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…”
In the state of Utah, where I live, you can only vote in Republican primaries if you are registered as a Republican. Since Republicans dominate most political offices here, I wanted to be involved in selecting who would rule over me. So, when I registed to vote years ago, I registered as a Republican. I've never changed that because I like the fact that I can vote in Republican primaries. My hope in doing so is that I can help influence elections so that I can, hopefully, get the kinds of people I'd prefer to see in office - those who would actually expand liberty, reduce government, and get government out of the lives of their fellow citizens. That is why I am a Republican.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Democrat because…”
I am a DEMOCRAT because I believe in equal rights for all people in this country and I believe in eradicating all forms of racism. I believe everyone has a right to affordable healthcare and that we should be doing more to bring people out of poverty. Wall street, banks and billionaires have taken too much from the middle class and they should be taxed more so we can provide for the Americans who need assistance. I believe we need to overhaul the police system and prison system in order to prevent minorities from being murdered and so all Americans have an equal opportunity to be successful.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Democrat because…”
To me being a Democrat, means that I believe all Americans deserve economic security and not just the very, very small minority of Americans. I am a Democrat, because in my opinion the government should not give free money to rich to encourage them to add more jobs, because usually the government money disappears without desired outcome, more jobs, occurring. I am a Democrat because I believe in free competitive economic markets for small, local business owners and not just super large corporations. I am a Democrat, because I want all Americans to have access to a competent health care system, and families should not have to fear going to the MD, because of the extremely high costs if they do not have health insurance. We should offer health insurance to all Americans at a very reasonable cost, based on income. As a Democrat I believe in the family, no matter how the family is defined. One parent, same sex parents, and the families should have strong, safe public schools to send children to, improved day care programs for their children while parents are at work. As a Democrat, I believe in social responsibility and global warming must be examined in an effort to maintain human, plant and animal life. We waste too many of our resources. As a Democrat, I would like to see very few people in prison related to drug use, and see those people in rehab centers. Only violent offenders should be held in jail or prison, and they should have education and jobs to do while in prison in order to enhance their life and surroundings when released back into society. I am a Democrat because I believe all of our actions impact others, so we must think before acting and support each other in many ways.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
Because I believe in small government and that if you keep the government small things will work out on their own. You just can't keep making the government bigger and bigger because the government is not always effective, but the free market is. Also, that people must be free and have their right to say whatever they like and the ability to own your guns is also a freedom that people ought to have. Democrats want to take away those freedoms, they want to ban people saying certain words and take away guns (and who knows what else after that) and I believe in freedom over all.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a REPUBLICAN because I believe in less government. I don't believe that we really should have the government responsible for every little thing. I don't believe the government is the answer to every problem. That will only lead to a much bigger problem. The more we depend upon the government the more we give up our freedom and liberties. I have the same compassion as the Democrats but people need to actually take advantage of the opportunities already put in place to improve their condition. People need to become more accountable for their situation in life. If they are not happy there are plenty of avenues to improve the way they feel about there lives.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a Republican because I care deeply about our country and want it to remain the best place in the world to live. Safety from things like terrorism, both domestic and international, is so important to me. I need to know that my children will be able to grow up into adulthood, and that they won't be killed by terrorists. Other things like limiting government's involvement in business and social issues are also highly important to me. My parents ran their own business until they sold it and retired. More people like them need to be able to succeed, and government getting involved in every little thing a business does will never help that.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Democrat because…”
I am a DEMOCRAT because it is the political position that resonates most closely with me. I was raised in a diverse community in California by liberal parents and followed the political doctrine that they themselves followed. As an adult, I am a fairly liberal lesbian who agrees with much the Democratic party has done in recent years. I am a strong advocate for racial, gender, and religious freedom and democracy as well as a proponent for education. I sit on a board for a local nonprofit that is dedicated to eradicating racism and sexism in our society and fully believe in our mission.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a REPUBLICAN because I am patriotic and love America. I strongly identify as an American because of my ties to our founding fathers and tradition. I am conservative in my beliefs and lifestyle. I am a catholic that loves God and my family. I am a hard worker and always give my best effort in everything that I do. I am pro life and am against abortion. I believe in an American's right to bear arms and carry a weapon. I am very pro military and support our republican president. I support the sanctity of marriage between a man and woman.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a Republican because I believe in limited government. I believe that citizens should be able to live their lives without government interference in their lives. I believe that over-reaching regulations limit the ability of people and businesses to flourish and take away the freedoms that this country was founded on. I believe that everyone has an equal chance to succeed in this country. Bleeding rights and money away from Americans will not solve anyone's problems, and relying on the government is not the way to self-reliance. I believe that hard work, love of God, and love of one's country are the basic foundations of American life.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I believe the strength of our great nation comes from people as individuals. I believe in working hard to get to where you want in life. The american dream has always been work hard and you will thrive. I believe people should help each other, but not intervine in someone else's life. I believe in equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity for all, regardless of race, creed, sex, age or disability. I believe the proper role of government is to provide for the people only those critical functions that cannot be performed by individuals or private organizations and that the best government is that which governs least.
Before we show you your results, we have a few more questions for you that are for informational purposes only.
By submitting, you agree to the processing of the data above for further research means. See our Privacy Policy for more info