This
is how the 2016 presidential candidates scored on the World's Smallest Political Quiz.
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This
is how the 2016 presidential candidates scored on the World's Smallest Political Quiz.
According to the quiz, the candidates were as follows:
Brian Quarfoth and Kate Timmons were moderates.
Sean McElroy and
Jesus Tirado were authoritarians.
NOTE: This quiz is not perfect. Occasionally, it is wrong about a person's ideology. For example, very conservative people have been found to be liberals and vice-versa. In the 2024 election, Republican Charlie Leal and Democrat Christian Shelton (and 2016 Democrat Jesus Tirado) were found to have the same exact ideology (Left-authoritarian; 40% personal self-governors and 20% economic self-governors).
Click here to see the candidates' responses to the specific questions.
Libertarians are self-governors in both personal and economic matters. They believe government's only purpose is to protect people from coercion and violence. They value individual responsibility, and tolerate economic and social diversity.
Left-liberals prefer self-government in personal matters and central decision-making on economics. They want government to serve the disadvantaged in the name of fairness. Leftists tolerate social diversity, but work for economic equality.
Moderates favor selective government intervention and emphasize practical solutions to current problems. They tend to keep an open mind on new issues. Many moderates feel that government serves as a check on excessive liberty.
Right-conservatives prefer self-government on economic issues, but want official standards in personal matters. They want the government to defend the community from threats to its moral fiber.
Authoritarians want government to advance society and individuals through expert central planning. They often doubt whether self-government is practical. Left-authoritarians are also called socialists, while fascists are right-authoritarians.
| Military service should be voluntary (No draft). | ||
| McElroy | No | "In times of dire need, citizens should expect that they may be called to support their country and neighbors, just as their country and neighbors support them." |
| Quarfoth | No | "I think the draft needs to stay in place but only used as a last alternative." |
| Timmons | Maybe | |
| Tirado | Yes | "Military service, in times of peace, should be voluntary, but in desperate times, we must have a draft to defend ourselves." |
| Government should not control radio, TV, the press or the Internet. | ||
| McElroy | Yes | "[I am a] Freedom of speech fanatic here. People control how the government runs, not vice-versa." |
| Quarfoth | Yes | "But they [government] should monitor them [radio, TV, press, Internet]." |
| Timmons | Yes | |
| Tirado | Maybe | "The media, in
all its forms, should not be regulated to protect 1st
Amendment rights, but we can help parents, who decide to
block their children, and schools as well." |
| Repeal regulations on sex for consenting adults. | ||
| McElroy | Yes | "So-called "sodomy laws" should all be striken from the books." |
| Quarfoth | Yes | "As long as people aren't hurting others, I say you should be able to do what you want." |
| Timmons | No | |
| Tirado | No | "Sex is a sacred relation between adults. If anything, the law-making arm of the government should not enter into this debate. I would leave the decision to the courts." |
| Drug laws do more harm than good. Repeal them. | ||
| McElroy | No | "Absolutely not." |
| Quarfoth | No | "Leave them [drug laws] in place." |
| Timmons | No | |
| Tirado | No | "We should educate our children on preventing drug use. Repealing them [drug laws] isn't attacking the problems, just the effect." |
| Let peaceful people cross borders freely. | ||
| McElroy | No | "Various reasons: possible terrorist threats, disruption of labor market, cultural displacement, et cetera." |
| Quarfoth | No | |
| Timmons | Maybe | |
| Tirado | Maybe | "While immigration should be increased, we should also not completely open our borders. We should crack down on illegal immigration." |
| Businesses and farms should operate without government subsidies. | ||
| McElroy | No | "Subsidies (price controls) are sometimes necessary to protect industries from recession." |
| Quarfoth | No | "Sometimes people need help. It's as simple as that" |
| Timmons | Maybe | |
| Tirado | Maybe | "Businesses should not [have government subsidies], but farms can be protected to an extent since they lack the organization that a business has." |
| People are better off with free trade than with tariffs. | ||
| McElroy | No | "In an ideal world, yes, but tariffs are invaluable economic and politicals tools." |
| Quarfoth | Yes | "I agree with that." |
| Timmons | Maybe | |
| Tirado | Maybe | "Lower tariffs but we should protect labor and environmental concerns." |
| Minimum wage laws cause unemployment. Repeal them. | ||
| McElroy | No | "Minimum wage laws do cause unemployment, but it is the price to pay for employee protection." |
| Quarfoth | No | "Right now there are more jobs than people. Anyone can get a job if they try." |
| Timmons | No | |
| Tirado | No | "Workers need the assurance of the minimum wage." |
| End taxes. Pay for services with user fees. | ||
| McElroy | No | |
| Quarfoth | No | |
| Timmons | Yes | |
| Tirado | No | "The government can't allow people to fall behind. A lower and flatter tax could prove useful but getting rid of taxes is against the interest of the nation." |
| All foreign aid should be privately funded. | ||
| McElroy | No | "There are legitimate instances which necessitate aid of an order too large for the private sector to provide." |
| Quarfoth | Yes | |
| Timmons | No | |
| Tirado | No | "In a multi-polar world, America has to promote its allies. There should be reform to how foreign aid is divided and distrubted among nations, but it should continue." |