I don’t know about you but I am sick of seeing editorials and news stories that cite studies by politically motivated (and, often, funded) scholars and experts who attempt to classify the political ideologies of Americans as genetic abnormalities, mental diseases, or some other kind of social dysfunctional problem. In most cases, political ideologies are a result of life experiences and completely rational people can change political views for a countless number of reasons that do not include genetic or mental abnormalities.
Fundamentally, the difference between conservatism and liberalism boils down to the size of government and how much legislation is passed. Neither side has any intentions of plummeting the United States into anarchy or subjecting it to tyrannical government rule, but that is exactly what happens if either side completely disappears. Ideally, the goal should be to allow Americans as much liberty as possible without turning government back into “Uncle Sam”. You know, that undesirable family member that shows up unannounced, with bad news, and unwanted advice.