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Liberals vs. Conservatives Essay

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The ideals and the composition of liberals and conservatives are radically different at times, and yet these same beliefs work together to make up the basic framework of American political thought. They both have the same goals for prosperity and yet they have polar opposite ways of achieving them. Ideologically, they are at odds with the size of government and the role that it plays. Some want big government that provides for people, while others elect for a small government that does not interfere with the lives of people. As is expected liberals tend to vote for certain issues that conservatives will disagree with and vice versa. Of course the issues are not random, each side will vote for and against particular kinds of issues. …show more content…

Consequently, the power taken from the centralized government will be redistributed to the states and local municipalities. While Conservatives do want government to be smaller they still want government to be present, even using the power that it has to further their own goals. Wiggins says that "Some Conservatives want to use Federal power to block state actions they disapprove of" (10), which suggests that they want federal power as well as state power to be reduced in scope. The differing opinions on what government's power is perceived to be, is just one of numerous arguments that separate the two viewpoints from one another. With the myriad of philosophical differences that occur between the two sides, it is expected for people who belong to each school of thought to vote for, and against, certain measures. Liberals, for example, are more likely to vote for issues that grant more freedom to individuals in their personal lives. They are also more likely to allocate government money for support services for the needy. Wiggins clarifies this by adding that "The main focus of modern liberalism in the United States is voting right for all adult citizens, equal rights, separation of church and state, protection of the environment, and the provision by the government of social services”

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