As weathy as the top 1% is the do not own 30% of the wealth in this nation so why do they not pay enough taxes? I do think there is an odd problem with the dirtribution of wealth (the Mean has continued to increase but the bell has become more flat over the years.
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
That would be because the rich pay more in taxes in teh first place. The top 20% of earners pay almost 80% of the federal tax burden, and the top 1% pays nearly 30% of the tax burden. and the bottom 20% pays a scant -2% (as in they get money back) of the tax burden. Source [google.com]
So if yo
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:1)
(free throw question)
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:3, Informative)
If the corporation had saved money for itself, and thereby been required to pay taxes on it, sure, money would ha
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:1)
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:2)
*aren't all U.S. citizens socialist?
Re:BIASED RESULTS! (Score:4, Insightful)
Hmmmmm. Maybe the concept isn't such good idea then?
Re: tax cuts (Score:2)
If we grant both a two-percentage-point tax decrease, they will respectively get $7000.00 and $700 back.
The next part of the evaluation deals with the redistribution of those funds. Which do you think will put a greater portion of their tax cut back into the direct market (rent, mortgage, food etc.) and which to the indirect (savings, retirement, investments)?
If the race still seems ti
Is this like a political purity test? (Score:1)
I got some weird results (Score:5, Funny)
1. Your ideal theoretical candidate. (100%)
2. Kang - (88%)
3. Kodos -(84%)
4. 3rd Party Candidate - Go ahead, throw your vote away
Four more lonely years (Score:1)
SWM ISO Polotician enjoys quiet evenings at home discussing tough intellectual issues. Hikes up in the mountains or on the beach at sunset. Must be non-partisan, pro space, pro environment. Light social porkbarreling ok.
Re:Four more lonely years (Score:2)
MWMV (married white male voter) iso any mediocre-looking, charismatic uberbrain presidential candidates who understand my long term needs. Should have complex worldview, speak multiple languages, have deep policymaking experience and like kittens. No fearmongering alarmists need call. Should be pro-space but anti-NASA bureacracy; anti-shuttle and pro-X-prize. Should enjoy long hours, few vacations, and tolerate lack of privacy without being an exhibitionist. Ability to not vomit on Japanese prime minist
Nothing too surprising for me (Score:1)
And that happens to be who I already planned on voting for. Sure, it's simplistic, but I don't think it was so simple to greatly affect accuracy for most people. It's definitely a nice tool to get an idea where to start looking.
Re:Nothing too surprising for me (Score:1)
Pretty unsurprising results really. I'd say it's as accurate as a short test can be.
Not really biased questions (Score:4, Insightful)
I got the sense that the questions were written from a certain perspective, but they were at least orthogonal topically. That means that if you disagree with the perspective of the question you just answer according to your view and everybody's happy.
I think their "bias", if you can call it that, is to determine who you are actually going to vote for, not to change your mind. For instance:
Rather than state the question as: The latter form might get the unsuspecting to consider whether federal funding for specific businesses is a good thing. The "corporate welfare" tag would make almost anyone see it as bad.The poll worked pretty well for me, lining up with my own ranking fairly well:
Seeking Presidential Candidate (Score:5, Funny)
Would like to share beautiful sunsets with said candidate, and have heard that sunset through nuclear fallout is sublime. Into kinky sex involving hoods, restraints and more than a little rough handling.
Popularity not required.
Are you my candidate? Call off the election today and tell me for it's my own good, and I'll be yours forever.
Signed,
Ms. Informed
See My Journal (Score:2)
Hey, I've covered this. My slashdot journal "What Makes a Good President" summarizes attributes needed in a president. You decide if you like them.
Slashdot Journal is here: Justanyone's journal [slashdot.org]
Is there a... (Score:2, Funny)
I'm not even American... (Score:1)
I'm not a Yank, and definitely not a Socialist... booo.
Where's the Communist Party candidate?? (Score:1, Troll)
Communist Party of America - www.cpusa.org [cpusa.org]
Re:Where's the Communist Party candidate?? (Score:2)
Re:Where's the Communist Party candidate?? (Score:1)
Re:Where's the Communist Party candidate?? (Score:2)
didn't work for me (Score:1)
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Re:didn't work for me (Score:2)
Site is being slashdotted and they know it.
