what are  the major deferences in the democratic and republican parties?
149323
There are quite a few to mention. Suffice it to say that the Democrats are more "liberal" in their views and the Republicans are more "conservative" in theirs.\n\nThis may seem a bit too simplified, but let's try it - and any political party experts may feel free to expand on or correct my ideas:\n\nDeath penalty:\nDemocrats: con\nRepublicans: pro\n\nAbortion:\nDemocrats: pro\nRepublicans: con\n\nGovernment size:\nDemocrats: large\nRepublicans: small\n\nDefense spending:\nDemocrats: less\nRepublicans: more\n\nEducation spending:\nDemocrats: more\nRepublicans: less\n\nLabor unions:\nDemocrats: pro\nRepublicans: con\n\nScrewing the public:\nDemocrats: YES\nRepublicans: YES\n(OK, that's just me being a cynic, but.....)\n\nFor another perspective, see the link below:
1058221
No to both.\nLiberals are generally people who view individual liberties as paramount. They also tend to believe in the common good and are generally more open-minded and generous. The democratic party use to adhere to theses thoughts plus they were pro-worker. Liberals tend to run the gamut of political parties and are found in the democratic party more so than in the republican party. The democratic party is not completely made up of liberals. Since the Reagan years many democrats have adopted a neoliberal, pro-corporation "free trade" ideology (Clinton, Biden, Lieberman, etc..) and are anything but liberal. \nI hope this answers your question.
271473
Republican. Remember... Republicans big business, Democrats big society.
922471
If you are in the States, I believe you mean the Democrats.  Liberal is a political standpoint, like conservative.  Republican & Democrat are actually political parties.
977011
There are two major parties in the United States.  The Republican Party is the President's and the outgoing Congress's party; they are traditionally conservatives who values limited government interference in the States' affairs, limited taxes and government spending, corporate support to encourage "from the top down" growth, and conservative social values.  The Democratic Party (or simply the Democrats) are the party of the incoming Congress, as well as former President Bill Clinton.  They are traditionally liberals or liberal-leaning centrists who values Federal authority above States authority, controlled taxation to provide for spending for social programming, support of labor and the disenfranchised to support "from the bottom up" growth, and liberal (or liberal-leaning centralist) social values.  These two parties are protected by the law to be entitled preferential treatment in elections, campaign financing, and ballot positioning.\n\nHowever, these are not the only two parties.  There are more than I can count.  Traditionally grouped as "third parties" or Independents, these parties--while discouraged by the preferential treatment granted by the two-party system--have been gaining ground as of late; two Senators are currently Independents.  These "third-parties" include the Green Party, the Progressive Party, the Socialist Party, the Working Mothers Party, and on and on.\n\nInterestingly enough, the Republicans were a "third party"; they came into prominence when one of their candidates--Abraham Lincoln--won the Presidency.  So, while there will always be a two-party system, it doesn't necessarily have to be the two parts we have now (originally, it was the Federalists and the Republican-Democrats when the nation started).\n\nI hope that helps.
845724
The republocrats. They make you believe there are two parties, when really it's all just the same policies coming either "raw" or "decaf".\n\nCheck out this video and listen well to the statements:\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FP6icCUfs8
716972
Republicans. He didn't take a party label, but his principles were clearly Federalist. He certainly believed in a strong defense. I don't think any of our founding fathers would support most of the Dem social positions such as gay marriage & abortion.
836361
The democrats generally support big business and seek to maintain the status quo - don't rock the boat. On the other hand the republicans generally support big business and would like things to stay pretty much the same - don't make waves. The two parties have taken over the election process and the national debates. Neither party will allow independent oversight for elections or independent candidates in any of the national debates.\n\nAbout 30% of Americans are registered democrat; about 30% are republican. Divide and rule is each party's motto.
149779
The Republicans, the Democrats and what's the third one????
594411
republican and democrat describes how one votes....or what party one alines themself with.\n\nliberal (like conservative) refers to a political ideology, or a philisophical approach towards running the government.
837366
The Democratic party marched farther left after the evaporation effect cause by the party's moderates jumping over to the Republican party in the 90s. Most moderates left the party over its stand on abortion and gay rights. The Republican party now enjoys a center/right majority. This coalition is splitting up over the Iraq issue, however.\nIf moderates begin to return to the Democratic party, the entire face of its platform may change and move closer to center.
