James K. Polk’s political views

• Democratic vs AutocraticAutocratic 62%
  DemocraticAutocratic

  In 1846 ordered General Taylor to the Rio Grande and then sent Congress a message that left out that his envoy Slidell had been authorised to offer to buy California.

• Nationalism vs InternationalismNationalism 85%
  NationalismInternationalism

  Completed the annexation of Texas in December 1845 and took about 55% of Mexico’s territory, including California, in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 2 February 1848.

• Militarist vs PacifistMilitarist 88%
  MilitaristPacifist

  Told Congress that Mexico had invaded American territory and that a state of war already existed; the Senate voted 40–2 for the resolution that began the Mexican–American War.

• Collectivize vs PrivatizePrivatize 70%
  CollectivizePrivatize

  Vetoed the $500,000 Rivers and Harbors Bill of 1846, which he judged unconstitutional because it favoured particular areas.

• Planned vs Laissez-faireLaissez-faire 74%
  PlannedLaissez-faire

  Signed the Independent Treasury Act on 6 August 1846, which separated government funds from the banking system.

• Isolationism vs GlobalismGlobalism 72%
  IsolationismGlobalism

  Signed the Walker Tariff in July 1846, which replaced the protective schedules with defined ad valorem rates and cut the rates from about 32% to 25%.

• Progressive vs TraditionalTraditional 80%
  ProgressiveTraditional

  In late 1848 threatened to veto a territorial bill that he saw as the Wilmot Proviso in another guise, which would have barred slavery from the new lands.

No documented position, so not scored: Federal vs Unitary, Security vs Freedom, Assimilationist vs Multiculturalist, Irreligious vs Religious, and Acceleration vs Bioconservative.