Jump to content
Washington Football Team Logo
Extremeskins
Forum Rules and Guidelines

Electoral Compass

Eagles_Legendz

By Eagles_Legendz
in The Tailgate

Recommended Posts

TMK9973

TMK9973

Posted
Posted

So I was all ready to blast you with something like "Gee - Another one" or talk about how these things don't really work because they focus on social issues and ask simple questions such as "Are you for a balanced budget"

But this one is pretty good.

I am close to Obama, farthest away from Fred Thomson.

This also validaed what I already new - That there is no one who matches more then 2/3rds of my view this time around.

Obama

Here you find an overview of all issues. You can click on an issue to see your repsonses and responses from Barack Obama as well as the sources on which they are based.

92% agreementGun control 75% agreementEnvironment 67% agreementIraq 67% agreementEconomy 58% agreementIncome 58% agreementNational security 92% agreementFamily 58% agreementImmigration 25% agreementHealth care 92% agreementLaw and order 58% agreementEducation 92% agreementTerrorism

Fred Thomson

8% agreement

Gun control 58% agreementEnvironment 33% agreementIraq 33% agreementEconomy 67% agreementIncome 50% agreementNational security 0% agreementFamily 0% agreementImmigration 83% agreementHealth care 33% agreementLaw and order 50% agreementEducation 25% agreementTerrorism

Link to comment
Share on other sites
GibbsFactor

GibbsFactor

Posted
Posted

I'm closest to Paul, Obama is my furtherest opponent.

Here you find an overview of all issues. You can click on an issue to see your repsonses and responses from Ron Paul as well as the sources on which they are based.

83% agreement Gun control 50% agreement Environment 100% agreement Iraq 67% agreement Economy 92% agreement Income 92% agreement National security 67% agreement Family 92% agreement Immigration 67% agreement Health care 83% agreement Law and order 83% agreement Education 83% agreement Terrorism

Here you find an overview of all issues. You can click on an issue to see your repsonses and responses from Barack Obama as well as the sources on which they are based.

17% agreement Gun control 50% agreement Environment 100% agreement Iraq 50% agreement Economy 17% agreement Income 17% agreement National security 75% agreement Family 42% agreement Immigration 0% agreement Health care 75% agreement Law and order 58% agreement Education 75% agreement Terrorism

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DjTj

DjTj

Posted
Posted
cool! a lot of "closest to Pauls", but no furthest as of yet.
The way they've tried to define every issue along two dimensions (social and economic), it is almost impossible to be furthest from Paul. The distance metrics would be much more accurate if they used a 13-dimensional distance with each separate issue (although it wouldn't graph quite as well).
Link to comment
Share on other sites
SnyderShrugged

SnyderShrugged

Posted
Posted
The way they've tried to define every issue along two dimensions (social and economic), it is almost impossible to be furthest from Paul. The distance metrics would be much more accurate if they used a 13-dimensional distance with each separate issue (although it wouldn't graph quite as well).

fascinating! what is this 13 dimensional distance that you speak of? (please pardon my ignorance)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DjTj

DjTj

Posted
Posted
fascinating! what is this 13 dimensional distance that you speak of? (please pardon my ignorance)
Well, to give a short math lecture:

If you want the distance between two points in one dimension, like on a straight line, you just subtract their coordinates (the distance between 10 and 3 is 7).

If you want the straight-line distance between two points in two dimensions, we use the distance formula (from the Pythagorean theorem): for two points (x1,y1) and (x2,y2) distance d = sqrt((x2-x1)^2 + (y2-y1)^2).

Here's a cute little website I just Googled: http://www.purplemath.com/modules/distform.htm

This formula for straight-line distance also works in three dimensions, so for two points in three dimensions (x1,y1,z1) and (x2,y2,z2) the distance d = sqrt((x2-x1)^2 + (y2-y1)^2 + (z2-z1)^2))

If you want to go to higher dimensions, you can just keep adding coordinates, finding the difference, and taking the square root of the sum of squares.

