Originally posted by strk
easy - the main thing they both want is POWER
Republicans - consist of conservative moderates, christian fundies/social conservatives/anti-choice, defense industry and large corporations, fiscal conservatives, neo-cons and some libertarians
they stand for keeping wages and worker benefits low to benefit the corporations
tax cuts that favor the rich over the poor and regressive tax policies in general
Defense spending and corporate welfare in particular
cutting social spending-
deregulation of industry
Right now neo-con PNAC guys are in favor at the White House - Rummy, Cheney, Wolfowitz, Kristoff - this group was founded in the 80's by those folks and Dan Quayle and Jeb Bush - their goal is to secure energy reserves so that the oil dependent US military will always be ready to operate. They have advocated preemptive strikes to gain their ends.
To sell this package to the regular folks they villify liberals and anyone else who thinks differently. They hype wedge issues like guns and abortion to polarize the electorate and pick up single issue voters. Talk radio and the christian right have ginned up support as well. The right wing is very disciplined and everything is planned to the detail.
Republicans are at their best when they are running as anti-establishment candidates, because when they get in power their agenda leads to crappy situations for the working class.
Democrats, or the party of the big tent, consist of about everyone else and are completely disorganized, focused on a thousand different things. They do not identify themselves as democrats as easily as republicans do.
Democratic principles include:
government of the people must level the playing field between the working class and the corporations. this in the form of wage laws, OSHA, EPA and other regulations such as SEC.
as of the last two decades, Democrats have become the party of fiscal responsibility. Republicans have not been balancing budgets where democrats have.
Freedom - the government needs to stay out of the bedroom, personal liberties is the heart of liberal thought.
Im sure Im missing a lot from each side but there are a few for each and I tried to be fair about it, although I know I will get flamed from all quarters.
Curly you should not take the word of others. Go and do some research and find out for yourself what the parties are all about.
Befor I got to the end o strk's post I'd about had it. but I have to say he's close with no cigar.
I myself am more of a libertarian identified repulican if that makes any sense. Here's what I am for:
The rich. Most of them have earned it and shouldnt pay more that 30 percent taxes TOTAL.
Corporations: They creat jobs....yes they also pay taxes. without either our society would cease to funciton
The so cald "living wage": Deals with the above....if you raise the minimum wage employers liek frys, hyvee, albersons, wallmart, will have to raise prices on products because they have to pay teenagers$12 an hour to stock shelves....let business decide what to pay employees...that's what a free market is all about.
Gun control: Dont punsih law abiding citizens with new and usless gunlaws when you dont even enforce the stupid gunlaws you have that dont prevent crime from criminals that buy guns.
abortion: (i'm very clear cut in this) A woman has the right not to be an "incubator" by keeping her LEGS CLOSED if she was raped thats different.....if not have the kid let somone adopt it if you dont want to be a responsible mother.
It doesnt take a government to raise a kid it takes a good parent with sound virtues and good smarts. leave kid rearing to the parents.
RELIGION: IMHO religion is an idea created by man to be closer to od....were as Christ was Man created by God to be closer to Man. There is no such thing in the constitution that says "seperation between church and state" If a town hall wants to have a christmas tree and a manora let them....
