Liberals Versus Conservatives

Civil Liberties Polygraph Domestic Spying Causes of Crime Media Bias

CONSERVATIVES BELIEVE LIBERALS BELIEVE

The long-term interests of society coincide with those of big business The long-term interests of society coincide with those of government bureaucrats

Cutting rich people's taxes will give poor people an incentive to get an education and to work hard Raising everyone's taxes will give poor people an incentive to get an education and to work hard

Banning abortions will keep women from getting abortions Banning guns will keep criminals from getting guns

Banning drugs will keep drug addicts from getting drugs Banning drugs will keep drug addicts from getting drugs

A good education consists of children reciting the Ten Commandments A good education consists of children reciting "I really like myself"

Cutting the minimum wage will help poor people Strangling businesses with useless regulations will help poor people

White-collar criminals really aren't responsible for their actions, and shouldn't be punished severely Violent criminals really aren't responsible for their actions, and shouldn't be punished severely

If we could just turn back the clock to the 1950's, when Ike was President, we would be much better off If we could just turn back the clock to the 1930's, when FDR was President, we would be much better off

People really aren't qualified to make their own choices – they need religious leaders to tell them People really aren't qualified to make their own choices – they need the government to tell them

The government needs to control what people read, so they aren't exposed to pornography, atheism, and other impure ideas The government needs to control what people read, so they aren't exposed to hate speech, racism, and other impure ideas

The government needs to spy on its citizens to protect them from terrorism The government needs to spy on its citizens to protect them from drug dealers and child pornographers

The government needs to carefully control school curriculum, so that students aren't exposed to communism and other anti-American ideas The government needs to carefully control school curriculum, so that students aren't exposed to racism and other anti-American ideas

School prayer will solve most of our social problems Gun control will solve most of our social problems

Freedom of speech is okay, as long as people don't express anti-american views Freedom of speech is okay, as long as people don't express politically incorrect views

The solution to poverty is to do away with health, safety, wage, and hour regulations The solution to poverty is to stick poor people in crowded, dirty, violent ghettoes where they kill each other with guns and drugs

The solution to low educational test scores is school vouchers The solution to low educational test scores is to make tests easier so students do better

Good results are more important than good intentions Good intentions are more important than good results

Rich people are inherently superior to poor people Rich people are inherently inferior to poor people – unless they support liberal causes

To improve the status of minorities, improve their education andwork ethic To improve the status of minorities, lower hiring standards

A waiting period for abortions will make women reconsider their position, and reduce abortions A waiting period for gun sales will make criminals reconsider their position, and reduce crime

Women can improve their wages by going into high-paying professions such as medicine and engineering Women can improve their wages by having the government set wages for each job category

Anyone who opposed the Vietnam War was a communist Anyone who supported the Vietnam War was a baby killer

Anyone who evaded service in Vietnam was a communist – unless he's our Presidential candidate Anyone who served in Vietnam was a baby killer – unless he's our Presidential candidate

Decreasing military spending will undermine national security Increasing military spending will undermine the economy – unless it's for a program in my district
Government spending should be carefully scrutinized so as not to waste money – unless it's for military programs Government spending should be carefully scrutinized so as not to waste money – unless it's for social programs

It's perfectly acceptable for conservative Presidential candidates to talk tough about military force, even though most never served in the military It's perfectly acceptable for a former draft dodger to send the US military into a multitude of unresolvable ethnic conflicts around the globe

The solution to overpopulation is – well, it's not a problem; the free market will take care of it The solution to overpopulation is to stick poor people and minorities in crowded, dirty, violent ghettoes where they kill each other with guns and drugs

To raise the standard of living, raise productivity To raise the standard of living, raise taxes

To lower unemployment, lower the minimum wage To lower unemployment, raise taxes

To reduce crime, let the police beat up suspects and plant evidence To reduce crime, make it impossible to convict anyone for anything

