What I am trying to elucidate here is whether ANY political position on the spectrum is an ESSENTIAL part of the ET value system, or whether the way we go about our business is what BEST defines us - e.g. independence, critical analysis, respect for opposing points of view, collaborative learning, widespread participation etc. etc.

As Steve Colbert says "Facts have a liberal bias". So really all you're asking is a variant on the chicken-egg question. Are we liberal because we are committed to reality-based policy or are we committed to evidence based policy cos we're liberals ?

It's the same thing you hear right-wingers moaning about the liberal bias at the BBC. Can a conservative really stay true to their beliefs without ignoring the eividence. I have my doubts.

keep to the Fen Causeway