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 believe in personal responsibility. This country was founded on the idea that people should be able to get ahead based on their own hard work and sound decisions. The Republican party stands for people who create businesses or go to work every day without expecting government handouts. Americans like us should be allowed to keep more of our own hard-earned money instead of turning it all over to the Feds to distribute to people who don't want to pay their own way. Real Americans want to rule their own lives and not be labeled as victims of this or that, that's what Republicans stand for.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a Republican because I believe in working hard for all that I have. I've never believed in government hand-outs, bailouts, free everything. My parents raised me to be independent, and to help others who I see struggling, and I do. I think if more people helped out family, friends, and neighbors when they are going through a rough patch, there would be less dependency on government run agencies. I alao firmly believe that abortion is wrong, and am glad my party feels the same way. As a woman myself, I just don't know how anyone could kill a baby like that, heartbeat or not.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Democrat because…”
I am a democrat because, well look at the competition. Democrats may not be perfect and we've had our scandals but nothing compared to what the Republicans are putting out. Just today another cabinet member, Secretary of Labor, resigned after yesterday telling the world that he was innocent and had done nothing wrong. Nothing? He just had used his position in the state government to make sure that a convicted sex offender got a light sentence and a limo ride to his office everyday. Now this offender. Epstein is back with even worse charges. People talk about different party values but if this situation is about Republican values then I'd rather be a Democrat.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Democrat because…”
I am a Democrat because I would rather see a poor child fed or a devastated neighborhood rebuilt before reducing taxes on those making so much money that they can live where such things are never seen. I am a Democrat because I don't believe that the oil, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries deserve obscene windfall profits and tax breaks while so many Americans can't afford gas to get them them to work or health care and prescription drugs to keep them alive. I am a Democrat because I believe that the rich can take care of themselves pretty well, but that the poor and disadvantaged need and deserve the help of a compassionate government. I am a Democrat because at my fundamental core, I like people more than things. Because I think that my having money does not mean that others don't deserve a decent life. Because I feel that there is more power in hope than in fear.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a strong Republican because I believe we are the party that can bring this country back to greatness. I am a republican because I believe we need to stop allowing people into our country that are not productive. I am a republican because I believe our republican leaders have the right ideas when it comes to strengthening the economy. I am a republican because the Democrats are far too liberal to get anything constructive accomplished. I am a republican because my father was a republican. I am a republican because I have strong morals and believe in god.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a republican because of my view on abortion. I am pro-life and believe that all babies deserve a chance to have a life. Another reason I am republican is my view on stronger border laws and stronger immigration laws as too many immigrates are coming into the country illegally and taking up resources that should be going to American citizens that are already struggling, like homeless people or people struggling to find a job. Another reason I am republican is because of my view on the death penalty. I believe that it is good as it punishes people that need to be severely punished that way, and can help make room for more criminals that are coming in.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a Republican because my family has always believed in small government and personal responsibility. We believe in entrepreneurship, capitalism, and the ability of all citizens to achieve the ""American dream"" through their own hard work. I and my family believe that there are laws that must be followed by people of other countries who wish to become American citizens and that these people should be committed to assimilate into the American culture by learning English, finding employment, obeying our laws, and showing patriotism by honoring our country's symbols. We believe that our citizens should all have the opportunity to receive an education that prepares them to be productive members of our society. Basically all Americans should work for what they receive and not seek to be supported by the government.The government should stay out of our private lives.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am proud to be a republican because it embodies the roots of the US and the idea that each person is responsible for shaping his or her life. As someone who is not natively from this country, I had to work not only to fit in with American culture but to learn English and launch my career. Conservative values helped shape my values and my family's values to keep resources between individuals and more localized government rather than depending on a faceless government bureaucracy that does not always have your interest in mind. Even though Republicans get a bad name in the media, I still identify as Republican because of my conservative upbringing and outlook.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Democrat because…”
I am a democrat because I believe in stricter gun control. With there being so many shootings that have happened in the last few years I think the nation as a whole needs to take a step back and re evaluate how easy it is for people to purchase a gun. Guns only require a simple background check at a store but if I go to an online site like craigslist, I can buy a gun from a random person without any screening. I could be mentally unstable, I could be a felon and in possession of a weapon now. Guns should have a mandatory registration like cars do that require immediate notification if you change ownership. We should also ban all assault rifles. Assault rifles are the main weapon used in shootings, eliminating the opportunity to purchase them would lead to less shootings, since it isnt feasible to commit an act against humanity with a pistol.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a Republican because the Republican party supports and works for what is best to uphold traditional values and to make a good life for those who respect authority. I believe that, as Americans, we have the right to bear arms. It is a traditional right that can not be taken away from us. I also believe that marriage should be only recognized when it is between a man and a woman. The Republican party works very hard to support these traditional values. They work hard so that these basic traditions are not undermined by radicals. I also think that our military is the best in the world. The Republican policies make sure that our military stays strong so that the United States is a safe place to live.
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