Issue

Conservatives

Role of government

Government provides essential public services (roads, welfare, social security) of wide benefit, and protects citizens from various threats (e.g., pollution, financial fraud, unsafe working conditions, unsafe products)

Government is generally wasteful— taxpayers know better how to spend their money, and the private sector is a more efficient provider of services at a cheaper cost

Size of government

Believe in larger government, which obviously requires more taxes to fund.

Less is best (but in reality, less spending on social programs, more on defense/security)

Poverty

Structural forces beyond individuals’ control (globalization & 'outsourcing,' attacks on labor unions, jobs that don't pay living wage, race/ethnic/gender/class barriers)

Lack of work ethic, decline of marriage as an institution (individual explanations of morality and motivation--poverty is a result of 'character flaws'), 'bad choices'

Morality

Civil rights have improved, divorce is a choice now for men and women, pro-choice, gays have rights, too, separation of church and state--more likely to embrace changes that recognize unequal treatment of certain groups--strict separation of church and state.

Decline of marriage, divorce on the rise, acceptance of gays, pro-life, religion in public life (including the government)--conservatives less open to rapid social change.