However, they are both at their best picking out the "hidden motives" of the other.
The liberal says that the conservative's focus on responsibility only hides a disdain for the underprivileged and oppressed. His "equal opportunity" only means "equal opportunity" for big business, and his idea of "justice" means that greedy CEO's who plunder their workers' pensions get minimal punishment, while poor but innocent victims of the legal system are executed.
The conservative will say that the liberals "freedom" masks a disdain for self-discipline and principle - particularly religious principle, that his concern for the environment and the "welfare of men" is a thinly veiled attack on productive individuals, and that his idea of "equality" is really rooted in a desire for a large, intrusive, redistributive government.
OK, which side is right?
