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IdeologyIdeology

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IdeologyIdeology

• What is an ideology?What is an ideology?

• A consistent and integrated system of A consistent and integrated system of ideas values and beliefsideas values and beliefs

• What do ideologies tell us?What do ideologies tell us?

• Who should governWho should govern

• What goals they should pursueWhat goals they should pursue

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The SpectrumThe Spectrum

• What are some of the different ideologies?What are some of the different ideologies?

• Far leftFar left

• LiberalsLiberals

• ModeratesModerates

• ConservativesConservatives

• Far RightFar Right

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Far LeftFar Left

• What is someone who is far left?What is someone who is far left?

• They tend to be extremely liberal and want They tend to be extremely liberal and want extreme change in government at almost extreme change in government at almost any costany cost

• Overall, their views are outside of the Overall, their views are outside of the mainstreammainstream

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LiberalsLiberals

• What are liberals (sometimes called What are liberals (sometimes called progressives)?progressives)?

• Generally, they believe in:Generally, they believe in:• Strong government involvement to help peopleStrong government involvement to help people• Strong government involvement to provide Strong government involvement to provide

economic securityeconomic security• Strong government involvement to protect civil Strong government involvement to protect civil

rightsrights• Personal freedom from government intervention Personal freedom from government intervention

in their social conductin their social conduct

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ModerateModerate

• What is a moderate?What is a moderate?• Generally, they share some of the viewpoints of Generally, they share some of the viewpoints of

both liberals and conservativesboth liberals and conservatives• Their beliefs usually depend on the issueTheir beliefs usually depend on the issue• Who they vote for usually depends on the issueWho they vote for usually depends on the issue• They tend to have a “wait and see” on political They tend to have a “wait and see” on political

and social issuesand social issues• They are in the middle. Most people in the They are in the middle. Most people in the

United States say that they are moderate.United States say that they are moderate.

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ConservativeConservative

• What are conservatives?What are conservatives?

• Generally, they believe in:Generally, they believe in:

• Free marketsFree markets

• Limited GovernmentLimited Government

• Self-reliance in economic affairsSelf-reliance in economic affairs

• Traditional values on social issuesTraditional values on social issues

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Far RightFar Right

• What is someone who is far right?What is someone who is far right?

• They tend to be extremely conservative They tend to be extremely conservative and want to go back to the “good old days”and want to go back to the “good old days”

• Overall, their views are outside of the Overall, their views are outside of the mainstreammainstream

Political IdeologyPolitical Ideology

How the Democrats and How the Democrats and Republicans see the issues.Republicans see the issues.

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Economic IssuesEconomic Issues

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Role of the MarketRole of the Market

• DemocratsDemocrats• Occasionally the Occasionally the

market needs market needs regulations to regulations to ensure the public’s ensure the public’s best interest.best interest.

• RepublicansRepublicans• The Free Market is The Free Market is

more efficient than more efficient than the government. the government.

• Government Government intervention with intervention with rules hurts business rules hurts business and slows the and slows the economy.economy.

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Minimum WageMinimum Wage

• DemocratsDemocrats• Needs to be raised Needs to be raised

to a livable to a livable standard.standard.

• RepublicansRepublicans• Artificial controls Artificial controls

hurt the economy.hurt the economy.• Businesses will hire Businesses will hire

fewer people if they fewer people if they must pay more.must pay more.

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TaxesTaxes

• DemocratsDemocrats• Favor a progressive Favor a progressive

tax structure where tax structure where those able to pay those able to pay the most, pay the the most, pay the most.most.

• RepublicansRepublicans• Taxes are too high.Taxes are too high.• Tax cuts help the Tax cuts help the

economy.economy.• Lower taxes for Lower taxes for

everyone, even the everyone, even the wealthy because wealthy because their spending their spending spurts the economy.spurts the economy.

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Free TradeFree Trade

• DemocratsDemocrats• Many favor free Many favor free

trade agreements, trade agreements, but argue that some but argue that some rules are needed to rules are needed to protect U.S. protect U.S. businesses and businesses and keep the businesses keep the businesses in the U.S.in the U.S.

• Want requirements Want requirements that the workforce that the workforce be educated for be educated for future jobs.future jobs.

• RepublicansRepublicans• Favor free trade Favor free trade

agreements. agreements. • Artificial controls Artificial controls

hurt profits and hurt profits and business.business.

• Favor educating the Favor educating the workforce for future workforce for future jobs.jobs.

