In the Ann Coulter thread Dayton Rocker got me to thinking with this remark:I quit listening to her and all the other talking heads because I was lumped into the same category as liberals if I dared disagree with the party line. I may be against the war and be a proponent of handgun control, but that doesn't make me want bigger government and doesn't make me like the idea of a woman choosing to have the brains of her baby sucked out of it's head just before birth.

So, while she's busy calling me, an ex-Marine, the enemy, she's also telling me I must want bigger government and legalized murder.

I know some conservatives who say George Bush II spends money like a liberal Democrat. There are pro-life liberals (like Dennis Kucinich) who catch flak for holding that viewpoint. That brought to my mind a question: On what issues do you disagree with your political party or philosophy?

For example I'm a liberal and a Democrat. However I support the death penalty. I'm aware of the problems with the death penalty, yet I support it for the most heinous of murders. This gets me in trouble with a lot of my liberal friends (and my father and I argue about it constantly) but I want most killers taken out of circulation---permanently.

That's one of mine. What's some of yours?

People like Ann and Rush and many other so-called pundits are actually just agitators. They claim to speak for their party, but have no real backing outside the media that is attempting to control political thought.
I have been labeled paleo-con, or a conservative from the 50's and 60's. If the Republican party really does belong to the neo-cons, then I am no longer a member of any party.
I favor responsible business, not those that rape and pillage the economy and the environment. Some companies are able to extract natural resources without ruining the land, water, and air, others just leave a big mess behind. It is more important to keep jobs here so our own people have a chance to support themselves instead of sending those jobs overseas to 'improve the bottom line' or 'remain competitive'.
If a few corporations have to close their doors because they can't compete, so be it. It is better that a few businesses fail than to have ALL our manufacturing jobs transferred out of the country. Lately it appears that white collar jobs are leaving as well.
Of course, it would help if we all made an effort to buy from companies that do their best to keep Americans employed.
I also favor a major overhaul of primary education, K-12, that actually prepares our children for good paying jobs, and that does NOT allow any child to quit school as easily as they do now. Certainly the last 4 years, 9-12, need the most overhaul. It would include social studies that are not candy coated so by the time the students turn 18 they have a chance to vote intelligently. And vocational training similar to tech schools for those who don't plan on going to college.
I favor welfare for those who NEED it, prison for those who STEAL it. If you CAN work, you DO work, picking up trash if necessary, or you don't get your welfare check.
I favor a tax package that does not punish savers, no taxes on savings and dividends until the total exceeds a substantial amount, medium taxes on long term capital gains, and high taxes on short term capital gains, all designed to take out the artificially induced volatility that Wall Street manipulators have introduced to investment practices.
I could do this all day, but this is enough for now.

This is a relatively minor one but I found out I was different on the issue of giving tax rebates to people whose tax bill was $0 or less. (I'm agin' it)

I most disagree with the democrats on foreign policy. For example I'm totally against missile defense that Al Gore supported in the 2000 election. I'm also against the drug war. Both of those issues are typical special interest issues that politicians support only for contributions so I may be an conventional democrat who isn't a politician.

Gun Control.

The NRA has always been strictly republican because democrats really want to put alot of restrictions on guns.

I generally blame flimsy parenting for gun related problems (invovling school shootings). As my dad said, his father used to have a gun and everyone knew where it was, but no one touched it.

unfortunately, the democrats have a point. The less responsible parents become, the more the government has to step in and be the parent. Really, some kids have access to guns too easily.

Q: Where do you think differently (from your party?

A: Check this out for the Republican platform that George ran on: http://www.rnc.org/gopinfo/platform

1. The American Dream: Prosperity With a Purpose - Agree
2. Education and Opportunity: Leave No American Behind - Disagree (this should be a Democrat ideal)
3. Renewing Family and Community - Disagree (this is bull crap - what does the gvmt have to do with mah family)
4. Retirement Security and Quality Health Care - Disagree (Social Security = the greatest Socialist program to date)
5. American Partners in Conservation and Preservation - Agree (who wouldn't?)
6. Government for the People - bahahahaha
7. Principled American Leadership - muahahahaha

I can expand on any point that you like

I don't like the lip service that the dems pay to reforming big business in this country, but it is better than the outright sell out of the repubs. I don't like the really crazy earth firster types, but it is better than the rapiing types of Exxon and co from the repubs. I don't like the easy on criminals approach of the dems at all. That doesn't mean I don't like the idea of catching folks before they do the crime and steering them another direction. I am for some moderate controls on guns, but not confiscation or elimination of hunting either.

