Liberals vs. Conservatives
Democrat
Liberal
Republican
Conservative
Liberals
– Believe in big government
• Setting rules for business
• Setting rules for the economy
Ensure fair treatment for many groups
• Especially the
poor
• Minorities: Native
Americans, African
Americans, Hispanics,
and others
Money
•
•
•
Wealthier
should pay
more taxes
Worry about
government
spending
Support
government
programs to
help poor
Conservatives
– Limit the government
•
•
Conservatives stress ‘freedom’
More decisions without government
interference
Reduce government
• Reduce government spending
• Cut taxes
State governments are better
than federal governments
Democrat
Liberal
Loving Liberals
Republican
Compassionate
Conservatives
Conservative
Meeting in the middle
“Loving Liberals”
• Loving liberals implies wanting to
help everyone
• Clinton began movement away from
liberalism – will the Democratic Party
continue to be less liberal?
“Compassionate Conservatives”
• Term used by George W. Bush to imply
conservatives who still believe in some
social issues
• Some conservatives distrust the
government in being the best way to solve
social issues, but still want the government
to control some behaviors or attitudes
•
Many Presidential candidates must stay true
to the roots of their parties political affiliations
– and appeal to some of the issues of the
opposing political party (to attract swing
voters)
Democrat
Liberal
Republican
Conservative
Meeting in the middle