Conservative vs. Liberal Beliefs
We all want the same things in life.
We want freedom; we want the chance
for prosperity; we want as few people
suffering as possible; we want healthy
children; we want to have crime-free
streets. The argument is how to
achieve them…
NOTE: The terms “left” and “right”
define opposite ends of the political
spectrum. In the United States, liberals
are referred to as the left or left-wing
and conservatives are referred to as the
right or right-wing. On the U.S.
political map, blue represents the
Democratic Party (which generally
upholds liberal principles) and red
represents the Republican party (which
generally upholds conservative
principles).
THE ISSUES: (In alphabetical
order)
Abortion
Affirmative Action
Death Penalty
Economy
Education - vouchers
& charter schools
Embryonic Stem Cell
Research
Energy
Euthanasia &
Physician-assisted
suicide
Global Warming/
Climate Change
Gun Control
Full text of the Second Amendment to
the U.S. Constitution: “A well
regulated Militia, being necessary to
the security of a free State, the right of
the people to keep and bear Arms, shall
not be infringed.”
Healthcare
Homeland Security
Immigration
Private Property
Religion &
Government
Same-sex Marriage
Social Security
Taxes
United Nations (UN)
War on Terror/
Terrorism
Welfare
Compiled by the Editors. Copyright 2005,
StudentNewsDaily.com.
Liberals believe in government action
to achieve equal opportunity and
equality for all. It is the duty of the
government to alleviate social ills and
to protect civil liberties and
individual and human rights. Believe
the role of the government should be
to guarantee that no one is in need.
Liberal policies generally emphasize
the need for the government to solve
problems.
Conservatives believe in personal
responsibility, limited government,
free markets, individual liberty,
traditional American values and a
strong national defense. Believe the
role of government should be to
provide people the freedom necessary
to pursue their own goals.
Conservative policies generally
emphasize empowerment of the
individual to solve problems.
Liberal
A woman has the right to decide what
happens with her body. A fetus is not
a human life, so it does not have
separate individual rights. The
government should provide taxpayer
funded abortions for women who
cannot afford them. The decision to
have an abortion is a personal choice
of a woman regarding her own body
and the government must protect this
right. Women have the right to
affordable, safe and legal abortions,
including partial birth abortion.
Conservative
Human life begins at conception.
Abortion is the murder of a human
being. An unborn baby, as a living
human being, has separate rights
from those of the mother. Oppose
taxpayer-funded abortion. Taxpayer
dollars should not be used for the
government to provide
abortions. Support legislation to
prohibit partial birth abortions, called
the “Partial Birth Abortion*
Ban”( *Partial Birth Abortion: the
killing of an unborn baby of at least 20
weeks by pulling it out of the birth
canal with forceps, but leaving the
head inside. An incision is made in the
back of the baby’s neck and the brain
tissue is suctioned out. The head is
then removed from the uterus. )
Liberal
Due to prevalent racism in the past,
minorities were deprived of the same
education and employment
opportunities as whites. The
government must work to make up for
that. America is still a racist society,
therefore a federal affirmative action
law is necessary. Due to unequal
opportunity, minorities still lag behind
whites in all statistical measurements
of success.
Conservative
Individuals should be admitted to
schools and hired for jobs based on
their ability. It is unfair to use race as
a factor in the selection process.
Reverse-discrimination is not a
solution for racism. Some individuals
in society are racist, but American
society as a whole is not. Preferential
treatment of certain races through
affirmative action is wrong.
Liberal
The death penalty should be
abolished. It is inhumane and is
‘cruel and unusual’ punishment.
Imprisonment is the appropriate
punishment for murder. Every
execution risks killing an innocent
person.
Conservative
The death penalty is a punishment
that fits the crime of murder; it is
neither ‘cruel’ nor ‘unusual.’
Executing a murderer is the
appropriate punishment for taking an
innocent life.
Liberal
A market system in which government
regulates the economy is best.
Government must protect citizens
from the greed of big business. Unlike
the private sector, the government is
motivated by public interest.
Government regulation in all areas of
the economy is needed to level the
playing field.
Conservative
The free market system, competitive
capitalism, and private enterprise
create the greatest opportunity and
the highest standard of living for all.
Free markets produce more economic
growth, more jobs and higher
standards of living than those systems
burdened by excessive government
regulation.
