Four primary issues:
>International Issues
>Domestic Issues
>Social Issues
>Economic Issues
International Issues
Foreign Policy:
|
Liberal Viewpoint
Liberals tend to favor a more European viewpoint on foreign policy; taking a less involved approach. Liberals tend to believe that the war on terror was a general failure, and we should have put the effort and funding from that into green energy and other important topics.
Generally speaking, leftist people tend to favor a more 'random chance' type of thing in terms of homeland security; not singling out any particular demographic for airport screening. In an ideal leftist scenario, military intervention would only occur if it was sanctioned by the United Nations or another world organization. Both liberals and conservatives like free trade. Support of free trae depends what companies are supporting the specific politicians. Liberals tend to support amnesty for undocumented immigrants, and would like to provide welfare services as well. Believing in green energy , liberals think that we should pursue green energy sources such as nuclear, hydroelectric, and wind/solar instead of making more coal power plants. Additionally, liberals believe that we should encourage electric cars. Liberals believe that there should be more restrictions on purchasing firearms; some think they should be outlawed entirely. The democratic party supports the legalization of marijuana, and diverting the tax money to fund more education. While not all liberals support the idea of universal health care, many do, and would like the implementation of something along the lines of the UK's NHS to be implemented in the United States. The liberal ideology fully supports the idea of net neutrality, and goes further, saying that internet should be classified as a public utility; not just a service that you can pay for. As noted many, many times in previous installments, liberals tend to support downsizing the military. There isn't as much documentation for this specific issue; however many liberals would support a more European style government. As it stands now, companies often work as multinational corporations, taking advantage of NAFTA and other agreements, to avoid paying US taxes. Liberals favor changing the tax system to encourage these companies to 'pay their fair share'. Liberals tend to support the social security program, and think that everybody should have a good life in retirement, as long as the put money into the system, even though they may have had poor spending habits. Insufficient information. Liberals support the raising of the minimum wage to more effectively reduce the wealth gap. Generally speaking, liberals support fine arts programs and support increasing the amount of funding that goes to educational programs in general. Insufficient information to differentiate views. The comparison here is fairly cut-and-dry, liberals tend to support women's rights (including abortion and IVF). Liberals usually support social welfare programs. |
Conservitive Viewpoint
Conservatives support the war on terror, and think that it was a success. They tend to favor a more 'world police' type of viewpoint compared to the more liberal 'let the world police itself' viewpoint. They [conservatives] are more likely to deny climate change (38% of farther right conservatives 'believe' in climate change).
In most cases, conservatives tend to prefer airport screening based on demographics instead of random chance. In an ideal conservative scenario, a 70 year old white woman from California would be subjected to less airport screening. In an ideal rightist scenario, America would take unilateral action to protect the security of America. Both liberals and conservatives like free trade. Support of free trade depends what companies are supporting the specific politicians. Conservatives believe in 'pulling yourself up by your bootstraps', and tend to be strongly against amnesty for immigrants. Additionally, they also are strongly against supplying social services to illegal aliens. Conservatives think that we should put more emphasis in using domestic oil sources, and not waste money developing green energy. Conservatives are against most forms of gun control, taking the second amendment very literally and saying that there should not be any limits on it. The republican party is against the legalization of marijuana, because it is a 'gateway drug', and would do more harm than good. Republicans think that health care should be more of a privilege than a right, and something you pay for yourself, not something you pay for with taxes. Some rightist people support net neutrality, but many do not. Additionally, the GOP was not pleased with the FCC's ruling that internet is a public utility. Conservatives think that we should maintain our level of military spending, because we have to maintain our status as the world superpower. Whereas the liberals support a more European style of government, conservatives tend to favor the continuation of our current gov't. Conservatives tend to be against tax reform. Most conservatives are against the social security program. Insufficient information Conservative Americans are against the raising of the minimum wage, and think that it should be set by the free market, not the government. Oftentimes, conservatives support cutting back on education and support tying school funding to standardized tests. Insufficient information to differentiate views. Contrasting the liberal view, conservatives are against abortion and IVF. Conservatives usually do not support such programs. |
Horseshoe Theory
The horseshoe theory in political science stipulates that the far-left and far-right are more similar to each other in essentials than either are to the political center.
Take the anti-pragmatic side of the United States Republican Party (especially the Religious Right) and compare it to the modern Communist Party of the Russian Federation and you can find quite a few similarities (besides the obvious one that both are ideologues focused on the "purity" of their movement), especially on social policies. In fact, if each party's leaders avoided talking to each other about economics they would find more common ground than they may expect, especially considering their vehement hatred for each other.
For instance:
Take the anti-pragmatic side of the United States Republican Party (especially the Religious Right) and compare it to the modern Communist Party of the Russian Federation and you can find quite a few similarities (besides the obvious one that both are ideologues focused on the "purity" of their movement), especially on social policies. In fact, if each party's leaders avoided talking to each other about economics they would find more common ground than they may expect, especially considering their vehement hatred for each other.
For instance:
- Both strongly endorse "tough on crime" policies and the death penalty.
- Both strongly support "traditional values," meaning hardcore social conservatism, hostility to LGBT rights, and pro-life attitudes.
- Both have weaknesses for conspiracy theories, especially the conspiracy theory that there is some deliberate effort to destroy morality.
- Both are convinced the media is heavily biased against them.
- Both are fervently patriotic and support some form of nationalism while holding the belief that each of their countries are the greatest in the world. This leads to some supporting a degree of historical revisionism as well.
- Both are reactionary in nature and extremely nostalgic for some sort of "golden age" (Stalin for the commies, Ronald Reagan or the 50's for the GOP).
- Both support increasing spending on an even larger national defense while rarely questioning if it's necessary. Also, they both tend to admire "masculinity" and militarism.
- Both have a weakness for "boogeymen," with liberals being a common target for both parties.
- Both make populist appeals to the lower classes, mainly by promising to cut their taxes, regardless of whether it will be done or whether it can be afforded.
- Both have a love of dramatic rhetoric, even by political standards.
- Both support largely discredited economic crankery that is usually defended with "common sense" type arguments.
- Both have strands of anti-intellectualism, with intellectuals who question them being seen as "elitist."
- Both are currently trying to appeal to the religious majority in each of their respective countries, with even CPRF leader Zyuganov citing the "spiritual values" of communism in his speeches to appeal to followers of the Russian Orthodox Church, despite the party being historically atheist.
- Both support censorship, and passing legislation to stop the "degradation" of national symbols.
- Both, hilariously, blame each other for the supposed "degredation" of art, literature, culture, and philosophy. The commies claim that the embrace of capitalism has left these areas bland because artists are only concerned about profit, not quality, whereas the Republicans like to say that "leftists" or "secularists" have ruined these areas because their "hostility" to religion has harmed creativity.
- Both like to reference revolutionary heroes from their nation's past in their arguments, usually by claiming that they are fighting for the same values they were, which is commonly followed up by saying that what they stand for is "True American/Russian values," whereas their opponents stand for evil/radicalism. They may also liken themselves to being the "underdogs" in their current fight, like said revolutionary leaders. Expect for these historical figures to be glorified and their flaws to be ignored/excused/downplayed.