How we decide what counts as "both sides."

Why this site exists

Most writing about culture-war issues is built to persuade. It picks the weakest version of the opposing argument, skips the citation, and asks you to trust the author's framing. Two Podiums does the opposite: we look for the strongest, most current version of each side's case, name exactly who is making it, and link to where they said it.

We are not a neutral party on the underlying questions — nobody is. What we commit to is neutral presentation: equal space, equal scrutiny, and a citation on every claim, for both the conservative and progressive positions on each issue we cover.

What "conservative" and "progressive" mean here

We use these labels the way they're commonly used in U.S. political debate — not as value judgments. "Conservative" arguments are drawn from self-identified conservative organizations, elected Republicans, and commentators who argue from that tradition. "Progressive" arguments are drawn from self-identified progressive or liberal organizations, elected Democrats, and commentators who argue from that tradition. Where an issue doesn't map neatly onto party lines, we say so.

Our sourcing standard

• Primary sources first. We prefer a named organization's own statement, a court opinion, an official's own words, or a specific news report over a secondhand summary.
• Real, checkable links. Every bullet point on an issue page links to a live source. If a link breaks, we fix or remove it — email us and we'll take a look.
• Current as of the update date. Culture-war debates move fast. Each issue page lists when it was last refreshed, and we revisit pages as major developments occur (new rulings, legislation, or ballot results).
• Facts get their own section. Polling and statistics that both sides reference — even if they read them differently — are separated from the persuasive arguments, so you can tell advocacy apart from data.

What we won't do

• We won't declare a "winner" on a contested moral or policy question.
• We won't quietly give one side more space, better sources, or the last word.
• We won't use loaded language to describe one side that we wouldn't also use for the other.

Corrections

If you believe we've mischaracterized an argument, used an outdated source, or missed an important point on either side, we want to hear about it. Reach us through the contact details on our Privacy & Contact page.