[POL] National Journal "Conservative/Liberal" Rankings

[Jesse_Ewiak]

http://nationaljournal.com/voteratings/

Since 1981, National Journal's annual vote ratings have defined where members of Congress have stood ideologically in each chamber. The ratings rank lawmakers on how they vote relative to each other on a conservative-to-liberal scale in both the Senate and the House. The scores are based on the members' votes in three areas: economic issues, social issues, and foreign policy.

Anyway, a little twist I've got for you guys here on the board. Show just how much of a evil conservative or commie pinko America-hating liberal you are!

Here are the votes taken in the ranking with a description..

http://nationaljournal.com/voteratings/house.htm
http://nationaljournal.com/voteratings/senate.htm
http://www.geocities.com/bigredrbh/NJR.xls

...and a link to a spreadsheet that'll let ya' "vote" and count up your percentages. It'll take about thirty minutes to do the whole deal. MAtch up the vote number listed with the description in the above links, put in a '1' in the blank space for the 'liberal' vote and leave it blank for the conservative vote. The spread sheet as I said counts up your percentages.

For the record, here's mine...

85/15 House Economic Policy Score
74/26 House Social Policy Score
81/19 House Foreign Policy Score
Total - 81/19 House 'Policy' Score

83/17 Senate Economic Policy Score
88/12 Senate Social Policy Score
91/09 Senate Foreign Policy Score
Total - 86/14 Senate 'Liberal' Score

[EagleFan]

Way too much work for me at 3 in the morning, might try it this week sometime.

[Young Drachma]

34/66 House Economic Policy Score
53/47 House Social Policy Score
54/46 House Foreign Policy Score
Total - 46/54 House 'Policy' Score


31/69 Senate Economic Policy Score
32/68 Senate Social Policy Score
63/38 Senate Foreign Policy Score
Total - 37/63 Senate 'Liberal' Score

[st.cronin]

That spreadsheet would make more sense if you entered what you would vote, and it knew if that was conservative or liberal. I'm a little bit confused about how to know if I am agreeing with the left or right on some of these, and I'm not sure what to put in the spreadsheet.

[Young Drachma]

That spreadsheet would make more sense if you entered what you would vote, and it knew if that was conservative or liberal. I'm a little bit confused about how to know if I am agreeing with the left or right on some of these, and I'm not sure what to put in the spreadsheet.

It was really confusing when I did it last night, but I guess I needed a good distraction or something.

Basically, if you agree with the "lib" position, you put a 1, if not, you leave it blank.

The results were fairly accurate, as far as my position as I'd figure it.

[st.cronin]

It was really confusing when I did it last night, but I guess I needed a good distraction or something.

Basically, if you agree with the "lib" position, you put a 1, if not, you leave it blank.

The results were fairly accurate, as far as my position as I'd figure it.

That part I got - what I don't understand is how to figure out which position is considered liberal or conservative.

[Desnudo]

An instruction sheet would be great

[Young Drachma]

That part I got - what I don't understand is how to figure out which position is considered liberal or conservative.

Oh oh..sorry.

So, basically you go through the House or the Senate thing. On the spreadsheet, where it says Lib Vote and then below it, there are a lot of corresponding NAY or AYE.

If the Liberal vote is "AYE" and you agree with the liberal vote, put a 1. If not, then don't. In the case where the Liberal vote is "NAY" and you agree, same. If you don't, then don't.

It's really annoying and I went through and even had to stop halfway because I was confused. But...once you figure it out, it doesn't take long to get through it.

And the Senate one is way faster than the House one.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Okay, I think I understood how the spreadsheet was supposed to work. But I'm still kinda fuzzy on what the scores I got actually mean.

House
Economic 17%
Social 11%
Foreign Policy 0%
Total 11%

Senate
Economic 8%
Social 15%
Foreign Policy 0%
Total 8%

Okay, what I think those mean is that I got XX% of possible "liberal points", but what I'm not clear on is whether my scores can be directly translated to those of the various Representatives & Senators. In other words, does my 11% overall House score put me somewhere between
Pence, Mike, R-Ind.-6 10.7 89.3
and
McHenry, Patrick, R-N.C.-10 11.25 88.8
(about 31st-32nd on the list)

And, more interestingly, does it put me at the top of list as the most conservative Senator of all? (With 8% vs 9.2% as the least liberal score among all Senators).

Or is the percentage on my score not the same stat that's presented in the rankings at
http://nationaljournal.com/voteratings/sen/lib_cons.htm?o1=con_composite&o2=desc

[Young Drachma]

Okay, I think I understood how the spreadsheet was supposed to work. But I'm still kinda fuzzy on what the scores I got actually mean.

House
Economic 17%
Social 11%
Foreign Policy 0%
Total 11%

Senate
Economic 8%
Social 15%
Foreign Policy 0%
Total 8%

Okay, what I think those mean is that I got XX% of possible "liberal points", but what I'm not clear on is whether my scores can be directly translated to those of the various Representatives & Senators. In other words, does my 11% overall House score put me somewhere between
Pence, Mike, R-Ind.-6 10.7 89.3
and
McHenry, Patrick, R-N.C.-10 11.25 88.8
(about 31st-32nd on the list)

And, more interestingly, does it put me at the top of list as the most conservative Senator of all? (With 8% vs 9.2% as the least liberal score among all Senators).

Or is the percentage on my score not the same stat that's presented in the rankings at
http://nationaljournal.com/voteratings/sen/lib_cons.htm?o1=con_composite&o2=desc

Yes, your score translates to match the same score as said congressman in the rankings. It's the same deal, basically it's how you would've voted in Congress on those bills, though it's naturally unfair since you can't see all the text, but it's a fairly rought gist, I think.

Mine was accurate and matched me about where I'd expect to be (about middle of the pack with New Jersey GOP congressman or even more accurately, with some of the Republicans from New Hampshire).

Of course, some of them might have voted 'present' meaning they were there, but didn't vote yes or no, so...the numbers aren't dead on for us since that wasn't an option..but oh well.

[st.cronin]

House

Ec 36
Soc 61
FP 23

Senate
Ec 41
Soc 61
FP 3

No idea if this is accurate, but that's more or less how I see myself: Somewhat right wing economically, somewhat lefty socially, very hawkish on foreign policy.

[st.cronin]

dola

Is immigration really a social issue, or a fp one?

[Young Drachma]

It's more of a social issue to me depending on the way you view immigration, versus say, if you just are interested in our pourous borders or stuff like that.