Differnce bewteen Conservatives and Liberals

[GT]

Be nice, or you will get banned

I fielded this question at work last week and thought it appopraite to post here. I am finding the difference more and more clear as things heat up in the race. Intresting to see what elphants and donkeys will do whne the pressure is on. Although those are party differences rather than idolgies, in any case:

What is the differnce bewteen Conservatives and Liberals? Or what does each camp believe?

[Zygote]

This is the best explanation I've ever seen:

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/09/20/a_puzzling_america/

[wad04]

liberals: do what the people ask when they want it and how they want it

republicans: do what they believe is best for the country, not always agreeing with everybody.

[Jeffy-CanCon]

I thought that article was pretty slanted. It was unkind to conservatives, painting them as violent and angry.

In a nutshell, and by definition, conservatives are opposed to change. They prefer "traditional" values and patterns of life. They see good in the way things used to be. Liberals are open to change, to embracing new ideas, and see little value in the past.

[teufelhunden]

This is the best explanation I've ever seen:

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/09/20/a_puzzling_america/


Not even worth the read. Anything with 'Boston' in the title is automatically slanted to the left.

[RamboPreacher]

(this is a joke, I know some democrats that are Christian)

hehehehe

you can be a Christian or a democrat!
:wow: :dance: :dance: ;) :D

[Zygote]

It was a bit slanted as it was an editorial, not an article.


Liberals are open to change, to embracing new ideas, and see little value in the past.

I don't think anyone, conservative or liberal, sees little value in the past.


Not even worth the read. Anything with 'Boston' in the title is automatically slanted to the left.

You've never read the Herald then. The day after the debate, the headline was something like "Bush fends off Kerry attacks".

[Flamebo]

Not even worth the read. Anything with 'Boston' in the title is automatically slanted to the left.

Perfect example of the close-mindedness of your average conservative. Nice display of your fear to make decisions for yourself.

[Jeffy-CanCon]

...
I don't think anyone, conservative or liberal, sees little value in the past.
...


It was poorly phrased. What I meant to say was that liberals do not see value in the way things used to be done. The latin mass, men's clubs, collegiate admissions based solely on marks, etc.

[teufelhunden]

Perfect example of the close-mindedness of your average conservative. Nice display of your fear to make decisions for yourself.

Perfect example of the arrogance of liberals, believing that their way is the way for America.

Any attempt to convince --anybody-- that MA is not one of, if not the, most liberal states in the country is a waste of time, and simply, a lie. It's reflected in their press, although that trend isn't stuck with MA press.

[Chris42050]

Liberals beleive in more programs and government for the needy, which causes more taxes and spending. Conservatives believe in less taxes and less government.

[1stdeadeye]

Liberals: We know what is best for everybody and will create a program to do everything for the people!

Conservatives: People are responsible for their own actions.

[MaChu]

Liberals: Programs by the government that try to help everyone despite how ludicris they can be, tax heavily, more socialist.

[Ov3rmind]

It's funny to read through this thread and see who is trying to deface each side of the political spectrum. Anyway, here's a few:

- Liberal - (left wing)
Higher taxes
Big federal government
Social Programs
Open to change and new ideas

- Conservative - (right wing)
Lower taxes
Small federal government
Embraces traditional values (which often conflicts with change and new ideas)

Neither is "better" than the other. A balance of both is needed to keep the country running. Anyone who tells you that Liberal or Conservative ideas as a whole are stupid or don't work is not worth listening to. The extreme right would be Fascism, while the extreme left would be Communism. As you can tell, our current government is better than the alternatives.

[Flamebo]

- Conservative - (right wing)
Small federal government


This used to be the way the republican party was run, and as such it used to be one of the qualities of the republican party that I embraced. However, that is not the way it's currently working in America, as the Bush administration has taken away heaps of power from the American people and placed into the hands of himself and the rest of the government. This is the "government knows whats best for you" approach that conservatives often try to write off as liberal policy.

[CaptaiN_JacK]

Conservatives believe everybody in the world is born with the exact same opportunites, and therefore we shouldn't help them. Liberals see through this arguement and do something to close the gap between the rich and poor.

[Ov3rmind]

This used to be the way the republican party was run, and as such it used to be one of the qualities of the republican party that I embraced. However, that is not the way it's currently working in America, as the Bush administration has taken away heaps of power from the American people and placed into the hands of himself and the rest of the government. This is the "government knows whats best for you" approach that conservatives often try to write off as liberal policy.
I think most people have noticed this as well. With my original remark I was referring to how the Conservatives traditionally felt.

[Kevmaster]

conservatives are selfish hotheads

liberals are whiney children.


it works out well....they both oppose each other and we get stuck with no progress....thats congress!

[Phobos]

Liberals tend to make thier jugment using emotion.
Conservitives tend to use logic.

Get a job!

