Posted on 01/15/2015 12:34:35 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
A new political startup has studied the potential 2016 presidential field—and those who donate to them.
Researchers at Stanford University started Crowdpac, a website that not only analyzes a candidate’s voting record and statements but their history of political donations as well.
The founders of Crowdpac say that combining these factors provides a more accurate picture of a candidate’s true political philosophy, especially when some potential candidates (such as Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson) never have held office and thus have no voting record to judge.
They utilized an algorithm to examine the money each candidate gave and received.
“Our unique data model shows you where politicians stand on the issues, based on what they say, how they vote and who gives them money,” writes Crowdpac on its website.
“The whole point is to make it easier for people to get involved with politics,” Crowdpac CEO and co-founder Steven Hilton told CNN. “The way we do that is to give people simple, objective data about candidates and issues that cuts out the spin and the party positioning and gives people really clear, simple information that’s objective about where the candidates are on the issues.”
Crowdpac ranked each candidate by number. A score of “10L” is regarded as “most liberal,” 0 is a “centrist,” and “10C” is “most conservative.” Crowdpac also provides the methodology for each score, such as the types and number of votes and donors.
On the Republican side, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is the most conservative candidate, earning a score of 10.16C.
Paul spokesman Brian Darling told CNN that the Kentucky senator “has a very conservative outlook,” and that he was “happy to see his boss named most conservative.”
The most moderate Republican is New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at 2.5C, followed by former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at 3.0C and 4.2C, respectively.
Paul is followed by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, at 9.7C, and Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wis., at 7.8C.
The most liberal candidate is Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., at 8.3L.
Sanders told CNN that he prefers the term “progressive” over “liberal,” but said he was considering a bid for the White House despite being “to the left of most of the country.”
“I think that there have not been enough voices out there, and I think there’s a reservoir out there of people who are angry at the establishment,” said Sanders.
After Sanders is Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., at 8.2L and Hillary Clinton at 6.4L.
The most moderate Democrat is Vice President Joe Biden at 4.4L.
CNN called the analysis “convention-busting.”
For example, former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., often regarded as a conservative, earned a less conservative score than former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is often regarded as a moderate.
Crowdpac users can vote on which candidates they’d like to see run for president, monitor their favorite candidate’s poll average, and see how others have ranked their “presidential qualities.” They analyzed 24 likely Republican and Democrat contenders for the White House.
Crowdpac has also received permission from the Federal Election Commission to process campaign donations. Users can donate to their favorite candidate—before they’ve even declared their candidacy. Should the candidate run for president, Crowdpac will send them the donation. If they choose not to, it will be returned to the donor.
Tell them to go....themselves.
Liz Warren looks about right...Baraq 2.0
Anyone who would trust a gang of Berkeley academics to tell them how conservative or liberal political candidates are is . . . the word escapes me.
Mostly in-line with my criteria that I will not vote for anyone more liberal that Rick Perry.
But that doesn’t mean that I would vote for Ben Carson either.
My rules are simple:
Opposing Amnesty is an absolute - anyone who would reward criminals who entered our country illegally is unacceptable.
Supporting the Second Amendment is an absolute - anyone who would interfere with an American’s right to keep and bear arms is unacceptable.
Killing Obamacare is an absolute - anyone who would continue to mandate that employers pay for abortion that violates their religious values or that people buy insurance that they do not want is unacceptable.
After those there checks, there will not be many candidates left to consider. I’ll vote for the most electable person who meets those three standards (Ted Cruz). If there are no acceptable candidates in the race, then I will write in someone who should have been chosen, or I will follow John Galt. I will not vote for or participate in socialism.
Rand Paul... Seriously?
I think that says it all?
Of course, no D would be at 10L, since there are no “extreme” liberals.
I think that there is a +2C on all of the rankings, so as to try to make the the Ds more “moderate”, the conservative Rs more “extreme”, and the GOPe squishes more palatable to the conservative base.
Romney is far, far, more left than they are saying, and the most conservative man believes this?
From the CNN transcript.
BLITZER: So, just to be precise, if you believe life begins at conception, which I suspect you do believe that, you would have no exceptions for rape, incest, the life of the mother, is that right?
PAUL: Well, I think that once again puts things in too small of a box. What I would say is that there are thousands of exceptions. You know, I’m a physician and every individual case is going to be different, and everything is going to be particular to that individual case and what’s going on with that mother and the medical circumstances of that mother.
BLITZER: Well, it sounds like you believe in some exceptions.
PAUL: Well, there’s going to be, like I say, thousands of extraneous situations where the life of the mother is involved and other things that are involved.
So, I would say that each individual case would have to be addressed and even if there were eventually a change in the law, let’s say, the people came more to my way of thinking, it’s still be a lot of complicated things that the law may not ultimately be able to address in the early stages of pregnancy that would have to be part of what occurs between the physician and the woman and the family.
LOL....so according to this, Biden is the most conservative of the likely Demon Rat candidates?
Shows you how PERVERTED that party has become, doesn’t it?
Sure, that’s the way they start. I agree. Then when things heat up and the pressure is on, they start fiddling with the numbers.
I plan to vote for Ted Cruz...everyone else can take a hike.
Rand Paul more conservative, than Ted Cruz? Yeah sure. /s
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