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Line 6: − == Conservatives in the United States == − In the United States, conservatives are generally characterized by adherence to limited government, public morality and free enterprise. Specifically, conservatives tend to support these policies: − * Return of prayer in school − * Prohibition of abortion − * Opposition to same-sex marriage licenses and homosexuals − * Support of laws against pornography − * Support of the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms − * Economic allocative efficiency (as opposed to popular equity) − * Stronger law enforcement and anti-crime laws, including the death penalty − * Parental control of education − * Private medical care and retirement plans − * Weakening or canceling failed social support programs − * Generally opposed to the United Nations − * Support enforcement of current laws regarding immigration − * Support tightening of border security − * Respect for our military... past and present − * Literal interpretation of the [[Bible]] and rejection of [[evolutionism]] − * Low taxes, especially for families − * Opening foreign markets to U.S. products − * Less power for the federal government and more for local and state governments − * A strong national defense − − Every so often a conservative has been elected president of the United States. All presidents combine some liberal and some conservative elements, as well as some policies that do not fit into categories. − − In the last 125 years the most prominent conservative presidents include: − − *[[Grover Cleveland]] (1885-1889, 1893-1897) − *[[William McKinley]] (1897-1901) − *[[William Howard Taft]] (1909-1913) − *[[Warren G. Harding]] (1921-1923) − *[[Calvin Coolidge]] (1923-1929) − *[[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] (1953-1961) − *[[Ronald Reagan]] (1981-1989) − *[[George W. Bush]] (2001-2009) − − Other influential figures in the conservative ideology and movement within the past 125 years include: − − *[[Barry Goldwater]] - 1964 Republican candidate, lost to liberal Democrat [[Lyndon Johnson]] but revived the conservative movement inside the GOP − *[[Russell Kirk]] - Theorist & intellectual − *[[Irving Kristol|Irving]] and [[William Kristol]] - Notable [[neoconservatives]] − *[[Pat Buchanan]] - Popular [[paleoconservative]] figure and occasional presidential candidate − *[[Margaret Thatcher]] - [[British]] prime minister between 1979 and 1990, held similar views as Ronald Reagan − *[[Milton Friedman]] - Chicago-school [[libertarian]] economist, influential during Reagan administration; leader of the [[Chicago School of Economics]]
→Conservatives in the United States
[[Image:Aaag.jpg|thumb|Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, is the epitome of American conservatism.]]
[[Image:Aaag.jpg|thumb|Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, is the epitome of American conservatism.]]
==US Voters==
==US Voters==
In America, most conservatives tend to align with the [[Republican Party]], but not exclusively so. In the 2008 election, 35% of the voters identified themselves as conservatives. Of them, 78% voted for McCain and 20% for Obama, with the 20% accounting for Obama's margin of victory. Only 22% of the voters were liberal; they favored Obama 89%-10%. In the middle were 44% who called themselves moderates. They split for Obama by 60%-39%. (Minor candidates won 2% of the vote.)<ref> See [http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#USP00p1 Presidential 2008 Exit Poll]</ref>
In America, most conservatives tend to align with the [[Republican Party]], but not exclusively so. In the 2008 election, 35% of the voters identified themselves as conservatives. Of them, 78% voted for McCain and 20% for Obama, with the 20% accounting for Obama's margin of victory. Only 22% of the voters were liberal; they favored Obama 89%-10%. In the middle were 44% who called themselves moderates. They split for Obama by 60%-39%. (Minor candidates won 2% of the vote.)<ref> See [http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#USP00p1 Presidential 2008 Exit Poll]</ref>