Reply #19: THE TESTS DIFFER BY PERSON

[karynnj]

Comparing the test for Clinton and Kerry:

- The scoring algorithm is different
- The issues are different - Clinton's pulls in newer bills
- There are some very strange differences - in the Clinton scoring, "absolute right to gun owner ship" and "being for school vouchers" affect the ECONOMIC VARIABLE.

For the Kerry one, they impact the SOCIAL VARIABLE. For these two issues, Kerry is given 0 out of 10 points because he is strongly opposed to both issues - as are many people who are liberal. The scoring on guns was strange - taking a Kerry comment that people have a right to firearms, but it comes with responsibities as opposed. As Kerry was at or near 10 on the other issues. These two issues push him down on that axis - pushing him to the boundry of left/liberal - instead of comfortably in it.

In Clinton's case it affects the economic - moving her down on that axis. This moves her to be MORE left liberal.

My guess is they did this because the logic used when Kerry was scored produced counter intuitive results.

Word to the wise - elegant diagrams do NOT insure good analysis.

Gore and Edwards were scored on the Hillary Clinton scale. Also noticed that some of the statements for edwards are clears scored wrong - ie the comment "I was wrong to vote for the IWR" was scored as opposing the issue of the US out of Iraq. (!!)