Will millennials boost Rand Paul's chances?

Washington

WE all learned that there are two major ideological strands in American politics. There are the "conservatives" who oppose government intervention in the economy; who support a strong US military; and who want to protect traditional values. Then there are the "liberals" who advocate a government role in the economy; who prefer using diplomacy in response to global threats; and who believe that the government should not impose cultural standards.

And then there are two major political parties in the United States, the Republican Party that attracts the support of conservative voters, and the Democrats who subscribe to a liberal agenda. Hence conservative Republicans don't want the government to tell you what to do with your money but want the government to regulate your sex life. Liberal Democrats don't care who you sleep with but care a lot about how you spend your money. But the assumption that American ideological debate is bipolar in nature is misleading. Indeed, the political orientation of many Americans doesn't fit into the conservative versus liberal split.