Warning: Due to recent national publicity about this site, your results may not be available. Please bookmark this page and visit us in a few hours when traffic is reduced to more normal levels. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Reverse Engineering (Score:3, Funny)
This was described as a kind of 'computer dating service' for deciding which of the remaining presidential candidates match your views most closely.
Easy - whichever presidential candidate has the most cute chicks as fans match my views the best.
Re:Reverse Engineering (Score:1)
College Humor [collegehumor.com] is thinking exactly along those lines.
HULK for President! (Score:3)
Am I THAT Anti-Badnarik? (Score:2)
13. Brown, Walt - Socialist Party (62%)
14. LaRouche, Lyndon H. Jr. - Democrat (37%)
15. Badnarik, Michael - Libertarian (29%)
...
I would not vote for Badnarik, given the chance. However, it's him after Brown and LaRouche? Am I that much of a wacko? (Yes, I left the candidate filtering off)
Interesting, but flawed (Score:2)
1. Your ideal theoretical candidate. (100%)
2. Badnarik, Michael - Libertarian (66%)
3. Bush, President George W. - Republican (52%)
4. Peroutka, Michael - Constitution Party (44%)
5. Cobb, David - Green Party (32%)
6. Nader, Ralph - Independent (32%)
7. Kerry, Senator John, MA - Democrat (31%)
8. Brown, Walt - Socialist Party (18%)
If I had been making that list myself, I would have ordered them: Badnarik, Peroutka, Nader, Cobb,
thie article's website is a toy. here's the tool: (Score:2, Informative)
www.vote-smart.org [vote-smart.org]
enter zip code = get all candidates you can vote on
choose a candidate and you can find out:
-a terse biography
-their voting record
-their publicly stated policy
-their financial backing
-how a rainbow of interest groups approve/disapprove of their voting record
the site is simplistic and packed with unslanted info. just as i like 'em. it's by far the best resource i've come accross yet.
to give credit, i came accross this site via one of my Senators' websites, Russ Feingold.
Re:thie article's website is a toy. here's the too (Score:2)
I wish they'd get more local than just state elections.
Oh well, only so many hours in a day, I guess.
Re:thie article's website is a toy. here's the too (Score:1)
I wholeheartedly agree. I think we should
definetly put more attention into our
candidates the more local they are, yet
the means to find worthwhile information
for local candidates is far from convenient.
Nothing new here (Score:1)
1. Your ideal theoretical candidate. (100%) Click here for info
2. Badnarik, Michael - Libertarian (90%) Click here for info
3. Cobb, David - Green Party (47%) Click here for info
4. Nader, Ralph - Independent (47%) Click here for info
5. Kerry, Senator John, MA - Democrat (40%) Click here for info
6. Bush, President George W. - Republican (37%) Click here for info
7. Brown, Walt - Socialist Party (34%) Click here for info
8. Peroutka, Mi
My results (Score:1)
2. Badnarik, Michael - Libertarian (91%) Click here for info
3. Cobb, David - Green Party (43%) Click here for info
4. Nader, Ralph - Independent (43%) Click here for info
5. Bush, President George W. - Republican (37%) Click here for info
6. Peroutka, Michael - Constitution Party (35%) Click here for info
7. Brown, Walt - Socialist Party (32%) Click here for info
8. Kerry, Senator John, MA - Democr
Fairly close, but a few severe problems.... (Score:2)
1. Your ideal theoretical candidate. (100%) Click here for info
2. Cobb, David - Green Party (86%) Click here for info
3. Nader, Ralph - Independent (79%) Click here for info
4. Brown, Walt - Socialist Party (76%) Click here for info
5. Sharpton, Reverend Al - Democrat (73%) Click here for info
6. Dean, Gov. Howard, VT - Democrat (70%) Click here for info
7. Clark, Retired General Wesley K., AR - Democrat (67%) Click here for info
8. Kucinich, Rep. Dennis, OH -
David Cobb for Everyone (Score:2, Interesting)
Winners of the presidential selector race:
36% Cobb, David - Green Party
31% Kerry, Senator John, MA - Democrat
18% Bush, President George W. - Republican
6% Badnarik, Michael - Libertarian
3% Brown, Walt - Socialist Party
2% Kucinich, Rep. Dennis, OH - Democrat
2% Dean