The Difference between Republicans and Democrats

[Zona]

When a Republican President broke the law the republicans in the House and Senate openly moved to impeach him. When 2 Democratic Presidents broke the law all we got from the Democrats was " to bad, so sad".

The umbrella thing again?

 

[Sallow]

Well no.

Republicans view politics as a means to solidify the power of the wealthy.

So do the Democrats. Open your fucking eyes.

This is why I can't take any of you people seriously when you whine about this stuff because you run right out and vote for it.

There is some validity to this argument.

But the major difference is that Democrats are working to give something to everyone else while still propping up the wealthy.

And Republicans just want to prop up the wealthy.

 

[tipofthespear]

Well no.

Republicans view politics as a means to solidify the power of the wealthy.

So do the Democrats. Open your fucking eyes.

This is why I can't take any of you people seriously when you whine about this stuff because you run right out and vote for it.

There is some validity to this argument.

But the major difference is that Democrats are working to give something to everyone else while still propping up the wealthy.

And Republicans just want to prop up the wealthy.

Then would you please explain why Bush the son was so very active in the fight against Aids in Afrika? As President, he accomplished more in this area than any other President in History.............Seems odd behavior for one only interested in propping up the wealthy. As well, was it not he and Laura who worked so tirelessly to provide for the education of our Nation's children? Guess providing for the children doesn't count as "giving back."

The ONLY POINT you have correct is that Democrats certainly want to give something to everyone else.........."spreading the wealth........" Take from those who work hard to become successful and give to everyone else...........Socialism 101...........

Problem is, I don't see them lining up at the 1st National whatever to "liquidate" all of their earthly possessions and divide the proceeds "equally" among the "unwashed masses."

Democrats are quite happy to take from "everyone else," but not too durn quick to step up and practice what they preach.....in my opinion.....

 

[PMZ]

Unfortunately, while Bush the son might have helped some African aids victims, his impact at home was devastating. It will take generations of us to pay his bills.

Republicans love "government small enough to take home and drown in the bathtub" From a taxation standpoint, but massive wealth distribution up from a spending standpoint. The unaffordable result? Crushing debt. A wounded economy. Holy wars. Richer rich and poorer poor. The death of the middle class, the creators of all wealth.

 

[PaulS1950]

My view of what is going on - and it comes from both parties - is that the government has forgotten that it is put in place by the people to serve and protect them without interfering with their freedoms. Most people have also forgotten the same thing and the trend is to expect the government to do everything for them. What is not as clear is that in order for the government to care for everyone it requires that the government take on authorities that they were never meant to have. This shows in the siezing of telephone records of news media to find an informant who broke a story of government activity that was - "less than lawful", in the unlawful search of people and their luggage when boarding a plane, and the telecomunications taps that are on-going.
These are basic infringements on our most basic rights yet people accept it as necessary to be "taken care of" by their government. It is imperative that we keep our rights - all of them if we are to remain free people. Even the news media which normally support our government are now objecting to the unlawful activities in which our government is involved. I fear it is too late for us because more than half the people in this great republic consider this a democracy wherein the majority can take away the rights of individuals. When that happens we revert to "mob rule". The majority can and should make most decisions for the country as a whole but the rights of the individual are another matter all together. We have a right to privacy and that has been taken away from us. We have a right to a free press and that is being taken away from us yet no one seems to notice or care. Instead we argue about which party did what to whom. The fact is that it is a diversion from the truth of what is really going on. We are losing our republic, our freedom and our rights to the very government that was established by the people to protect our rights and freedoms.

It is a sad time for the USA...

and moreso for it's citizenry.

 

[tipofthespear]

Unfortunately, while Bush the son might have helped some African aids victims, his impact at home was devastating. It will take generations of us to pay his bills.

Republicans love "government small enough to take home and drown in the bathtub" From a taxation standpoint, but massive wealth distribution up from a spending standpoint. The unaffordable result? Crushing debt. A wounded economy. Holy wars. Richer rich and poorer poor. The death of the middle class, the creators of all wealth.

Are you serious? It will take "generations" to bay HIS BILLS? Obama and the socialist liberals in Congress have quadrupled the debt since Bush left office.......it ain't his bills that are killing our Nation for generations to come it's theirs...........any reasonable honest person would admit this........Can not think of one thing Bush did that caused "devastation" to our Nation........may have disagreed with him on some issues/actions he took, but you are simply "overstating" his effect upon our Nation........Nothing he did can even begin to compare with the negative and deadly effect Obama's policies/actions have had on our Nation..........for the love, at least be honest...

