what are the differeances between a republican and a democrat?
344310
Republicans seem to spend money on themselves and say it is good for you while Democrats seem to spend money on diverse groups and say it is good for you.
376441
Democrats tend to think about what is best for the average citizen, Republicans favor corporations and the wealthy who can buy influence.   Also Republicans like wars.
1067919
I'll do my best.  Republicans favor a small, inexpensive government and, therefore, lower taxes, as well as a strong military.\n\nDemocrats favor a large government that will collect higher taxes and dole out governmental support, and they prefer a small military.\n\nIn a nutshell, that's it.
1151775
Republican = personal responsibility and meritocracy\n\nDemocrat = nanny-state, mediocrity, wealth redistribution (everyone is equally poor) and victim class
640797
There are a few differences in the democrats and republicans.  They are focused mainly on responsibilities of government, taxation and economic stimulus, focus on where our resorces need to be spent, and how trade should be aproached in relation to US interest.  Other social issues have been tied to certain parties such as abortion, envioroment, gun control to name a few.  The social issues are mainly for debate perposes in the legislative branches because within both parties you will find division in these areas.  I know democrats who are pro-life and I know republicans who believe in strict gun control.\n\nAs to roles of government, and this is very plain to see between the parties, the republicans believe in very little responsablity of the government to interfere with the daily lives of the people.  So since the government can do so little, it should be allowed to do what little it can without question.  The democrats believe that the government has an obligation to insure its citizens are safe and to do this the government has much power to do what ever it wants.  So since the government has so much power, it must have a bunch of hoops and hurdles to go through to make sure the people are safe gaurded from abuse from the government.  A prime example of this today is the wire tap debate.\n\nTaxation and economic stimulus is a HUGE difference between the parties.  This is where you hear republicans are for big business and the democrats are for the working man.  The republicans in this department go for the trickledown theory which says that if you give tax breaks to the rich then you have reinvestment in the company and inovative technology research.  Both of which lead to new market shares and thus new jobs for the American citizen.  Better products for better prices comes from research and the company having money to burn on experiments.  Basically the market leads the consumer.\n\nThe democrats believe that the tax breaks need to go to the working class or trickleup if you will.  Since there are so many more of them they determine what inovations need to be made.  With so many people with extra money are out there, better products for better prices comes from compitition since the companies must produce to get the consumer.  Inovation comes from what the buying public says it wants.  New jobs for US citizens comes from increased demand on the best goods that people want.  The consumer leads the market.\n\nAlso on taxation and role of government.  The republicans are big on ruged individualism and free market.  They believe that if you want services you should go out and pay for them youself, in return taxes will be lower.  The democrats believe that the citizens have a right to want certain services from their government, but they better be ready to pay taxes to get them.\n\nBut shoot, its getting late and I could go a long time on the different philosophies of the parties.  In truth neither is 100% right or 100% wrong.  Both have there places and in my opinion, it is where the country is at a certain time as to who gets into power.\n\nIndependants are normally someone who really hasn't tied themselves to any party and ran on their own accord.  When they vote though, most show either republican or democratic values.\n\nSorry for the misspelled words, spell check went down. :(
215336
One of the most major differences (speaking more officially/ideologically, and leaving out de facto differences which are obvious enough today) is with respect to what the role of the state, and in particular the relationship of the state to individual liberty, should be. In general, republicans want as little government 'interference' as possible, and tend to be anti-taxation (to take one obvious example), on the grounds that 'It's my money and I should be free to do what I want with it; I know how to spend it better than the government does.' Democrats, on the other hand, tend to be more open to a system in which we all pay in, in the form of taxes, to fund social services like health care, education, and welfare.\n\nIf it clarifies things for you (or perhaps simply as a suggestion for further reading), I'd say that Robert Nozick, a libertarian, is a very good example of republican-style thought, whereas John Rawls would be much more of a democratic-style thinker -- major contrast between the two of them.
797395
Republicans believe a society should function for the benefit of its wealthiest members.\n\nDemocrats believe a society should function with the maximum equality for the benefit of the largest group of people possible.
