Having grown weary of posting on a forum which was predominantly full of American, right wing, Neo Cons, and Christian FundaMENTALists, I scanned the net for a decent forum to post on, and this came up high on the Google search.

*Scratches chin on what to say next*

Over on that other forum that I mentioned (before I finally gave up on trying to have civil discourse, after four years!), they would often try to pigeon hole me, politically, most likely because, in their narrow view of the world, it is much easier and lazier if they can pop a person into a handy, catch all, political capsule.

Over that four year span, I had Neo Cons try to label me as (ready, because the irony of this is really comedy gold), a 'Communist' (for supporting a national health service), a 'supporter of Islamic terrorists' (for drawing people's attention to the many UN directives that Israel ignore, among other things), a 'Nazi' (this was a favourite, again, trotted out whenever I dared be critical of Israel and/or US policy), and a 'liberal' (for disagreeing with ANYTHING these moon bats said).

However, the truth is that there exists not a poltical idealogy, nor a politcal party which I have ever felt that I could give my support to (despite being passionately interested in politics).

I cannot be a true communist, as I believe in individuality, and rewarding true enterprise, genius, and creativity.

I cannot be a 'liberal', as I have v hard line views of the penal and prison system.

I cannot be a 'nationalist', as I believe this serves only to spawn a parochial, insular, and, narrow mentality, not to mention an inflated 'patriotism' (being blinkered), about your own nation.

This possibly explains why I have only voted ONCE over twenty years. Not due to the fact that I am apathetic, due to the fact that NONE of the parties, nor their representatives, 'speak' to me, and most are out of touch with society (not to mention the fact that when you weigh them up, they are only superficially different).

Anyway, that's my intro, good to be here, and looking forward to sharing ideas, opinions, and information.

JN

Since you mentioned everyone and I will take advantage of the fact that that also no doubt includes me, I decided it best to be the first to take you aside here for a moment and leave upon you my feral mark. Thus:
I must say having read your reiteration of past adventures on 'another forum' and your views on policies of this or that nature in your introductory flourish I admired your humility and self-evaluation as less pompous than the hot air and scorching winds that one experiences from time to time in political debates.
I find your political position to be lacking somewhat in some sort of centre and quite neutral, but perhaps without realising it your position is actually one of a EU/Globalist or if a little closer to to home, Socialist bent. Might I cordially and quietly encourage you that your niche might be more secure if found among those of us who believe that come the next term or so the socialist policies that we are so enamoured of might return with a storm of approval after we observe how successfully the Tory flagship weathers the storm that now is present or how dismally they fail to bring in the promised renewal of UK economics. There are those on this forum of a Nationalist or Thatcherite inclination for whatever reasons who are most disagreeably incongruous with what public affairs and official policy are all about, preferring to take the racially-oriented p-o-v, which frankly I care little for and think personally died out with most of the Nazis in 1945 and thereafter. You would do well therefore to take a platform from which to propound your political stance and position which is of course why you are here, and I think for you the socialist vision is the most feasible that I feel I would do well to propose to you. But I will not at this juncture force you.
As to your views on the penal sytem you seem to feel that a call for tougher measures is necessitated but I would caution you on this. I believe that the need to make society a safer and more agreeable place to live would not necessitate the removal of the criminalised by means of dehumanising them, but rather by rehabilitation and recovery they might regain some vestige of their humanity and restoration of their former glory before they went astray. I fear that the stepping up of too harsh a measure might actually embitter them and lead them to hate the very system by which they could be helped.
As for a political argument or an opinion, I suggest you get one and do not come on unarmed as Tories although they are quite unreasoning capitalists and Nationalism far worse do have a mindless following in places such as this which you would do well to defend your views against if you indeed have any to the contrary, which I certainly do.