So I was watching the U.S. Democratic Convention and those labels were tossed about and I thought ...

>You didn't have the faintest idea of what they meant, eh?
Well ... uh, something like that.
Anyway, I found an internet quiz which, after I answered a bunch of multiple-choice questions, said I was a liberal ... so I thought I'd use that quiz to learn the difference(s). Labels are assigned (according to that quiz) like so:

Liberals tend to trust government while conservatives may not. Liberals would trust the Postal Service over the Pentagon and the United Nations over the Joint Chiefs. Liberals favour lawyers over doctors and workers over executives and athletes over team owners. Conservatives would accept government cuts like: elimination of farm subsidies, reduction in welfare spending, keeping illegal immigrants from receiving public education, cuts in taxes ... Conservatives see the "ideal" country as a melting pot while liberals are more apt to embrace a multicultural society. Liberals would prefer stricter controls on the sale of guns to curb violence. Liberals are apt to think that crime can be reduced by providing financial assistance to rebuild cities. Conservatives are more likely to prefer building more prisons. Conservatives would agree with spending cuts to reduce government deficits (even if it meant cutting programs). Further, conservatives think that govenment is too big. Liberals would agree that gay and lesbians should be able to marry (or at least treated as married). Liberals are more apt to think that the religious right is a threat to our political system. Liberals would agree that the federal government should include funds to make abortion services part of any standard benefits package in health care reform. Conservatives would prefer a ban on graphic pornography. Liberals think that fighting AIDS is more urgent than fighting cancer. Conervatives think that the breakdown of the traditional family is the most serious domestic crisis facing our society. Liberals think that women and racial minorities should be given preferences in hiring until we achieve true gender and racial equality. Liberals think that certain environmental problems call for government action, even if it means increased taxes.

>So now you understand, eh?
Uh ... no. I did another internet quiz and was labelled a conservative.

In July, 2004 I mentioned the above quiz on a Canadian discussion forum and several posters took the test.
Then, in October, 2004, I mentioned the quiz on several U.S. discussion forums.
The results are here:

>I thought you weren't supposed to discuss Religion or Politics!
Well ... yes, but on the five forums where people responded with their Quiz score, I was surprised to find such animosity towards those who are Liberal-minded.

Even in the 2004 U.S. presidential race, a criticism of Senator Kerry was that he was "Liberal".
I'm confused by this hostility ... since I got me a 12 on the quiz (and my wife got a 10)  
On the other hand, those that responded as a Liberal (according to that Quiz) were rarely critical of the Conservative component.
I'm not speaking of hostility towards government figures or government actions. I'm talking about intolerance toward regular folk who profess to being Liberal.
Is that lack of tolerance another difference between Liberals and Conservatives ??

See also: this.