Republicans and Democrats, whats the difference?

Question

Being 18, I am now a legal voter. Its unfortunate that I've never really caught on to our gorvernments parties and what they stand for.

I was hoping someone could explain to me the main/major differences between the two. And possibily where they stand on major issues that are facing our country these days.

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

Honestly, this isn't the best place to learn. But there were some decent answers, so hopefully you can recognize what is intelligent, and what is just hatred.

Hint: anyone that writes "George Bush is fighting a war on terrorism; the democrats are fighting a war on George Bush" has such a narrow mindset that it isn't worth listening to their side of things. They are what we might call a hater.

In addition to what's been said, from an economic standpoint, the Republicans do believe in smaller taxes and small government. Most decent Republicans will admit that the current president has made smaller taxes, yet bigger government. These do not work well together, as evidenced by the huge deficit we currently have. The idea is that with smaller taxes (especially effecting the wealthy), they will invest in businesses, and thus create jobs, which betters society and the common workers. For most people, the tax breaks are negligable, and it doesn't always work, as the rich people know where to hide their money so the government cannot get it, and thus keep it for themselves, and don't pass it on to those who need help.

The democrats favor slightly higher taxes, but in doing so, take that money and give it back to the people in the form of social programs. You may have heard, president bush is cutting funding to Head Start. This is an example. Head Start is used by poor people across the nation to get their kids in preschool, when they would otherwise have to pay for it. Now that option is closed, so poor people are put at a disadvantage, making it more difficult to receive a better education, and thus break the poverty cycle. A democrat would ensure that funding was adequate for a program such as that.

Some people say Reps are good for the military, while Dems are weak. I totally disagree with that. Clinton's military was much better equipped to fight, compared to now...despite what some blowhards might say.

Anyways, do your own research, and vote for the candidate you feel represents your interests. Some people vote all Rep or all Dem...that is a mistake. It puts one party in power, and leads to corruption. It is healthy to have debate across party lines. Consider 3rd party candidates, although they are seldom voted into office, and typically draw votes away from other qualified individuals.

Good luck!

Answer 3

If anyone answers, "Republicans are better. Democrats are better..." etc., don't listen to that. Republicans and Democrats are only different because of their political views. Democratic Party - One of the two major political parties in the United States; the Democrats. The origins of the Democrats are in the Democratic-Republican party, organized by Thomas Jefferson in the late eighteenth century; the first president elected simply as a Democrat was Andrew Jackson. Always strong in the South, the party was severely damaged by secession, the Civil War, and Reconstruction, and did not produce a winning presidential candidate between 1861 and 1885, when Grover Cleveland was elected. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, in contrast to the Republicans, the Democrats tended to be the party of the South and West, opposed to the interests of business and the Northeast. Woodrow Wilson, the next Democratic president, was part of the Progressive movement. In the period of the New Deal, in the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Democratic party reached enormous strength among labor union members, minority groups, and middle-income people. Republican Party - One of the two major political parties in the United States. The party began in 1854 (see under “American History to 1865”); Abraham Lincoln, elected in 1860, was the first Republican president. During Reconstruction, many Republicans were eager to punish the South for its former slaveholding and for its secession from the United States. The northern Republicans, for example, supported carpetbaggers in southern governments. After Reconstruction, the Republicans favored a high protective tariff and were generally considered the defenders of northeastern and business interests. The party supported the Spanish-American War and the expansion of United States territory overseas. Some Republicans were part of the Progressive movement of the early twentieth century. In the 1920s, the party reestablished its reputation for supporting business and as being wary of any expansion of the place of government in national life. This characterization is still a reasonably accurate, if simplistic, description of basic Republican views.

Answer 4

If you care about this country at all you will not vote for any incumbent. Second you need to seriously consider voting for any third party candidate that is on the ballot. There is no difference between democrat and republican today. Try to get either to take a stand on any real issues and amazingly they always come out sounding middle of the road. They will not state their position if at all possible because to do so would insure that they lose the votes of those who disagree with them. Be an idependent and vote according to your conscious that is your right and your duty. Anyone that votes a straight party ticket is an absolute moron.

Answer 5

The major difference is this: Republicans believe that if the country is good, then so will the people be. Democrats believe that if the people are good, then so will the country be. Democrats put people first. Republicans put country first.

Answer 6

George Bush is fighting a war on terrorism; the democrats are fighting a war on George Bush

Answer 7

Just don't vote, actually just vote democrat for the next few years. If that doesn't work, we can start a guerilla revolution. How's that sound?

Answer 8

nothing thier both corrupet,but democrats are supposed to care more about the people

Answer 9

War and Peace.