What they say: Small government What they do: Spend massively on police, military, and surveillance while pushing laws that dictate personal behavior (abortion bans, anti-trans legislation, drug criminalization).

What they say: Free market What they do: Hand out subsidies to corporations, give massive tax breaks to the wealthy, and block labor protections.

What they say: Traditional values What they do: Use “tradition” as a smokescreen to resist civil rights, suppress diversity, and enforce a narrow Christian nationalist vision.

What they say: Personal responsibility What they do: Blame poor people for their conditions while defending corporate bailouts and generational wealth hoarding.

What they say: Rule of law What they do: Apply it selectively—crack down on protests they dislike, but excuse insurrectionists and lawbreaking when it suits them.

What they say: Cautious to change What they do: Rush radical deregulation and culture war laws through state legislatures while blocking any progress toward equity or justice.