Can you tell the difference between real and fake Democrats and Republicans?
You’re about to see 10 statements that people wrote based one of two prompts: “I’m a democrat because…” or “I’m a republican because…”.
We randomly assigned each person to one prompt or the other, so they didn’t get to choose. (We offered them a bonus if their statement sounded convincing.)
That means some of these statements are real — the person is explaining why they belong to their actual political party. Some of these statements are fake — the person is pretending to belong to the opposite political party.
real statements: Democrats claiming to be Democrats, or Republicans claiming to be Republicans.
fake statements: Democrats claiming to be Republicans, or Republicans claiming to be Democrats.
Your job is to judge whether each statement is real or fake.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a Republican because I share in most of the beliefs of my party like not taxing the wealthy more and people should have the right to bear arms. I support free market and free enterprise. I value Christian beliefs. I support restrictions on labor unions. I totally support President Trumps proposal to build a wall and keep illegal immigrants out for good. It is time for Americans to reap the benefits of our own great country. I believe civil rights are individual rights and does not guarantee equality. National security should be our top priority above all else.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a Republican because I believe in free market capitalism, free enterprise, business, a strong national defense, restrictions on labor unions, and traditional values. I believe in strong Christian values, marriage between one man and one woman. I think we need to increase the pace of deregulation in order to create more jobs. I think we need fewer taxes so companies can start hiring workers again. I believe we need less immigration in this country. We need to keep our jobs for our own people. I believe in the 2nd amendment and my right to carry a gun. I like to feel secure in the home and be able to protect my family.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a Republican because I believe in the values our country was founded on. I believe hard work and pride are key to success. Our country will only benefit if we all do our part and honor the laws of the land. We should all work to build our communities stronger. We should all practice strong moral values. This means we should be able to protect our country and our families. Doing this we can ensure proper beliefs are carried on to our next generation. We should not encourage unlawful and immoral behavior, such acts will weaken our country.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Democrat because…”
I am a Democrat because both of my parents were, so originally I registered as a Democrat. However, as I learned more in college and in real life, I found that it was a true reflection of my beliefs and ideals. After over 30 years of being a Democrat, it seems that I identify more and more as being one and also of being a liberal. It's always been consistent. Also, in the last couple of years, I've found that my beliefs have been not tested, but really driven home even more. If I was a democrat years ago, I am a pretty hard core one these days. A lot of the country seems so split between the two parties, and I'm firmly on the Democrat side.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Democrat because…”
I've identified as a democrat since before I could vote. Coming from a working class, immigrant Italian-American family, we all identified strongly with worker protections and uplifting working-class people. Many of my family members were union members and I can remember as a child being told that democrats supported working people, and republicans supported the bosses. As an adult, I became connected more and more with liberal values as I went through University, and embraced the democratic stance on women's rights, affirmative action and the rights of immigrants. These social issues became more important to me as I went to medical school and saw the rapacious effects of conservative policies on the health of the communities I served.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a republican because growing up poor wasn't a great option for me. I decided that pulling myself up by my boot straps and hard work were the way to go. I believe in limited government and I am a Christian. I believe that many of the values the republican value align with my own less government, lower taxes, and the freedom that comes without the government butting in my business in other words economic freedom. I'm also pro-life and own many guns, I'm afraid that my guns will be taken away by the government. It's our duty as citizens to protect our 2nd amendment right.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Democrat because…”
I am a Democrat because I care about others more than I care about myself. I care about equal rights, gun control, and healthcare for all. I believe everyone should be treated with respect no matter their race, gender, sexuality, or culture. I care about reducing income inequality. It infuriates that some people have so much while others have so little. I wish I could do more to help others who are suffering. But, my resources are limited. So I vote democratically in hopes that it will lead to change. I am a Democrat because I want positive change for everyone in our country, not just those with power.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a republican mainly because of the things I read. I do not follow politics too closely but from what I understand my views mostly mesh with those of other republicans ( Although there are some instances where I seem to lean more to the democrats side ). The main issues that I believe make me more of a republican are gun control and illegal immigration. I believe in the 2nd Amendment and the right to bear arms and I think that things are getting a bit out of hand when it comes to gun control laws. I think people need to be held accountable for their actions and not the inanimate object that was used. Like I said I don't follow politics too much but ""illegal immigration"" seems like a no-brainer to me. It has the word illegal in the name?? Who would be for this? I also somewhat favor a ""smaller"" federal goverment and allowing states to make their own laws. As far as other issues (abortion, same sex marriage, etc..) I am pretty much down the middle on.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I became a Republican when Ronald Reagan became president. I am Republican because I believe in lower Federal taxes and a smaller government. I think the size of the Federal government should be smaller and a lot of power and authority should be returned to the states. I am Republican because I want a strong military to protect us from terrorism and evil foreign governments. I am Republican because they are not afraid to fight for unborn children. I am proud to be a Republican because Republicans are not afraid to show love for this country and respect the American Flag.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a republican because this party holds most of my core beliefs. We believe all people should be responsible for their own wealth first and foremost. We believe in limited government on policies like gun control. The Second Amendment should be observed at all costs. We believe in the fundamental right of children to be given the lives they deserve. The Republican party is also very strongly justice-minded. People should pay for breaking the law. Laws exist to keep order. I am also a Republican because we believe in the traditional family unit. It takes a man and a woman to conceive, and both must be brought together to raise a child.
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