I don’t think there’s any doubt that liberal positions on religion and legal interpretation focus on the substance of the thing, rather than taking a literal view. But what about politically contentious issues? Looking at the following issues, it seems to me that the left usually looks at the substantive issue while the right normally preoccupies itself with the form of the thing, the superficial issue or appearances. Anything this simple must be flawed, but at the moment I can’t think of any counter examples.
A few caveats: I know there’s not just a left-right axis on the political compass, that these examples are tied to the current US administration and that right wingers would dispute my characterisations.
| Substance | Form |
| Torture | |
| Psychological effect | The particular acts that are used |
| Immigration | |
| Hard working motivated people | Who go through the correct entry procedures |
| Work/Economy | |
| Raising actual living standards | Economic growth & freedom. |
| Abortion | |
| Lack of cognisance in an embryo/foetus | An individual human life |
| Marriage/GLBT rights | |
| Companionship & love | Reproduction, opposite sexes |
| Sexism | |
| Common capability | Gender differences |
| Systemic prejudice | No Blatant discrimination |
| Health/Foreign aid/Welfare | |
| Getting people help | Should be by private citizens not tax |
| Sex education, condoms | Abstinence is the best solution |
| Media | |
| Telling the public what is going on objectively | Thoroughly sourced, lack of bias |
| Answering unexpected questions in press conferences | Seeming to be answering seemingly unexpected questions |
| War | |
| Democracy for Iraq | Election in Iraq |
| International consensus | Coalition of the willing |
| Armor, veterans benefits, no wasted lives. | “Support the troops” |
| Actual WMDS | Weapon of mass destruction related program activities |
| Security risk | Risk to the authority of US |
| Terrorism | |
| Securing the country | Threat level orange, duct tape, getting felt up at airports |
| Attacking the cause of terrorism | Attacking the visible signs (or not) |
| Ending the dispute in the middle east | Unconditional support for Israel |
| Human rights | |
| Not committing any abhorrent acts | Not committing genocide |
| Entire Geneva convention on treatment of detainees | Just the no pictures of detainees bit |
| Due process | Military tribunals (eventually, geared against detainees) |
| Patriotism | |
| Freedoms, principles | Slogans, flags |
| Denouncing the nation’s bad actions | Denouncing those who publicise the nation’s bad actions |
| War on drugs | |
| Harm minimisation | No tacit support for drug use |
| Teaching about dangers of drugs | Just say no |
| Xenophobia/racism | |
| The human race | Different nationality, ethinicity, skin colour |
| Schools | |
| Funding for resources, thorough education | “No child left behind” |
| Elections | |
| Competent candidate | Candidate that looks like a strong leader |
| Focus | |
| Similarities | Differences |
