What's the difference between Democrats and Republicans?

[Alice]

I'm a high school junior and I get confused when my History teacher starts talking about Democrats and Republicans. I've never been into politics (typical of a high school student) but I'd like to educate myself on the matter. Can you please give me the basic characteristics of the two political parties? And what's the argument between the two on the debt deal about? Thank you for taking the time to answer my question!

[The Resistance]

repubs = dumb
dems = dumber

libertarians = common sense

[Nuclearsuntan]

Only difference is the spelling. They both are why our country is in massive debt.

[shina]

Decide for yourself .
Here is republicans : They fight abortions by bombing clinics, they fight for family values by raping altar boys , they fight for high morality in congress by soliciting sex in a men's room (GOP senator Larry Craig), they fight for fiscal responsibility by stealing (GOP speaker Tom Delay - a convicted thief), they fight muslim terrorism by bombing government buildings and shooting their own citizens and kids (Breivik- new conservative hero),they fight for balanced budget by starting new illegal and expensive wars , they fight for America by making president to fail (party of "idiotic NO"),, they are fighting for US AAA credit rating by performing 3 week cirques in front of the whole world...

[kelby7670]

Republicans want one thing - the rich get richer.
Democrats want to tax the rich to help those less fortunate.

[Pluto C. Rat]

The name of the bank where they keep their personal funds stolen from US working class.

[Krista]

Ultimately,
Democrat voters care about people first.
Republican voters care about profits first.

[OIL Co. BAD]

Republicans want to call themselves conservatives and claim they do not spend as much ( they actually do ) on programs they enact when they have the power too.They also tend to say and vote for things that generally help big business ( oil companies etc.) and are very supportive of capitalism. They tend to be white upper middle or upper class Americans. In my area mostly white people.

Democrats do not want to focus on spending they tend to focus on social programs to help the less fortunate. They tend to be more idealistic than republicans and their goals are very different. More poor people are democrats. They talk more right now about raising taxes on the rich and cutting all the tax breaks to big businesses given to them while the Republicans had all the power.
Where I live they have more Black and Latinos.

Of course both parties take money from corporations and big businesses.In fact in today's world there is no way to be in politics and raise enough money and support without taking money from special interests like Big Oil and Wall Street Bosses for example.

[Jeff]

Democrats are the ones who enjoy the hokey pokey at the local skating rink.

Republicans are the ones who prefer free skate.

[andrew18]

democrats-liberal
republicans-conservative