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Political Parties and Independents

For this assignment go to five news outlets. Make sure they vary. An example: CBS (liberal), FOX (conservative), and USA (moderate). Then read this document and write two pages about where you align and why. Remember, no one is wrong, we are all free to make up our own minds about candidates and where we align. It is our constitutional right. This is a lesson on epistemic cognition.

Write a two-page paper on where you stand and why. (APA format, no abstract, citations, and references).

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Political Parties and Independents

For this assignment go to five news outlets. Make sure they vary. An example: CBS (liberal),

FOX (conservative), and USA (moderate). Then read this document and write two pages

about where you align and why. Remember, no one is wrong, we are all free to make up our

own minds about candidates and where we align. It is our constitutional right. This is a lesson

on epistemic cognition.

Write a two-page paper on where you stand and why. (APA format, no abstract, citations,

and references).

Liberal Conservative Independent
Believe in government action to
achieve equal opportunity and
equality for all.
It is the duty of the

government

to alleviate social ills and to
protect civil liberties and
individual and human rights.
Believe the role of the
government should be to
guarantee that no one is in
need. Liberal policies generally
emphasize the need for the
government to solve problems.

Believe in personal
responsibility, limited
government, free markets,
individual liberty, traditional
American values and a strong
national defense.
Believe the role of government
should be to provide people the
freedom necessary to pursue
their own goals.
Conservative policies generally
emphasize the empowerment of
the individual to solve problems.

Independents have mixed
views of which party can do
better on major issues – but
are distrustful of both. When
asked why they are
independents, fully 64% cite as
a major reason that “both
parties care more about special
interests than about average
Americans.” And 53% point to
a lack of trust in either party as
a major reason they think of
themselves as independent in
politics. Independents today
are clearly more conservative
than they were four years ago,
particularly with respect to the
role of government. Not only
do more describe themselves
as conservative, but more
support smaller government,
and there is more distrust and
anger toward government
generally.

A woman has the right to decide
what happens with her body.
A fetus is not a human life, so it
does not have separate
individual rights.
The government should provide
taxpayer-funded abortions for

Human life begins at
conception.
Abortion is the murder of a
human being. An unborn baby,
as a living human being, has
separate rights from those of
the mother.

Independents believe that
late-term abortions are
wrong, and tax-funded
abortions are wrong. They
do believe in the morning
after drug, and preventative
steps before conception.

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women who cannot afford
them.
The decision to have an
abortion is a personal choice
of a woman regarding her own
body and the government must
protect this right.
Women have the right to
affordable, safe, and legal
abortions, including partial birth
abortion.

Oppose taxpayer-funded
abortion. Taxpayer dollars
should not be used by the
government to provide
abortions.
Support legislation to prohibit
partial birth abortions called the
“Partial Birth Abortion. *Partial Birth

Abortion: the killing of an unborn baby of at
least 20 weeks by pulling it out of the birth
canal with forceps, but leaving the head
inside. An incision is made in the back of the
baby’s neck and the brain tissue is suctioned
out. The head is then removed from the
uterus.)

Due to prevalent racism in the
past, minorities were deprived
of the same education and
employment opportunities as
whites.
The government must work to
make up for that.
America is still a racist society;
therefore, a federal affirmative
action law is necessary.
Due to unequal opportunity,
minorities still lag behind whites
in all statistical measurements
of success.

Individuals should be

admitted to schools and hired

for jobs based on their

ability.

It is unfair to use race as a

factor in the selection

process. Reverse

discrimination is not a

solution to racism.

Some individuals in society

are racist, but American

society as a whole is

not. Preferential treatment of

certain races through

affirmative action is wrong.

We as a society should be
past this, and it is the media
and political figures that
keep this issue alive. Big
government is not the way
to solve these issues.

The death penalty should be
abolished. It is inhumane and is
a ‘cruel and unusual
punishment. Imprisonment is
the appropriate punishment for
murder. Every execution risk
kills an innocent person.

The death penalty is a

punishment that fits the crime

of murder; it is neither ‘cruel’

nor ‘unusual.’ Executing a

murderer is the appropriate

punishment for taking an

innocent life.

Case by case, but the system
is broken and needs to be
fixed.

A market system in which
government regulates the
economy is best. Government
must protect citizens from the
greed of big business. Unlike
the private sector, the
government is motivated by
public interest. Government
regulation in all areas of the

The free market system,
competitive capitalism, and
private enterprise create the
greatest opportunity and the
highest standard of living for
all. Free markets produce more
economic growth, more jobs,
and higher standards of living
than those systems burdened by

If we follow the free market
system then we would not
have monopolies and
corruption. Special interest
is the cause of our economic
issues. We are a mixed
economy now. Regulation is
not being done or effective
because of special interest.

