What are the fundamentals of being a Democrat?

I just read an article where a Republican blogger said:



Which just made me laugh, considering that Bush has given us more government, taken away our freedoms, has a total absence of personal accountability, and has given us the worldwide disaster of the Iraq War.

But the Republicans keep saying lines like these because they make a good slogan. So what does being a Democrat mean? Mirroring this guy's language, I would say it stands for smarter government, individual opportunity, corporate responsibility, and a strong national defense. (That last one belongs to us, not them.)

What would you say, in a sentence, are the fundamentals of being a Democrat?

some thoughts about equal rights for all U.S. citizens

Democrats believe that ability to the job is more important than cronyism.

regardless of context - education, hiring, pay, benefits, voting

It's a book about Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt during World War II.

Eleanor fought very hard for what you are saying. Franklin agreed with her views, but was always conscious of what he could actually get done politically.

we should stand for as a political party - the place where these things can actually start to be dealt with.

"smarter government, individual opportunity, corporate responsibility, strong national defense"

It's really hard to come up with all that is good about Dems in a few words, but I think you just did.

Since 2000, the Republicans have given us a bigger, corrupt, incompetent government; curtailed our freedoms as indviduals; passed the buck for their domestic and foreign policy failures; and wasted our material and manpower military advantages to the point where our country is vulnerable to other much weaker groups.

providing security to those without it (through social security, disability, other health and welfare programs), achieving good political ties with other nations, stronger laws against corporate malfeasance (pollution, environmental fuckups) and a strong economic foundation, including taxes on those who can afford it most to boost that .

but I think the wording in some of the other posts say the same thing in a way that appeals to more people.

One reason that Reagan was able to hoodwink Reagan Dems is that he made it sound as though Dems were just for the poor and African Americans and not the middle class. Reagan convinced the majority of people that government was the enemy and that corporations were the savior.

Democrats want businesses to be strong, but they do not want corporations to benefit at the expense of the country as a whole.

Responsible government, Individual Freedom, Corporate accountability, and a strong foreign policy.

and add:

--Government just big enough to ensure those who cannot take care of themselves are cared for, and that those who need help getting back on their feet or taking advantage of an opportunity can get that help

--Individual freedom, including the freedom to make decisions about matters concerning one's own body without the imposition of the beliefs of others

--Personal responsibility combined with responsibility for caring for those who cannot care for themselves or need help caring for themselves

--Strong national defense, but not at the expense of other public goods, and whose primary role is indeed defense of our country when it is attacked, NOT offense that preemptively invades other countries to "spread freedom" or "advance our national interest"

OK, that's not a sentence, but I don't think Democrats' values CAN be summed up in a simple single sentence. In fact, I'd argue that's inherent to being a Democrat: you naturally reject simple solutions to complex issues. If you are a Republican, you are far more likely to believe in the magic of simple statements and easy slogans.

ed. for typo

engage in vicious dogmatic hairsplitting here

behave like pigs in DC

Meaning we are all in this together so we need to work for the benefit of all and not just the few. Plus "Do onto others as you would have them do onto you" Government is to "Maintain the Health and Welfare of the Nation"

When I was in my mid teens... many years ago. I thought I would be a republican because I was told the core values of a republican were:

less government, individual freedom, personal responsibility

Boy, did I feel stupid when I found out it was only a slogan and had nothing to do with their actual values. Their real values are more along the lines of:

Greed, death, destruction.