[BobTheCow]

Simple answer:

One is right, and the other is wrong. Duh. :)

[Jack_Dubious]

Being a Liberal can get you killed.....just ask Jesus. :p

I agree with Overmind. Neither ideology is fully correct, and the extremes of either are completely wrong. Mankind has always benefitted from contributions of both liberals and conservatives.


JDub

[Destructo6]

Arguably, the basis for the modern version is John Locke for little, 'l' liberalism and Jean Joucques Rousseau for big 'l' Liberalism.

The USA was based on the Locke version, France's many republics was based on the Rousseau version, and was later built upon by Robespierre and Marx.

Locke's Two Treatises of Civil Government and Rousseau's The Social Contract are pretty good reads. The nature of the relationship between individual and "the people" or state is critical.

[Hasty8]

Be nice, or you will get banned

I fielded this question at work last week and thought it appopraite to post here. I am finding the difference more and more clear as things heat up in the race. Intresting to see what elphants and donkeys will do whne the pressure is on. Although those are party differences rather than idolgies, in any case:

What is the differnce bewteen Conservatives and Liberals? Or what does each camp believe?

A liberal is a conservative who has not yet been mugged.

[Phobos]

ya, but a really bleeding heart liberal would be like "poor crackhead, had to mug me for my hard earned money because I didn't give 99% of my paycheck to crappy social programs, like needles for heroin addicts."

[Hasty8]

ya, but a really bleeding heart liberal would be like "poor crackhead, had to mug me for my hard earned money because I didn't give 99% of my paycheck to crappy social programs, like needles for heroin addicts."
:rofl:

That's pretty much how I describe one of my co-workers. :dance:

[Konigballer]

liberals think guns kill people.

conservatives think people kill people.

--conservatives refuse to believe that inanimate objects, instead the actions of free thinking individuals, cause violence. I concur! :cheers: :shooting:

[Miscue]

Liberal = Rob from the rich, give to the poor.

Conservative = Increased taxing of businesses means less jobs.

Liberal = More government. We can have social programs galore, raise taxes for the rich (which translates to businesses, but they always say the "rich" because this paints a picture of fat cats), promise to lower taxes for low/middle class, create better paying jobs, create more jobs, Basically, moving the government towards socialism.

Conservative = Sounds great, where does all the money come from? How is this possible? Not only are you spending more, you decrease the ability for businesses to make money. Is Canada and the USSR any hint to what happens when you try this?

[lord1234]

liberal: anti bible in politics
conservative: probible in politics

[tony3]

Parties suck, I wish neither candidate had a party or anything and people just voted on what they like about the person. So many people vote because they have the word Democrate or Republican infront of their name.

[1stdeadeye]

liberals think guns kill people.

conservatives think people kill people.

--conservatives refuse to believe that inanimate objects, instead the actions of free thinking individuals, cause violence. I concur! :cheers: :shooting:

Neither is correct! Bullets kill people! :shooting:

[StuDawggie]

The true "politcal" definition with out any politcal slant of a liberal and a conservative, is based in how the seerate parties spent government funds.

Liberals beleived that taxes should be spent on public funded programs, and were "liberal" with their spendings.
Conservatives beleived that taxes should be saved, and only spent on necessary items when needed.

With that said, both parties are so wishy washy, and afraid to offend anyone that what m 98 stated earlier, both groups are so middle of the road that there really is no clear line between the two .

[lather]

Conservatives used to promote fiscal responsibility as well as personal responsibility.. a "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" way of thinking.

Liberals used to be pro union, the working man, and promote tolerance.

IMHO the ideal Conservative was Ronald Reagan, The ideal Liberal--JFK


Recently it seems both Conservatives and Liberals alike are too extreme and way too over-zealous.

Unfortunately, the ideal Conservative, John McCain, and the ideal Liberal, Sen. Chris Dodd are not in the race.
(McCain is not Neo-Conservative far right enough and Dodd is not PETA far left enough to get any support from the vocal extremists).


Neither Bush or Kerry can hold a candle to these two guys..



True moderates are becoming an endangered species.. :(

[aaron_mag]

Conservatives used to promote fiscal responsibility as well as personal responsibility.. a "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" way of thinking.

Liberals used to be pro union, the working man, and promote tolerance.

IMHO the ideal Conservative was Ronald Reagan, The ideal Liberal--JFK


Recently it seems both Conservatives and Liberals alike are too extreme and way too over-zealous.

Unfortunately, the ideal Conservative, John McCain, and the ideal Liberal, Sen. Chris Dodd are not in the race.
(McCain is not Neo-Conservative far right enough and Dodd is not PETA far left enough to get any support from the vocal extremists).


Neither Bush or Kerry can hold a candle to these two guys..



True moderates are becoming an endangered species.. :(

Intelligent post!!! I'd tend to agree with it.

Something interesting...the last true fiscal conservative was probably Carter. He sliced government spending down to the point of insanity. He didn't even have the White House air conditioned. It was to the point where his own party was complaining about him ruining pork barrel politics. But, while in theory it was good, it was really bad. He wasn't willing to play the game with his own party and became ineffective...