Can a democrat be a liberal or a conservative?

Question

Democrats and Republicans are political parties and I've noticed that on the campaign trail I've seen Conservative Democrats and Liberal Democrats but yet the media seems to always tie Liberals to Democrats. Should any party have a balance? Thanks for taking the time.

Answer 1

You're right.. there is no distinction in the media. Here's an example I found for you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Democrat

Answer 2

There are many Democrats who are conservative on social or fiscal issues and there always have been. Despite the feelings of some that young people or "Hollywood Liberals" have come to dominate the party, if you check the composition of state legislatures or most of the state party conventions and committee meetings you will find a fairly wide diversity of viewpoints.

The Republicans used to be even more diverse in representing a spectrum of liberal to conservative opinion, but beginning with the "Reagan Revolution" even moderate, centrist Republicans were purged from leadership positions and left on their own to do battle in the general elections with little national or state support, financial or otherwise.

New England and New York were always bastions of liberal Republicanism - Leverett Saltonstall, Henry Cabot Lodge, Christian Herter, John Volpe, Frank Sargent, Ed Brooke, Elliott Richardson and many others came from Massachusetts alone during my early years. People like Nelson Rockefeller, Jacob Javits, John Chaffee, Margaret Chase Smith, George Aiken, and Bob Stafford attained leadership and national respect within Republican circles.

Alas, those days are gone - in the words of the President, "if you're not with us you're against us" and even Vermont's Jim Jeffords, a man of very high integrity, eventually left his party and became a nominal independent, caucusing with the Democrats.

These things go in circles, and perhaps eventually the Republicans will realize that selling their party to the religious right and the PNAC will eventually doom them to minority status - at least if the Democrats can keep their tent big and maybe even expand it a bit.

Answer 3

Democrats tend to be more liberal than Republicans but each party has members who are more moderate (centrist) and those who are at the extreme right or left fringes. This is one reason that many people are hoping that additional parties will become more influential. A great many people fall into the center and don't feel that they are represented by extremists on either side.

You might find this little quiz interesting. It measures your political leanings. http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html

Answer 4

Yes - most definitely. Lieberman is a democrat who is a fiscal conservative. It has always been that way but the Neo-Cons wanted to put a face on their enemy, so they labeled all democrats as liberals. In reality, there are probably more liberal Republicans than liberal democrats in the strictest sense.

Answer 5

Since we are human, it is really impossible for us to be programmed into thinking a certain way or the other. Society has labeled Democrats "Liberal," and "left wing," and Republicans "Conservative," and right wing. Someone thought this up and it was perpetuated by people in the Executive Branch, I am sure. I think it's a matter of opinion because with me, I follow my conscience and if that stigmatizes me, then so be it. I really don't care!!! ;-)

Answer 6

Conservatives have no chance,now,in a Democratic Party dominated by Socialists and Communists!

Answer 7

Yes. Zell Miller and Sam Nunn were both Conservative Democrats, while Jimmy Carter and Mike Dukakis were liberal.

Answer 8

Yes democrats can be conservative; however, they generally remain hidden in the closet. Once they come out, we tend to kick them out of the party!

Answer 9

There are very few Liberal Republicans..Not in their nature

Answer 10

there can be anything in the world since we are free (all the citizens of the world) to think..dont box people in