Republican/Democrat Comparison Chart

2003, updated 10-4-04 | Clearwater County Central Committee

[Delphinium]

ISSUE	REPUBLICAN POSITION	DEMOCRAT POSITION
War on Terror / Iraq	Root out and destroy terrorist groups wherever found! Nations that harbor or support terrorists "face the full wrath" of the United States. No “U.N. Permission Slip” required!	“Global Test” will be required seeking permission from foreign governments before any pre-emptive action protecting America… thus “Iraq is the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Role of Government:	Less government / less taxes	More government / more taxes
National Defense:	Increase USA defenses. Deploy Missile Defense System as soon as possible.	Increase global cooperation. Decrease USA defenses. No Missile Defense System...
United Nations:	Use UN as a tool of diplomacy only.	Uphold UN goals of global laws, global governance, and global army.
Health Care:	Maintain private health care with tax breaks to individuals.  Reform Medicare.	Nationalize health care. Expand Medicare in numerous ways.
Social Security:	Support option of putting part of payroll deductions into private investments.	Keep social security plan as-is and under full government control.
Natural Resources:	Review and develop plan to better utilize resources on 657 million acres of Public Lands. Increase domestic supplies of timber, coal, oil, and natural gas.	Prevent logging, mining, oil and gas drilling on public lands. Increase strict regulations to discourage logging, mining, oil and gas drilling on private property.
Abortion:	“The unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed.” (Republican National Platform). No use of federal funds for abortions or stem cell research.  No "partial birth abortions".	Every woman has the "right" to choose to abort her unborn child, up to, and including, the moment of birth. Allow "partial birth abortions". Use federal funds for abortions and stem cell research.
Homosexuals:	Uphold definition of "marriage" as the legal union of one man and one woman. No special rights or benefits for homosexuals or lesbians. No homosexuals in the military.	Promote affirmative action for full inclusion of homosexual and lesbian families. Advocate special rights and benefits for homosexuals and lesbians.  Allow open homosexuality in the military.
Traditional Values:	Promote fair, traditional American values and work ethic.	Affirmative Action and special rights for minorities and "different points of view"
Statement of faith:	“We believe the strength of our nation lies with our Faith and Reliance on God our Creator” (Idaho Republican Platform)	(No mention of God in Idaho Democratic Platform)
Youth/Education:	Reduce federal influence in education. Return control to parents, teachers, and local school boards. Vouchers for private or home schooling. Return of voluntary school prayer. English as national language.	Continue expansion of federal control over education.  No vouchers for private or home schooling. No prayers in schools. Multi-lingual and multi-cultural education.
Crime:	Reduce crime by promoting no-frills prisons with productive work requirements. Deter all forms of crime by increasing penalties. Defend the Constitutional right of citizens to keep and bear arms.	Increase nationwide police forces. Enforce strict gun control for law-abiding citizens. Render additional punishments for “hate crimes” (crimes against certain minorities and homosexuals).
Environment:	Base environmental regulations upon peer-reviewed best science, not political agendas. Reject call for UN to create a "Stewardship Council" to oversee the global environment.	Exploit Endangered Species Act for non-use of natural resources from federal lands. Create “human free” corridors, replacing people with dangerous “endangered” predators (grizzlies, wolves, etc.). Support UN agenda on global environment and other international institutions.
Surplus Taxes:	Give surplus taxes back to the people.	Keep surplus taxes for increased government expenditures.
Private Property Rights:	“…support strong enforcement of the ‘takings’ clause to keep citizens secure in the use and development of their property… oppose any Federal regulation that would diminish a property owner's right to develop his property in a positive and productive way." (Idaho Republican Platform).	Increase regulations, control and taxation of development and production of natural resources generated from private property.   (Protection or support of private property rights is not mentioned in either the National or Idaho Democrat Platforms)

Sources: Democrat National Committee, Republican National Committee, Democrat National Platform, Republican National Platform, Idaho Democratic Platform, Idaho Republican Platform, National Federation of Republican Assemblies, and Intercessors for America

[Delphinium]

We are going to publish this, or something similar in our local newspaper.

I would appreciate input?

[Nice50BMG]

This is fanastic! What a great distillation of their ideas vs. ours. Keep up the good work!

[Delphinium]

Thanks.

Tonight at our meeting some were quite worried that it would be seen as picking on the poor democrats.

[TwoWolves]

Looks good. I like it.

[FesterUSMC]

[Ciexyz]

Well done! Great job.

[Ciexyz]

Uphold UN goals of global laws, global governance, global army.

Phrased that way, it sounds positively frightening!

[Delphinium]

Phrased that way, it sounds positively frightening!

But it is true and that is scary.

[Ciexyz]

If Kerry gets elected, we won't recognize our country.

[nutmeg]

bttt

[AgThorn]

Excellent list ... one change:

No use of federal funds for abortions or stem cell research. No "partial birth abortions".

needs to be changed to:
No use of federal funds for abortions or embryonic stem cell research. [Stem cells from adults, embylical cords, and plenty of other sources have not been any where near exhausted for research.] No "partial birth abortions".

[tazannie]

no mention of Kerry's brilliant idea to shut down the nuclear program?

[dagnabbit]

Border Control and Immigration:

Democrat Position: Open Borders, massive endless 3rd world migration.

Republican Position: See Democrat position.

[Delphinium]

Thankyou for the suggestion, it sounds much better.

[Delphinium]

Will pass it on, do you have a quote?

[Non-Sequitur]

Less government / less taxes

Less government? From this administration? That's a joke, right?

[Delphinium]

It is the difference between Republicans, and Democrats, not RINOs and Democrats.

[tazannie]

I was referring to the debate, where Kerry (for the first time in my memory) actually showed a little passion, for the shutting down of our bunker-busting nukes program.

[Non-Sequitur]

I would suggest that its more a comparison between Conservatives and Democrats then between Republicans and Democrats.

[Delphinium]

Oh Yeah, I missed that.