If they did that for this survey, it would tell you who you're closest to on all the issues rather than just breaking everything down into two dimensions of social and economic.

Here's a more math-intensive explanation of distance from a site I really like: http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Distance.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SnyderShrugged

SnyderShrugged

Posted
Posted
Well, to give a short math lecture:

If you want the distance between two points in one dimension, like on a straight line, you just subtract their coordinates (the distance between 10 and 3 is 7).

If you want the straight-line distance between two points in two dimensions, we use the distance formula (from the Pythagorean theorem): for two points (x1,y1) and (x2,y2) distance d = sqrt((x2-x1)^2 + (y2-y1)^2).

Here's a cute little website I just Googled: http://www.purplemath.com/modules/distform.htm

This formula for straight-line distance also works in three dimensions, so for two points in three dimensions (x1,y1,z1) and (x2,y2,z2) the distance d = sqrt((x2-x1)^2 + (y2-y1)^2 + (z2-z1)^2))

If you want to go to higher dimensions, you can just keep adding coordinates, finding the difference, and taking the square root of the sum of squares.

If they did that for this survey, it would tell you who you're closest to on all the issues rather than just breaking everything down into two dimensions of social and economic.

Here's a more math-intensive explanation of distance from a site I really like: http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Distance.html

great stuff! I teach Six Sigma and have a general grasp of stats, but hadnt heard of it before. Thanks for edumacating me!

I was wondering though, even if the 13 dimentianal approach were taken, how it could generate more "furthest" from Paul responses? Wouldnt it still provide the same chance of furthest for all the candidates in the selection anyway?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
techboy

techboy

Posted
Posted
The way they've tried to define every issue along two dimensions (social and economic), it is almost impossible to be furthest from Paul. The distance metrics would be much more accurate if they used a 13-dimensional distance with each separate issue (although it wouldn't graph quite as well).

In other words, SnyderShrugged, the internet has been rigged for Ron Paul. Again. :silly:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DjTj

DjTj

Posted
Posted
great stuff! I teach Six Sigma and have a general grasp of stats, but hadnt heard of it before. Thanks for edumacating me!

I was wondering though, even if the 13 dimentianal approach were taken, how it could generate more "furthest" from Paul responses? Wouldnt it still provide the same chance of furthest for all the candidates in the selection anyway?

No, because of the way they drew their axes, someone who is for gun control (social progressive) and in favor of Iraq (social conservative) would appear in the exact same place as someone like Ron Paul who was against gun control (social conservative) and against Iraq (social progressive). The program would tell you that you are close to Ron Paul when you are actually as far from him as possible.

They tried to fit every issue into two axes (social and economic), and since Ron Paul doesn't really operate on those axes in the same way as other candidates, the distance calculation is going to be really off for him in particular.

...you can do a little experiment: Try to answer every question the opposite of what Ron Paul would say, and see if it tells you that you are furthest from Ron Paul.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Eagles_Legendz

Eagles_Legendz

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I think the reasoning is because of Paul's position on the linear graph, the only way to be the furthest from him is if you are completely socially conservative while being economically liberal, which is a tough thing to imagine. The two people at the most extreme positions in their respective parties are Obama and Thompson, thus giving them the greatest chance of being the furthest from.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SnyderShrugged

SnyderShrugged

Posted
Posted
No, because of the way they drew their axes, someone who is for gun control (social progressive) and in favor of Iraq (social conservative) would appear in the exact same place as someone like Ron Paul who was against gun control (social conservative) and against Iraq (social progressive). The program would tell you that you are close to Ron Paul when you are actually as far from him as possible.

They tried to fit every issue into two axes (social and economic), and since Ron Paul doesn't really operate on those axes in the same way as other candidates, the distance calculation is going to be really off for him in particular.

...you can do a little experiment: Try to answer every question the opposite of what Ron Paul would say, and see if it tells you that you are furthest from Ron Paul.

good stuff! I'll try that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...