Take a test

(Via Timebomb 2000)

Here’s a little test that purports to help you in selecting the presidential candidate who is closest to your viewpoint.

As you can see from the icon at the top, I’m a supporter of Fred Thompson. According to this test, he’s with me 80.19% of the time. Not perfect, but definitely good enough. Mrs. Freeholder and I don’t agree that much, and we’ve been married for nearly two decades.

Not surprisingly, my best match is Ron Paul, at 81.13%, a difference that is statistically insignificant. I also matched highly with Tom Tancredo (also at 81.13%) and Duncan Hunter (77.36%). While I could live with either of the candidates as President, for reasons stated yesterday I won’t be voting for them in the primaries.

The candidates I least agree with? Dennis Kucinich at 16.98% is in last place. Just ahead of him are Obama, Dodd and Clinton, all at 22.64%. Personally I’m amazed (and a bit disturbed) that I agree with any of them this much.

Of course, tests such as this are just for fun. Anyone who would let a web test pick their candidate for them is, in my opinion, undeserving of the franchise in the first place. They’re obviously too dumb to be allowed to do anything as important as vote.

The big take away is this, and it’s something that I’m going to keep hammering at from time to time–no matter who you are, there is no “perfect candidate” running. If there was, it would have to be you. That’s because no one will ever completely agree with you except you. This leaves you in the position of picking the candidate you agree with the most who can be elected. For some folks, this doesn’t sit well, and I respect that. In the last several elections, I have actively worked for candidates who I wasn’t all that happy with, not because I really wanted them in office, but because they were the best available choice.

I also understand the idea that voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil. However, the world is an imperfect place, and I’ve long since realized that I alone can not fix that. I can do my tiny little part, and that’s all I can do.

Feel free to discuss this in the comments. I’m looking forward to what you have to say.