From the wikipedia
Liberal &
Conservative
Typical conservative views:
* Personal responsibility.
* General opposition to "big government" policies or state economic interventionism.
* Anti-communism, including a belief that the former Soviet Union was an "evil empire".
* Support for Judeo-Christian religious and moral values.
* Support for strong law enforcement and strong penalties for crimes.
* Restraint in taxation and regulation of businesses.
* Support for a strong military, and well-defended protected borders with regulated immigration.
* Support for drug prohibition.
* Opposition to (support the lessening) many state-run social programs such as welfare and medical care.
* Opposition to policies such as affirmative action and multi-lingual education which can be perceived as un-patriotic or government favoritism of minority groups.
Typical liberal views:
* Support for government social programs such as welfare, medical care, unemployment benefits, and retirement programs.
* Support for trade unions and strong regulation of business.
* Support for the rights of women and minorities, particularly racial and religious minorities, the disabled, and homosexuals. Some further support such programs as affirmative action and multi-lingual education.
* Support for strong environmental regulations.
* Support for public transit.
* Support for government funding to alternative energy research.
* Opposition to the death penalty.
* Support for abortion rights.
* Support for animal rights.
* Support for gun control.
It's not this black and white of course. No conservative I know would say all public transportation is a waste of time. It just gets blurry on how much, what, when etc... of these programs we need. Because once you give power to the governement, they don't give it back.