can anybody honestly tell me the difference between republicans and democrats?

Question

w/o saying that republicans just give money to rich people. i still am confused!!! (detailed answers MORE than welcome...)

Answer 1

The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it.

Seriously though, the Democrats are the party that believes: The national government has a central and positive role to play in bettering the lives of all Americans.

Whereas the Republicans believe that business, if left alone, will govern the market, control the people, and reach a natural balance between the haves and needs of society.

It's the balance between these two that makes our country strong. Too much of either one and you have the government growing in size (Democrats, historically) or completely ignoring problems that are directly caused by business (Republicans, historically).

The last few years have been very different for the Republicans. They've moved from a conservative base to one not quite comfortable to most Americans. Whereas the Democrats, who were historically liberal, moved closer to the middle.

The problem with this is that a liberal is always an ideologist and a conservative is not.

A conservative with an ideology is either on the way to being a liberal or a neoconservative, depending on whether that ideology favors isolationism or greater inclusion.

The neoconservative who is successful in pushing their ideology will eventually become an authoritarian. They will then immediately feel the recoil from a public who is, by nature, ideological.

That is what happened this week.

I believe that the Republicans will once again start being conservative and that the Democrats will start to move back towards their historical liberal ideology.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

\ Well Republicans grow government and spend more and more ,just not quite as much as the Dem's. They gave a tax break to those earning under 30,000.People in this category pay no taxes. The democrats want to raise the minimum wage because most unions have contracts that state their wages must be a certain percent above this wage. The beginners wage goes up a dollar or two while the union members goe up 7 to 15 dollars an hour.

Answer 3

I will attempt to answer this, although recently these traditional rules have blurred, and now the two parties are mostly for everything the other party is against and vice-versa.

Republicans traditionally favor smaller government and greater economic freedoms (less taxes, incentives for business, less government regulation of businesses), social values (typically harder on crime, favoring longer and stricter punishment for criminals, many are opposed to abortion and gay marriage, and many are against stricter gun control for law-abiding citizens.

Democrats traditionally favor larger goverment that has many social programs to help the needy, higher taxes on the wealthy to pay for the social programs, stricter rules and regulations for businesses, favor more forgiving policies towards criminals, many are pro-choice and many favor stricter gun control laws.

In the last few decades, Democrats have taken on more focus on the environment, using their historical position in opposition to business to drive for increased environmental regulation.

It is often forgotten that, despite the rhetoric (particularly in places like this posting site) most members of both parties actually think they are in the right about what is good for America.

Republicans complain that Democrats lack brains, and often put in place quick fix plans which sound good on paper but have unintended consequences with negative implications for the future. Democrats would point out that Republicans certainly have made their share of mistakes.

Democrats complain that Republicans only care about making money for themselves and lack heart and compassion for those less fortunate. Republicans honestly believe that their policy suggestions of smaller government and lower taxes really will help everyone become better off.

At the end of the day, someplace in the middle is probably about right- and that is what our system of government maintains.

hope this helped.

Answer 4

Maybe people are unhappy with the situation in Iraq and with the various scandals in DC and just want a change. Every few years they flush the Congressional toilet by putting in the other party until they get sick of them. The Republicans get in and run right. The Democrats get in and run left. The people let them go so far and then put in the other guys to get things back on center.

Answer 5

to me the republicans are for the rich and the democrats are for the poor and watch what happens when everybody gets into there jobs and the ball starts rolling !!!!!

Answer 6

there is no difference between the two.. only a fool or a lib would believe that the democrats are for the common man.. heck most all the politicians are rich anyhow...

Answer 7

Democrats think people are basically good, and they'll be even better if the gov't helps them.

Rep's believe people are basically bad, but they'll be ok if the gov't leaves them alone.

- Andy Rooney

Dems have no morals.
Reps have no ethics.

-Jiggy Phish

Answer 8

In general: republicans stand for less government. That means less government spending, less government interference into your lives, less government control over the citizens, and less restricting laws. They also traditionally are for states rights over federal control. Socially, they tend to be conservative (ie against gay marriage, against abortion, etc)

Democrats tend to put an emphasis on government programs for the poor and needy, such as welfare, medicare, social security, etc. They also accept government controls and laws in order to protect the environment and other things like that. This is why they tend to be considered "big government". Socially, the tend to be more liberal (ie pro choice, for gay rights, etc).

Answer 9

Let's put it plain and simple

If you work for a living vote Republican.

If you are lazy rich or on welfare vote Democrat.

Answer 10

Republicans want you to keep the money you earn
Democrats want to give it to those who don't work as hard to earn their own
Republicans want to fight the war on terror
The Democrats don't know how