American Politics !! | FerrariChat

American Politics !!

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by hps, Feb 3, 2004.

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  1. hps

    hps Formula Junior

    Nov 3, 2003
    338
    Canada
    Hey all ;

    As a Canadian, I have a good handle on the political system up here...(not much of a horse race, let me tell you...), but I have really taken an interest in the American political system and history.
    Now, this is a serious question, and I have asked others, but all I get are really bad jokes as answers, and mudslinging, so I'm counting on you guys to set my confusion to rest....

    Up here, we have Liberals, and Conservatives.....(one or 2 others, but they don't count..)
    In a nutshell....what is the fundemental difference between a Democrat and a Republican....or, what is the difference between the ideology, and underlying mandate between the two parties ?
    No jokes please, I really would like to get this clear....well, OK throw a joke in if you must, just make it a good one....but give me the straight answer as well......

    Thanks Gang !!

    hps

    Toronto, Canada
     
  2. C. Losito

    C. Losito Formula Junior

    Dec 12, 2003
    922
    Metro St. Louis
    Full Name:
    Chris Losito
    *passes out flame shields*
     
  3. JSinNOLA

    JSinNOLA F1 World Champ
    Sponsor Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 18, 2002
    18,776
    Denver, CO
    D= Big Gov't

    R= Lil Gov't

    :)
     
  4. hps

    hps Formula Junior

    Nov 3, 2003
    338
    Canada
    gee....thanks.....crystal clear...
     
  5. Robin

    Robin F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    2,931
    Arlington, VA
    I don't think that applies anymore, given the current administration's handling of things..........

    -R
     
  6. FLATOUTRACING

    FLATOUTRACING F1 Rookie

    Aug 20, 2001
    2,684
    East Coast
    Full Name:
    Jon K.
    In a nutshell,

    The Democrats want to regulate my business life and the Republicans want to regulate my moral life.

    As for Republicans wanting smaller government that certainly isn't true of this administration.

    Regards,

    Jon P. Kofod
    www.flatoutracing.net
     
  7. carguy

    carguy F1 Rookie

    Oct 30, 2002
    3,402
    Alabama (was Mich.)
    Full Name:
    Jeff
    Boy..any response on this thread is like walking in a mine field. Conservatives and Liberals are "similar" to Republicans and Democrats respectively. And to make matters worse, most Americans are not aware of how biased our media is in their reporting....against "conservatives". Both sides have their good and bad. I don't like the idea of politicians working more for their party's agenda at the expense of doing what's right for the people. As for the details and ideology of each political party...I'm sure there are some websites you can check out for more information. I also think that both parties need each other to function. Because if there was just one party and things didn't go right....who would they blame then? Sorry to ramble on....

    What was the question again?
     
  8. JSinNOLA

    JSinNOLA F1 World Champ
    Sponsor Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 18, 2002
    18,776
    Denver, CO
    Ok, this admins abnormal spending has a lot to do with security issues as opposed to midnight basketball...
     
  9. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

    Feb 22, 2003
    10,213
    San Antonio
    Full Name:
    Russ Turner
    American Republicans are like Canadian Conservatives except with guns....
     