 

[tipofthespear]

My view of what is going on - and it comes from both parties - is that the government has forgotten that it is put in place by the people to serve and protect them without interfering with their freedoms. Most people have also forgotten the same thing and the trend is to expect the government to do everything for them. What is not as clear is that in order for the government to care for everyone it requires that the government take on authorities that they were never meant to have. This shows in the siezing of telephone records of news media to find an informant who broke a story of government activity that was - "less than lawful", in the unlawful search of people and their luggage when boarding a plane, and the telecomunications taps that are on-going.
These are basic infringements on our most basic rights yet people accept it as necessary to be "taken care of" by their government. It is imperative that we keep our rights - all of them if we are to remain free people. Even the news media which normally support our government are now objecting to the unlawful activities in which our government is involved. I fear it is too late for us because more than half the people in this great republic consider this a democracy wherein the majority can take away the rights of individuals. When that happens we revert to "mob rule". The majority can and should make most decisions for the country as a whole but the rights of the individual are another matter all together. We have a right to privacy and that has been taken away from us. We have a right to a free press and that is being taken away from us yet no one seems to notice or care. Instead we argue about which party did what to whom. The fact is that it is a diversion from the truth of what is really going on. We are losing our republic, our freedom and our rights to the very government that was established by the people to protect our rights and freedoms.

It is a sad time for the USA...

and moreso for it's citizenry.

We may disagree on some things, possibly even a lot of things, but this is an excellent assessment of the State of the Nation.......

 

[PMZ]

In my opinion, you are showing all the signs of conservative media manipulation, a problem significantly more destructive than what the media is teaching you to fear. Let me tell you why I believe this to be so.

We are, as a country, faced with many big problems as a result of our population and our demand for resources. We have globally reached earth's capacity to support life as we expect it to be. We take X from earth's limited supply, we extract what we want, turn it into Y, and dispose of it. This is not sustainable.

As business is set up exclusively to make more money regardless of the cost to others, they will not voluntarily take on any solution to this terminal problem. In fact it is in their best interest to ignore problems like those facing us. Religion also will avoid solutions as what benefits them is more adherents, not fewer.

Government is the only force left standing insuring the future of all life, especially human life.

So, as is true of almost all issues, risks must be balanced. The cost/benefit of all alternatives must be weighed, and the one offering the highest probability of success, taken.

The risks of which you write are certainly real and are definitely to be considered in defining this road to a sustainable future. In my opinion though many people have been led to over consideration of those versus all other risks because the status quo is best for business, and business buys whatever media impact required to sell what's best for them.

We are fortunate to live in a country with government of, by, and for the people. What risks that, are people blinded by businesses siren song of anti government, played 24/7 to rapt audiences being led to support what's good for a few of us, instead of all of us.

Evidence of your rapture to that song is your confusion (don't take my word for it, but look it up) between "republic" and " democracy". We are are a republic, which means we have no monarch. We decide on our representation, who decide on issues like legislation and constitutionality and guilt or innocence, democratically, the definition of a democracy.

So, let's not give up on government of, by and for the people. Let's instead, use this powerful tool defined and mantained by generations of capable, committed, and brave people to the extent required to bring about for our kids and theirs, a viable, sustainable future. Let's drag business, undoubtably kicking and screaming, into serving our children's future as well as the owners of the means of production, the employees, and customers, what's best for today.

 

[PMZ]

One of the messages shouted by conservative media is that debt is caused by dates rather than policies. Of course anyone thinking independently knows that to be wrong.

Our current debt woes are precisely traceable to policies during and before 2009.

The holy wars.

The Bush wealth redistribution tax cuts of 2001, and 2003.

The housing boom and bust caused by the invention and implementation of mortgage backed derivatives that allowed the risks to be hidden and passed on by mortgage initiators.

The impact on revenue caused by the great recession, plus the cost of keeping we, the people whole while business recreated what they chose to give away either overseas or to cheap foreign labor recruited here, millions of our jobs.

We have recovered from the damage caused by conservative government. Business is still recovering from the damage caused by conservative business practices. We will be fully recovered when business can employ all Americans capable of working.

 

[PMZ]

One of the things that worked well for the Bush Administration, if not for the country, was the split of responsibilities between Bush and Cheney. IMO, Cheney made the decisions and Bush did the marketing, especially to we, the people. While I believe that Cheney's decision making was awful, Bush's marketing was superb, especially given his linguistic limitations.

Obama could learn from that. He has interpreted republican intransigence in Congress as a reason to work the system inside of government, rather than play national politics. Perhaps OK as a priority, but not in terms of building political capital.

He needs to stayin touch better with all of us.

