Issue

Liberals

Conservatives

Role of government

Government provides essential public services (roads, welfare, social security) of wide benefit and equitable access, should protect citizens from threats (e.g., pollution, unsafe working conditions, financial fraud, unsafe products). More (government) is generally better

Government is generally wasteful— taxpayers know better how to spend their money, and the private sector is a more efficient provider of services at a cheaper cost. Social programs are overly generous, and regulations stifle business growth. Less is best.

Poverty

Structural forces limit individuals’ ability to escape poverty (globalization & ‘outsourcing,’ stigmatization of ‘the poor’; attacks on labor unions, jobs that don’t pay living wage, race/ ethnic/gender/class barriers)

Lack of work ethic, decline of marriage as an institution (individual explanations of morality and motivation–poverty is a result of ‘character flaws’ or ‘bad choices’). Children fare worse in single-parent households. Welfare creates dependency.

Environment

Support government regulation of industry, protection of habitats/species, policies on issues like global warming, reductions in pollution, greater fuel efficiency.

Tend to focus on economic development and markets–encouraging use and extraction of natural resources (especially fossil fuels), less stringent regulations on pollution.

War

More likely to support diplomacy than get involved in a protracted military endeavor (e.g., Iraq and Afghanistan, Vietnam). War as a last resort, not a foreign policy tool to protect US economic interests.

Generally more likely to consider military intervention to achieve foreign policy objectives. Recent conflicts and controversies seem to be focused on the area of the world with petroleum reserves (Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Iran).

Crime

Preventive measures—prisons socialize criminals — treat causal forces: address drug abuse, poverty, racism. Excessive police force disproportionately victimizes minorities.

Crimes against people, beef up sentencing, build more prisons, law and order is critical. Police need more authority, protection from unsafe streets.

Morality

Civil rights have improved, divorce is a choice now for men and women, pro-choice, gays and lesbians have rights, too, separation of church and state–more likely to embrace changes that address perceived discrimination.

Decline of marriage, divorce on the rise, queers & transgenders are making ‘choices’ that don’t merit constitutional protections. Pro-life, religion in public life and government is permissible–conservatives less open to rapid social change.

Some terms, expressions used, issues

progressive; white supremacy; American empire; climate change; carbon footprint; GMO (genetically modified organisms); fair trade; torture; spying; pro-choice; feminism;  inequality; corporate; anti-racism; white privilege; diversity; equity;

free markets or free enterprise; ‘security’; rule of law; liberty; freedom; patriotism; liberals; snowflake; capitalism, socialism; critical race theory; voter fraud; bathroom bills; free trade; border security; pro-life / culture of life; Antifa; government bureaucracy