: Hi everyone. I think I am going to get registered to vote and from what I understand, you have to register as either as a republican or democrat, regardless who you plan on voting for.Not true; I'm registered as an independent and I plan to vote Communist or Socialist in the next election.
: I'm 21 and never had the desire to vote before, but I think it would be fun and I feel left out since many of the people I know vote. Anyway, the reason why I don't know what to register as is because I really don't know too much of the difference betwen the republicans and the democrats. So can some of you guys please help me out and explain what the difference is, or at least tell me a webpage that describes it?
: I may be wrong (and please tell me if I'm wrong) but from what I understand:
: 1)Republicans are conservative and democrats are liberal. I really am neither, I'm somewhere in the middle, but probably more on the conservative side, so would that make me a republican?
Welkl, you should know that 'conservative' and 'liberal' by no means exhaust the political spectrum. Both liberals and conservatives believe in capitalism, privately owned means of production, U.S. hegemony over otehr countries, a low level of public involvement in the economy, and are opposed to socialized health care and ethnic quotas. Socialists, on teh otehr hand., believe in an economy run in the interest of the people as a whole, public and democratic ownership of the means of production, strongly interventionist affirmative action, and a foreign policy based pon the equality between nations.
: 2)Aren't the democrats in favor of abortion and republicans against it? If thats the case, then I would again be republican.
The majority of Republicans are opposed to abortion. however, in my home state republican Gov. weld supports free choice and Congressman Joe Moakley 9dmocrat) opposes abortion.
: 3) I've been told that the republicans are mostly racist and sexist, and that its the democrats who are more in favor in civil rights and
equality for all and such. If thats the case, then I'm 100% democrat.
Today's democrats are hardly in favor of coivil rights. Observe how Clinton is capitulating as the reactiponaries get rid dof affirmative action. Still, the democrats are certainly better on the civil rights issue tahn teh Republicans. Of course, America's affirmative action program is paltry compared to India's for example.
: 4)Weren't the republicans in favor of the draft and the democrats who believed that it should be voluntary? If thats so then I'm a democrat.
: 5) I've been reading in the paper that a republican congressman or somebody in my area want's to amend the constitution to make it illegal to burn the flag. The democratic lawmakers think a law like that would be a stupid waste of time when you could be focusing more on important things. I agree with the democrats.
It's less about whether it would be a waste of time than about whether it would illegally restrict freedom of speech.
: 6) I've heard that the republicans are more in favor of "family values" and frown upon things like divorce, unmarried people who choose to be parents etc...and if that's so, I'm republican.
The Republicans are in favor of family values- unless you don't have the money to start one. They're the ones who think you can support a family of three on 12,000 dollars a year. Anyway, whose family values are youd escribing? families are defined differently in different cultures.
: 7) Gun control: republicans are against any and all type of gun control, whereas democrats are in favor. I believe that all honest people should be allowed to own a gun if they wish, however I believe that there should be some kind of control to keep guns out of the hands of children and criminals.
Personally, I think an armed and dangerous society is barbaric. Jus look at Afghanistan.
: So as you can see, I'm very confused. There are things that I agree with on both sides. I hope somebody can please help me. So what exactly is the difference between republicans and democrats? And what do you think I am more of?
Well, fill me in on two things. whayt is your stance on 1) economic justice and 2) foreign policy. Do you think that average people should have a share in running the economy and benefiting from yhe goods sit produces? Doi you think that everyone has the right to food, shelter, medicine, legal representation, political involvement, free speech, dignity and respect, regardless of class, arce or income? Do you believe taht other countires deserve respect and fair treatement from teh US, and have the right tpo determine their own destiny? If your answer to any of these is yes, then voting Democrat would be a first step- but if you want full democracy, then your best bet is to vote Communist or Socialist next fall.
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: McSpotlight: Can't you also register as "independent"? (and exactly what does voting achieve when you're voting for either a) a moderately right-wing capitalist party or b) a full-on right-wing capitalist party? Vote Cthulhu; never mind about the lesser of two evils!)
