Liberals and Conservatives’ Differences in Politics

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Introduction

Lakoff observes that morality shapes American political discussions and the US politicians have tendencies to apply morality approaches in discussing a variety of topics such as foreign affairs, social issues, immigration, healthcare, and taxes among others after every four years of the general election campaigns to advocate their different ideologies to supporters.

Lakoff notes that diverse political stands of conservatives and liberals come from various mental models of a family to which such politicians appeal. He uses the metaphor of Left (nurturant parent) and Right (strict father). Lakoff puts the state as a family and the government as a parent to illustrate opposing political views of conservatives/Right and liberals/Left even when the two use same the metaphor to discuss the same topic such as abortion, social programs, and immigration among others. According to Lakoff, this “explains why liberals and conservatives could seem to be talking about the same thing and yet reach opposite conclusions – and why they could seem to be talking past each other with little understanding much of the time” (Lakoff 12).

Nurturant Parent Model

Lakoff’s nurturant parent model looks at empathy, fair distribution, restitution, love, and nurturance as important elements in family. The fundamental ideas about this model are care, love, happiness, and getting meaning out of mutual relationships. The model highlights that children’s obedience originates from love for parents and the community. It is not out of fear of punishment. Lakoff notes “children become responsible, self-disciplined, and self-reliant through being cared for and respected, and through caring for others” (Lakoff 108). Liberals see regulations as a means of “protection of those who cannot protect themselves” (Lakoff 210).

This was President Obama’s approach after the financial crisis by “proposing new rules to protect consumers and a new consumer financial protection agency to enforce those rules”. This is Lakoff’s point when he noted that government regulation “doesn’t hurt or cheat anyone” (Lakoff 210).

Strict Father Model

This model emphasizes the father to have the main role of protecting and providing for the family, and respect for the authority in developing and enforcing rules that control behaviors of children. The mother’s roles are day-to-day house chores and raising children (Lakoff 66). However, upholding the authority rests with the father.

Parental authority in Strict Father Model outweighs love and nurturance and children must learn respect for authority, self-respect, self-reliance, and self-discipline (Lakoff 66). These qualities will enable children to be on their own, and control their destinies with no parental interference. Mike Huckabee says “John McCain is a man with the character and the stubborn kind of integrity that we need in a president” (CQ Transcriptions 1). This description fits a Strict Father Model.

Military spending

Conservatives have demonstrated opposing views in matters related to military spending. They are eager to increase military spending as Ronald Reagan did when “he increased military spending significantly” (Lakoff 192). Conversely, the Liberals “see other priorities as more important than the military (Lakoff 193)”, thus, in 2007, Obama noted “war in Iraq was ill-conceived venture and a waste of resources” while Mitt Romney claimed the US spent “$700B well to win freedom in Iraq” (OntheIssues 2012).

Social welfare programs

American campaign trends show that conservatives do not advocate for welfare programs and assistance for needy people as Huckabee says “Now, I get a little tired of hearing how the Democrats care so much for the working guy as if all Republicans grew up with silk stockings and silver spoons” (CQ Transcriptions 1). This is what Mitt Romney is doing about the Obama healthcare program by insisting “Obamacare will lead the nation in the wrong direction” (Romney 2012). He opposes the use of government funds to provide healthcare for majorities in need.

Liberals believe that it is the role of the government to help citizens in need and promotes social welfare programs such as healthcare, and human rights among others. This is what Lakoff notes “to do something to help out the people at the bottom, at least to provide for their basic needs and to give them enough education and job training to allow them to do a bit better” (Lakoff 202). Consequently, the Obama administration’s Department of Health and Human Services has responded to this by “expressing a willingness to grant states waivers for some work requirements, under certain conditions” (Pareene, 2012).

On the other hand, conservatives believe that the citizens should be independent, self-reliant, and self-disciplined; thus should help themselves. The liberals present them as moral programs. They help people (nurture and empathy) facilitate reinforcement of the government (self-nurture) and encouraging fairness through a leveled platform. Lakoff notes “Wealthy liberals, however, want their money to go as directly as possible to the downtrodden and oppressed” (Lakoff 418).

They view unsupportive citizens as “immoral, irresponsible citizens” (Lakoff 179). For the conservatives, the social programs serve as units barring citizens from independence and self-sufficiency. Mickey Kaus criticize Obama’s welfare program as “weakening or being seen as weakening, the work requirements send the “wrong signal” to the lazy Americans” (Pareene, 2012). They view such programs as physically and morally weakening citizens and interfering with the abilities of citizens of seizing opportunities (Lakoff 181).

Abortion

Abortion to the Nurturant Parent Model is moral. Rocky Anderson says “Abortion is a woman’s right” and we should “leave abortion decision to those most intimately involved” (OntheIssues 2012). Conservatives consider abortion as an immoral practice. According to Michele Bachmann “Life is the first right. I’m 100% pro-life from conception” (OntheIssues 2012). This means that the Strict Father Model supporting conservative view abortion as sheer irresponsibility while the liberals supporting liberals see nothing wrong with the action. Strict Father Model believes “abortion would simply sanction immoral behavior” among teenage girls who engage in sex before marriage (Lakoff 267).

Conservatives oppose social issues such as abortion by claiming that they need to protect the lives of unborn fetuses. Mike Huckabee says “No tax funding for organizations that promote abortion” (OntheIssues 2012). They fight such successful programs. This does not make sense to liberals as Hillary Clinton supports abortion by saying “make abortion rare by supporting adoption and foster care” (OntheIssues 2012).

