What is a Liberal and what is a Conservative?
These terms get thrown around a lot and we are just supposed to know what they mean. Do we?
EDIT: This debate is meant to use the American sense of each term but international opinion is more than welcome.
Liberal
Side Score: 19
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Conservative
Side Score: 6
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From the right: Atheistic modern remnants of the socialistic hippy movement who see the Constitution as an impediment to their wealth destroying re-distributive programs designed to uplift the lazy at the expense of the hard working. Also they're gay. From the left: They hold freedom as the ideal while recognizing that a hungry person cannot be free. When conditions of excess co-exist with destitution, those with more than they could ever hope to use must be made to help the society from which they have gained so much. The maximization of freedom enhances the economic conditions of all and allows us an ever increasing number of rights which must be codified into law. Justice must be maintained socially and economically as well as in the criminal courts. Side: Liberal
Conservatives must either be the most stupid people alive or the most devious. We have fools constantly talking about feeding the poor when what they actually mean is handing out credit card food stamps that can be traded for cash, alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc. Then when Liberals speak out on this insanity, Conservatives call them heartless racists or a million other insults. Liberals would have these so called "starving" able bodied people getting off their lazy butts and standing in food bank lines. Do you understand how many billions that would save tax payers? This annoyance of standing in food bank lines would also get them to find jobs but of course this is not what these so called compassionate Conservatives want them to do. They want them tied to social programs so they keep voting Republican. Conservatives, tell me why you are so opposed to making it harder for able bodied people to use our social programs. What's wrong with able bodied people standing in food bank lines? Any person with an ounce of shame should be thankful for free food no matter how he gets it. Now be sure to spew the same ludicrous excuses by talking about the children and disabled and sick people ok? Make sure you once again show us all what total fools you are. Side: Liberal
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We are not here to attack personal beliefs and character. Therefore, please do not give the rest of the liberals a bad rap by calling names. Let us professionally debate this subject. I believe that liberalism is the preferred method to revitalize America; however, I find it odd that conservatives feature liberal diplomacy, while liberals prefer a more conservative approach to diplomatic relations. Side: Liberal
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Liberalism within the united states is an ideology that tends to promote positive freedoms economically, and negative freedoms socially. This means that a modern American Liberal will tend to favor social programs in order to provide positive freedoms that allow members of lower socio-economic areas to achieve that which they wouldn't be able to without said programs. Liberals tend to favor negative freedoms for social issues, preferring the government to stay out and allow individuals to go about their lives unimpeded. Examples of this would be topics such as same-sex marriage or religion. Of course there are exceptions, such as the propensity for liberals to support increased gun control. Liberalism also tends to favor multiculturalism, believing that there are very positive aspects to bringing together and valuing multiple cultural groups. Liberals also tend to (but not always) value progressivism, which believes in focusing on "advances" in just about all aspects of society. Though individuals of other ideologies may not agree that all things supported by progressive Liberals are "advances", progressives believe that they are promoting a continuation of advancement in society in order to leave behind what they believe to be antiquated paradigms, institutions, etc. Side: Liberal
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I would suggest instead that liberalism and conservatism do not function independently, but rather are mutually dependent upon one another to produce a positive social function. Conservatism tempers the pace of change introduced by liberalism to allow for gradual social reconfiguration. Liberalism prevents social stagnation that would occur if conservatism existed independently. On their own these ideologies are dysfunctional; it is through their concurrence that they produce a social function. Side: Liberal
1
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Not in all nations at all times, but the GOP in america today are $avage$. Correct me if I am wrong on this, but as far as I know only one of the potential republican presidential candidates for 2016 believes that humans are influencing climate change with CO2, namely Chris Christie. We're doomed. Side: Liberal
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2