I've never liked the Socialist and Communist parties (I am TECHNICLLY a member of the communist party usa, and was part of the YCL) views on this. many socialist/communist writers I've read (like columns and stuff) tend to be pro-gun control (I am for gun control; gun control means hitting your target ) which I don't get because they want to take over power, but seem to forget those that have power don't tend to give it up peacefully. (I am not advocating revolution, if we can take power peacefully, great. but revolutions can become violent)

oh, nighttimer, URL=http://www.kucinich.us/issues/issue_rightsreproductive.htm]kucinich is now pro-choice.[/URL]

I don't. Although I do wish that Republicans would become more economically conservative, like the libertarians, who I would consider joining, but there policy concerning social issues is too extreme for me.

CP

Good question!

I'm technically much more of a Green Party fan than a Dem fan, but to ensure my "say" in the primaries, I'm a registered Dem.

I don't really deviate much from the Green Party platform (10 Key Values). I'm mostly interested in social issues because I think if we got those things in order, the others would work themselves out - okay so call me a socialist, whatever

Just the liberal Dems. This is an issue that cause many conservative democrats to vote Repbulican. At the same time, the conservative Dems tend to be pro-union.
Puts them in a bad position at election time.
Keep my guns, or keep my job?




A good education for our kids should be favored by both parties, but neither seem to really want it.

I guess I have two parties in that I work with both the Republicans and Libertarian parties to advance my principles, and I have some disagreements with both:


With Republicans:

The War on Drugs - I say just legalize (or rather re-legalize) everything.

Spending - I agree with those who say Bush is spending like a liberal Democrat, and maybe even worse. His Guns and Butter policy reminds me of LBJ, whom I consider one of our most disastrous Presidents.

Abortion - I'm pro-choice at least to the extent that I think the federal government should have zero role in encouraging or discouraging abortion.

Civil Liberties - Not thrilled with the PATRIOT Act or proposed successors.


With Libertarians:

Foreign Policy - Harry Browne at least, the LP nominee the last couple of times, is so dovish and isolationist as to be almost a Noam Chomsky clone on the issue though I like him otherwise. I'd prefer even the Bush approach to that. Not much else I disagree with Browne on but it's a biggy.

Exactly! I lump education in with "social" issues (which is why I didn't mention it separately above) because I think of it in terms of the effect that it has upon society in general (if that makes sense). But education is THE most important issue in my book. And it seems that politicians are ALL TALK when it comes to education and impriving our country's education! We should form our own party

The four things I differ from with the Democratic Party are:

I'm a pro-death penalty person. I don't believe in gun control. I have big problems with the welfare program in this country and I don't agree with Affirmative Action.

But I'm a BIG advocate for equal rights for the Gay community, Pro Choice, nationalized health care, raising the minimum wage, legalization of pot, better public education, higher wages for teachers, ensuring Social Security for future generations (MINE! ) and I'm against Bush's handling of foreign affairs.

I basically disagree with using the Libertarian Party's proposal of using tariffs as a primary way to pay for government. They need to re-read Ricardo. While I agree with a more isolationist, less militaristic, government in principle, to get there from where we are today means taking small steps. We have dug ourselves a hole and have a lot of filling up to do.

Way back when I registered Republican, I actually agreed with much of what the party did, but today, I remain registered simply to keep an eye on them. I really don't agree with *ANY* party and think voting party line is ludicrous.

Republican:
I'm very much pro-personal responsibility and hate the whole 'government has to fix everyone's problems' nonsense. Unfortunately, no one is holding Americans to high-responsibility standards. People are allowed to do as they wish and take no responsibility for their actions and this is simply wrong.

I think the Republicans have been utterly taken over by the Religious Reich and as an atheist, I oppose this strongly.

I'm strongly pro-death penalty.

