Well, I get to vote this year. I turn 18 in June, but I don't know that much about politics. I have my own 'thoughts' and 'belief's' but I don't know what exactly I 'am' politically. So, I was curious, what exactly is a Democrat and Republican, but like, very simplified, because I keep trying to look it up, but I get complicated answers that really don't help my young, unknowledgeable, self out at all. Who are you all voting for (if you are able to vote, and live in the USA)? Or, tell me about some other elections around the world that are going on. I'm interested.
In the United States, I guess you could say that Democrats are basically more left leaning, while Republicans lean more to the right. Generally Democrats support pro-choice as well as other social leanings like that and government programs such as welfare and social security. This isn't always the case, but for the most part, it holds true. Republicans on the other hand tend to be more conservative, opting for smaller government and less government restrictions on the economy, as well as vote against abortion and other issues similar to that. Again, this isn't always the case, but it is more times than not. Groups like the moral majority, as well as most evangelical Christians fall into the ranks of the Republican party. The Democratic party comes from the remains of the Federalist party after it broke up. It's the oldest mainstream political party in the United States. The Republicans come from fragments of the Whig Party that were against slavery. It's been around since the years leading up to the Civil War. As for me, I suppose I would call myself a moderate. Right now, I'm leaning towards voting for Barack Obama if he makes it onto the Democratic ballot. If it comes down to McCain vs. Clinton, I will vote for McCain.
Interesting. See, I don't know who I would vote for. McCain, I've been told, would be like voting in Bush again, and Bush, from the studies, and the news, has basically terrorists not Iraq, but our Economy. So I don't know. Maybe I'm completely wrong. I don't know that much. I wanna learn so I can be a better voter, I guess.
Do some background research on each candidate. You're electing a person here, rather than a party, so individual policies are more important here. In terms of Democrats and Republicans, they are really the left and right (respectively) of a right wing country. America doesn't really have a left wing, not since the McCarthy communist purge. Sorry to draw analogies, but it had a similar effect to the events following the Reichstag fire in Weimar Germany.
To tell you the truth Oasis, the two political parties really arn't that different. They only differ on a few major issues that will decide who you want to vote for. Ask yourself the following: Do you support the right to choose to have an Abortion? Do you believe the government should have a large role in the economy? Do you support a national healthcare plan? Do you believe we should have a welfare system to support the poor? Asking questions like these will help you decide. Like Banzai suggested, you should also do research. It can take years to find your political identity, so you shouldn't rush in. PS. If you answered yes to alot of the above questions that makes you a Democrate. Most Americans find themselves in the center of the political system (Moderates) but its always better to just register with one of the parties, especially if your state has a closed primary system. If that's the case, then only members of the party can vote in primaries to choose a candidate for the big race. Its better to just sign up with the one you like more so you ca help pick their candidate.
We recently had our Municipality Elections. India's got a parliamentary form of government both at the State Legislatives and the Centre, with a Presidential Regime. So elections here work a lot different than other parts of the world.
i believe the mayor of london elections are coming up. And if i could i'd vote for Boris Johnson, but then i don't have to live in London....
Very interesting. Thanks Banzai and lordo, I appreciate the extra help. I'm interested in the other elections as well India sounds like it has some interesting voting conditions.
I do not know a lot about voting, not being able to, but I do know that when I can vote in the British elections, I'll be voting conservative (if not running ). I couldn't tell you much about American polictics I'm afraid, but if you really are interested then do a little research and find out.
I've been doing a lot of research, but a lot of the politcal terms means as much to me as Jelly means to Onions. I'm working on it though
Aye, I attemped to look up a bit more about the Conservatives a while ago and got stuck as it is all very technical. I decided to ask some other people who knew about them, like my dad and granddad. Worked better as they explained simpler for me.
Only in the senior year?? And Only Government?? Nothing about constitutions and stuff???? That ain't fair!
That's my stance entirely! They were today, by the way. And yeah, Boris to make the capital more entertaining!
British politics is confusing because it doesn't make sense any more. Labour used to be the left, lib dems the centre, and conservatives to the right. Now Labour have moved rightwards, the lib dems have sneaked off left, and Cameron's conservatives are fannying about in green party territory somewhere.
There seems less choice, all there seems to be is neo-liberalism and slightly different ways of dealing with it. I suppose because all nation states are all interconnected more we have less control in a way of what our policies are for economics. I'm not looking forward to the next general elections I really don't want to live in a country where David Cameroon is prime minister, for so many reasons.
I agree entirely. Cameron is flash and no substance. He would be an awful PM. And there is next to no choice in politics any more.
I'm not very good with politics either, but I try to keep up. The main differences I've noticed between Democrats and Republicans are that Democratics are more liberal while Republicans are more conservative, and that Democrats are more for working class people and Republicans are more for rich people. i think lodofhats spelled it out pretty well. =)
The Democrats believe in economic adjustment by transferring the wealth from the haves to the have-nots, whereas the Republicans believe that economic health only comes through increased production by a healthy business infrastructure.
I've posted the link for this quiz on Writing Forums before a while, back, but this may be an appropriate place to repost it. It's a short quiz with 10 basic questions (5 economic and 5 personal issues) where you mark agree, maybe or disagree. It'll place you on a chart, indicating where your tendencies lean. Left (Liberal), Libertarian, Right (Conservative), Statist (Big Government) or Centrist. It ain't perfect, but may be a place to start to begin researching candidates that most closely reflect your basic views. But only a place to start. World's Smallest Political Quiz Terry
This'll be the first election since I became of voting age and I don't know who to vote for either...I have a right-wing view on abortion, left-wing view on gay marriage, back to right-wing for gun-control...and so on.
I would vote for Obama, my whole family is which is a shocker since they are die-hard republicans, normally, if they had to choose between two democrats and no republican, they would pick no one and vote for no one. So yeah that's pretty weird, but I think that the country has had enough of screwing itself over, I haven't really watched the primaries or much of it at least, but Obama and Clinton seem to have very similar ideas it's just Obama seems to bring to the table what he is offering, and that is change. The thing I do not trust about Clinton is she's been surrounded in politics for a longer time than Obama has, and the thing this country needs most(generally speaking of course), is change and someone who has been surrounded in politics and knows the ways of a politician if you will, is more likely to lie their way into office, as Bush did, and as McCain will or has been trying to do, now we can't necessarily rule out that Obama will do the same thing, I just believe the chances of him doing so are not as high as Clinton's and McCain's. Both Obama and Clinton have good ideas, it just seems like Clinton will continue to try and improve the outside of the country instead of the part that really needs the help, the Inside. Now again, I haven't seen enough to make a completely informed decision but it seems as though Obama will help the inside of the country...rather than the out.