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economy is needed to level the
playing field.

excessive government
regulation.

Public schools are the best way
to educate students. Vouchers
take money away from public
schools. Government should
focus additional funds on
existing public schools, raising
teacher salaries, and reducing
class size.

School vouchers create

competition and therefore

encourage schools to improve

performance. Vouchers will

give all parents the right to

choose good schools for their

children, not just those who

can afford private schools.

Support Charter Schools,
and reform the public-school
system. Against the
Common Core, teachers’
unions, and want more
accountability in all areas of
education. Want interest
rate reduced and compound
interest eliminated for
college loans.

Support the use of embryonic
stem cells for research. It is
necessary (and ethical) for the
government to fund embryonic
stem cell research, which will
assist scientists in finding
treatments and cures for
diseases. An embryo is not a
human. The tiny blastocyst
(embryos used in embryonic
stem cell research) has no
human features. Experimenting
on embryos/embryonic stem
cells is not murder. Embryonic
stem cells have the potential to
cure chronic and degenerative
diseases which current medicine
has been unable to effectively
treat. Embryonic stem cells have
been shown to be effective in
treating heart damage in mice.

Support the use of adult and
umbilical cord stem cells only for
research. It is morally and
ethically wrong for the
government to fund embryonic
stem cell research. Human life
begins at conception. The
extraction of stem cells from an
embryo requires its
destruction. In other words, it
requires that a human life be
killed. Adult stem cells have
already been used to treat
spinal cord injuries, Leukemia,
and even Parkinson’s disease.
Adult stem cells are derived
from umbilical cords, placentas,
amniotic fluid, various tissues
and organ systems like skin and
the liver, and even fat obtained
from liposuction. Embryonic
stem cells have not been
successfully used to help cure
disease.

Keep the process that does
no harm, and do not use
embryonic stem cells.

Oil is a depleting
resource. Other sources of
energy must be explored. The
government must produce a
national plan for all energy
resources and subsidize
(partially pay for) alternative
energy research and
production. Support increased
exploration of alternative
energy sources such as wind and

Oil, gas, and coal are all good

sources of energy and are

abundant in the U.S. Oil

drilling should be increased

both on land and at

sea. Increased domestic

production creates lower

prices and less dependence on

other countries for

oil. Support increased

Fund and give tax breaks for
new sources of energy. New
sources would be free
energy systems. Eliminate
the special interest of both
parties. They see that both
parties are controlled by
special interests.

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solar power. Support
government control of gas and
electric industries.

production of nuclear

energy. Wind and solar

sources will never provide

plentiful, affordable sources

of power. Support private

ownership of gas and electric

industries.

Euthanasia should be
legalized. A person has a right
to die with dignity, by his own
choice. A

terminally ill person

should have the right to choose
to end pain and suffering. It is
wrong for the government to
take away the means for a
terminally ill person to hasten
his death. It is wrong to force a
person to go through so much
pain and suffering. Legalizing
euthanasia would not lead to
doctor-assisted suicides of non-
critical patients. Permitting
euthanasia would reduce health
care costs, which would then
make funds available for those
who could truly benefit from
medical care.

Neither euthanasia nor

physician-assisted suicide

should be legalized. It is

immoral and unethical to

deliberately end the life of a

terminally ill person

(euthanasia), or enable

another person to end their

own life (assisted

suicide). The goal should be

compassionate care and

easing the suffering of

terminally ill

people. Legalizing euthanasia

could lead to doctor-assisted

suicides of non-critical

patients. If euthanasia were

legalized, insurance

companies could pressure

doctors to withhold life-

saving treatment for dying

patients. Many religions

prohibit suicide and

euthanasia. These practices

devalue human life.

Individual’s right to choose.

Global warming is caused by the
increased production of carbon
dioxide through the burning of
fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural
gas). The U.S. is a major
contributor to global warming
because it produces 25% of the
world’s carbon
dioxide. Proposed laws to
reduce carbon emissions in the
U.S. are urgently needed and
should be enacted immediately
to save the planet.

Change in global temperature is
natural over long periods of
time. Science has not shown
that humans can affect
permanent changes in the
earth’s temperature. Proposed
laws to reduce carbon emissions
will do nothing to help the
environment and will cause
significant price increases for
all.

Climate change is real, some
of it is natural and some
man-made. See that this is a
serious issue. Taking care of
the planet is critical for our
future.

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The Second Amendment does
not give citizens the right to
keep and bear arms, but only
allows for the state to keep a
militia (National
Guard). Individuals do not need
guns for protection; it is the role
of the local and federal
governments to protect the
people through law
enforcement agencies and the
military. Additional gun control
laws are necessary to stop gun
violence and limit the ability of
criminals to obtain guns. More
guns mean more violence.

