An anthropological dilemma repeated here at DU:

[Nikia]

13. I think that there are idealistic Conservatives

My Republican grandparents were some and I have heard others say stuff that was similiar. The government should not regulate very much because when businesses see that the government trusts them, they will do what is right. For the same reason, taxes should be minimal because people will use that money to give to charity instead. These grandparents also believed that if you left your door unlocked that your house, as they did, was less likely to get broken into by this reasoning.
I think that corporate culture and business in general has evolved into very predatory institutions. They tend not to do anything out of ethics and the public needs to be protected. It is a bit worrisome though that they have become heavily involved in the political process, which calls public protection by the government into question. Despite this, I think that we still have to work towards electing politicians that will protect public interests rather than throw our hands up and say that the media and government are owned by predatory corporations anyway so it isn't any use.
I think that the general public is either idealists to some extent like my grandparents were, believes that the government is so corrupt that it cannot serve the general public anymore, or are rather self absorbed. A lot of these attitudes are encouraged by the corporately owned media.