What's the difference between a Democrat and a Republican?

[Bush loves Jiang]

Republicans are too stupid to look at the political spectrum objectively, thus explaining their ridiculous accusation that the Democratic Party of 1984 is more conservative than the Democratic Party of 2004. (Hmmm...Clinton or Mondale? lol)

[necso]

1. Not to get flamed,

but as a former, long term repug (mea culpa), I would say that a very important difference (which explains a lot of Democratic losses) is that the pugs have better discipline. The pugs are better at lining up behind any candidate that is selected (the extreme right ones now), no matter how little they like him (I thought Reagan a joke and voted for him twice) and sticking to the party line (I laughed at "voodoo economics", then defended it).

Maybe this pug discipline is not a good thing in a lot of ways, and now a lot of it is based on fear of retaliation, but these guys have a very good track record in getting elected, especially when considering the disaster that their actual policies are and what idiots they run.

[Skittles]

2. LOL

I would say the main difference is republicans care only about themselves; it is easy to be "disciplined" when you all goose-step to the same party line. Democrats are much, much more diverse and therefore, like LIFE, MUCH MORE COMPLICATED.

[Cleita]

4. Yeah, I guess if you think independently,

you have a hard time being in lockstep with the prevailing wind. I do get upset sometimes with Democratic infighting especially when it's only bashing and not productive in achieving an understanding.

[necso]

7. Virtually every election in the country...

effectively comes down to a choice between a Democrat and a pug. The pug, no matter what he/she/it spouts is going to cave to the party line (an extreme right agenda) the great majority of the time. The Democrat while he/she may not oppose the pug party line all the time, will certainly oppose it in more instances.

This is real life, and this is about the best we can realistically hope for. When you don't vote for the Democrat, you get the pug --- and the whole pug agenda.

Yeah, it would be real nice if was different. It would also be real nice if most people weren't self entered, greedy, materialistic, fearful, ignorant, almost completely self absorbed and largely uninterested in anything other than that which is right in front of their noses.

It just ain't happening. If you think otherwise, good for you, optimism is a "nice" outlook. Pugs love "nice" people. Being a realist (call it pessimist, if you like) makes it a lot harder to get out of bed in the morning --- and in my experience most folks just can't handle it (no insult intended).

To add a couple of more points about the pugs. The pugs are much better at capturing the single issue voter. They are also much better at "framing" and "labeling". As a pug, I could score easy points, by calling someone a "liberal". If they denied it, then implicitly they were admitting that there was some stigma attached to it. If they accepted the label, then they got all the negative stuff that pugs have (wrongly) associated with this label over the years. If they tried the "I am not a liberal, but there is nothing wrong with that" routine, they still lost points just by trying to defend liberalism (and all that baggage).

Hey, some of this is ugly stuff, and oppressive to the individual, but the pugs are masters of it and the Democrats are not. This is a big part of the reason why we are all marching back to 1858 --- not a good thing --- and why if opposing this "Great Reaction" means voting for people (Gray Davis) and policies (gun control, past a point) that I don't like, then you can still count me in, front and center.

If you feel otherwise, this is your right, and I respect it --- but the pugs don't --- and they are waiting to take advantage of any opening that you leave them. Plenty of pugs were going around in 2000 saying that there wasn't much difference between chimp and Al Gore --- only they knew better.

[Skittles]

8. I am a proud liberal living in north Texas

I can slap any pug down and they don't DARE try to use the LIBERAL card on me - because I WILL HIT THEM WITH THE FACTS.

[catzies]

13. I forget who said it, and I'm paraphrasing to boot, but here goes

"Democrats have to 'fall in love;' all Republicans have to do is 'fall in line.'"

[liberalpress]

3. James Carville said it best...

..."We're right and they're wrong."

[corporatewhore]

5. both corporate whores only dems charge less

for the most part but there are a few good dems who keep the party from becoming a sub group of republicans

[morgan2]

6. could sum it up perfectly in the title of a famous movie

dumb and dumber.

No offense to people here, but both parties are bought and if people paid attention they'd hold people to a higher standard.

[RandomKoolzip]

9. The REAL punch line:

A Democrat wins the lottery and jumps for joy. A republican wins the lottery and bitches and moans because he has to pay taxes on it.

[RoeBear]

10. Republicans are in favor of personal liberties except...

...when it comes to abortion. Democrats are in favor of personal liberties except when it comes to guns.

[arewethereyet]

12. now thats funny !

thanks I needed that !

[arewethereyet]

11. on the political spectrum 3 feet wide

they're an inch or two apart. Fretting over a quarter inch is not worth the effort.

[YNGW]

14. I don't know.

They're all politicians, and I'm fed up with the whole lot of them. I'm fully convinced there isn't a single Congressman or woman in DC, in any of the State Houses, or sitting in the WH or any Governor's seat who aren't there because they're either on the take or they've slept with the right person. I feel the same way about everyone of the current candidates in every party.

Politicians. Phooey!!

[RandomKoolzip]

15. You know, you never miss a chance to slam a Democrat, do ya?

n/t

[YNGW]

17. Huh!?! I'm slamming politicians.

They're all cut out of the same mold.

Somewhere along the line our supposed "representatives" stopped doing what was best for the American people and started doing what was best for themselves. If that's OK with you, so be it. I don't like it.

[wuushew]

16. Wrong

Dennis Kucinich, Russ Feingold, the late Paul Wellstone and a few others. Some politicans actually try to better the country.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

19. I would add Ted Kennedy and Barney Frank

Both have been criticized for their personal life, but ALWAYS fight for the little guy.

[buycitgo]

18. very simple

each one has a glass of liquid, filled to 50% capacity

the democrat says the glass is half-empty

the republican says, "who stole my drink?"

can't remember who said that.....either Jeff Cesario or Richard Lewis....saw them both last night

I was half.......baked