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 first and foremost because being Republican means freedom. We have strong religious and moral values, those of which our country needs to stay strong. We believe in lower taxes and a smaller government. It is proven that if taxes are lower then the country does better and if there is too much interference by the government in business, then the economy gets weaker. I am also pro-life. Abortion is wrong and should not be allowed. It is linked to mental illness, is dangerous to women's health and can also cause breast cancer. Another big issue is gun control. I support the second amendment, we have a right to keep and bear arms. With gun restriction, we are not safe. We need to be allowed to protect our families and with a Democrat in office, those rights could be taken away.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Democrat because…”
I am a Democrat because I believe in equality of opportunity for all people, regardless of background or circumstances. I believe in actively pursuing the health and well-being of all members of our society, and ultimately the world, through the spread of health care, education, equal rights, a clean environment, and fair and equitable financial systems. I think that going forward we have new and unprecedented challenges for our country and the world, and it will be Democratic ideas that solve them. Republicans are thought to bring about good economic conditions, but even there the economy is better under Democratic Presidents. Our individual outcomes are far better when the combined resources of the world are used for the betterment of all. I think that is what Democratic policies try to do and that's what I personally believe in.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a Republican because I believe in my second Amendment right to bare arms to protect my family. I am a Christian and believe that a heartbeat is a sign of life, therefore I do not support abortion or Planned Parenthood since they perform abortions. I believe that less government is more. I believe that Capitalism is the American way. People should be able to pull themselves up from their bootstraps without government assistance. I support our military and our police officers. I believe in strong, Christian family values. I believe in strong protections for our county from illegal immigration.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a Republican because I strongly oppose abortion. I am religious and don't believe that any living embryo should be 'killed'. I support opportunity for economic and job growth within businesses. Reducing taxation on businesses allows companies to reinvest into their workforce resulting in further economic growth. I understand school shootings are a sensitive subject but I believe citizens should have the right to bear arms. The second amendment allows citizens to protect themselves and I feel every american should be able to use that as a means to protecting your family. When it come down to it many liberals would use a gun if it meant they could protect their family from any harm.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
Compassionate conservatism works in the best interests for those struggling in America. The more we become dependent on the federal government, the more we frustrate our individual liberties. Instead of the Democrat-style of compassion shown through government handouts we must create an environment that inspires communities and individuals to take advantage of opportunities to improve their condition. Individuals have the power to change, and government can help them lead better lives.Republicans are also best suited to maintain the balance of power between the three branches of government: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. Conservative Presidents and Governors nominate, and conservative Senators confirm, good, honest judges who interpret the laws and who do not act like super-legislators from the bench.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Republican because…”
I am a Republican because I believe in the kind of things that makes America the greatest country on Earth. We deserve to have strong borders and to make sure that the rule of law is followed. We deserve to not have our paychecks stolen away by crooks in DC. We deserve to have every life protected FROM CONCEPTION. Most of all we deserve to have American values upheld and to guarantee that no one is harassed for being a Patriot. I vote Republican to prevent the expansion of Communist policies like Obamacare that take away our freedoms and take away our hard earned money. We need real Americans in office not Demon-rats.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Democrat because…”
I am a democrat because I believe that we need to help the masses, not the corporations. Big corporations have taken away our rights as democrats too many times thru lobbying. Using the little guy to make a profit off his back has got to stop. We need to equalize the standard of living. We need to provide a home for all the homeless and we need to decrease the divide between the rich and poor. Is it fair the wealthy get to keep all the money they have made off of us? The opioid crisis is the perfect example of corporations taking advantage of us. It has to stop.
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 Democrat because…”
I am a Democrat because I understand that the freedoms in our society are very precious and rare. I believe that our government is for the people and not to help corporations. I believe our tax dollars should be for making our education stable and high quality. I believe money spent to help our children helps them become stable and productive adults. Greed should be taken out of our government and corporations should not have control over it the people should. Those who are corrupt in our government should be help accountable for their actions and the should be investigated and prosecuted.
The following statement was written based on the prompt: “I’m a Democrat because…”
I am a democrat because of the way politics is being played our in current times. In truth, there are many issues that I am undecided on; I am uncertain on how to solve the ongoing cost of college for example. My decision to vote primarily democrat is based on one or two fundamental issues I care about that the other major side does not. One of the ongoing issues in this country is the notion that we do not need to care about minorities or the issues that women face (for example). So long as one side continues to ignore the voices that ask for change rather than engaging them meaningfully and with human compassion, it is unreasonable for me to vote for that side.
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