The bottom line is that the basic difference between Republicans and Democrats is that each believes in the principle that all men are created equal and that each should have an EQUAL shot at making it. Where we fall apart is that Republicans know that some will fail, some will not want to work to make it and some, for whatever reason will not be able to. Republicans believe that those that cannot "do" deserve a helping hand and it is our duty to provide for those that cannot do for themselves. It is a biblical principle (I know it just makes you lefties shriek). But if you are able to work and able to do what is necessary then that person must provide their own sustinance. If you want to sit on the street corner and do nothing, then Republicans believe that you have every right to do that. But don't come to us with a hand out asking for the rent or for anything else. You have the right to not work. You have the right to party all day and all night. AND, you therefore have the right to get kicked out in the street. Republicans believe in the addage that if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. But if you teach him to fish, you feed him for life. Those that don't want to learn are going to go hungry, aren't they?
Democrats believe that if you fail or if you don't want to work, then society has to GIVE you what you need to survive. Democrats also believe that a society MUST take what it needs from others to give it to those that do not want to work. Even at the point of a gun. So that person sitting on the street corner all day doing nothing, should be given what he needs to survive even if I have to come take it from you to give it to him. It's like the drug addict. Rarely do people force you to stick that needle in your arm. That is your CHOICE. You want to do drugs, then that's fine. But after you've spent all the money on drugs, don't come to me saying that you DESERVE something. No, you don't. Want to stop, seek treatment.
The principles of a Democrat can be understood really. They've got their hearts in the right place. They're just really niave. And when they come to STEAL from me (because that's just exactly what it is) it really pisses me off. They stop being nice people and become really irritating, especially when they start shreiking and whining. And they get really annoying when they STEAL from me at the point of a gun. I start to really resist that sort of crap, thus the reason for the rise of the Tea Party.
I believe Democrat voters have their hearts in the right place, for the most part. However their leaders sometimes don't. Using Socialism as a weapon to 'Spread the wealth' removes the goodwill factor and reduces it to revenge.
Redistribution of Wealth is the end game of most Democratic leaders. If you listen to the shriekers on this message board, they seem to actually believe that it would be a good thing to take all of the money from those who have made it and then give it to everyone else. Course, what they don't realize is that if you give $10,000 to someone who refuses to work hard, then in about two months the person to whom it was given to will be broke again and it will be in the hands of those who had it in the first place. So, it's a vicious cycle actually.
They want to STEAL it so that they can "redistribute" it and then in six months they will have to STEAL it again to redistribute it again. In that case, their is no benefit to working hard, because no matter what you do, the government is going to come and take it from you and give it to those who never really earn it.
Republicans and Tea Partiers, such as myself, are really getting fed up with this crap. No matter how much they take, they want MORE. And if you don't want to give it to THEM, for their agenda, then of course, you want to starve the elderly, kill children, and of course you want to be responsible for everyone going hungry. The only way to break this cycle is to take your money OUT of the cycle by moving it somewhere that it cannot be confiscated. Whether that be out of the country or whatever. Some smaller countries are working hard to fill that exact bill. Americans sheltering their money in foreign accounts, earning almost obscene returns.
Naturally, if you develop dependency in this manner, you create a block of votes that will keep getting you elected. So, you take MORE and you create MORE entitlement programs that create more voting blocks.