Carole Said:

Has anyone else noticed conservative/liberal YA comment patterns?

We Answered:

Possibly because (contrary to popular FoxNewsian beliefs), liberals are working hard during the day whereas conservatives are in their trailer parks raising their 23 kids and railing against the government.

Vincent Said:

What do the terms "liberal conservative" and "conservative liberal" mean to you?

We Answered:

Fence sitters... now aren't they getting a butt-full of SPLINTERS by now?


1. REPEAL the 16th Amendment!!
2. DISBAND The FED!
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc_-L4fyL…
Republican since before she was born… and PROUD of it.

Carmen Said:

How do I tell the difference between a republican conservative/liberal and a democrat conservative/liberal?

We Answered:

A conservative liberal lives in Colorado and does not want restrictions on gun ownership or gun control.
A liberal republican believes in pro choice.

Lester Said:

What's a good conservative show for a liberal to listen to?

We Answered:

Michael Savage..L.O.L. LOU Dobbs or Lars Larson are moderate.

Kurt Said:

What does it mean to be conservative and what does it mean to be liberal?

We Answered:

I found a good breakdown of conservative vs liberal ideology in a book by John Dean (White House Counsel during Watergate, I think), and it is interesting in that it describes political viewpoints without necessarily associating them with specific political issues.

I think this is wise, because honest people can surely share similar values and follow them to different conclusions on how best to craft public policy.

Here is my summary of the differences that (the self-described conservative) Mr Dean enumerates in his book:

Conservatives tend to believe that the past was better than the present is; that traditional values are superior to modern ones; that change is to be undertaken only gradually and with utmost caution; that people are not innately equal; that government interference in public life should be kept to a minimum; that the Constitution is finite and absolute; and that representative democracy is superior to direct democracy.

Liberals tend to believe that they live for the future; that values change with the times and circumstances; that dramatic change is inevitable and necessary for social and practical reasons; liberals tend to believe in fundamental equality of all people; that government intrusion in the interest of equality is acceptable and advisable; that the Constitution is a "living document" subject to modern interpretation; and that direct democracy is preferable to representative democracy.

Lawrence Said:

Funny and offensive stereotypes of liberal & conservative men and women in dating/relationship situations?

We Answered:

Three questions they want answered:
1. Are you a Christian?
2. Are you a communist?
3. How many guns do you own?

Frederick Said:

Can someone please give me the short definitions of a conservative, liberal and radical?

We Answered:

Cons:
- are against government regulation of the economy; they believe that an unrestricted market will mean that good products and good people will do well; that it will create wealthy people, and that those people's wealth will 'trickle down' to the poorer (this has never happened, and won't - people who have money generally want to spend as little as possible)
- believe the world is fair & everyone can and should take care of themselves - to be selfish is to be good - there are winners and losers, and if you lose, it's your fault
- are for government regulation of people's private lives, because they believe they have the correct moral answer. sometimes they are for keeping church and state together, in this way

Lib:
- believe that the world is not fair, and that part of the government's job, as it's a representative democracy, is to protect the weakest citizens and help them participate in the country the best they can (via education, health, and other initiatives). They believe there are more reasons for someone not prospering than individual skill - like poor education, poverty, mental or physical disease
- believe that an unregulated economy will magnify the unequal distribution of wealth, skill and resources (i.e. they want the government to intervene in the economy to make it fairer);
- generally take a hands-off approach when it comes to people's private lives

Radical - can be right, left, or neither - believe the existing system needs to be totally overhauled. Right wing radicals: tea partiers, neoconservative hawks, militias. Left wing radicals: anarchists (no government) , total communists (ie, they believe all societal functions should be run by the state).

Neither, or both: libertarians (who believe in no or minimal government).