Democrat, Republican: The Real Differences?

Question

Every time I ask some one to briefly summarize the difference, people talk themselves into a circle and I end up walking away. It seems no one really knows. What do you think?

Answer 1

Republicans are patriots and Dems hate america

Answer 2

The problem is that instead of people joining a political party that fits their views, they join a party and modify the views of that party to fit their needs. So we first have to understand that when we talk about Democrats/Republicans today, we are really talking since 1932, when FDR radically redefined how Americans would think of the federal government. So, avoiding discussing the Federalist/Anti-Federalist argument that initially split the Framers of the Constitution into factions, and the Civil War that redefined those lines, the two parties can be summarized thusly:
Democrats: their modern role defined by FDR's interventionist programs in the Great Depression. That's where Democrats get the idea that they are interested in the poor. Democrats should favor federal government power over state, government programs over private companies (that's why there's all that fuss about universal health care), higher taxes for social programs, morals over religion (hard to explain). Democrats are usually Northeasterners, city dwellers, blue-collar workers, Catholics, and liberals (meaning liberal morality).
Republicans: not a dominant leader between Calvin Coolidge (if that, although he was a true Republican) and Reagan, so Reagan defined most of the party line's in the 20th century. Republicans should favor state power over federal, limited government intervention, laissez-faire economics, tax cuts for big business, and, in recent years, religious fundamentalism as a basis for morality. Republicans tend to be midwesterners, businessmen, farmers, Protestants, and the old "silent majority" that Nixon often spoke of.
Infinitely more information that you probably wanted! :)

Answer 3

There are many different political issues to choose from. On economic issues, Democrats are more likely to represent the lower and middle class, while Republicans are more likely to represent big business (and unfortunately, this can mean being anti-environment).

On social issues, Republicans are more likely to represent conservative values, while Democrats are more likely to represent liberal values. Basically--and this may be a bit of a generalization--conservative values tend to focus on the good of society as a whole, while liberal values tend to focus on the rights of the individual.

Of course, the term "liberal" especially, but also the term "conservative" have now come to be used as derogatory terms for people who disagree with others on the current war. (Ideologically, opinions on this war are really neither conservative or liberal, except for the fact the imbecile who started it happened to be a Republican.)

Answer 4

"Exposing Liberals" above seems to have forgotten the incredible increase in discretionary spending which has occurred while Republicans have controlled Congress and the Presidency. Republicans and Democrats throughout the century have presided over significant increases in the size and scope of government - both parties are enemies of freedom and individual choice.

The main differences between the two parties can be found in the rhetoric they use to try to gain power. Once in power, both work to spend more, increase the size and scope of government, and to try to stay in office. To gain power, Democrats preach about helping the poor and fighting back against corporations, while Republicans preach about morality, religion, patriotism, and their supposed desire for smaller government. Once in office, each party will attempt to shore up support among its base by catering to a given issue, and then they spend the rest of their time catering to the corporations and individuals who finance them.

Answer 5

No difference--all crooks. There is however, a difference in conservatives and liberals. But you can be a liberal dem or rep, or a conservative dem or rep. Typically, they argue that democrats like big government with a lot of social policy and small military and that republicans like small social policy and big military. But that's not necessarily true anymore.

Answer 6

Go to Webster's Dictionary,for Democrat look up the word Liberal, for Republican look up the word Conservative,you will not find a better meaning of the two than in Webster's,then figure out for your self,which one suits you best.

Answer 7

You will find the deeper you dig the less difference. At the top there is no difference, we choose to politic our personal choices and find others whom align with our opinions and then begin to play party differences. Very simple so simple that most will not accept.

Answer 8

The overall philosophy of each party is becoming blurred the more time passes. The parties are now mainly defined by issues. Here is a general guideline to the parties' views on social issues:

Republicans:
pro-life
against gay marriage
pro-capital punishment
against illegal immigration
against gun control

Democrats:
pro-death
for gay marriage
against capital punishment
in favor of illegal immigrants
in favor of gun control

This is just a rough guideline, there are many people who may identify with one party but deviate from the party's stance on some issues.

Answer 9

The truth is that nobody knows or cares what the difference is here. Yahoo answer users typify the very ignorance of the human being. They’re only interested in hurting other people’s feelings and making the other guy look stupid as best as they can. Everyone feels that they are right, and that everyone else is wrong.

Sure, I can tell you what the difference between a Democrat and a Republican are on paper:

DEMOCRAT: Someone who is interested in progression as a society and the liberal allowance of human behavior without government interference. Someone who believes that in the area of government function at the expense of the tax payer the only thing worse than the presence of government is the absence of government, and that while it is nice to hold on to the money you earn we need to keep the nations infrastructures up to date and make sure everyone is educated and has an equal opportunity. The best way? Through taxes and proper management of that money (this of coarse is only in theory). The most iconic grouping of people within this political party is the liberals. The liberals believe that everyone ought to be equal in just about everyway imaginable. Because we are just about equal in everyway imaginable in America, liberals often find themselves marching to the drum beat of a war that doesn’t even exist, and in the process is viewed as being insane by moderates and conservatives. Liberals have traditionally been credited as being “intellectual” and not mindlessly goose stepping behind the teachings of authority, but rather questioning everything to find the proper solution to a problem. Sometimes, however, there is only one answer to a problem. Because of their desire to be credited as “revolutionaries” in the conflict of secular democracy vs. theoretical dictatorships and their proxy groups that is the Global War on Terror, they often find themselves attempting to understand and identify with, and even worse; coming to the defense of the dictatorships they claim to oppose. Subsequently, they have built a foreign policy that is foreign to the history of our country, and is based on masochism, capitulation, and self-guilt in their own country’s power. They respect nations that have done nothing to earn respect and have thereby cheapened the currency that respect once represented.

REPUBLICAN: Someone who is interested in traditional American values and the preservation of historical American culture and the government regulation of human behavior if it can be deemed inappropriate. In the area of government function at the expense of the tax payer, they believe that the only thing worse than the absence of government is the presence of government, and that while it is nice in theory to have a government that responsibly manages the nations capital to have money for things like the maintenance of the nation’s infrastructure and educational programs, the government is broke and should have the least amount of money possibly given to it. The most iconic group of people in this political party are the conservatives. The conservatives are very traditional and find themselves often appealing to the Christian majority of America. They believe in the least amount of government spending, but the most amount of government regulation of human behavior. The have miscalculated American foreign policy before, but far in large understand far better than liberals the dangers that America faces in the world. This isn’t always the case however: Under the Clinton Administration all the liberal democrats in congress voted to oust Saddam Hussein from power in the “Iraq Liberation Act of 1998” than was signed by Clinton and would have been implemented had it not been for American military intervention in Europe the following year.

This is how they look on paper however. In reality they both work together, play together, go to the same bars together, on the same trips together, and both have betrayed us. Both have shipped out ten million manufacturing jobs overseas, both have allowed the public education system in this country to become so inept that it has failed an entire generation of Americans. Both have allowed threats to accumulate under the country’s nose, and forced the American people to bear the brunt. A Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy once said “I hate it when people say he died for his country, the truth is that we killed him for his country”. This is most true of our elected representatives.

Hope that helps.

Answer 10

Class