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/edi...zling_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!

[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.