purpose of political ideology

It all depends on what has been done in the past.

Conservatives are vaguely defined as people who promote traditional values and views and liberals are defined as people who favor reforms and new ideas.

although what this means exactly varies from country to country as what is considered tradition may also change from country to country.

How do you explain that people who are generally thought to be conservative in the present, i.e., Republicans, reject some of the things that this country once had- things like high taxes (namely tariffs to protect domestic industry) and government give-a-way programs (such as the Homestead Laws) and government subsidies for industry (namely railroads)?

Are there no core beliefs that control whether or not people are liberal or conservative?

If not why is there so much political bickering in this country?

Furthermore, if conservatism simply means adherence to past, what is about the past that conservatives find so desirable?

Do conservatives crave everything from the past or are there certain past things that they would reject?

Well, first off your lists are highly biased. You're a conservative I'm guessing.

There's nothing "liberal" about abortion, so you can strike that off of your list.

The same thing of "sodomite" marriage. What's so conservative about again restricting a person's choices? Easy answer again: God.

The low spending and balanced budget? Now THAT is funny. Haven't had that in eight years and those were spent under a rather conservative (if we use your lists) presidency (and house/senate/SCOTUS for six years).

Liberals do not oppose a strong military.

What's so conservative about an oversized military? Another easy one: Manifest Destiny, i.e. God.

Conservatives don't promote everything that has been done in the past, that would be an impossibility.

Tension

Comfort.

Depends on what they value.

Then what makes them pick and choose what they do?

Explain. Why are office holders and other politicians so tense? What drives the constant bickering among politicians in and out of office?

Then what are liberals looking for in change?

Again marriage. And do you deny that based on politics, the web and the news media most people who consider themselves to be liberal are in favor of abortion and sodomite marriage while most people who consider themselves to be conservative are opposed to both abortion and sodomite marriage? If there is nothing liberal or conservative about these issues, why do liberals and conservatives believe what they believe about them?

Politicians more than other people have their jobs at risk, the pressure of having to solve current crisis', and highly conflicting opinions all together make a breeding ground for tension.

You want a generalized answer, and i can't give one. It's situation dependent.

I think he is talking about the fact that you refer to it as "sodomite marriage" rather than gay marriage or same-sex marriage.

Should we assume that voters are just as partisan as the politicians they elect are?

I would venture that people are sociologically (if not biologically) programmed to be conservative or liberal.

My science training tends to make me use precise terminology. I cannot help it if such precision offends people.

Generally I find the populace to be less partisan than politicians simply because of the structure of system.

To receive financial aid one must submit their beliefs to one of the core establishments. If your read the signature on any of my posts you will see this is contrary to the wishes of Thomas Jefferson.

I find that claim to be quite laughable. Political views have been ever changing for centuries. What most people consider conservative now may have been considered liberal in the past. Political ideologies are based on society and upbringing more than anything.

Ha! I find that to be of the utmost ridiculousness. Sodomite is not scientific terminology, far from it, it is a derogatory term used by religious zealots and their rhetoric. In fact the scientific term would be homosexual, which would be more precise.

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To the contrary. One need not vote in order to get financial aid from the government. My late grandfather adored Franklin Roosevelt and after he was forced by arthritis to retire from being a diesel mechanic he received an SSI disability pension for the last 22 years of his life. But he was never ever registered to vote.

No no no no. I'm talking about the candidates not the voters. Political campaigns are typically funded from donations via the democrats or republicans. Candidates need money to run a campaign, so if they don't submit to the creed of either party they don't get the money to run a campaign.

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But do core beliefs change simply because we change their labels?

It's not a label change it's an entire worldview that's been consistently changing. Compare medieval ideologies to today's they are radically different.

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So why do Sodomites call themselves gay and not simply homosexuals?

They do both but "gay" is much easier to say. In professional situations we use the term "homosexual" or "same-sex" because it is more professional and it is more precise.

How so? Considering that I have been called just about anything in the world on various web forums- some of which are mutually exclusive, I could be a centrist. And note that I said in the starting post that the lists are based on popular perception; I am asking why popular culture and the news media classifies these issues the way they are classified in my post. I am not saying that the lists are objective in any way.

If conservatism simply means adherence to tradition, then marriage would be a component of conservatism because marriage is a tradition. So since abortion makes it easy to avoid the consequences of sex outside of marriage abortion strikes a blow against marriage. Thus abortion must be a liberal policy.

Again marriage. And do you deny that based on politics, the web and the news media most people who consider themselves to be liberal are in favor of abortion and sodomite marriage while most people who consider themselves to be conservative are opposed to both abortion and sodomite marriage? If there is nothing liberal or conservative about these issues, why do liberals and conservatives believe what they believe about them?

When have I said that either Bush or Reagan were conservative?

Has any country ever been attacked when their military is too strong?

Has any country ever been attacked when their military is too strong?