War on drugs? Since when? We have a vague argument on drugs. While I think that you either need to completely outlaw tobbacco (which is fine by me) or legalize marijuana (it's hypocritical to do one without the other), the rest should actually be strenuously outlawed and actually do more than pay lip service.

I hate unions with a passion. They were once a good idea, but today they cause more problems than they solve by several orders of magnitude. Big business needs to show more responsibility but most Republican politicians simply want to allow it to run wild.

I hate the Republican pre-occupation with puritanism, but this is linked to their ludicrous religious views.

I hate Bush with a passion, I think he's a truly awful president that's going to run this country even further into the ground than it already is.

Democrat:
I'm very much pro-choice and think the government (and everyone else except those personally involved) have no business in anyone else's reproductive choices.

I'm pro-equal rights for everyone regardless of race, religion, creed, sex, orientation, etc. Everyone deserves to be treated equally and have equal opportunities.

While I'm not necessarily pro-gun control, I'm pro-gun responsibility and neither party really cares about that. Both sides are extremist, one side wanting no control, the other too much.

I hate the complete lack of 'puritanism' in the Democratic party. There have to be limits to what is socially acceptable, although not anal limits like many Republicans want. Somewhere in the middle is just fine.

I'm very pro-civil liberties. I think the whole Patriot Act nonsense needs to be stopped immediately.

There are lots of issues that I disagree with within the Democratic party. I have trouble with Affirmative Action. I'm against labeling music and/or books/video games for "adult content". I think our welfare system needs a major overhaul. But, I typically vote party line---not because I'm ignorant but because I absolute refuse to vote for anyone who is not pro-choice. Ever. Period.

I am against faith based initiatives, but not strongly. Personally, I don't think the government should have anything to do with religion bad or good, on the other hand, I've never been harmed in any way, shape, or form because of a religious speech or event. Ever.

Other than that I either agree with the republican stance, or I'm too indifferent to comment.

I disagree with the libertarians on homosexual marriages, and school funding. I think gays should not be alowed to marry, and I disagree with geting rid of the department of education.

I'm glad you modified your post Conservpat from your original two word response of "I don't."

The only people who really scare me are those who are 100 percent convinced that their political party is right on every issue and have no doubts at all.

Such single-minded belief systems are truly troubling.

I disagree with the Libertarian Party's stance on National defense and Immigration.

The LP would have the US become strictly isolationist and drastically cut the defense budget. Although I do agree with resisting getting sucked into UN peacekeeping operations.

The party's open immigration proposal is not only a threat to our nation's security, but it would entice even more people to come here seeking welfare-like handouts.

I also disagree with the libertarians on getting rid of the minimum wage. I agree that the minimum wage causes some problems, but I think it fixes more problems than it causes.

The Democratic Party is not my party but it looks like I'll be voting that way.

I am pro-Life, which means I do not agree with the slogan "Abortion on demand and without apology." My position runs counter to the Democratic platform.

I used to be pro-gun control, but I believe that the right to bear arms is more important now than it has been for a long time. I can see with a lot of these acts that are ostensibly for our "safety," a group of unscrupulous people could enact a martial law situation without ever lifting it. It's happened in other countries.

I am for fiscal responsibility. I just don't agree with Republicans on where the money should go; the Democrats have better ideas, I think, for the improvement of education, health care and jobs.

I am against the death penalty, which is probably a more Democratic than Republican stance. I believe that if a person is to be pro-life, it is more consistent to allow a convicted murderer to spend a lifetime behind bars. I believe that a life in constant confinement is probably worse than knowing that there's an end to it.

(edited)

I have recently found that for the most part I agree with democrats, however not all democrats are secessionists of course. Also, democratic economic policies are ineffective. I think Reaganomics worked beautifully, and the trickle-down theory did indeed trickle down to the poor. This is far more efficient than giving money to the poor so they can waste it on businesses much less likely to succeed than those of higher-end citizens.

I like to believe that I fall in line with everything that a good Conservative Republican would....but that ain't the case. There are a few issues that come to mind right off the bat and they probably aren't the only ones but here goes:

1. I believe in the definitive termination of all laws pertaining to the illegalization of marajuana.

2. And the termination of laws pertaining to the sexual proclivities BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS.