Liberals and Conservatives in the United States Essay

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liberal and conservative are generalized blanket words used to describe political leanings. Generally, the term conservative refers to the desire to preserve existing social norms and values; whereas liberals are defined by openness to change and diversity. In politics, though, the division between liberal and conservative can assume more specific meanings. Identification with specific political stances on certain issues can be determined by one's status as being liberal or conservative. In the United States, the liberal moniker tends to connote support for social services through taxpayer money, greater regulation on corporate greed, and the promotion of civil liberties through the elimination of gender, racial, and other types of discrimination. Conservatives, on the other hand, are distinguished by their preference for patriarchal gender norms, espousal of free market economics and unbridled economic growth, and a minimal investment in social services or quality of life boosters.

While both liberals and conservatives in the United States may support a strong national defense, conservatives tend to believe that one of the only reasonable responsibilities of the federal government should be the maintenance of a mighty military force. Liberals would prefer that federal spending be more uniformly distributed among various types of services in addition to the national defense. The liberal perspective is more consistent and keeps in mind the core values of the American ethos.

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National defense is one of many elements that preserves the integrity and safety of the American people.

Services such as education and healthcare are more important from a liberal perspective because conservatives revert to the private sector for as much as possible. Yet the private sector is by definition profit-driven and not motivated by values that promote higher quality of life, such as social justice or gender parity. Health care and education should not be controlled by a profit-driven private sector from the liberal perspective, because it is obvious that within such a system money can purchase access to resources, creating problems like social unrest. Yet while conservatives claim to embrace the private sector for most services, the conservative platform has simultaneously pushed for governmental intervention into issues such as abortion and marriage.

Therefore, conservatives generally harbor hypocritical beliefs related to the extent of government interference in the private lives of individuals. For instance, conservatives claim to embrace individual liberties and "small government," but at the same time believe in legislation that promotes conservative values such as heteronormativity and patriarchy. Liberals prefer a "live and let live" approach to social issues, and promote social justice reform via such things as universal marriage equality. Moreover, liberals understand the ramifications of institutionalized racism, which is why affirmative action is more likely….....

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