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Environment Environment (economic and social issue)(economic and social issue)

• DemocratsDemocrats• Needs to be Needs to be

protected and protected and managed for the managed for the public’s best public’s best interest.interest.

• RepublicansRepublicans• Artificial controls Artificial controls

hurt the economy.hurt the economy.• The free market will The free market will

manage itself.manage itself.

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Social IssuesSocial Issues

• Issues of right vs. wrong, or moral Issues of right vs. wrong, or moral vs. immoral.vs. immoral.

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AbortionAbortion

• DemocratsDemocrats• Pro Choice:Pro Choice:• A woman should be A woman should be

able to choose if able to choose if she wants an she wants an abortion.abortion.

• RepublicansRepublicans• Pro Life:Pro Life:• Aborting a baby is Aborting a baby is

killing a child.killing a child.

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Gay MarriageGay Marriage

• DemocratsDemocrats• Generally favor Generally favor

some form of some form of marriage or civil marriage or civil union.union.

• RepublicansRepublicans• Oppose all forms of Oppose all forms of

gay marriage.gay marriage.

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ReligionReligion

• DemocratsDemocrats• Favor maintaining a Favor maintaining a

separation between separation between church and state church and state (meaning the (meaning the government)government)

• RepublicansRepublicans• Religion and faith Religion and faith

help people make help people make moral decisions.moral decisions.

• For statues that For statues that display 10 display 10 commandments.commandments.

• For government For government funding of religious funding of religious charities.charities.

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CensorshipCensorship

• DemocratsDemocrats• Oppose most forms Oppose most forms

of censorship.of censorship.

• RepublicansRepublicans• In favor of In favor of

censoring morally censoring morally questionable questionable material.material.

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CrimeCrime

• DemocratsDemocrats• Needs to be solved Needs to be solved

by going to the root by going to the root of the problem.of the problem.

• Early childhood Early childhood education, anti-education, anti-poverty programs, poverty programs, rehabilitation of rehabilitation of criminals and criminals and tougher gun laws tougher gun laws would work.would work.

• RepublicansRepublicans• Needs to be solved Needs to be solved

by private gun by private gun ownership, more ownership, more police, and more jail police, and more jail time.time.

• More prisons, More prisons, longer prison longer prison sentences, and the sentences, and the death penalty would death penalty would work.work.

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ImmigrationImmigration

• DemocratsDemocrats• Secure our borders.Secure our borders.• Immigrants add Immigrants add

vitality and vigor to vitality and vigor to our country and our country and economy.economy.

• Fair rules for letting Fair rules for letting people stay or come people stay or come in should be in should be developed.developed.

• RepublicansRepublicans• Secure our borders.Secure our borders.• Immigrants have Immigrants have

more negative effects more negative effects than positive effects than positive effects on the economy.on the economy.

• They drain education They drain education and healthcare funds.and healthcare funds.

• Make it more difficult Make it more difficult to enter.to enter.

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Health Care and Social Health Care and Social SecuritySecurity

• DemocratsDemocrats• Keep them in place Keep them in place

in part because of in part because of their historical their historical significance as a significance as a safety net.safety net.

• RepublicansRepublicans• Favor much less Favor much less

government government involvement.involvement.

• More personal More personal control over control over management.management.

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EqualityEquality

• DemocratsDemocrats• Government should Government should

take the lead in take the lead in giving people an giving people an equal opportunity equal opportunity through Affirmative through Affirmative Action and anti-Action and anti-poverty programs.poverty programs.

• Government needs Government needs to provide a safety to provide a safety net for people.net for people.

• RepublicansRepublicans• Wealth and the Wealth and the

privileges that go privileges that go with it are earned.with it are earned.

• Opposed to Opposed to Affirmative Action.Affirmative Action.

• View most welfare View most welfare programs as programs as wasteful handouts wasteful handouts and disincentives to and disincentives to work.work.

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Scenarios: Who is it?Scenarios: Who is it?

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Scenario 1Scenario 1

• Jerry Smith believes that taxes should be Jerry Smith believes that taxes should be lowered and that government is too big. He lowered and that government is too big. He also feels that no one should be give special also feels that no one should be give special treatment because of race, ethnicity, or treatment because of race, ethnicity, or gender, when being chosen for a job.gender, when being chosen for a job.

• What do you think his ideology is? Which What do you think his ideology is? Which political party do you think he’s a member of?political party do you think he’s a member of?

