What is the difference between Democrats and Republicans?

Question

It's been a little while since this question has been asked. Personally, I feel that the main difference is in the philosophy of live and let live. Republicans would rather have the entire world conform to their ideology or be punished until they do, whereas Democrats seem more willing to accept people for who they are. This is exemplified on Yahoo answers by the vitrolic writings of those who are in support of weakening the constitution and creating a police state and who have absolutly no desire to even consider an alternative point of view. It used to be that the main difference was on social issues. In the times of our fathers the nation was united in defense of the constitution and the bill of rights. There are those whom I am sure will call me a liberal pansy and other names meant to disparage my opinion, however, it is just as valid as anyones. And therein lies the true difference. I can accept that others will have differing opinions, can you?

Addendum: The republican party is an offshoot of the democratic party, just to make a point. I think it is disingenious of modern republicans to praise themselves for being the party of Lincoln when they honor leaders like Strom Thurmond and Trent Lott, David Duke and George Allen to name a few. These people embody intolerance. Is it any wonder that the "Party of Lincoln" somehow has a noticable lack of grateful black participants encouraging it's sucess? Just as words can change meaning over time, so too can a political party lose it's way and wake up one day with a philosophy it didn't go to bed with. On the plus side, more people are realizing just how flawed the Republican party has become. maybe now it can focus on returning to the values we all expect of an american political party.

Answer 1

I agree with you totally. I think ever since Bush has revealed that he is a Christian man, it has also became about conforming everyone to christianity as well. I am a dem. with some conservative beleifs. I was raised in a christian envrionment, but do not push my beleifs on others. I beleive everyone is entitled to live the way they want to live. Believe what they want to beleive. I thought that's what our country was founded upon too. But conservatives seem set to prove me wrong. Ignorance is evident when other's views can not be seen because yours overshadows them. So I agree with you dear man. It is the neo conservs who are oblivious to truths.

Answer 2

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 3

I would hardly call building a straw man of conservative views "accepting" of those said views. Especially with the way you distort the opinions of others.

Both the democrats and the republicans are intolerant of the beliefs of others. Democrats hardly accept people for who they are when they try to throw them in jail and charge them with RICO because they hold up banners saying "abortion kills babies". Republicans hardly accept people for who they are when they run around and label those who say Israel stepped over the line with Palestein as Jew-haters.

I would consider anyone who supports the concept of a second clause dominant 4th amendment, Miranda, invention of rights not ordained, as someone who weakens the constitution. I would consider the Dems creating Echelon more towards a police state than any other programs out there. And I would consider FDR opening all international email and locking up japs more of police state tactics than republicans.

Also, it was the dems that were the party of slavery and segregation. The republicans were the liberators. So, maybe you need to re-read your history and not throw stones from your glass house.

Answer 4

D: Believe all wealth belongs by right to the govt.
R: Believe all wealth belongs by right to those who earn it.

D: Think that it is protected speech to yell fire in a crowded theater.
R: Think it is protected speech to yell movie in a crowded firehouse.

D: Think all opinions are equally valid.
R: Know that there is a difference between right & wrong.

D: Think that we need to ask "UN may I?" before defending ourselves
R: Are ready to defend ourselves no matter what antone else says.

D: Think that the Constitution is a suicide pact.
R: Know that President Lincoln was correct when he said it wasn't.

This should do for a start.

Answer 5

I disagree with your answer. For all we hear about democrats "accepting people for who they are" they are also big supporters of abortion. Abortion kills many disabled people every year because the parents test for a specific disability. Many times, they will kill the child based on his or her disability. This is non-acceptance of the worst kind---they are KILLED for who they are. Not called names. Not told they can't marry. KILLED.

Democrats unfortunately support this and hide behind the phrase "right to choose" when it's actually a horrible human rights violation

Answer 6

There is no difference between republicans and democrats. They serve the same master.

FP

Answer 7

You are answering your question just the way you want to hear.
There is no need for any of us to speak because you don't want to hear

Answer 8

Just the name.

Answer 9

Republicans want deathcamps, Democrats don't. Other than that they're both Nazis.

Answer 10

Nothing these days except morality issues .