  10. Horsefly

    Horsefly F1 Veteran

    May 14, 2002
    6,929
    The traditional interpretation is that Democrat equals liberal.
    Republican equals conservative. But in the real world, it often seems that the Democrats are only liberal when it comes to their PERSONAL ideals. Sort of like George Orwell's book Animal Farm: "Some animals are MORE equal than others". Democratic liberals only want to be liberal when it comes to something that THEY approve of. Sort of like Henry Ford's famous saying about his automobiles: You can have one in any color that you want as long as it's black. For example, Democratics don't really want anybody to be able to own firearms which are allowed by the Second Amendment to the Constitution. Democrats always seem to have some elaborate plan concerning socialized health care which would be controlled by the government. Not really very "liberal" when it comes right down to it. In the past, MANY years ago, the Democrats traditionally stood for the common man and the Republicans stood for the wealthy. But in the past 10 or 20 years, the lines has become very fuzzy and almost reversed at times. A recent cover of Time magazine, (or Newsweek?) had a big picture of Franklin Roosevelt with the caption "Where have all the good Democrats gone?" This captures the situation very well. Democrats may talk liberal, but they seem to be constantly trying to pass legislation in Washington to restrict firearms ownership, restrict logging and pipeline developement in the name of conservation, increase auto emissions restrictions to the point that certain cars can't even be sold in states like California, etc. The Republican's may well have a history of "feathering their own nest" and catering to the rich guys, but as of late, most of the people who I talk to aren't very happy about the recent deeds of the Democratic party and their condescending attitude toward the average person. They seem to be speaking to the working class as if the average man is one of the "unwashed masses" and those "unwashed masses" NEED the guidance of Democratic party to make everything well in the daily lives of the average American. But the average Americans that I know of do NOT need any more laws or government controls or guidance of any kind in their daily lives, thank you. Of course when it comes right down to it, how many of the politicians in Washington are actually middle class working guys? Hardly any. Most all politicians, Democrat or Republican are utilizing politics to better themselves in their career goals and/or bank account.
     
  11. ralfabco

    ralfabco Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 1, 2002
    28,029
    Dixie
    Full Name:
    Itamar Ben-Gvir


    Are'nt they almost the same ?

    Prescription pill program ?
     
  12. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    7,765
    Nova Scotia Canada
    Full Name:
    Neil
    My brain box hurts. :(
     
  13. mondial85

    mondial85 Karting

    Sep 9, 2003
    168
    Indianapolis
    Full Name:
    Casey Slattery
    Democrats tend to follow the Keynesian model which says that there are major problems in the economy and the only way to fix them is with government intervention (idea arose in the Great Depressian).

    Republicans tend to follow the Monetarist idea which says the economy has natural highs and lows and it will always naturally fix itself. They also go with the Rational Expectation theory which says that government intervention will actually hurt the economy.
    The only republican to follow these 2 ideas was Reagan...Bush has not followed either.

    I agree with what was said earlier that the Republicans want to control our moral lives and Democrates our business/financial lives. I think both are wrong. Thats why im a liberal republican.
     
  14. MarkG

    MarkG Formula Junior

    Nov 3, 2003
    369
    Colorado Springs
    Full Name:
    Mark
    R= HUGH Govt. (military, Fed Law Enforcement etc.) but NO Govt concern for the avg guy; couldn't care less about minorities, women, and those under 6 figure incomes; have no social graces, don't appreciate the arts, music (except C&W - our current Attorney General puts curtains over classic statues if they show bare breasts, doesn't dance because its a sin), and use out of context excerpts from the Bible to justify being Dicks (they forget about the parable about a camel going through the eye of a needle easier than a rich man getting into Heaven); they want complete control over your lifestyle; would sell their mothers and children (and you) into slavery if it would increase the Dow by half a point.

    D = HUGH Govt. (social services, medical care, food, handouts for those who won't work) wants to over-tax some folks. Talk about the poor and repressed in America but slow to respond to these same folks overseas (few military interventions); believe it is the Govt's responsibility to provide a 'safety net' for it's citizens, assuring that no-one dies because they can't afford medical care or food. Failing to realize that social welfare programs are a SAFETY NET - NOT a career choice!! Fails to realize that the profit motive, available to anyone in America who works hard enough, is what drives America to it's greatness, that human nature does NOT support the socialist ideal of equality; that the drive to exceed must be rewarded, not punished by excessive taxes and hand-outs

    They both have their good and bad points, but America needs a beter choice. Just don't who it is (but its NOT Ralph Nader and his ilk)
     
  15. Prugna 328

    Prugna 328 Formula 3

    Sep 10, 2003
    1,233
    L.I.N.Y.
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    Gregory
    snj5 very well said
     
  16. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

    Democrats = Canadian Liberals

    Republicans = Canadian Conservatives/Reform Party
     
  17. RacerX_GTO

    RacerX_GTO F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 2, 2003
    13,965
    Oregon
    Full Name:
    Gabe V.
    I'm watching this country(USA) being torn down a peice at a time, so if I seem high spirited, please understand.