Illegal migration

Illegal migration reflects another disagreeable issue between the liberals and the conservatives. The liberals view illegal immigrants as “blameless and subjects to exploitations by employers or available job opportunities and by throwing them away, would be an immoral act as they provide values to the nation and households” (Lakoff 188). This may explain the recent move by President Obama on “lifting the deportation of hundreds of thousands of undocumented young people in the US” (Cook 1).

To the conservatives, “the illegal aliens are noncitizens and are not part of the nation’s family” (Lakoff 187). Mit Romney talks tough on illegal immigrants and their employers “So what I would do is, number one, have a system that makes it easy for an employer to know who is legal and not. And number two, a crackdown on employers that hire people illegally”. Therefore, the nation does not authorize them to access goods and services as they are more of children that push to a home uninvited (Dean 2006).

Gay marriage

Romney expresses his opposition to gay marriage as “I agree with 3000 years of recorded history. … I have been rock solid in my support of traditional marriage”. This shows Lakoff’s view of Conservatives promoting “traditional morality” in society. Conversely, President Obama’s stands on social issues present liberal views. For instance, the President said he feels “absolutely comfortable” with same-sex marriages” reflects his liberal views on matters that are central in American politics (O’Keefe 3).

Models and American Politics

Conservative has developed a model citizen that fits certain descriptions. According to conservative values, a model citizen has to uphold conservative views and be able to support them. The citizen must also be self-disciplined and self-reliant, support the idea of reward and punishment, and must support moral citizens and moral orders (Lakoff 211).

According to conservative model citizens, these citizens fit several descriptions. Conservative model citizens have acquired their wealth through hard work, and are successful due to their self-discipline; thus, should deserve to keep whatever they have acquired. Huckabee supports this idea as follows “I’m a Republican because I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life poor, waiting for the government to rescue me” (CQ Transcriptions 1).

We must note that conservative model citizens have not received any aid from the government, instead, they have created wealth and success on their own. According to the American dream, any self-disciplined, honest, and hardworking citizen can achieve success. However, President Clinton committed to “increase child care and food assistance for families, particularly through the Head Start and the Women, Infants and Children programs”. Liberals, according to Lakoff, it is a means of “protection of those who cannot protect themselves” (Lakoff 210). This is annoying to conservatives.

Conservatives have refined their ideas and languages in American politics. This observation makes Lakoff conclude as follows “conservatives are relatively aware of how their politics relates to their views of family life and morality, liberals are less aware of the implicit view of morality and the family that organizes their own political beliefs” (Lakoff 31). Consequently, a lack of awareness among liberals has resulted in devastating effects on the liberal cause.

Lakoff admires the cleverness and intelligence of conservative politicians but condemns them for fostering an unhealthy society that promotes a culture of exclusion, divisiveness, and blames society. Conservatives mainly focus on responsibility, discipline, self-reliance, upholding the family and government values, enhancing the pursuit of self-interest, and protecting the state from external aggressors. Conversely, liberals’ ideologies revolve around fairness, enhancing personal fulfillment, helping, and protecting minorities who cannot protect themselves.

Conclusion

Conservatives have a clear ideology on what constitutes an ideal family with the father as the head. This is the nuclear family that sees a family as a crucial element in the building of a society that transforms its members into capable and independent people. The government is also an autonomous body with authority over citizens. Thus, citizens are subject to the state and abide by the state authority. However, liberals do not have such clear distinctions.

Lakoff puts liberals as holding a communitarian view on family. Both parents may be present in a family, but the mother takes the core responsibility with the community controlling the legitimate role in the affairs of the family. Politically, liberals view the state as the parent and citizens as children who need nurturing and guidance under their parents’ houses.

Applying to politics, a liberal state will have no limit to nurturing. It will go the extra mile to mind the citizen’s welfare. The state will do anything for the citizen. However, conservatives’ government is better as it lays rules for its citizens and leaves them. It serves more like a “daddy state” whose duty is to encourage, mentor, and discipline. He respects boundaries enough but comes in when the bending of rules takes place. However, conservatives and liberals have their differences notably from the way each side argue against issues such as social welfare programs, abortion, and illegal immigrants.

American conservative politics may be advanced than liberal politics due to the articulation of their views, both in language and actions. Lakoff praises conservatives for their political cleverness but supports liberals for their nurturing approach. We must also note that Lakoff presents his ideas objectively by pointing out “both conservatives and liberals are sometimes not internally logical, and consistent with their principles and philosophical views” (Lakoff 14). He notes that inconsistencies may result from various metaphor politicians apply in different situations.

Works Cited

Cook, Michael. “Letter: Obama’s move on immigration is the right thing to do.” Gloucester Times, 6 (2012): 1-2. Print.

CQ Transcriptions. “Mike Huckabee’s Convention Speech.” The New York Times: Politics (2008): 1-2. Print.

Dean, John. Conservatives without Conscience. New York: Viking Penguin, 2006. Print.

Lakoff, George. Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2002. Print.

O’Keefe, Ed. “For Obama, gay marriage stance born of a long evolution.” The Washington Post, 4 (2012): 1-3. Print.

on the issues. Every Political Leader on Every Issue. 2012. Web.

Pareene, Alex. Triangulators panic: Obama weakening welfare reform? 2012. Web.

Romney, Mitt. Health Care: Repeal and Replace Obamacare. 2011. Web.

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