gov political

1. Radicals

• Call for wide-sweeping rapid change to something new/different of:

  • Political structure

  • Social Structure

  • Economic Structure

• Call for use of violence/revolution to bring change

• Example- 

  • Communism

  • US Revolutionaries (1776)

2. Liberals

• The gov’t should be actively involved in the promotion of social welfare of a nation’s citizens

• Call for peaceful, gradual change within the existing political system

 

• Examples-  

  • Many Democrats

    • President Obama

    • MLK

    • FDR

3. Moderates

• Moderates may share viewpoints with both liberals and conservatives

• Do not hold extreme views 

  • They advocate a “go-slow” or “wait-and-see” approach to social or political change

• Examples- 

  • John McCain (R) 

  •  Bill Clinton (D) circa 1990s 

4. Conservatives

• Favor keeping things the way they are – 

  • “status quo”

  • Tradition 

• Minimal government intervention (Economic)

• Government intervention when policing some social issues

• Examples- 

  • Many Republicans (Reagan, Bush)

5. Reactionaries

• Want to go back to the way things were-

  • the “good ole’ days.” 

  • No change forward

• Willing to use extreme methods, such as repressive use of government power, to achieve their goals

• Example- 

  • Hitler (Nazism) & KKK

General Beliefs of Liberals

• Want bigger gov. 

  • Is necessary to promote equality for all people

    • Esp. the National gov.

• Gov. is necessary to protect individual rights

• “Public responsibility”- people are victims and need the gov’s help to fix their problems

General Beliefs of Conservatives

• Want smaller gov. 

  • Trust the people to ensure equality

    • Let state govs. decide, if needed

• Gov. is necessary to protect society

• “Personal responsibility”- people can take care of themselves and accept the consequences of their actions

Political spectrum left to right is :

Radical, Liberal, Moderate, Conservative, Reactionary

Capatial Punishments Liberals

• Against death penalty

  • Cruel & unusual to kill someone

    • “eye for an eye” isn’t real justice

  • Possibility of killing someone who is innocent

Capital Punishment conservatives

• Supports the death penalty

• Appropriate deterrent & punishment for heinous crimes

economy liberals

• More gov. regulations/restrictions

• Reduce business greed

  • No monopolies

• Increase consumer protections

  • Product labeling & ingredients

economy conservatives

• Less government regulations/restrictions

• Laissez-faire

  • Businesses better regulate the economy than the gov.

  • Gov. regulations costs businesses money

    • Means less jobs

Enviroment and economy

LIBERALS

• Save the environment

  • natural resources are scarce

• People cause global warming

  • We need regulation

• Gov. should research, pay for, & supply alternate sources

CONSERVATIVES

• Natural resources are not so scarce

• Global warming is a natural occurrence/doesn’t exist

• More excavation of natural resources 

  • Lower prices for consumers

• Environmental regulations will hurt business

  • Increasing prices for all

Gun Control

LIBERALS

• 2^nd Amendment doesn’t give individuals the right to freely own a gun

  • Restrictions are necessary to protect the general welfare

• More guns means more violence

• Gun restrictions would prevent mass shootings

CONSERVATIVES

• 2^nd Amendment gives individuals the right to own a gun

• Restrictions are unnecessary

  • Most people use their guns appropriately

• If more people had guns, there would be less crime

• Mass shootings are rare

Healthcare

LIBERALS

• Support universal healthcare 

  • Healthcare for all

• Free/ gov. paid for 

  • Healthcare is expensive and not everyone can afford it

CONSERVATIVES

• Support healthcare for all, but paid for by the people

  • Don’t support government sponsored healthcare

• Healthcare determined by the markets/businesses

  • Healthcare is too complicated for the gov. to interfere with

Immigration

LIBERALS

• Supports legal immigration

• Support allowing illegal immigrants to stay

  • It is unfair to arrest millions of illegal immigrants

  • Support giving illegal immigrants the same rights as U.S. citizens

CONSERVATIVES

• Supports legal immigration

• Support the deportation of illegal immigrants

  • Enforcing current law

• Illegals “jump in line” ahead of those coming legally

  • Don’t believe illegal immigrants have the same rights as U.S. citizens

Religion

LIBERALS

• Supports separation of “church & state”

  • Religious doctrine not to be used to run the government

• Religion shouldn’t interfere with gov. 

  • Ex.- students shouldn’t be required to say “God” in the Pledge of Allegiance 

  • Ex.- “Christmas break” is offensive/not inclusive of non-Christians

CONSERVATIVES

• Supports the possibility that religion should influence gov. actions (morals)

• Government shouldn’t interfere with religion

  • Ex.- students should be allowed to say “God” in the Pledge of Allegiance if they want to 

  • Ex.- “Christmas break” is not offensive/not inclusive in areas where most people are Christian

Taxes

LIBERALS

• Higher taxes 

  • Esp. on the wealthy

• Money needed for social programs to promote equality

CONSERVATIVES

• Lower taxes for all

• People will work harder & save

  • Gov. programs encourage people to not do things for themselves

Welfare

LIBERALS

• Support welfare programs

  • For the poor, sick, & elderly

• These groups need gov. help & protection

  • Ex.- unemployment money, food assistance, etc.

CONSERVATIVES

• Support welfare that helps people become self-reliant & independent

  • Program to help you find a job

  • Short-term welfare help