Americans, please explain this to me?

Question

What excatly is the difference between a democrat and a republican? JUST SERIOUS ANSWERS PLEASE. I realy want to know.

Answer 1

Each of the major political parties focuses on different aspects of the Constitution as most important. In the Preamble to the Constitution, there are five goals (values) of the US government: "establish Justice, to ensure domestic Tranquility, to provide for the common Defense, to promote the general Welfare, and secure the blessings of Liberty"

Conservatives think the most important are "to ensure domestic Tranquility" (meaning to promote conformity with 'traditional' ways) and to "provide for the Common Defense". Most conservatives are Republicans, who (nowadays) want group rights (conformity with 'traditional' values) and a large government to ensure domestic tranquility (by enforcing those conservative majority beliefs). Moderate republicans (originally called fiscal conservatives) want a small government, just large enough to provide for the common Defense.

Liberals think it's more important to "promote the general Welfare, and ensure the blessings of Liberty". Most liberals are Democrats, who want individual rights and a large government to promote the general welfare. Moderate democrats don't want a lot of wasteful spending, and want to achieve their goals without causing too many problems. Democrats do have a Conservative wing, which focuses on better ethical leadership and greater protection for both groups and individuals. The main difference is that conservative democrats still don't believe in enforcing their views on the minority, even if their own personal choices would be the same as what conservative republicans would make.

The concept of promoting Justice is important to both camps, but their idea of justice differs. Most camps of the liberal parties believe ensuring Justice requires favoring defendants, preferring the guilty to go free rather than sending the innocent to prison. Republicans and conservatives believe the promoting Justice requires being harsh to those accused, even if that occasionally inflicts sentences on the innocent.

Interestingly, the spectrum is not linear, and has more than one dimension. There are other political parties who focus on different combinations of those values. For example, Libertarians want a small government (no wasteful spending) and very little Welfare (few if any entitlements), but strong on Defense. Libertarians also want lots of protection for individual civil rights, to secure the blessings of Liberty. They feel that Tranquility will take care of itself, and doesn’t need government enforcement of morality. As such, they are moderate about most issues, except for being adamant that the majority should not impose its beliefs on the minority, as part of their way to promote Justice.

So, it basically comes down to which sets of Constitutional values each group thinks are most important.

Answer 2

In all seriousness...

Democrats are on the left (progressive) side of politics. That is, they are in favor of a larger government, collective solutions to social problems, welfare for the needy, social programs, etc. They are also in favor of increasing certain personal freedoms, including legal abortion, for example. On the other hand they are for gun control. Basically, they believe that government can solve problems, but that sexual or moral issues are best left to the individual.

Republicans are on the right or conservative (reactionary) side. They favor small government, lower taxes, fewer government programs and less government spending. So they would be against gun control, because they believe that government should not interfere with people's lives. However, they also have a Christian fundamentalist element within their party. So the Republicans are against legal abortion and against gay marriage, and sometimes for things like prayer in schools.

An important thing to remember is that President Bush and his administration are Republicans, but they don't really believe in Republican values. For example, Republicans are usually isolationists, but Bush believes in preventive war. Also, Republicans are for smaller government, but Bush has increased government spending. So even though Bush is a member of the Republican party, he doesn't believe in their traditional values.

I hope that helps.

Answer 3

Democrats are liberal socialists. Republicans are basically the same in recent years but with a more ethical standpoint (anti-abortion, etc). Libertarians are now what Republicans claim to be, for small government and personal freedom. To be a true republican is basically to be a libertarian.

Answer 4

THey are all nuts....Republicans do anything to protect their own interests...ie go to war, the democrats try to be more liberal but in real terms there is not a lot of difference.

The people with the money behind the scene's control the direction: which party is in makes only minimal changes

Answer 5

40 years ago there might be no difference between a dem from say, the south and a republican from a western state on many issues, but now these dems are in the GOP. clinton was no dove w/foreign policy and always had his state dept. engaged in middle east. the GOP under Chaney wanted to disengage before 9-11, now they have the Iraq debacle on their hands. also, GOP wants to deregulate everything to hurt public and help the CORPORATION. etc. Consider Katrina, what about DeLay, social security,stem cell research,taxes,on and on...the differences are obvious.

Answer 6

Democrats believe in an economy where everyone gets benefits but republicans want more privatized and competitive benefits for those who earn it like corporate owners.

Answer 7

Im english and im sorry yet i've got not got fun with gazing it i think of this might properly be a custom element i in my opinion locate working classification humour the final ie purely fools and horses an previous bbc comedy of the Nineteen Eighties

Answer 8

republicans want to handle their own affairs and want the least government interference with their personal lives as possible. democrats generally want the gvt to do everything for them (welfare, ect) and want to be taken care of. republicans are better!

Answer 9

Democrats tend to be liberal in their social/religious mores and values whereas Republicans are more conservative.

Answer 10

Republicans are honest, hard working citizens, Demos are dishonest, totally dis-loyal who try to take the credit for something they dont have the mind to come up with on their own.