905395
REPUBLICAN-The Republican Party is the more socially conservative and economically libertarian of the two major parties, and has closer ties to both Wall Street (large corporations) and Main Street (locally owned businesses) than do the Democrats and less affiliation with labor unions. Republicans have a strong belief in personal responsibility, limited government, and corporate entrepreneurship. Republicans generally oppose gay marriage, oppose abortion, and oppose embryonic stem cell research.   center-right wing\n\nDEMOCRAT-The party has favored farmers, laborers, labor unions, and religious and ethnic minorities; it has opposed unregulated business and finance, and favored progressive income taxes. In foreign policy, internationalism (including interventionism) was a dominant theme from 1913 to the mid 1960s. In the 1930s, the party began advocating welfare spending programs targeted at the poor. Since the 1970s, environmentalism has been a major new component.\nIn recent decades, the Party advocates civil liberties, social freedoms, equal rights, equal opportunity, and a free enterprise system tempered by government intervention (what economists call a mixed-economy). The Party believes that government should play a role in alleviating poverty and social injustice, even if that means a larger role for government and progressive taxation to pay for social services. They support gay marriage, abortion, and stem call research.\n\nLEFT-WING-In politics, left-wing, the political left or simply the left are terms that refer to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of, to varying extents, socialism, green politics, anarchism, communism, social democracy, progressivism, American liberalism or social liberalism, and defined in contradistinction to its polar opposite, the right. The left often works to eliminate high levels of inequality.\n\nRIGHT-WING-In politics, right-wing, the political right or simply the right, are terms that refer to the segment of the political spectrum often associated with any of several strains of monarchism, reactionism, conservatism, the religious right, nationalism, fascism, or simply the opposite of left-wing politics.\nThe right advanced capitalism, whereas the left advocated socialism (often democratic socialism) or communism.\n\nLIBERAL-Liberalism is an ideology, philosophical view, and political tradition which holds that liberty is the primary political value. Liberalism has its roots in the Western Age of Enlightenment, but the term now encompasses a diversity of political thought. Broadly speaking, liberalism emphasizes individual rights. It seeks a society characterized by freedom of thought for individuals, limitations on power, especially of government and religion, the rule of law, free public education, the free exchange of ideas, a market economy that supports relatively free private enterprise, and a transparent system of government in which the rights of all citizens are protected. In modern society, liberals favor a liberal democracy with open and fair elections, where all citizens have equal rights by law and an equal opportunity to succeed.\n\nCONSERVATIVE-Conservatism is a political philosophy that necessitates a defense of established values. Since different cultures have different established values, conservatives in different cultures have different goals. Some conservatives seek to preserve the status quo, while others seek to return to the values of an earlier time, the status quo ante.
78395
A conservative usually tries to keep the system the same. A liberal tries to change things. Generally Republicans tend to be conservative and Democrats tend to be liberal.
1103465
republicans\n\ndemocrates can suck my balls\n\nbesides "Democrates are girly men"
775400
There are very few differences between the Dems and Reps, just a couple of policy issues. But basically they are the small percentage of the rich and powerful who will do anything to keep it that way. They are working together more then the public likes the believe and they want it that way, it keeps us divided rather then seeing the truth; that they are one party working for one goal.
137462
Some general positions across parties:\n\nRepublicans:\n* Lower taxes and belief in economic forces/capitalism\n* Smaller government with private sector involvement/outsourcing\n* Pro-big business\n* Wealth creation and preservation across generations\n* Pro-education\n\nDemocrats:\n* Higher taxes, more social programs, and less reliance upon economic forces\n* Larger government; insourcing from private sector\n* Anti-big business\n* Wealth redistribution (via various forms of taxes including income, inheritance, etc.)\n* Pro-education
582991
There aren't any major differences.  They are two factions of the same business party, representing the interests of the corporate elite.  Both republicans and democrats support increased military spending on an already gargantuan military budget, tax cuts to the wealthy, welfare "reforms" (which means eliminating aid to those in need), privatization of social services generally, opening up the environment for the benefit of corporate leaders (at the expense of humanity's existence), and the overarching concern for the global extension of capitalism (along with favoring "free trade" policies that encroach upon the democratic sovereignty of other nations).\n\nThey might differ on some social issues (e.g., abortion and gun control issues) that do not affect the bottom line, but we might wonder if these differences are really that important.\n\nBy having two parties, it provides the illusion that US citizens have a real choice at the polls and real democracy.  However, democracy is about leaders being accountable to the broad populace, and clearly this does not happen (regardless of political party in power).