Liberals versus republicans a European perspective

Hi just a question and observation on this from a european perspective.

To me republicans appear to be somewhat traditional and hold religious values quite strongly and have an interest in keeping the rich rich and the poor, well poor. However on the plus side republicans seem to have a strong ethic with regards working and making the most for themselves and families. In essence hard work hard and get rewarded.

Liberals seem to be more interested in supporting people that need help and more of a wealth distribution attitude involving taxing high earners more and being more kindy to immigrants etc. Liberals also seem to come across as more athiest in out look then republicans.

Is this an accurate view? Keep in mind this is a european observation, our political lines are a lot more blurred, so it can be difficult to understand the division of opinion in the U.S.

Is the view above accurate?

is this your view of the US? Or Europe?

It's mostly correct for the US.

is this your view of the US? Or Europe?

It's mostly correct for the US.

Serraph105

Its my view of the US growing up in Ireland/UK.

I see a problem. You start with what you see in republicans then you switch to what you see in liberals. For the most part democrats and republicans are both conservative parties. Liberals in the states would not be affiliated with either party.

Somewhat. Republicans are probably more pro-business. It's not that they want to keep the poor as poor. It's just that their policies tend to favor those that are more resourceful and able to benefit from their own labors. In the last 20-30 years, they've also adopted the whole family values and religous values things. Likely as a way to appeal to the working class who tend to be fairly religous. So while their economic policies don't appeal to this group, their social views do.

Democrats vary a lot as well. Their economic policies tend to be more based on redistribution of incomes. Strong social and government services. Social and group rights - gay rights, african american rights, etc. Less emphasis on individual rights like gun ownership, etc. I wouldnt really call them atheist as many dems tout religion, but of the two groups, they are less radical religous wise.

That would be a generally accurate assessment of the rhetoric both groups.

In reality a Liberal is:

Someone who claims to be anti war whilst simultaneously supporting war efforts

Someone who claims to be anti corporate welfare whilst simultaneously supporting special interests

And a Conservative is

Someone who claims to pro tax reduction while simultaneously supporting special interests

Someone who claims to be individualist while simultaneously supporting federal welfare programs.

All things considered, there really is little difference between the two groups.

Liberals: good guys

Republicans: Darth Vaderz

Not all Democrats are liberal.....

Liberals also seem to come across as more athiest in out looktenaka2

I'm Canadian and I vote Conservative. I'd say it's a more level-headed version of US conservatism. If I were American, I would vote Republican only if there were a candidate who came across as professional and temperate. Or else, I wouldn't vote at all.

Liberals: good guys

Republicans: Darth Vaderz

parkurtommo

:P

Not all Democrats are liberal.....

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]Liberals also seem to come across as more athiest in out lookLJS9502_basic

You can't possibly deny that Democrats are the less religious party of the two.

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]

Not all Democrats are liberal.....

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]Liberals also seem to come across as more athiest in out lookJML897

You can't possibly deny that Democrats are the less religious party of the two.

[QUOTE="parkurtommo"]

Liberals: good guys

Republicans: Darth Vaderz

Overlord93

:P

I don't see much of a difference between the two party's. Both are pro-business for the most part (although the democratic party is a bit more tolerant of labor) that have comparable views on foreign policy. A contrast really only emerges when it comes to social issues.

If you ignore the rhetoric and look at what the two party's do when they are actually in power, it's remarkably similar. There are key differences, but I wouldn't say that those differences represent stark differences in political philosophy.

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]

Not all Democrats are liberal.....

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]Liberals also seem to come across as more athiest in out lookJML897

You can't possibly deny that Democrats are the less religious party of the two.

Not all Democrats are liberal.....

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]Liberals also seem to come across as more athiest in out lookLJS9502_basic

I meant which group uses religion more with regards its agenda as opposed to personal belief.

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]

Not all Democrats are liberal.....

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]Liberals also seem to come across as more athiest in out looktenaka2

I meant which group uses religion more with regards its agenda as opposed to personal belief.

Is this an accurate view?

tenaka2

I think it's a simplistic view.We've only got two parties in the US (for the most part), so they both encompass a wide array of interests, many of which have nothing in common with one another. Yes, the Republican party does tend to represent the religious Right, but not all Republicans are part of the religious Right. So on and so forth..

[QUOTE="parkurtommo"]

Liberals: good guys

Republicans: Darth Vaderz

Overlord93

:P

I prefer this one :P

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]

Not all Democrats are liberal.....

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]Liberals also seem to come across as more athiest in out looktenaka2

I meant which group uses religion more with regards its agenda as opposed to personal belief.

It's a very general view. There are TONS of factions within factions for both sides. There are non-religious conservative groups who are social liberals and liberal groups who are economically very conservative. Generally economically speaking, conservatives tend to be more free market and rapid growth while liberals tend to be more about regulating and slowing growth. Both are needed at certain points for the benefit of everyone and all of one or the other can lead to bad consequences, although now Washington is a mudslinging fest where they care very little for what benefits the people...

Then you throw in third parties like the independents, the libertarians, etc. and it gets quite complicated.

Hi just a question and observation on this from a european perspective.