Liberal
Public schools are the best way to
educate students. Vouchers take
money away from public schools.
Government should focus additional
funds on existing public schools,
raising teacher salaries and reducing
class size.
Conservative
School vouchers create competition
and therefore encourage schools to
improve performance. Vouchers will
give all parents the right to choose
good schools for their children, not
just those who can afford private
schools.
Liberal
Support the use of embryonic stem
cells for research. It is necessary (and
ethical) for the government to fund
embryonic stem cell research, which
will assist scientists in finding
treatments and cures for diseases. An
embryo is not a human. The tiny
blastocyst (embryos used in embryonic
stem cell research) has no human
features. Experimenting on embryos/
embryonic stem cells is not murder.
Embryonic stem cells have the
potential to cure chronic and
degenerative diseases which current
medicine has been unable to
effectively treat. Embryonic stem cells
have been shown to be effective in
treating heart damage in mice.
Conservative
Support the use of adult and umbilical
cord stem cells only for research. It is
morally and ethically wrong for the
government to fund embryonic stem
cell research. Human life begins at
conception. The extraction of stem
cells from an embryo requires its
destruction. In other words, it
requires that a human life be killed.
Adult stem cells have already been
used to treat spinal cord injuries,
Leukemia, and even Parkinson’s
disease. Adult stem cells are derived
from umbilical cords, placentas,
amniotic fluid, various tissues and
organ systems like skin and the liver,
and even fat obtained from
liposuction. Embryonic stem cells have
not been successfully used to help cure
disease.
Liberal
Oil is a depleting resource. Other
sources of energy must be explored.
The government must produce a
national plan for all energy resources
and subsidize (partially pay for)
alternative energy research and
production. Support increased
exploration of alternative energy
sources such as wind and solar
power. Support government control of
gas and electric industries.
Conservative
Oil, gas and coal are all good sources
of energy and are abundant in the
U.S. Oil drilling should be increased
both on land and at sea. Increased
domestic production creates lower
prices and less dependence on other
countries for oil. Support increased
production of nuclear energy. Wind
and solar sources will never provide
plentiful, affordable sources of power.
Support private ownership of gas and
electric industries.
Liberal
Euthanasia should be legalized. A
person has a right to die with dignity,
by his own choice. A terminally ill
person should have the right to choose
to end pain and suffering. It is wrong
for the government to take away the
means for a terminally ill person to
hasten his death. It is wrong to force
a person to go through so much pain
and suffering. Legalizing euthanasia
would not lead to doctor-assisted
suicides of non-critical patients.
Permitting euthanasia would reduce
health care costs, which would then
make funds available for those who
could truly benefit from medical care.
Conservative
Neither euthanasia nor physician-
assisted suicide should be legalized. It
is immoral and unethical to
deliberately end the life of a
terminally ill person (euthanasia), or
enable another person to end their
own life (assisted suicide). The goal
should be compassionate care and
easing the suffering of terminally ill
people. Legalizing euthanasia could
lead to doctor-assisted suicides of non-
critical patients. If euthanasia were
legalized, insurance companies could
pressure doctors to withhold life-
saving treatment for dying patients.
Many religions prohibit suicide and
euthanasia. These practices devalue
human life.
Liberal
Global warming is caused by an
increased production of carbon
dioxide through the burning of fossil
fuels (coal, oil and natural gas). The
U.S. is a major contributor to global
warming because it produces 25% of
the world’s carbon dioxide. Proposed
laws to reduce carbon emissions in
the U.S. are urgently needed and
should be enacted immediately to save
the planet. Many reputable scientists
support this theory.
Conservative
Change in global temperature is
natural over long periods of time.
Science has not shown that humans
can affect permanent change to the
earth’s temperature. Proposed laws to
reduce carbon emissions will do
nothing to help the environment and
will cause significant price increases
for all. Many reputable scientists
support this theory.
Liberal
The Second Amendment does not give
citizens the right to keep and bear
arms, but only allows for the state to
keep a militia (National Guard).
Individuals do not need guns for
protection; it is the role of local and
federal government to protect the
people through law enforcement
agencies and the military. Additional
gun control laws are necessary to stop
gun violence and limit the ability of
criminals to obtain guns. More guns
mean more violence.
Conservative
The Second Amendment gives citizens
the right to keep and bear arms.
Individuals have the right to defend
themselves. There are too many gun
control laws – additional laws will not
lower gun crime rates. What is
needed is enforcement of current
laws. Gun control laws do not prevent
criminals from obtaining guns. More
guns in the hands of law-abiding
citizens mean less crime.
Liberal
Support free or low-cost government
controlled health care. There are
millions of Americans who can’t
afford health care and are deprived of
this basic right. Every American has a
right to affordable health care. The
government should provide equal
health care benefits for all, regardless
of their ability to pay.
Conservative
Support competitive, free market
health care system. All Americans
have access to health care. The debate
is about who should pay for it. Free
and low-cost government-run
programs (socialized medicine) result
in higher costs and everyone receiving
the same poor-quality health care.
Health care should remain privatized.
The problem of uninsured individuals
should be addressed and solved within
the free market healthcare system –
the government should not control
healthcare.
Liberal
Airport security – Passenger profiling
is wrong, period. Selection of
passengers for extra security
screening should be random. Using
other criteria (such as ethnicity) is
discriminatory and offensive to Arabs
and Muslims, who are generally
innocent and law-abiding. Terrorists
don’t fit a profile.
“…Arabs, Muslims and South Asians
are no more likely than whites to be
terrorists.” (American Civil Liberties
Union ACLU)
Asked on 60 Minutes if a 70-year-old
white woman from Vero Beach should
receive the same level of scrutiny as a
Muslim from Jersey City, President
Obama’s Transportation Secretary
Norman Mineta said, “Basically, I
would hope so.”
Conservative
Airport security – Choosing passengers
randomly for extra security searches
is not effective. Rather, profiling and
intelligence data should be used to
single out passengers for extra
screening. Those who do not meet the
criteria for suspicion should not be
subjected to intense screening. The
terrorists currently posing a threat to
the U.S. are primarily Islamic/Muslim
men between the ages of 18 and 38.
Our resources should be focused on
this group. Profiling is good logical
police work.
“If people are offended (by profiling),
that’s unfortunate, but I don’t think we
can afford to take the risk that
terrorism brings to us. They’ve wasted
masses of resources on far too many
people doing things that really don’t
have a big payoff in terms of security.”
– Northwestern University Aviation
Expert, A.Gellman.
Liberal
Support legal immigration. Support
amnesty for those who enter the U.S.
illegally (undocumented immigrants).
Also believe that undocumented
immigrants have a right to:
— all educational and health benefits
that citizens receive (financial aid,
welfare, social security and medicaid),
regardless of legal status.
— the same rights as American
citizens. It is unfair to arrest millions
of undocumented immigrants.
Conservative
Support legal immigration only.
Oppose amnesty for those who enter
the U.S. illegally (illegal immigrants).
Those who break the law by entering
the U.S. illegally do not have the same
rights as those who obey the law and
enter legally. The borders should be
secured before addressing the
problem of the illegal immigrants
currently in the country. The Federal
Government should secure the borders
and enforce current immigration law.
Liberal
Government has the right to use
eminent domain (seizure of private
property by the government–with
compensation to the owner) to
accomplish a public end.
Conservative
Respect ownership and private
property rights. Eminent domain
(seizure of private property by the
government–with compensation to the
owner) in most cases is wrong.
Eminent domain should not be used
for private development.
Liberal
Support the separation of church and
state. The Bill of Rights implies a
separation of church and state.
Religious expression has no place in
government. The two should be
completely separate. Government
should not support religious
expression in any way. All reference
to God in public and government
spaces should be removed (eg., the Ten
Commandments should not be
displayed in Federal buildings).
Religious expression has no place in
government.
Conservative
The phrase “separation of church and
state” is not in the Constitution. The
First Amendment to the Constitution
states “Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof…” This prevents the
government from establishing a
national church/denomination.
However, it does not prohibit God
from being acknowledged in schools
and government buildings. Symbols
of Christian heritage should not be
removed from public and government
spaces (eg., the Ten Commandments
should continue to be displayed in
Federal buildings). Government
should not interfere with religion and
religious freedom.
Liberal
Marriage is the union of people who
love each other. It should be legal for
gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
individuals, to ensure equal rights for
all. Support same-sex marriage.
Opposed to the creation of a
constitutional amendment establishing
marriage as the union of one man and
one woman. All individuals,
regardless of their sexual orientation,
have the right to marry. Prohibiting
same-sex citizens from marrying
denies them their civil rights.
[Opinions vary on whether this issue
is equal to civil rights for African
Americans.]
Conservative
Marriage is the union of one man and
one woman. Oppose same-sex
marriage.
Support Defense of Marriage Act
(DOMA), passed in 1996, which
affirms the right of states not to
recognize same-sex marriages licensed
in other states.
Requiring citizens to sanction same-
sex relationships violates moral and
religious beliefs of millions of
Christians, Jews, Muslims and others,
who believe marriage is the union of
one man and one woman.
Liberal
The Social Security system should be
protected at all costs. Reduction in
future benefits is not a reasonable
option. [Opinions vary on the extent
of the current system’s financial
stability.] Social Security provides a
safety net for the nation’s poor and
needy. Changing the system would
cause a reduction in benefits and
many people would suffer as a result.
Conservative
The Social Security system is in serious
financial trouble. Major changes to
the current system are urgently
needed. In its current state, the Social
Security system is not financially
sustainable. It will collapse if nothing
is done to address the problems.
Many will suffer as a result. Social
Security must be made more efficient
through privatization and/or allowing
individuals to manage their own
savings.
Liberal
Higher taxes (primarily for the
wealthy) and a larger government are
necessary to address inequity/injustice
in society (government should help the poor and needy using tax dollars from the rich). Support a large government to provide for the needs of the people and create equality. Taxes enable the
government to create jobs and provide
welfare programs for those in need.
Government programs are a caring
way to provide for the poor and
needy in society.
Conservative
Lower taxes and a smaller
government with limited power will
improve the standard of living for all.
Support lower taxes and a smaller
government. Lower taxes create more
incentive for people to work, save,
invest, and engage in entrepreneurial
endeavors. Money is best spent by
those who earn it, not the
government. Government programs
encourage people to become
dependent and lazy, rather than
encouraging work and independence.
Liberal
The UN promotes peace and human
rights. The United States has a moral
and a legal obligation to support the
United Nations (UN). The U.S. should
not act as a sovereign nation, but as
one member of a world community.
The U.S. should submit its national
interests to the greater good of the
global community (as defined by the
UN). The U.S. should defer to the UN
in military/peacekeeping matters. The
United Nations Charter gives the
United Nations Security Council the
power and responsibility to take
collective action to maintain
international peace and security. U.S.
troops should submit to UN command.
Conservative
The UN has repeatedly failed in its
essential mission to promote world
peace and human rights. The wars,
genocide and human rights abuses
taking place in many Human Rights
Council member states (and the UN’s
failure to stop them) prove this point.
History shows that the United States,
not the UN, is the global force for
spreading freedom, prosperity,
tolerance and peace. The U.S. should
never subvert its national interests to
those of the UN. The U.S. should never
place troops under UN control. U.S.
military should always wear the U.S.
military uniform, not that of UN
peacekeepers. [Opinions vary on
whether the U.S. should withdraw
from the UN.]
Liberal
Global warming, not terrorism, poses
the greatest threat to the U.S.,
according to Democrats in Congress.
Terrorism is a result of arrogant U.S.
foreign policy. Good diplomacy is the
best way to deal with terrorism.
Relying on military force to defeat
terrorism creates hatred that leads to
more terrorism. Captured terrorists
should be handled by law enforcement
and tried in civilian courts.
Conservative
Terrorism poses one of the greatest
threats to the U.S. The world toward
which the militant Islamists strive
cannot peacefully co-exist with the
Western world. In the last decade,
militant Islamists have repeatedly
attacked Americans and American
interests here and abroad. Terrorists
must be stopped and destroyed. The
use of intelligence-gathering and
military force are the best ways to
defeat terrorism around the world.
Captured terrorists should be treated
as enemy combatants and tried in
military courts.
Liberal
Support welfare, including long-term
welfare. Welfare is a safety net which
provides for the needs of the poor.
Welfare is necessary to bring fairness
to American economic life. It is a
device for protecting the poor.
Conservative
Oppose long-term welfare.
Opportunities should be provided to
make it possible for those in need to
become self-reliant. It is far more
compassionate and effective to
encourage people to become self-
reliant, rather than allowing them to
remain dependent on the government
for provisions.
