Pew has a nice survey up right now, A Closer Look at the Parties in 2008. Here are three questions, and the Republican – Democrat difference on the responses:
Do you think the US made the right or wrong decision in using military force against Iraq?, a 50 point difference on both “yes” and “no.” I’ll let you guess the signs!
Do you think abortion should be…
Legal in all cases -13 difference
Legal in most cases -10 difference
Illegal in most cases +19 difference
Illegal in all cases +6 difference
Books that contain dangerous ideas should be banned from public school libraries
Agree +4 difference
Disagree -2 difference
Check out the other responses. I’m struck how long-standing “Culture War” issues are actually far less stark in their dichotomy than proximate, almost epiphenomenal, policies such as the Iraq War. And when it comes to “core” values such as free speech there isn’t much of a difference between the parties (though a shockingly high proportion of both Democrats and Republicans believe that books with “dangerous” ideas should be banned).
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