    Partaining to USA politics, the National
    Socialist German Workers' party of the 1930's would find great comfort in the modern day liberal.


    Democrats: The Democrats, in a disguised way, are making the case for socialism. The idea is to tear down the United States Constitution and rebuild it with the (failed)practices of Socialism. Large government is what's best for the people, goverment will take care of the people, government is all things to everyone. Democrats would have you think the nation is standing in soup lines trying to get something to eat, but the only solution is to let the government distrubute who is allowed what rashon. The liberal wing of the modern Democratic Party thinks that the key to their success is to paint a picture of misery, of doom and gloom. When you hear it from their mouths, you'll vote for them. You'll support them. Democrats actually think the answer to our energy problems is for Americans to alter our lifestyles downward, we must conserve!. You think that's a winning political proposition? To tell the American people, 'Vote for me. I think you ought to define your lifestyle down. Democrat liberals want you thinking that your liberty came from them, the liberals - not from the country, not from the market, not from capitalism, not from God, not from the Constitution, but from them, the liberals. To the liberals, conservation means not just using less, but doing with less, turning back the clock on human advancement. With regards to engery, four- or five-dollar-a-gallon gasoline would be just fine with liberals if government gets the money. But if the oil companies get the money, and there's profit? They're totally opposed to high prices. All of these environmentalists say they're upset with the rising price of gas. What do they think it is they've been working for their entire careers?
    Liberal Democrats don't want solutions. They want issues so they can blame Republicans.

    Republicans, Conservatives: Maintain the nation under the guise of the United States Constitution, give the people the power to build a great nation, allow the people to be FREE to choose how they want to live their lives. The governments role is checks and balances, it does not interfere with the lives of the people, it does not go out of its way to get into your lives and demand what you should be doing. Republicans and its government is not a growing entity. It's just there for the people. Today, what we need are caps on taxes and federal regulations. We need caps on a bunch of bureaucracy. We don't need caps on the free market.



    In a lot of science fiction, people refuse to be subjected to totalitarian control. But today, rather than resisting the takeover, we've got locoweeds demanding it.



    - Gabe
     
  18. Nibblesworth

    Nibblesworth Formula 3
    BANNED

    Nov 29, 2002
    1,756
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    BillyBoy
    Democrats are dumb and republicans totally kick a$$.
     
  19. randall

    randall Formula 3

    Nov 2, 2003
    1,352
    Portsmouth, VA
    Full Name:
    Randall


    Wow, finally someone that seems to have it down. Not the standard republicans are good, democrats want to destroy the constitution or the democrats are good, republicans want to rule every aspect of peoples lives. Both sides are equally crooked or if you're optimistic, both sides are equally good.
     
  20. hps

    hps Formula Junior

    Nov 3, 2003
    338
    Canada
    Thanks guys.....

    I think I have it pretty much sorted out now. I knew you'd all be able to help me......

    Gotta say, there are some pretty good opinions on the forum. I've learned a great deal since joining.

    Thanks again !!

    hps
     
  21. Robin

    Robin F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    2,931
    Arlington, VA
    This is the biggets pile of horsecrap I've ever seen.

    "..under the guise of the Constitution.." Patriot Act I and II anyone? Holding prisoners with no reason for arrest, no trial, no access to legal counsel.. have you read the constitution?

    "allow the people to be FREE to choose how they want to live.. gov't does not interfere with the lives of the people and demand what you should be doing.." ??? Are you joking? Patriot Act I and II again, constitutional amendment dictating who can and can't get married, forcing christianity down the throats of the masses, strict drug and abortion policies that dictate what people are allowed to do to their own bodies, etc etc..????

