What does it mean when someone says you are a Republican or Democrat?

The stereotypes is that Republicans think that government is the problem and people should work for a living and be free to enjoy the fruits of their labour. Democrats think that government is the answer and the disadvantaged should be helped at the governments expense. and that the rich became rich from everyone’s resources, Streets, bridges, land , ect..

But that’s from a Canadians outsider’s viewpoint gleaned from CNN. Both sides have flaws, and advantages. But it’s the best idea so far for a government., unless you tap into fantasy forms of government.

It just means you identify with a particular political belief system, most often over identify, to the point that ones entire identity is defined by their political or religious beliefs. None of which have anything to do with the totality of an individual but causes enough threat to ego to defend at all costs, then, you have war. lol

@talljasperman In the end that feels very vague and broad. I feel like the two words are pointless.

@LDRSHIP When you look deep enough both sides are the same. and don’t really mean anything. It’s just an artificial way IMHO to promote discussion.

@talljasperman What discussion is that?

@LDRSHIP where to put resources. military, space travel, medical science, sports. ect.

@talljasperman I thought it was often used as a way to make little to no progress and argue over who is a Republican and Democrat. Because in the end your opinion means less if I have majority. Majority is everything not the voice you lend in a discussion.

I think it’s crazy to label yourself by a party. It’s putting yourself into a box and creating a bias. That’s just terrible. If someone called you one of those, then you had probably just previously expressed a viewpoint that matched one of the parties.

Here’s a comparison of the two:
Democratic vs. Republican
There are many other less popular parties, such as the Green Party

In very general terms…to align yourself with either party, you will either be a Liberal Democrat or a Conservative Republican. This is a right isle and left isle choice many do make. A good sized portion of our country choose not to align with either party and remain independent of which there are many factions of minor parties these independents will align with.

The problem we more than often are exposed to thanks to the blood lust of the media who chooses to sensationalize and often demonize one or the other main political party because of one Congressional Representative’s words and actions…..any John Q Citizen is also guilty of said infraction and culpable for that parties actions. The extreme example of this are the wingnuts of both parties and the extreme views of the wingnuts are what often get the most press and then attract vehement responses from the opposing party and lots of sensational drama will play out in the press, and the mainstream members of the party are now dragged into the fray and guilty by association.

Just because I often articulate my conservative views and principals here and elsewhere I am not surprised that I am then labeled a Republican wingnut. I am not a Republican…never have been never will be. I am an independent who is concervative who believes in the core of the Constitution that both parties are so ready to use and abuse to further their parties dominance over the other party that I cannot support either. The two party system is a cancer that has consumed our ability to govern our affairs within the confines and spirit of the Constitution…time for both parties to put down the pitch forks and torches and govern this country together as one.

“The argument that the two parties should represent opposed ideals and policies, one, perhaps, of the Right and the other of the Left, is a foolish idea acceptable only to the doctrinaire and academic thinkers. Instead, the two parties should be almost identical, so that the American people can “throw the rascals out” at any election without leading to any profound or extreme shifts in policy.”

- Carrol Quigley, Tragedy and Hope

@SquirrelEStuff They are almost identical in that both parties are beholden to their campaign donor’s and will stay committed to causes and legislation that ensures their re-election while screwing “we the people” in the process.

It means they want to “pigeon hole” you to their idea of what a Democrat or a Republican stands for.

@BeenThereSaidThat Good point and I know exactly what you mean!

The main difference is basically what empty slogans and buzzwords you prefer to hear.

I break it down to two general policies:

Republicans: exclusivity

Democrats: inclusiveness

@NanoNano You need to broaden your horizons….
Republicans: smaller government which equates to more freedoms.
Democrats: bigger Government….as in as big as we can make it and much less freedoms.
Can’t be any clearer than that.
PM me if you need examples.

I think that depends on the type of Republican you are speaking of. Legacy Republicans, old conservatives like Reagan, McCain, Dole, they were reasonable and willing to work with the Democrats (McCain of course still being active).

The Tea Party believes in smaller government, but I think they are all just lunatics. Their bottom line basically extends to no government, anarchy. Let the poor die so the rich can live.

Not all Democrats are in favor of larger government either…

@NanoNano that is my whole complaint with both parties….neither is willing to commit to a middle ground. IF the Dems are truly behind a smaller Government then why have they not given way to this end?

Reagan compromised repeatedly as president with the Democrats (though his campaign stance seemed to suggest otherwise).

I think what you have in Congress now is two parties trying to stem the tide of the other. The Democrats vote for government programs, knowing the Republicans will cut them or try to eliminate them. And the Republicans try to eliminate programs, knowing the Democrats will prevent much of this from happening.

They are no longer voting for vision or voting their conscience, they are voting to prevent the other from getting what they want.

In practice, this doesn’t work.

@NanoNano “The Tea Party believes in smaller government, but I think they are all just lunatics. Their bottom line basically extends to no government, anarchy.”

Not true. Teabaggers love big government when it works to push their doctrine. They might not want government in their pocketbook, but they’re sure as hell happy to have government in your bedroom or up your vagina. I guarantee you you’ll not find a single anarchist among Tea Party ranks.

@Darth_Algar “I guarantee you you’ll not find a single anarchist among Tea Party ranks” Smartest 13 words I have yet to read from you.! (knuckles)

One major difference I see time and again, even in my own family, are that Democrats want a type of hippie utopia where we all are taken care of (man….), but Republicans are all about “I can do it myself, don’t try to take care of me.”

But in answer to your question, it’s so they can fit you in a little tiny box and judge you based on that one little aspect of your character.

Recently, (over the past 30 years or so) there has been a great polarization. The terms “liberal” and “conservative” were not associated directly with the terms “Democrat” or “Republican”. There were even politicians who might have been called “Liberal Republicans” or “Conservative Democrats”.

The Democratic Party traditionally stands for a regulated economy, using government intervention and regulation in the economy. These interventions (such as the introduction of social programs, support for labor unions, moves toward universal health care and equal opportunity, consumer protection, and environmental protection), have been at the core of most of the party’s platform over the last seventy-plus years or so.

The Republican party traditionally stands for a free-market economy, free enterprise, business, a strong national defense, deregulation, restrictions on labor unions, social-conservative policies, and traditional values.