The Second Amendment gives
citizens the right to keep and
bear arms. Individuals have the
right to defend
themselves. There are too
many guns control laws –
additional laws will not lower
gun crime rates. What is
needed is the enforcement of
current laws. Gun control laws
do not prevent criminals from
obtaining guns. More guns in
the hands of law-abiding citizens
mean less crime.

Believe in the Second
Amendment and the right to
bear arms, but believe that
background checks should
be longer and more
thorough. Eliminate the
ability to purchase guns
directly at gun shows until
background checks are
completed.

Support free or low-cost
government-controlled health
care. There are millions of
Americans who can’t afford
health care and are deprived of
this basic right. Every American
has a right to affordable health
care. The government should
provide equal health care
benefits for all, regardless of
their ability to pay.

Support competitive, free
market health care system. All
Americans have access to health
care. The debate is about who
should pay for it. Free and low-
cost government-run programs
(socialized medicine) result in
higher costs and everyone
receiving the same poor-quality
health care. Health care should
remain privatized. The problem
of uninsured individuals should
be addressed and solved within
the free market healthcare
system – the government
should not control healthcare.

Believe in the health care
system for all. They believe
the current Health Care Law
is not what we need, and is
corrupt. Like the tax code,
both need to be simplified
and drastically changed.

Airport security – Passenger
profiling is wrong, period. The
selection of passengers for extra
security screening should be
random. Using other criteria
(such as ethnicity) is
discriminatory and offensive to
Arabs and Muslims, who are
generally innocent and law-
abiding. Terrorists don’t fit a
profile.

Airport security – Choosing
passengers randomly for extra
security searches is not
effective. Rather, profiling and
intelligence data should be used
to single out passengers for
extra screening. Those who do
not meet the criteria for
suspicion should not be
subjected to intense
screening. The terrorists
currently posing a threat to the
U.S. are primarily
Islamic/Muslim men between
the ages of 18 and 38. Our
resources should be focused on

They side with the
Republicans on this.

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this group. Profiling is good
logical police work.

Support legal
immigration. Support amnesty
for those who enter the U.S.
illegally (undocumented
immigrants). Also believe that
undocumented immigrants have
a right to:
— all educational and health
benefits that citizens receive
(financial aid, welfare, social
security, and Medicaid),
regardless of legal status.
— the same rights as American
citizens. It is unfair to arrest
millions of undocumented
immigrants.

Support legal immigration
only. Oppose amnesty for those
who enter the U.S. illegally
(illegal immigrants). Those who
break the law by entering the
U.S. illegally do not have the
same rights as those who obey
the law and enter legally. The
borders should be secured
before addressing the problem
of the illegal immigrants
currently in the country. The
Federal Government should
secure the borders and enforce
current immigration laws.

Support legal immigration.
For illegals living in the US
and are in the military, then
citizenship should be
granted. If they pay taxes
and own property, then
work getting through the
system to become
nationalized.

Government has the right to use
eminent domain (seizure of
private property by the
government–with compensation
to the owner) to accomplish a
public end.

Respect ownership and private
property rights. Eminent
domain (seizure of private
property by the government–
with compensation to the
owner) in most cases is
wrong. Eminent domain should
not be used for private
development.

Respect ownership of
private property rights.
Agree with Republicans.

Support the separation of
church and state. The Bill of
Rights implies a separation of
church and state. Religious
expression has no place in
government. The two should be
completely
separate. Government should
not support religious expression
in any way. All reference to God
in public and government spaces
should be removed (e.g., the
Ten Commandments should not
be displayed in

Federal

buildings). Religious expression
has no place in government.

The phrase “separation of

church and state” is not in the

Constitution. The First

Amendment to the

Constitution states “Congress

shall make no law respecting

an establishment of religion,

or prohibiting the free

exercise thereof…” This

prevents the government from

establishing a national

church/denomination.

However, it does not prohibit

God from being

acknowledged in schools and

government

buildings. Symbols of

Christian heritage should not

be removed from public and

government spaces (e.g., the

The pledge of Allegiance
should be in school.
Individual right to choose,
not the government to
decide on prayer.

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Ten Commandments should

continue to be displayed in

Federal

buildings). Government

should not interfere with

religion and religious

freedom.

Marriage is the union of people
who love each other. It should
be legal for gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender
individuals, to ensure equal
rights for all. Support same-sex
marriage. Opposed to the
creation of a constitutional
amendment establishing
marriage as the union of one
man and one woman. All
individuals, regardless of their
sexual orientation, have the
right to marry. Prohibiting
same-sex citizens from marrying
denies them their civil rights.
[Opinions vary on whether this
issue is equal to civil rights for
African Americans.]

