Ok first of all what is a republican and a democrat?
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If you decide to become a citizen, you will have plenty of time to learn and make up your mind. They are political groups, the republicans tend to favor big government spending going into their own pockets. The Democrats are pretty much for the same thing but not as good at it, and they do throw the voters a bone now and then.
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The two major political parties are the Democratic and the Republican Parties. Words like Liberal, Conservative, and Moderate refer to what a person wants his government to do, whether he wants a huge government or a smaller one. \n\nDemocrats can be Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative.  So can Republicans. During the past 25 years or so, most Democrats have been Liberals, and most Republicans have been Conservatives. \n\nLiberals generally want a government that does practically everything for the individual and the family. They are perfectly willing to enact higher taxes, and have an extremely large government, with lots of rules, lots of departments, and lots of employees, if that's what it takes.  \n\nConservatives believe individuals and families are strong, independent, and can fend for themselves without a lot of help from the government.  So they believe in a smaller government with limited powers and functions. They believe the government should do only those things that the individual and the family cannot do for itself.  Examples are national defense and building roads. \n\nYou have asked a great question.  I suggest you surf the internet to find more information.
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Republicans: to conserve national traditions, limit government interference, promote big business, and support democracy causes.\n\nDemocrats: to reshape government, to acquire more government control, limit big businesses, and focus on domestic issues.
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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.
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You're making invalid assumptions. The middle ground for both major parties are moderates, with very few going far afield.\n\nOne end of one spectrum is conservative republican. The other ends of that spectrum are moderate republican and federalist.\n\nOne of the a different spectrum is liberal democrat. The other ends of that spectrum are moderate democrat and libertarian.\n\nBasically, there are two scales of values. One is big government versus small government (Republican -- Libertarian). The other spectrum is group rights ("traditional" values) versus individual/personal rights (Federalist -- Democrats).\n\nRepublicans (nowadays) want  group rights (conformity with "traditional" values) and a large government to ensure domestic tranquility (by enforcing those conservative majority beliefs). Moderate republicans (originally called fiscal conservatives) want a small government, just large enough to provide for the common defense. The republican party does not really have a liberal wing, and usually treat the goal of individual liberties (being liberal) as a dirty word.\n\n\n\nDemocrats want individual rights and a large government to promote the general welfare.  Moderate democrats don't want a lot of wasteful spending., and want to achieve their goals without causing too many problems. Democrats do have a Conservative wing, which focuses on better ethical leadership and greater protection for both groups and individuals. The main difference is that conservative democrats still don't believe in enforcing their views on the minority, even if their own personal choices would be the same as what conservative republicans would make.\n\nLibertarians want a small government (no wasteful spending, and very little welfare/entitlements), but lots of protection for individual liberties. They are moderate about most issues, except for being adamant that the majority should not impose its beliefs on the minority.
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Democratic party philosophy vs. Republican party philosophy.
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Democrat or Republican, what is the difference? None really. \n\nAs for a Democrat winning. As badly out of touch with the people as the Republicans are the Democrats are even worse. They will try to run somebody so abomible like Hitlerly Clinton that the public will puke in response. Think about it, against Bush the first they they ran Gore who could not even bother to remove the price tag from his ear. The same guy who's wife attempted to get Rap and Metal music banned in the US. Entire forms of music banned! Gore led a group that passed a law which could have gotten you a prison term if you said a cuss word on the internet. Gore is the biggest proponent of censorship we have EVER had. He makes McCarthy look like a timid easy going fellow when it comes to attacking the rights of people. Not only did they attack freedom of speech the Clinton/Gore administration wrote the laws which made the Patriot act possible. \n\nThen you have Kerry who could not make up his mind on anything. Who would want such a wishy washy do nothing leading the nation? \n\nCompared to these clutzs the Republicans could run Mickey Mouse and win. Bush barely bothered to campaign either election and still won. Not quite sure where all those campaign contributions went but I doubt even half of that went to campaign activities. As represive as the Patriot act is it is nothing new. Clinton's administration not only passed laws that were only milder versions, they were openly caught using the IRS and FBI to go after personal enemies. The blatent misuse of power while dusted over by the press stuck in quite a few people's craws. How would YOU feel if you had the IRS and FBI breathing down your neck because 10 years ago you offended a nobody politicion?  \n\nSo as fed up with Bush as so many are unless the Democrats learn quite a bit in a short time they will sabatage themselves again in the next election. Ineptitude and Democrat are fast becoming synomyns. \n\nI suggest looking into independent cantidates. People who might actually believe in half of what they say. Who might make it through a term without trampling all over the Constitution and abusing the office.
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Republican = personal responsibility and meritocracy\n\nDemocrat = nanny-state, mediocrity, wealth redistribution (everyone is equally poor) and victim class
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Mainly nowadays political party is more accompanied to the political theory one believes in.  Democrats usually relate to liberalism - socialistic, focus on individualism, and freedom to do what you want so long as you don't hold back anyone from doing what they want.  Republicans usuually relate to conservatism - capitalistic, focus on conformitiy, and a strong national government.  Of course they can be switched up, but often not.  The main reason nowadays for political parties is to simply seperate yourself from the other side in order to present a solid political platform.
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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.
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I'm a republican.\n1. GOP pushes non-issues like abortion and gay marriage to energize and get out the vote of the religious ...it works.\n2. Democrats criticize everything the GOP does to energize and get out the vote of the uninformed....it works.\n3. Both parties will be united WHEN we are attacked again. But it will be temporary. \n4. I think ONE term limits and NO compensation of ANY kind (no free golf etc.) would be a good start. Then only patriots would apply.
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yes the two main are Democratic Party (DNC) and Republican Party (RNC) Then the third parties  37 total. then the other parties..16!  But this is not the list of ones in history!
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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.
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republicans are demons and the dems are succubi . you must be a mix of them , you succumon . hey , how's it going ?
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Democrats & Republican.
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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.
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In a brief nutshell, today's Republicans (the Good Old Party, GOP) are characterised by a want for 'smaller' government, a more agile (not necissarily bigger) military, and a connection with (usually religious) blue-color 'everyman' workers.  They believe in a government that is reflective of overarching, 'home grown' family values, as can be best seen in their "Contract With America". Democrats are more for creating a social welfare society, and believe that goverment should play a more active role in daily life (though not necissarily intrusive).  Many people brand this party as being 'liberal', which is actually a fairly new designation considering many Democrats (also known then as Dixiecrats) were opposed to 'liberal' civil rights reforms in the 1960s.  Further, whereas Republicans target typically older citizens, Democrats tend to lean towards younger, educated professionals (for example yuppies) and are a favorite on college campuses.  Unfortunately, in today's America politics has become frieghteningly divisive.  We can't even have a hurricane (I cite Katrina) without people pulling out 'Repbulican this' or 'Democrat that'.  Further, the two parties aren't helping the matter either.  Whenever someone does something wrong (For example a Republican President or Democratic governor), it is suddenly the fault of the entire party, and not just that one person.  You seem educated enough to visit each party's website and read their platform.  Skip over anything with the word 'Iraq' or 'terror' in it (because these are in the spotlight, and are likely to be uselessly full of propogand) and instead read your opinions on issues that effect your daily life, such as public education, health care and taxes.  I think you (and many other people) would be surprised at how much the two parties actually agree on, but with different routes.