What is your definition of liberal? What is your definition of conservative? Are you liberal or conservative?

Answer 1

I often have to laugh at the debate among the so called liberals and conservatives in YA. It shows great ignorance.

America, in terms of the spectrum of human belief systems is quite conservative. The vast majority of Americans ARE conservative. Even Hillary.

We split hairs and scream at one another. It's a result of our beloved representatives in government using smear tactics to avoid having to be held accountable for their words.

Go to www.politicalcompass.org , take the test and see where you place on the spectrum of political belief. After that click on the link on the left that says, "2007 Presidential Candidates" , It is surprising.

As for me, I have a lot of conservative values when it comes to government and economy but am extremely liberal when it comes to social issues.

Answer 2

To begin with Liberals and Conservatives are NOT Democrats and Republicans respectively. Many Liberals have taken upon themselves "badge" (so to speak) of Democrat. And the same is true with Conservatives taking on the "badge" of Republican. True Republicans and Democrats are a lot closer in their lines of thinking than they would like for the general public to believe. Obama and Romney are examples of a true Democrat and a true Republican.

Now, a Conservative is one who has zero tollerance for anything "immoral". They actually think that you can govern morality. They believe that EVERYTHING should be governed. They think everything is black and white, right or wrong. There is nothing inbetween. Some of these people are called "Jesus Freaks". These are also the people who are not afraid to go to war and send their children to war. (My parents are true Conservatives and my brother is currently in Iraq.)

A Liberal is one who thinks that NOTHING should be governed. They believe that we should not teach our children morals. They see everything as gray. Nothing is "right or wrong" unless it is the extreme. They believe that we should allow anyone and everyone into our country without checking who they are or why they are here. They think we can talk and reason with unreasonable people. They are agains war in all aspects. They and their children RARELY (if ever) serve this country in the military. Prime example of a true Liberal is Hillary. She is NOT a true Democrat, but a socialist liberal.

I hope that clears things up.

Answer 3

Liberals want to use government to improve the overall quality of life and support expanding the citizens entitlements. Liberals are less concerned with economic growth however they wish to spend more. They often favor taxation as a means of financing ever increasing social programs and fail to support much of the business that forms much of the tax base. Liberals support freedom of diversity even when it is sometimes inappropriate. Often shortsighted.

Conservatives oppose increasing government size and interference particularly in business. They support the idea of personnel responsibility and believe that quality of life in most cases is the responsibility of the individual. They oppose increasing entitlements and oppose higher taxation. Conservatives place more emphasis in moral behavior then diversity and more concern for business and economic growth then social programs. Traditionally conservatives would be strong supporters of the constitution and liberals would advocate updating it to current standards but that is backwards now.

Neo-Con In the late 60's and 70's there was an upsurge in conservatism in response to the liberalism of the early and mid 60's. Some of the liberals of the time switched sides and became new conservatives (or neo-cons) They are something of a mix between liberals and conservative. Neo-cons support a vastly expanding government and they support business deregulation. they support strong moral stands backed up by federal authority. They oppose constitutional limitations, do not believe that government is responsible for improving quality of life, oppose increasing taxation, and oppose increasing entitlements. They support increasing military spending and usually won't hesitate to use the military given an opportunity.

I am conservative but I support some liberal views.

Answer 4

My favorite definitions appeared in a book called "The Federal Courts, Politics, and the Rule of Law," by John C. Hughes (published 1995):

"In the contemporary political context, those who fear conformity have tended to describe themselves as liberal and have tended to applaud judicial 'protection' of human rights. Those who fear diversity have tended to call themselves conservatives and have been appalled by judicial 'usurpation' of the majority's discretion to form the kind of community it finds most conducive to its own happiness. The former tends to approve of the expansive theories of constitutional interpretation, while the latter tends to prefer the restrained theories of judicial review. These alignments are neither perfect nor inevitable, but the debate has surely been shrill."

In the above sense, I am a conservative.

Answer 5

A conservative believes government has no business in your private life and that only you knows what is best for you. Conservatives believe it is your money you earn not the federal governments. The less government in your life the better

Liberalism claims to be fore you yet in actuality the want control of your life they say you don't know how to take care of yourself so the government should do it for you It is pure Marxism. A failed form of government that will not nor has it ever worked. It prohibits self advancement and punishes success via taxes and regulations

Answer 6

A liberal is someone who believes his political agenda to be correct and unflawed.
A conservative is someone who believes his political agenda to be correct and unflawed.
Unfortunately, such rigidity, inflexibility, and stubbornness has only served to divide our nation instead of unifying it.

I am not liberal or conservative. I am a citizen and voter living in the United States of America. I believe that there is room for all of us to come to some compromise on our personal political agendas in an attempt to return our nation to greatness. Liberals and conservatives depend on labels (and all too often those who profess to be one or the other, don't even fully understand which political agenda they support).

Liberalism and Conservatism labels need to be put aside so that we can all work together to rebuild what has become a stagnated nation, manipulated by a corrupt and incompetent two-party system, and controlled by a small group of wealthy elitists, industrialists, power brokers and influence-peddlers. America needs to reaffirm and return power to its greatest and most potent asset: the people, regardless of their race, creed, or political persuasion.

Answer 7

A liberal is someone like Hillary Clinton who wants to raise taxes and build a bigger government to control our lives. She wants to put in place government daycare for our 3 year old chidren; take them away from their parents and allow the Village to teach them how to think. These higher taxes will mean companies will have less money to create more jobs, so unemployment will double as in France. Liberal Hillary wants Socialized healthcare where it can take days to see a Dr. I am a conservative who wants a smaller government and lower taxes. I would like to see the 25% less government through attrition that one presidential candidate said he will create along with govt budgets reduced 5-10% per year. This will allow that candidate to lower taxes and there will be far fewer regulations. There will be many more jobs as a result and much more freedom from govt rules.
I am a vegetarian, tree-hugging environmentalist who thinks drugs should be legalized and the government should be out of education, housing, labor, Nasa; they mess everything up and make life harder. Except defence and preserving the rule of law and property--their good at that.

Answer 8

Liberal: Daffy Duck

Conservative: Bugs Bunny

Answer 9

Liberal...Having the government provide most things and for the citizens to rely on them for those things. ie, health care, retirement, emergency relief, welfare.
Conservative...Having the individual/local community provide those same things for themselves with the government out of it as much as possible.

I consider myself a Conservative

Answer 10

The Cons want to send somebody Else's kids to war ! they are lapel pin patriots.

Libs are kinda nutty on things like tree frogs, .etc.

They both do a lot of bitching about the other group and keep taking payoffs from lobbyists.

I am neither. I did 2 tours in Vietnam and trying to do right