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Scenario 2Scenario 2

• Sally Washington considers herself to be Sally Washington considers herself to be quite progressive. She supports government quite progressive. She supports government funding for the arts such as the National funding for the arts such as the National Endowment for the Arts. She also feels that Endowment for the Arts. She also feels that women should be allowed in combat roles.women should be allowed in combat roles.

• What do you think her ideology is? Which What do you think her ideology is? Which political party do you think she’s a member political party do you think she’s a member of?of?

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Scenario 3Scenario 3

• Paul Jefferson is an elderly gentleman who Paul Jefferson is an elderly gentleman who lives off of a 900 dollar social security lives off of a 900 dollar social security check that he receives every month from check that he receives every month from the government. He also supports the government. He also supports expanding Medicare so that the elderly like expanding Medicare so that the elderly like him are better taken care of in old age.him are better taken care of in old age.

• What do you think his ideology is? Which What do you think his ideology is? Which political party do you think he’s a member political party do you think he’s a member of?of?

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Scenario 4Scenario 4

• Chris Schlomann would like to see things go Chris Schlomann would like to see things go back to the good old days. He does not feel back to the good old days. He does not feel that he should have to pay any taxes to the that he should have to pay any taxes to the government. He also believes in defending government. He also believes in defending his right to bear arms at ANY COST.his right to bear arms at ANY COST.

• What do you think his ideology is? Which What do you think his ideology is? Which political party do you think he’s a member of?political party do you think he’s a member of?

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Scenario 5Scenario 5

• Wendy Taylor is an advocate of the government Wendy Taylor is an advocate of the government creating job programs to in-turn alleviate the creating job programs to in-turn alleviate the current spike in the unemployment rate. She current spike in the unemployment rate. She also believes that the government should also believes that the government should regulate abortion in the country. She does, regulate abortion in the country. She does, however, tend to see the other side of issues however, tend to see the other side of issues when she discusses them with friends, even if when she discusses them with friends, even if she doesn’t agree.she doesn’t agree.

• What do you think her ideology is? Which What do you think her ideology is? Which political party do you think she’s a member of?political party do you think she’s a member of?

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Scenario 6Scenario 6

• Dennis Radtke feels that the government is not Dennis Radtke feels that the government is not doing enough to remedy the social ills that doing enough to remedy the social ills that prevail in the United States. He believes the prevail in the United States. He believes the basic economic structure in place is not fair and basic economic structure in place is not fair and would like to see the government make drastic would like to see the government make drastic changes to its economic agenda. Dennis is changes to its economic agenda. Dennis is willing to take extreme measures to see that his willing to take extreme measures to see that his point is heard.point is heard.

• What do you think his ideology is? Which What do you think his ideology is? Which political party do you think he’s a member of?political party do you think he’s a member of?

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Scenario 7Scenario 7

• Richard Kurtz feels that national security is a Richard Kurtz feels that national security is a must. He would like to see the government must. He would like to see the government spend more on homeland security in hopes of spend more on homeland security in hopes of preventing another 9/11. He also believe in preventing another 9/11. He also believe in tougher sentencing guidelines for criminals.tougher sentencing guidelines for criminals.

• What do you think his ideology is? Which What do you think his ideology is? Which political party do you think he’s a member of?political party do you think he’s a member of?

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Scenario 8Scenario 8

• Sue Conners is an elementary teacher who Sue Conners is an elementary teacher who would like to see more regulation of big would like to see more regulation of big business. She would like to see the rich business. She would like to see the rich pay higher taxes to better the public pay higher taxes to better the public services for all.services for all.

• What do you think her ideology is? Which What do you think her ideology is? Which political party do you think she’s a member political party do you think she’s a member of?of?

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Scenario 9Scenario 9

• James Owens believes that government James Owens believes that government should regulate the social issues of the should regulate the social issues of the nation. He also believes that the nation. He also believes that the government should increase its spending government should increase its spending for the welfare of all people.for the welfare of all people.

• What do you think his ideology is? Which What do you think his ideology is? Which political party do you think he’s a member political party do you think he’s a member of?of?

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Scenario 10Scenario 10

• Nancy Grayson likes to characterize herself Nancy Grayson likes to characterize herself as “responsible.” She feels that it is as “responsible.” She feels that it is important for the United States to pursue our important for the United States to pursue our national interests. She hates the idea of the national interests. She hates the idea of the government regulation of business.government regulation of business.

• What do you think her ideology is? Which What do you think her ideology is? Which political party do you think she’s a member political party do you think she’s a member of?of?