Political Ideology
Devout and Diverse
Agree or disagree with findings
I agree with the findings because as much as I am a conservative, I embrace a few other concepts from other ideologies. I generally advocate for individual liberty and power distribution between states and the federal government.Moreover, I advocate that private sectors should be incharge of discretionary spending, which would equate to reduced government expenditure and reduced taxes. I also advocate forthe upholding of moral accountability and patriotism, and that free markets should be established to increase economic activity. However, I also support equality especially when it comes to the access to health care services.
Questions I had not thought of the answers before
Several questions including whether the government should go deeper into debt to help its citizens, stricter environmental laws and regulations and their effect on the economy and whether the government should prioritize its national interests over its foreign policies were rather challenging because I had not previously thought of the answers before.
Political socialization
Most of my family members are conservative so I have grown up knowing that this political ideology is somewhat superior. Since an early age, I have learned to support the conservative principles most especially because the people around me were also in support of those principles.However, through my interactions in school with teachers and students, I learned more about liberals’ viewpoint, and was particularly impressed by their views on equality in health care, support for legal immigration and environment conservation.Education itself was significant in enhancing my political knowledge and interest (Crash Course, 2015).Specifically, civics education contributed to my knowledge on the role of the government and its citizens. The class discussions allowed students from diverse backgrounds to share their different ideologies and why they supported them, and through such discussions I learned a lot on why particular ideologies were preferred to others.
In my household, faith is very important and thus attending church and religious functions was very important. Consequently,I interacted with several religious leaders who influenced my political ideologies to a certain extent; I therefore acknowledgethe importance of religious freedom without interference from the government.
Political conditions have also been important in shaping my political preference. For example, the recent financial depression in 2008, prompted me to minimize the levels of financial risk-taking and endorse a government thatsupports lower taxes to create more incentives for its citizensto invest and engage in entrepreneurial endeavors. During my late teenage years, I became more aware of the reasons why I support the conservative ideology.
Texas politics
The Republican Party dominates Texas politics.This implies that the state’s policies will focus on the reduction of taxes, integration of free market capitalism, restriction on labor unions and the deregulation of corporations (Gu et al., 2017). The state policies are also possibly going to focus on the preservation of customs and beliefs of the community.
The people in Texas are therefore likely to benefit from more incentives which they can utilize for investment purposes. Further, they are likely to benefit from more economic activity as new businesses will be able to penetrate the market easily. Increased competition among businesses within the area will ascertain market growth, and in turn community development. Conversely, the people in Texas, especially workers,are likely to not receive any assistance form trade unions that are necessary to fight for their rights, benefits and working conditions.
References
Crash Course ( 2015).Political Ideology: Crash Course Government and Politics #35. (2015). [Video]. Retrieved 4 February 2021, from https://youtu.be/j_k_k-bHigM.
Gu, J., Compton, R. A., Giedeman, D. C., & Hoover, G. A. (2017). A note on economic freedom and political ideology. Applied Economics Letters, 24(13), 928-931.