Marriage is the union of one
man and one woman. Oppose
same-sex marriage.
Support Defense of Marriage
Act (DOMA), passed in 1996,
affirms the right of states not to
recognize same-sex marriages
licensed in other states.
Requiring citizens to sanction
same-sex relationships violates
moral and religious beliefs of
millions of Christians, Jews,
Muslims and others, who
believe marriage is the union of
one man and one woman.

They agree with liberals on
this issue. Citizens have the
right to choose who they
marry.

The Social Security system
should be protected at all
costs. Reduction in future
benefits is not a reasonable
option. [Opinions vary on the
extent of the current system’s
financial stability.] Social
Security provides a safety net
for the nation’s poor and
needy. Changing the system
would cause a reduction in
benefits and many people would
suffer as a result.

The Social Security system is in
serious financial trouble. Major
changes to the current system
are urgently needed. In its
current state, the Social Security
system is not financially
sustainable. It will collapse if
nothing is done to address the
problems. Many will suffer as a
result. Social Security must be
made more efficient through
privatization and/or allowing
individuals to manage their own
savings.

The Social Security should be
protected and do not believe
it is at risk. If put at risk it
was bad decisions of
government.

Higher taxes (primarily for the
wealthy) and a larger
government are necessary to
address inequity/injustice in
society (government should help
the poor and needy using tax

Lower taxes and a smaller
government with limited power
will improve the standard of
living for all. Support lower
taxes and a smaller
government. Lower taxes

Comprise of both parties’
views. The preservation of
the middle class the highest
priority. To bring the wealth
of the middle class back to
where it was 20 years ago.

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dollars from the rich). Support a
large government to provide for
the needs of the people and
create equality. Taxes enable
the government to create jobs
and provide welfare programs
for those in need. Government
programs are a caring way to
provide for the poor and needy
in society.

create more incentive for
people to work, save, invest,
and engage in entrepreneurial
endeavors. Money is best spent
by those who earn it, not the
government. Government
programs encourage people to
become dependent and lazy,
rather than encouraging work
and independence.

The UN promotes peace and
human rights. The United States
has a moral and a legal
obligation to support the United
Nations (UN). The U.S. should
not act as a sovereign nation,
but as one member of a world
community. The U.S. should
submit its national interests to
the greater good of the global
community (as defined by the
UN). The U.S. should defer to
the UN in military/peacekeeping
matters. The United Nations
Charter gives the United Nations
Security Council the power and
responsibility to take collective
action to maintain international
peace and security. U.S. troops
should submit to UN command.

The UN has repeatedly failed in
its essential mission to promote
world peace and human
rights. The wars, genocide and
human rights abuses taking
place in many Human Rights
Council member states (and the
UN’s failure to stop them) prove
this point. History shows that
the United States, not the UN, is
the global force for spreading
freedom, prosperity, tolerance
and peace. The U.S. should
never subvert its national
interests to those of the
UN. The U.S. should never place
troops under UN control. U.S.
military should always wear the
U.S. military uniform, not that of
UN peacekeepers. [Opinions
vary on whether the U.S. should
withdraw from the UN.]

The UN is broken and do not
want the US to fund it.
Wants to cut funding to
foreign government,
especially those who speak
against us.

Global warming, not terrorism,
poses the greatest threat to the
U.S., according to Democrats in
Congress. Terrorism is a result
of arrogant U.S. foreign
policy. Good diplomacy is the
best way to deal with
terrorism. Relying on military
force to defeat terrorism creates
hatred that leads to more
terrorism. Captured terrorists
should be handled by law
enforcement and tried in civilian
courts.

Terrorism poses one of the
greatest threats to the U.S. The
world toward which the militant
Islamists strive cannot
peacefully co-exist with the
Western world. In the last
decade, militant Islamists have
repeatedly attacked Americans
and American interests here and
abroad. Terrorists must be
stopped and destroyed. The use
of intelligence-gathering and
military force are the best ways
to defeat terrorism around the
world. Captured terrorists
should be treated as enemy

Both issues are a threat
equally. Our government
has failed us concerning
both issues.

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combatants and tried in military
courts.

Support welfare, including long-
term welfare. Welfare is a
safety net which provides for
the needs of the poor. Welfare
is necessary to bring fairness to
American economic life. It is a
device for protecting the poor.

Oppose long-term
welfare. Opportunities should
be provided to make it possible
for those in need to become
self-reliant. It is far more
compassionate and effective to
encourage people to become
self-reliant, rather than allowing
them to remain dependent on
the government for provisions.

The welfare system is
corrupted and needs a
complete overall. Charity
should come from non-
profits not government. If
people need help, give it to
them, but it has to be
checked and the mission
should be to get people off
of help.