 

[PaulS1950]

The president doesn't decide how much to spend or where to spend it. He may propose a budget but congress decides how much and where it will be spent.
The problem is that our representatives no longer represent us. They have forgotten their primary purpose is to support and protect our rights and freedoms from errosion. They have decided that it is more important to support the people rather than their rights.
This isn't how the two parties are different, it is how they are alike.
The only difference between the parties is where they spend the money - as all the money they get ultimately comes from the people. After all corporation get their money from the people too.

 

[PMZ]

Democracy requires a lot from politicians. It requires them to get and stay elected by maintaining a favorable rating over their competition for the job. We, the people have demonstrated time and time again that part of doing that can be bought by media exposure. Raising money to do that has to be by courting special interests, but not at the expense of constituent satisfaction.

We all have "special interests" defined by the needs of a minority, as well as "general interests" defined by the needs of the majority.

We all have short term vs long term interests.

We, as a country live in a global environment, influenceable, but not controllable by us.

Part of our global environment is technological, producing somewhat at random, capability to do great good for humanity, and great harm.

We are diverse in race, religion, wealth, morality, geographically, by gender, and by age.

It's a wonder that anything gets done right given the complexity.

But, in the final analysis, we have government of, by, and for we, the people.

Of.

By.

For.

It is our creation and responsibility.

We are free to the degree that we choose to be by our democratic actions.

We can be enslaved but only to the degree that we surrender democracy to special interests.

 

[PaulS1950]

Democracy requires a lot from politicians. It requires them to get and stay elected by maintaining a favorable rating over their competition for the job. We, the people have demonstrated time and time again that part of doing that can be bought by media exposure. Raising money to do that has to be by courting special interests, but not at the expense of constituent satisfaction.

We all have "special interests" defined by the needs of a minority, as well as "general interests" defined by the needs of the majority.

We all have short term vs long term interests.

We, as a country live in a global environment, influenceable, but not controllable by us.

Part of our global environment is technological, producing somewhat at random, capability to do great good for humanity, and great harm.

We are diverse in race, religion, wealth, morality, geographically, by gender, and by age.

It's a wonder that anything gets done right given the complexity.

But, in the final analysis, we have government of, by, and for we, the people.

Of.

By.

For.

It is our creation and responsibility.

We are free to the degree that we choose to be by our democratic actions.

We can be enslaved but only to the degree that we surrender democracy to special interests.

What country do you live in? The USA is a republic not a democracy. This republic has a constitution that grants a few powers to the government beyond which they cannot lawfully act. That same constitution reminds them that the individuals within that country have certain rights that are beyond the reproach of the government. They take an oath to preserve and protect that constitution and the rights and freedoms of the individuals within its borders.

 

[midcan5]

The trouble with republicans is power corrupts them, the trouble with democrats is they are policy cowards with a few exceptions. I have to update the post below, but so much craziness is happening right now one does not know where to start.

http://www.usmessageboard.com/politics/186726-republican-ideology-through-history-9.html#post5784628
http://www.usmessageboard.com/education/287771-education-for-a-republican.html

 

[M14 Shooter]

Democrats lie faster than Republicans can show them to be liars.

 

[PMZ]

I didn't write the dictionary, nor did you. What it says plainly is that we are both a republic, no monarch, and a democracy, decision making by plurality, or majority.

I used to puzzle as to what's in it, for who, to deny those simple facts.

Denial is what you'd wish was true If you were predisposed to special interest rule over government of, by, and for we, the people.

Pursuing that goal is the cause of the inevitable demise of the Republican Party. There was a time when that inevitability was only uncertainty. No more. Sadly, the GOP, my party, has demonstrated that they are beyond the point of no return.

 

[PMZ]

Tyranny is, by definition, the triumph of a special interest over common interests. Freedom for the special interest at the expense of the people.

Yet media conservatives claim to embrace both freedom and that tyranny.

They've been taught that freedom is the ability to impose what they want, power, on the rest of us.

 

[M14 Shooter]

Tyranny is, by definition, the triumph of a special interest over common interests. Freedom for the special interest at the expense of the people.

Yet media conservatives claim to embrace both freedom and that tyranny.

They've been taught that freedom is the ability to impose what they want, power, on the rest of us.

You say this like it differs from the left and the welfare state.

 

[PMZ]

The "welfare state" is a favorite media conservative red herring designed to reinforce the concept that there is not enough for you and me, so my job is to take it all.

Of course what's wrong with that is that there is plenty for all of us if we consolidate our power in a capable government that insures that the middle class, the creators of all wealth, are thriving and healthy.

That is, of course not what the special interest wealthy want, and so they invest in media madness that leads the gullible into their rabbit hole of you only have by taking from others.

Democrats support not the welfare state, but the wealth creation state. Republicans support the wealth redistribution state because, it turns out, enough is never enough.

 

[PMZ]

Freedom comes from a strong democracy, not a weak oligarchy.