American Government

The American political system is one of the most globally discussed models worldwide. Primarily, it is because of the influence of the US on the rest of the world. The US political system is defined by the belief that governs a party. This is what characterizes the two major political segments that constitute the liberals and conservatives. Each electioneering year, both liberals and conservatives front one of their leaders to the electorate. They believe that a win for one of their own candidates is an opportunity to perpetuate and convey their perspective to the entire nations. Liberalism and conservatism refers to the democrats and republican groups present in the US today. Liberalism and conservatism are opposite political ideologies that have impacted the US political state, its government, and culture as well as its policies, morals, views, and resource distribution among others.

Differences between Liberalism and Conservatism

Liberalism is founded on permissiveness and the belief in a change. Thus, the change in liberalism is viewed as necessary and inevitable, while conservatism is embedded in the belief that the existing structure must be preserved. Liberals belong to the group that is considered dominant. They believe in the convenience of the present and are beneficiaries of the present political, social, and economic order. Conservatives, on the other hand, also believe that groups guarantee stability and they, therefore, value group memberships such as family, nation, race, and religion. Moreover, it is possible to distinguish economic and social conservatism. While economic conservatism is found among groups that are economically dominant, social conservatism is rampant among those that are socially dominant in nature.

Liberalism and conservatism have various opposing views that are normally evident in a number of key issues such as abortion, energy, death penalty, economy, healthcare, taxes, international community, same sex marriage, immigration, and security among others. Primarily, conservatives believe in traditional and religious values, free markets, limited involvement of the government in the private sector, strong personal liberties and responsibilities, as well as national defense. However, liberalism is based on progress, equity and equality, human rights and civil liberties, and the government’s involvement in the private sector. Further, while liberalism supports same sex marriages and the rights of gays, lesbians, and homosexual believing that every person has a right to marry the person they want regardless of their sex, conservatism is greatly influenced by their traditional and religious values. According to conservatives, a marriage should only exist between an adult male and female, since they view same sex marriages as sinful and immoral. Concerning the economy, liberalism is deeply rooted in the belief that the government should be involved in order to prevent the possibility of corporate power. On the other hand, conservatism encourages capitalism and free markets, which leads to higher economic growth, improved standards of living, and citizens’ welfare.

In terms of immigration and security, liberalism encourages the formulation and implementation of softer policies towards border security. Liberals believe that profiling passengers based on their ethnic affiliation should be gradually eliminated. Additionally, they state that immigration should not be prohibited and illegal immigrants should be provided with assistance in finding valid permits that allow them to be in the country. However, conservatives believe that the soft policies on immigration and border control are security threats to the country and that illegal immigrants should not enjoy the same rights and privileges as others, but instead be deported back to their countries.

The Impact of Ideologies on the US Today

Liberalism and conservatism are distinct ideologies that impact various dimensions of the American society. Some of the key issues that are influenced by ideologies are taxes, healthcare, and immigration among others (Dye & Thomas, 2015). Liberals are known for their dramatic social changes and are involved in anything only if the law does not prohibit it. They support progressive taxes and push for the remission of the taxes in accordance to what an individual earns. In essence, they do not consider a dynamic aspect when adopting their policies. The health reforms in the US are an example of the liberal push in the country. What is more, conservative political leadership failed to tackle the key issues in the United States, which, in turn, led to some of the worst long-term problems such as threats to the global environment, insecurity, growing economic inequality, and structural problems in the federal government and United States hostility abroad (Dye & Thomas, 2015). Political liberalism was witnessed when the democrats seized power and used inclusive, democratic principles to solve these problems. Liberalism in America has helped to attract the masses through disintegration and manipulation of churches as well as to take control of education and mass media. This has led to low quality education and less social prestige for an individual working as a lecturer.