To reduce crime, impose tougher sentences To reduce crime, let more people on out parole

Population control is contrary to the Bible and fundamentally immoral Population control is racist

Gays are the devil incarnate; allowing them to gain any rights will lead to the downfall of the Republic Gun owners are the devil incarnate; allowing them to keep any rights will lead to the downfall of the Republic

Gays don't belong in the military The politically incorrect don't belong in the military

An open-door immigration policy allows millions of people to come to this country for a chance at a better life – besides, it helps hold down wages An open-door immigration policy allows millions of people to come to this country for a chance at a better life – besides, they usually vote Democratic

The way to lower gas prices is to drill for oil in, and destroy, National Parks and wilderness regions The way to lower gas prices is to release the Strategic Petroleum Reserve so your candidate can get elected

Helping the environment hurts the economy Helping the economy hurts the environment

For a higher standard of living, productivity must rise – but wages don't have to. For a higher standard of living, wages must rise – but productivity doesn't have to.

Religion belongs in public life Religion has no place in public life – unless it can be exploited to win an election

Hollywood produces mostly trash that degrades our culture and exploits our children Hollywood produces mostly trash that degrades our culture and exploits our children (but we don't really mean that, so you can still give us millions of $$ in campaign contributions)

Business is the foundation for everything society does; without it, there are no taxes for education, courts, welfare programs, research or defense – therefore business should not be regulated at all Business is composed of immoral sleazebags and we'd be better off without it and them

It's more important to put people in jail for drug violations than for violent crimes It's more important to put people in jail for drug violations than for violent crimes

The U.S. should not be in the business of nation-building – except in creating democracy in the Middle East The U.S. should not be in the business of nation-building – except in stopping ethnic cleansing in Bosnia

It is the responsibility of parents to raise their children It is the responsibility of the government to raise children

Evolution is wrong; the earth was suddenly created by God about six thousand years ago Actually, Al Gore invented the earth

For a slightly less cynical view of the differences between liberals and conservatives, go here.

