<p>I think it sounds like you should go to Berkeley. I could come up with a variety of reasons to choose Chicago, but all of the things (graduating early, low tuition, no grade deflation) you have said you want seem to align with Berkeley and not Chicago.
The one thing that I can attest to is the political aspect of things- Chicago may have the reputation of having some conservative students and Berkeley stands as a very liberal place, but by no means will your liberal values or ideas be shot down at Chicago. I see it to be a very politically open place- while you will encounter people whose political inclinations differ from your own, they aren’t going to try to “convert” you to being conservative; in all likelihood, it will just be a topic for excellent debate, and you will certainly find a set of friends who share your values.</p>