Conservatism has been fundamental in influencing the religious, social, and economic sphere. Notably, America is considered as one of the most religious countries with 59 percent belonging to various religions (Dyre, 2014). The ideologies have also made a difference in the economic sector as it is evident from the U.S. trade with other countries and in many other aspects. In political terms, both conservatives and liberals have had an opportunity to rule the country making it easier for the citizens to decide which ideology is preferable and be the part of it. It has dramatically changed the way the ideological postulates handle people and issues that surround and affect them. For instance, the justice system and penalties are carefully developed for each situation; hence, the justice is found both in and beyond the American courts for the U.S. citizens.

The Impact of Ideologies on the American Culture, Government, and Politics

The ideologies have impacted the American culture to a great extent. It is critical to note that in the 19^th century, the conservatives were definitely at an advantage. They were strict about moral issues and defined different relationships. Same sex marriage was not allowed. Moreover, decency was the core of the clothing etiquette. However, this is not the case in the 21^st century. Currently, owing to the spread of liberalism, same sex marriage has become common and the trends in dressing vary greatly. Both men and women dress in a manner that most conservatives consider provocative. Liberalism, on the other hand, has made the United States more tolerant to non-Americans. For instance, the country has become a home to many immigrants. With the reforms witnessed in the effort to change the biased immigration laws, it has continued to receive many immigrants. They are also entitled to various benefits related to health, education, and security. However, liberalism seems to outweigh conservatism, even though conservatism still greatly influences the policy of the United States. This is seen in the manner in which they handle issues relating to abortion, because they are majorly guided by their religious beliefs. They strongly believe that no one should commit abortion unless it endangers their lives.

The political ideologies have been impacting the American government. The belief in democracy has given liberals an opportunity to decide who should govern the situation in the country and how to exert political pressure so that some actions are taken. On the other hand, the conservatives’ strong belief in religious and traditional values has influenced the way in which they view life and rights and privileges. It has granted the citizens such rights as right to life and liberty as well as eradication of death penalties. The political ideology of liberalism impacts the rights and distribution of the resources, which has resulted in the emergence of political, social, and economic classes. For instance, liberals believe that all people should be treated equally. Legal equality guarantees every citizen equal rights before the law such as a right to speedy and fair trial. Every American also enjoys the right to education in the result of these ideologies. In addition to this, social mobility is also experienced in the U.S., and there is no class struggle or conflict in the country because most Americans are described as middle class. Moreover, it has also led to the uneven distribution of the resources, which resulted in the increased gap between the poor and the rich. It is reported that only 1% of Americans are rich and own over 40% of the family wealth (Dye & Thomas, 2015). The less fortunate or economically disadvantaged, however, are able to access education and later employment opportunities as well as better healthcare system. The health sector has also been privatized as proposed by the conservative beliefs, increasing and contributing to the country’s income. The government’s involvement in the economy has also led to the economic growth, and that is why there is no economy that can be compared to the American economy. The government’s initiative to amend market laws and trading regulations as well as remission of taxes has helped improve the economy. The ability of the government to tax its citizens depending on their earning has greatly contributed to the overall welfare of the country. The minority groups have been well taken care of by various government organizations. It is more stable and advanced as compared to other countries that are still struggling to find their way to successful economy. In addition to this, America enjoys advanced infrastructure in the transport, education, health, and manufacturing sector.

Politically, the United States have democracy and the freedom to belong to a given political party without discrimination, not to forget the freedom to express one’s ideas and thoughts. Proper governance is thus a result of liberalism and the laws that were created to improve the country’s situation. The fear that the liberals will come to power in the federal government and influence all its undertakings has helped to better governance and resource distribution and allocation. On the other hand, the conservatives have also played an important role in granting individual rights and privileges, including taxes and security issues.

In conclusion, liberalism and conservatism are evident ideologies in the society. While liberalism promotes practice of free will within the confines of the law, conservatism promotes strict morals and the roots of the nation. The two ideologies vary in the way they impact various spheres such as taxes, healthcare, and governance among others. Moreover, they influence the culture, government, and politics of the US. However, the two ideologies should be used to complement one another in order to have equality and a better order in the society. Both should be applied in appropriate situations to ensure that the society is satisfied and the country prospers in social, political, and economic terms.