    "goverment checks and balances.." sure, the republican controlled congress lets the republican president skirt by with no inquiries into pre 9/11 intelligence, iraq intelligence, meetings on energy policy between Cheney and his oil exec buddies.. all are veiled under "executive privilege" until the public gets loud enough and bush finally caves and hand picks a board to investigate his handling of things. Meanwhile when Clinton was getting blown by a fat chick, the republicans were all up in arms and putting in special prosecutors, independent investigations, etc. so it's ok to attack other countries and to ignore intelligence that points to terrorist attacks, but getting a blowjob is an impeachable offense? checks and balances have been thrown out the window with the kid-gloves treatment of this president by the rest of the gov't. I think history will look back on his 4 years as president (no way he's getting in again) as one of the worst in history.

    -R
     
  22. Robin

    Robin F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    2,931
    Arlington, VA
    Maybe you missed the largest entitlement program in history in the form of his health care benefit package... his office only underestimated its cost by ooooh about 27%. Or maybe the $1.5B proposal to "encourage marriage"???

    His defense budget isn't all about realistic security concerns either..it includes a bunch of worthless crap like NEW nuclear subs (isn't 55 enough?).. NEW stealth air combat fighter planes (not ground attack planes) even though we already have a bunch of stealth planes, even though there's no reason for more air combat fighter planes since it's probably been 30 years since one of our planes has been shot down by an enemy plane, even though we're already moving forward with the JSF, even though we're doing more and more operations remotely with unmanned aircraft, guided missiles, etc... A missile defense system that is considered by just about everyone to be completely worthless... oh and did you see the part about how the $423B defense budget does NOT include funds for the war in Iraq? That cost will be tacked on AFTER the election. HMMM I wonder...........

    Slate.com has a good article today about Bush's history of budget miscalculations. His revenue projections have been off by about 15% for the last 3 years. And now he's projecting an increase in revenue of 13% for 2004, which is absolutely ludicrous. The only way that will happen is with something like a 50% flat tax... I simply don't trust his numbers or his ability to manage a budget, let alone a small oil company (wait, didn't that fail too?)

    -R
     
  23. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,210
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    robin,
    patriot act is in place for a good reason. it will help restrict the access of terrorists. as a law abiding citizen it will not affect you.

    holding prisoners as active combatants without moving to prosecution makes perfect sense in a war, and if you hadn't noticed we are at war against radical islamic fundamentalism. nobody would have thought about releasing german prisoners of war in 1943, no more so than we should consider gitmo inmates eligible for trial at this time.

    pre 9/11 intelligence inquiry, would essentially be all about the intelligence gathering under the clinton admin. go for it. but either way, to blame somebody for missing the play after the game is over is lame. yes the cia needs some revamping, but that is not a fault you can lay at bush's feet unless you want to blame clinton in the same breath.
     
  24. Horsefly

    Horsefly F1 Veteran

    May 14, 2002
    6,929
     
  25. Robin

    Robin F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    2,931
    Arlington, VA
    Would you care to mention why we need dozens of nuclear subs roaming around the seas, in addition to hundreds of surface ships? I can understand keeping some patrols around hotspots like N.Korea or the Gulf, but what the *#%$ are those 27 or 28 subs (according to the Art Bell aliens-are-raping-my-ass guest) actually doing? Training? ok cool. Security patrols? yeah fine. But we need MORE? Did Al-Qaeda just go Captain Nemo on us? Are we expecting a massive terrorist assualt by Muslim frogmen? I'm not talking about disarming ourselves. Obviously we need to maintain our military capabilities and a state of readiness at all times, but jeez... NEW subs? NEW planes when they're not even done with the JSF, the plane to end all planes.. A multi billion dollar missile defense system that has been proven ineffective? Am I that dumb or does this seem like a waste of money? And is it not strange that the supplemental funds for the Iraq war won't be announced until after November... and the results of the intelligence inquiry won't be announced until after November... I'm not big on making predictions, but I'm thinking this November will see a record turn-out of voters, and Bush will be sent packing.

    How abouit that $1.5B to encourage marriage? The Republicans are just sooo into personal freedoms and not telling people how to live their lives.. as long as you're a white christian heterosexual who wants to get married and not have abortions.

    Heck, even the stick-up-the-butt conservative news analyst weenies are getting upset about bush's spending spree and 1+2=4 mathematics. I'd be interested to hear what the limbaughs of the country are saying about all this...

    -R
     

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