Left, right, left

How do you tell a liberal from a conservative in America? There are many ways to broach the topic.
"So, what do you think of the current administration?"
"Do you think there were ever any actual WMDs?"
"Did you watch Bill Maher last night?"
"Are you done with your taxes yet?"
"Isn't Ann Coulter hot?"
In today's label conscious world, what clearer tag to put on yourself than your black or white political predilection?
What strikes me the most though about the left vs. right debate in America is that there are so many questions whose answers place you on one extreme or the other of the political spectrum. There's no middle ground on your religious conviction, political affiliation, thoughts on minority rights, degree of patriotism, choice of media outlet or level of sexual tolerance.
You can either be a flag-waving, gun-toting, gay-bashing, Fox-news-watching, fetus-loving, tax-hating conservative
...or a war-hating, Clinton-worshipping, abortion-defending, beard-growing, free-loving, welfare-supporting liberal.
There's no in-between.
So, what happens to people who have varied views on some topics, and no views at all on others? I don't think that society in the US gives you that alternative any more. You choose a political direction and then you stick to it. Your opinions on all social issues will be decided for you, based on the political side you have chosen. Usually you're a liberal until you're 30 (if you have a heart) and you're a conservative after that (if you have a brain).
It's easier to have a political leaning in India because politics do not govern all aspects of social life. You're on the left wing if you're a Bengali or a Malayali who wants to start up the next communist revolution, save the Narmada valley and burn down the nearest McDonald's to protest against those filthy American capitalists. In this case, you dress in khadhi and call your friends 'comrade' (also if you're a woman you stop shaving your legs and OD on kajal). Instead, you're on the right wing if you want to tear down mosques, save cows from slaughterhouses and burn down the nearest McDonald's to protest against those filthy American missionaries. If you fit this description, then you usually dress in saffron (or khaki shorts) and carry a trident to work.
But, if you’re in the other 98% of the population, your opinions are usually your own and you make them without worrying whether they allign with any greater cause. You aren't being constantly indoctrinated by the media, your peers and your political candidates, so you try to approach issues from your own perspective. Perhaps this is because most Indians completely distrust their politicians and don't consider their opinions to be worthy of serious consideration.
It would seem that America could learn a lot from India when it comes to independent thinking on social issues.

If you're curious about my personal political beliefs, I guess I would consider myself a social liberal and a fiscal conservative - Do whatever you want, as long as you can pay for it.