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Modern American Conservatism is an ideology that tends to promote negative economic freedom, with certain social freedom limitations (distinguishing it from Libertarianism). Conservatism holds to a more free-market economic ideology, with differing levels of regulation being accepted for specific purposes (such as ensuring contracts are enforced). Conservatism also holds that the smaller the government the better (to a certain degree), believing that the abuses of larger governments outweighs any possible benefits, and also believes that said benefits would be far better if left to private citizens and the private sphere at large. Distinguishing itself from Libertarianism, Modern American Conservatism does believe in some limitations on social freedoms for what it perceives to be the health and well-being of society, generally pertaining to its moral fabric. For this reason, Conservatives tend to oppose same-sex marriage, believing it is a corrupting force, and often (but by no means always) favors promoting Christianity, believing it is a positive binding force. Conservatism also tends to oppose (to a degree) multiculturalism, believing that diversity to this degree leads to a lack of cultural integration and can often result in a sort of balkanization, as can be witnessed in areas like East LA. Conservatives tend to believe that a binding, unifying cultural identity is a positive and stabilizing force in society, and should be promoted. Side: Conservative
From the left: Racist bible thumpers who care more about the 2nd Amendment than the 1st. They believe in the myth of the free market, making most of them either dupes to the financial power elite or black hearted individualists who don't care for the down trodden. From the right: Hard working capitalist Christians who take pride in charity but have no time for the lazy. They hold their Constitution in one hand and the Bible in the other with a gun in the holster, and rightfully so. Side: Conservative
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Liberals must either be the most stupid people alive or the most devious. We have fools constantly talking about feeding the poor when what they actually mean is handing out credit card food stamps that can be traded for cash, alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc. Then when Conservatives speak out on this insanity, Liberals call them heartless racists or a million other insults. Conservatives would have these so called "starving" able bodied people getting off their lazy butts and standing in food bank lines. Do you understand how many billions that would save tax payers? This annoyance of standing in food bank lines would also get them to find jobs but of course this is not what these so called compassionate Liberals want them to do. They want them tied to social programs so they keep voting Democrat. Liberals, tell me why you are so opposed to making it harder for able bodied people to use our social programs. What's wrong with able bodied people standing in food bank lines? Any person with an ounce of shame should be thankful for free food no matter how he gets it. Now be sure to spew the same ludicrous excuses by talking about the children and disabled and sick people ok? Make sure you once again show us all what total fools you are. Side: Conservative
4
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"Liberals must either be the most stupid people alive or the most devious. We have fools constantly talking about feeding the poor when what they actually mean is handing out credit card food stamps that can be traded for cash, alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc. " No, they just have opinions that differ from yours. Try not to insult people. And no, they do not mean that, they actually mean feeding the poor. Out of curiosity, do you have any statistics on how often food stamps are traded for cash, alcohol, drugs or gambling? Any at all? "Conservatives would have these so called "starving" able bodied people getting off their lazy butts and standing in food bank lines." Do you have figures on how many people on food stamps are unemployed, out of curiosity? "This annoyance of standing in food bank lines would also get them to find jobs but of course this is not what these so called compassionate Liberals want them to do. They want them tied to social programs so they keep voting Democrat." No, they don't. That is like me saying that Conservatives don't want social programs because they want the poor to die out so they stop voting for Democrats. It is ridiculous to assign malicious intent to opinions that differ from yours. "Liberals, tell me why you are so opposed to making it harder for able bodied people to use our social programs. What's wrong with able bodied people standing in food bank lines? " It depends on what you mean by "harder". I believe that anyone who is on welfare or food stamps who is able bodied should either be working, or prove that they are actively seeking employment. "Now be sure to spew the same ludicrous excuses by talking about the children and disabled and sick people ok? Make sure you once again show us all what total fools you are." Are you capable of having a political conversation without insulting people? Side: Liberal
Liberalism This has been defined as a political philosophy or worldview founded on ideas of liberty and equality. The former principle is stressed in classical liberalism while the latter is more evident in social liberalism.Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally they support ideas such as democratic elections, civil rights, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, free trade, and private property. Conservatism This has been defined as a political and social philosophy which promotes retaining traditional social institutions in the context of the culture and civilization. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others, called reactionaries, oppose modernism and seek a return to "the way things were". I'd sit more in the Liberal camp according to theses definitions Side: Conservative
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