To me republicans appear to be somewhat traditional and hold religious values quite strongly and have an interest in keeping the rich rich and the poor, well poor. However on the plus side republicans seem to have a strong ethic with regards working and making the most for themselves and families. In essence hard work hard and get rewarded.

Liberals seem to be more interested in supporting people that need help and more of a wealth distribution attitude involving taxing high earners more and being more kindy to immigrants etc. Liberals also seem to come across as more athiest in out look then republicans.

Is this an accurate view? Keep in mind this is a european observation, our political lines are a lot more blurred, so it can be difficult to understand the division of opinion in the U.S.

Is the view above accurate?

tenaka2

And another thing. Iv'e found out most people on this site that speak about politics are liberal, so in turn you will get bias opinions about the republicans and liberals.

Bush was a VERY liberal president who implemented policies that most liberals even deemed stupid. See: The Patriot Act (probably the biggest blight against the Constitution in recent years), the war in Iraq, the war in Afgahnistan, etc. It was all about pushing an agenda really, and Obama hasn't really done much to counter it despite being of a supposedly opposing party. Now we have a pointless war in Libya, a war in Yemen, and several (mostly unheard of in the TV media) bombing and aerial attacks being orchestrated on various middle eastern countries. Why?

There's a HUGE amount of gold in Libya that the US can essentially steal by setting up a new regime. I can guarantee that it'll just disappear and never be heard of again...

For Afghanistan, my guess is that it's for the booming heroine trade in that region of the world. A market worth untold billions going untapped is just waiting to be exploited by the underground in the US.

EDIT: There are numerous reports of soldiers bringing back heroine/opium and poppy from Afghanistan, and other reports of people growing it there...seems I wasn't far off...

Republicans don't want to keep the poor poor. They want people to raise themselves out of poverty and support ways to make that easier, like less government regulation and intrusion.

Not all Democrats are liberal.....

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]Liberals also seem to come across as more athiest in out lookLJS9502_basic

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]

Not all Democrats are liberal.....

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]Liberals also seem to come across as more athiest in out lookkussese

[QUOTE="kussese"][QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]Odd.....many Catholics are Democrats.

LJS9502_basic

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"][QUOTE="kussese"] Almost every devout (devout being the key word here) Catholic I've ever met casts their vote based on Roe v Wade. Anyway, are Democrats more "atheist?" yes. But most of them are religious. I think secular would be the better word. kussese

Not being a bible thumper does not make one atheist. That is the problem I'm having with that idea of yours. As I stated in an earlier post....I think you disagree with it....not all religious people use religion in politics. That does not mean they are atheist. And I got that percentage from a site breaking down US Demographics.LJS9502_basic

As I said earlier, secular is the better word. Democrats are far less likely to support prayer in school or request that intelligent design be taught alongside evolution. Also, here's a poll (http://www.gallup.com/poll/147887/Americans-Continue-Believe-God.aspx) showing that there are over 200 times as many atheists (7%, not .03%) in the US as you claimed. The poll also divided the answeres up politically; 2% of republicans were atheists and 10% of democrats are. It's not a majority by any means but it certainly isn't anything to scoff at.

[QUOTE="-Sun_Tzu-"][QUOTE="BMD004"]Umm... Ron Paul? He's very economically conservative and isn't really a social conservative. BMD004

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]Not being a bible thumper does not make one atheist. That is the problem I'm having with that idea of yours. As I stated in an earlier post....I think you disagree with it....not all religious people use religion in politics. That does not mean they are atheist. And I got that percentage from a site breaking down US Demographics.kussese

As I said earlier, secular is the better word. Democrats are far less likely to support prayer in school or request that intelligent design be taught alongside evolution. Also, here's a poll showing that there are over 200 times as many atheists (7%, not .03%) in the US as you claimed. The poll also divided the answeres up politically; 2% of republicans were atheists and 10% of democrats are. It's not a majority by any means but it certainly isn't anything to scoff at.

I did not look at your link since you didn't link it for me.

Hi just a question and observation on this from a european perspective.

To me republicans appear to be somewhat traditional and hold religious values quite strongly and have an interest in keeping the rich rich and the poor, well poor. However on the plus side republicans seem to have a strong ethic with regards working and making the most for themselves and families. In essence hard work hard and get rewarded.

Liberals seem to be more interested in supporting people that need help and more of a wealth distribution attitude involving taxing high earners more and being more kindy to immigrants etc. Liberals also seem to come across as more athiest in out look then republicans.

Is this an accurate view? Keep in mind this is a european observation, our political lines are a lot more blurred, so it can be difficult to understand the division of opinion in the U.S.

Is the view above accurate?

tenaka2

Pretty much. I would agree with most all of this. There are some things missing, but you get the gist of it. Republicans are huge pro big business and support things like tax loopholes for corporations and outsourcing, etc. However, the liberals want to create socialism. Also, Democrats are more pro gay and pro abortion too. Republicans are for more states rights and less national government and Democrats are Federalists and want more national governement and more federal programs and aid. Nonetheless, both infringe on personal liberties such as marijuana and gambling (the victimless crime). Libertarians like it, but they also want to sell off all governmental land such as national parks, etc. to pay the debt and privatize everything. Nothing is exclusively good, so we have to choose and pick what we like from each and hope a candidate embodies them all and more importantly, do they keep with those ideologies when they get into office.