Top Civil Liberties

Page Modified 5 Dec 2003

CONSERVATIVES BELIEVE	LIBERALS BELIEVE
The long-term interests of society coincide with those of big business	The long-term interests of society coincide with those of government bureaucrats
Cutting rich people's taxes will give poor people an incentive to get an education and to work hard	Raising everyone's taxes will give poor people an incentive to get an education and to work hard
Banning abortions will keep women from getting abortions	Banning guns will keep criminals from getting guns
Banning drugs will keep drug addicts from getting drugs	Banning drugs will keep drug addicts from getting drugs
A good education consists of children reciting the Ten Commandments	A good education consists of children reciting "I really like myself"
Cutting the minimum wage will help poor people	Strangling businesses with useless regulations will help poor people
White-collar criminals really aren't responsible for their actions, and shouldn't be punished severely	Violent criminals really aren't responsible for their actions, and shouldn't be punished severely
If we could just turn back the clock to the 1950's, when Ike was President, we would be much better off	If we could just turn back the clock to the 1930's, when FDR was President, we would be much better off
People really aren't qualified to make their own choices – they need religious leaders to tell them	People really aren't qualified to make their own choices – they need the government to tell them
The government needs to control what people read, so they aren't exposed to pornography, atheism, and other impure ideas	The government needs to control what people read, so they aren't exposed to hate speech, racism, and other impure ideas
The government needs to spy on its citizens to protect them from terrorism	The government needs to spy on its citizens to protect them from drug dealers and child pornographers
The government needs to carefully control school curriculum, so that students aren't exposed to communism and other anti-American ideas	The government needs to carefully control school curriculum, so that students aren't exposed to racism and other anti-American ideas
School prayer will solve most of our social problems	Gun control will solve most of our social problems
Freedom of speech is okay, as long as people don't express anti-american views	Freedom of speech is okay, as long as people don't express politically incorrect views
The solution to poverty is to do away with health, safety, wage, and hour regulations	The solution to poverty is to stick poor people in crowded, dirty, violent ghettoes where they kill each other with guns and drugs
The solution to low educational test scores is school vouchers	The solution to low educational test scores is to make tests easier so students do better
Good results are more important than good intentions	Good intentions are more important than good results
Rich people are inherently superior to poor people	Rich people are inherently inferior to poor people – unless they support liberal causes
To improve the status of minorities, improve their education andwork ethic	To improve the status of minorities, lower hiring standards
A waiting period for abortions will make women reconsider their position, and reduce abortions	A waiting period for gun sales will make criminals reconsider their position, and reduce crime
Women can improve their wages by going into high-paying professions such as medicine and engineering	Women can improve their wages by having the government set wages for each job category
Anyone who opposed the Vietnam War was a communist	Anyone who supported the Vietnam War was a baby killer
Anyone who evaded service in Vietnam was a communist – unless he's our Presidential candidate	Anyone who served in Vietnam was a baby killer – unless he's our Presidential candidate
Decreasing military spending will undermine national security	Increasing military spending will undermine the economy – unless it's for a program in my district
Government spending should be carefully scrutinized so as not to waste money – unless it's for military programs	Government spending should be carefully scrutinized so as not to waste money – unless it's for social programs
It's perfectly acceptable for conservative Presidential candidates to talk tough about military force, even though most never served in the military	It's perfectly acceptable for a former draft dodger to send the US military into a multitude of unresolvable ethnic conflicts around the globe
The solution to overpopulation is – well, it's not a problem; the free market will take care of it	The solution to overpopulation is to stick poor people and minorities in crowded, dirty, violent ghettoes where they kill each other with guns and drugs
To raise the standard of living, raise productivity	To raise the standard of living, raise taxes
To lower unemployment, lower the minimum wage	To lower unemployment, raise taxes
To reduce crime, let the police beat up suspects and plant evidence	To reduce crime, make it impossible to convict anyone for anything
To reduce crime, impose tougher sentences	To reduce crime, let more people on out parole
Population control is contrary to the Bible and fundamentally immoral	Population control is racist
Gays are the devil incarnate; allowing them to gain any rights will lead to the downfall of the Republic	Gun owners are the devil incarnate; allowing them to keep any rights will lead to the downfall of the Republic
Gays don't belong in the military	The politically incorrect don't belong in the military
An open-door immigration policy allows millions of people to come to this country for a chance at a better life – besides, it helps hold down wages	An open-door immigration policy allows millions of people to come to this country for a chance at a better life – besides, they usually vote Democratic
The way to lower gas prices is to drill for oil in, and destroy, National Parks and wilderness regions	The way to lower gas prices is to release the Strategic Petroleum Reserve so your candidate can get elected
Helping the environment hurts the economy	Helping the economy hurts the environment
For a higher standard of living, productivity must rise – but wages don't have to.	For a higher standard of living, wages must rise – but productivity doesn't have to.
Religion belongs in public life	Religion has no place in public life – unless it can be exploited to win an election
Hollywood produces mostly trash that degrades our culture and exploits our children	Hollywood produces mostly trash that degrades our culture and exploits our children (but we don't really mean that, so you can still give us millions of $$ in campaign contributions)
Business is the foundation for everything society does; without it, there are no taxes for education, courts, welfare programs, research or defense – therefore business should not be regulated at all	Business is composed of immoral sleazebags and we'd be better off without it and them
It's more important to put people in jail for drug violations than for violent crimes	It's more important to put people in jail for drug violations than for violent crimes
The U.S. should not be in the business of nation-building – except in creating democracy in the Middle East	The U.S. should not be in the business of nation-building – except in stopping ethnic cleansing in Bosnia
It is the responsibility of parents to raise their children	It is the responsibility of the government to raise children
Evolution is wrong; the earth was suddenly created by God about six thousand years ago	Actually, Al Gore invented the earth