First:
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.
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).
Abortion
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.)
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Economy
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.
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Gun Control
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.
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.”
Abortion: conservatives want everyone to have freedom of choice without government intervention, yet they want the government to prevent women from being free to choose if they wish to have a child or not. They don't realize this is a contradiction.
Economy: history has shown that, while free, unregulated enterprise does speed up wealth accumulation (the economy?) It rapidly depletes resources, causes great destruction to the environment, leaving a legacy of cleanup that costs more than the original wealth extracted, accumulates the wealth to owners who treat their "underlings" like slaves and tend to become "above the law." Conservatives seem to be unaware that the practices they cherish lead only to their own destruction. The success of unbridled capitalistic free enterprise as put the planet on a dangerous course where no one, liberal or conservative, will be safe.
Gun control: conservatives believe that guns will be used for protection. Statistics show that gun accidents are increasing and open access to guns has allowed mentally unstable people to acquire guns quite easily. Guns are increasingly used to settle family disputes. In colonial times when the second amendment was passed, people needed guns to hunt for food and protect themselves where there was no law. If we are ever faced with foreign invasion, pistols in the hands of the populace will be of little use against military action. It is a patriotic pipe dream to think that we would be able to protect our homes and property from an invasion without military support.
Ron