Which party, Rep or Dem, gets more talking points from its leaders?
929597
Both do. If you do not follow the party line you get no help for something you want for your home people. The Dem's follow the Dem leadership & the repubs follow theirs. We have no independent people in washington any more. I am old enough to remember Barry Goldwater. He use to say. " I dont care who came up with the idea, If it is good I will vote for it And to hell with the party" I wish we had more people like him now but both parties would make sure you never heard from them.
1081699
Democrats kiss up to the women and minorities because that's all they have. The Democrats are an ineffective party and they've proved it many times. The more American 1st party is that which represents all people and not certain groups. Which none have done.
878402
I realize facts aren't what you're looking for, but here ya go...according to "Party Politics in America" (M. Hershey, P. Beck; Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers, 2003), "People with lower incomes and less education are more likely to call themselves Democrats than Republicans." (p. 129)
989824
First of all, yes I do see your point and I'm pleased you had the wherewithall to present it in an intelligent manner.  \n\nI agree with you completely, and on every point.  While many criticisms can be made about all political parties, the politicians that like to bend the truth more than any other tend to be Democrats.  I'm certain there are some die-hard Democratic supporters out there that will disagree, but it'd been my experience that anyone who is open minded and well informed will agree.  I have personally voted both Repulican and Democrat during my life, with an occasional venture into some of the lesser known parties as well.  I'm looking for the best person for the job- not their party affiliation.  \n\nThe saddest part of this tale is that so many people are decieved in the first place- by both major parties, but far more frequently by Democrats.  My wish is that everyone would set aside their preconceptions and actually research what a given politician is saying, check out their voting record on important issues, and make an informed decision based on facts- not hearsay.  \n\nI also agree that war is sometimes a necessary evil.  Anyone who disagrees can ask the opinion of a Jew who survived the concentration camps.\n\nOur current President may not have all the answers, but I do believe he is doing the best job he can given the circumstances, and I don't know anyone Republican or Democrat who can do better than to try.\n\nSo the answer to your question "Why do Democrats sometimes sound confused on political matters" is, because they are.  Democrats are just as human as you, me, Republicans, Independents, Green Party Candidates, and everyone else.  Be careful who you vote for.
148722
The people who say this are confusing this Democratic party with the Democratic party of FDR.  Simply put, its a totally different party.  The current Dem. party is the party of no idea, the party of obstruction and the anti-Juedo-Christian values party.
859244
The Redsters are far superior in selling a ticket.\n\nThe democrats only have one unifying element. They are not nor ever will they be Republican.\n\nGo big Red Go
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.
788262
The VP is a tiebreaker and since it is DeadEyeDick, a tie goes to the party in power.\n\nWith the Dems taking 51%, if it goes right down party lines, the Dems win (unless Liebermann shifts sides, then it goes back to the GOP)
975491
Not all democrats are on the left fringe or liberal.  Point is very few democrats are for those things.  It is his trade policy and views on foriegn affairs and economics that make dem or rep, social issues are for liberals and conservatives.\n\nHe very well could be a Democrat.
876409
If you go back and review the begining of these parties you can see the differences.\n\nRepublicans tend to be more concerned about religion and commerce.\n\nDemocrats are more concerned about civil liberties and human rights.\n\nThe other parties dont fail to attract more voters, theyres simply variations of either rep. or dem. parties. Thats why theyre absorbed by them, and supported by them.\n\nIts simply just two school of thoughts. much like there are tw school of thoughts in any other aspect of life.
551963
There are as many good republicans out there as there are "good democrats". If no democrats are good in your eyes, maybe no republicans are good in a democrat's eyes.\nAnd the democrats aren't always the ones pointing fingers. There could easily be a case for the republicans doing that.\n\nSpeaking of childish, isn't it kind of childish to threaten to move if things don't go just how you wanted them to?
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. :(
391500
c'mon jim.\nhigher taxes, larger govt, universal health care, equal wealth distribution, and a single economic class-- these are the calls of the new democratic party.  \n\nthese are all written about in a very famous politcal book- it's called The Communist Manifesto by Marx.\n\nThe dems are running on a socialist platform- anti business, anti working man, pro govt.  What we need is less govt and more free enterprise
1171996
I'm a long time Democrat and I say, yes the party is getting more liberal than most of the normal members of the party would like. Too many people in the party shooting off their mouths and saying radical messed up negative things on just about every other topic, especially the war, just for their own political agenda, and not for the agenda of the mainstream party members, who are the majority of normal hard working folks like you and I in the party...
851287
Only 1 that I know of is in favor of that... Charlie Rangel from NY.  Why would you make such a generalization about the entire Democratic party based on what ONE member thinks?  I'm a Republican myself, but I have to come to the defense of the Democrats on this one.  The vast majority of Dems don't agree with Rangel's position and won't support it.\n\nSee... this is why you need to actually pay ATTENTION to the news and think for yourself, not just parrot what someone else is saying.
82762
Idealogically, the Democratic Party of today is meant to put the people before profits. However, the name of this party has changed. For example, Republicans will brag that Lincoln was Republican, but what was Republican then is now the Democratic party. And I must disagree that Democrats go against anthing that Republicans try to do, it is just that the Democrats care more about the people of the United States than oil and money unlike our Republican leaders.
709463
Oh, that's an easy one!\n\nSame old stuff.  If the Dems win, he'll talk about how awful they are.   If the Reps win, he'll talk about how awful the Dems are.