743923
Unfortunately they both stand for polarizing issues in a race to get as much money, power, influence to rule the country. \n\nHistorically the Republicans were a fiscally and socially conservative group that wanted the government out of people's lives. The democrats were more socially engaged and wanted government to provide opportunities to more economically challenged and were willing to spend to help equalize the playing field.\n\nToday neither is true and the more both sides demonize the other, the more the moderate middle (which is most of the population) gets drowned out with their vitriolic hatred. \n\nPower corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. To illustrate that point just read the paper.
288531
Republicans are stereotypically for the rich. conservative and more religious, older and beleive in less government. \nDemocrats are typically younger, more ideal, watch out for the little guy. Beleive in more social services.
704442
Usually the Republicans however it is not exclusive, some Democrats do also.
133242
i'm going to attempt to answer this unbiasedly.\n\nthe simplest explanation i ever heard of the difference between the parties is that the republican party believes that the government is more important than the people (or a group of people or an individual), while the democratic party believes that the people are more important than the government.\n\nexamples:\nrepublican party believes in: pro-life, ban on gay marriage, pro big business (against unions, higher minimum wage, basically they are for anything that makes businesses more efficient and moneymaking for the company as a whole, with little regard for the employees), for capital punishment, lower taxes, smaller government (no social programs at all such as welfare or social security), bigger military, against affirmative action, for public displays of religion (as long as its christianity), tend to put much less emphasis on protecting rights and liberties such as freedoms of speech, expression, assembly, etc., and more along those lines.\n\nthe democratic party believes: pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, bigger social government (raises in government spending on welfare, education, social security, public services such as police and fire departments, etc.), drastic cuts in military, anti-big business (very pro-union and believe in protecting workers even at a corporation's expense), pro-affirmative action, anti-public displays of religion, against capital punishment, puts a much greater emphasis on protecting citizens rights with regard to free speech, religion, etc., and more along those lines.\n\nhope that helps.
753493
republicans crossed the line a long time ago.  They are so far over the line that they can't see it behind them with a telescope.\n\n\nthe difference between republican and Democratic dirty tricks is that when Democrats do it, it is one or two misguided individuals.  republicans do it on directives from the party.
877930
A demorcrat would be a Liberal.  In fact, in America, Republicans are often referred to as conservatives and Deamocrats are often referred to as Liberals.  I hope this helps.  Blessings to you.
689733
Democrats & Republican.
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.
958562
If you are a kid, it's time to go to school and ask for some civics lessons. The democrats are not homogeneous - that is one of the differences. Whereas the Republicans allow no discussion within their party - you have to support everything or you are not a republican - the Democrats are a broad house that allows differences of opinion.\n\nEven so, in both parties you'll find some that support and some that oppose both issues you mentioned. And there is definitely not general support for gay marriage in the Democratic party. In fact, it was President Clinton, a Democrat, who signed into law the Defense of Marriage Act, which forbids the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. It was also Clinton who approved the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy for the military, which forbids gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the armed forces. Under that legislation, several thousand men and women have been fired from the army in the last few years (despite the fact that they had important skills like Arab translation) \n\nThe person who told you that was the difference was incorrect.\n\nRepublicans used to be the party for fiscal management and responsibility, but they stopped that six years ago and have been on a huge spending spree with tax payer's money. In the process, they've created a national debt 50% higher (8 TRILLION dollars) that you as a kid can look forward to paying off for the rest of your life. Under Clinton, the nation debt REDUCED every year - so I guess the Republicans are no longer willing to be fiscally responsible.\n\nGenerally though, the Democrats are better at representing the interests of the majority of Americans (those earning less than $100,000 a year), and the Republicans are better at representing the rich. The Democrats want everyone to have health care, and for poor families to be able to feed their families. These are not priorities for Republicans.
926778
Republicans and Democrats are just two sides of the same coin.  Republicans are pro gun anti abortion.  Democrats are anti gun, pro abortion.  Other than that it's all talk and smoke and infighting, they both serve their corporate masters.  When it comes to screwing over the working class and slowly taking away our freedoms it is bipartisan.