Don’t know who to vote for this year? Feeling like everyone in politics is lying to you? I can understand that. The two major parties have blurred the lines so much that it’s all but impossible to tell thedifference between a Democrat and a Republican. To make this decision you have to choose whether you are a republican, democrat, or independent. So one must know the difference between them. "Republicans believe that less government is better government. They believe, as corollaries to this seminal idea that people should keep and decide how to spend their own money rather than turning it over to the Government as taxes and that private industry should be deregulated. They believe that left to their own devices, they will do the right thing. They will make money and this money will 'trickle down' and create both good jobs and overall prosperity in our land" ( Reinstein 2008). According to Socastee, democrats believe that "government has a right to use your money as it sees fit to redistribute wealth, establish new spending programs in times of budget surpluses, and to return to you only that portion of your money which is politically expedient" (What do you believe 2008). So if you think people are naturally good when left alone with little government involvement, then you are probably a republican. But if u believe that there must be some government involvement in business and other aspects of life, then you should vote democrat.

    Another big issue when considering which party to vote for is what kind of people you want to elect and the kind of standards that they will be expected to live up to. "Republicans believe that public servants, particularly those whom we elect to office, must be held accountable to the highest standards of ethical conduct. "If a man cannot be trusted with the government of himself, can he be trusted with the government of others?" [Thomas Jefferson]" (Socastee 2008). Whereas democrats believe that a leader should try their best to do the best job they can to get the job done, and if something distasteful occurs while the elected officer is in office, that they should not be criticized because it was the people that elected him to do the job.

    Even though they can be very different, there are still some similarities between democrats and republicans. Both republicans and democrats both agree on how free-trade should be handled; Both agree that the United States should fast track negotiating authority and to open markets through trade pressure. They also concur on the issue of that technological groups should recieve tax breaks/exemptions to businesses specializing in research and development (Citizens for true democracy 2000). Also it is very important that there is more drug interdiction funding, harsher punishments, and more required drug testing. Social security is seen that people should have Individual retirement accounts that keep earning cap on taxable income

          Republicans tend to have more conservative ideas, whereas democrats have more liberal viewpoints and independents are stuck somewhere on between. Independents don't agree enough with one side or another enough to call themselves a democrat or republican, so they call themselves an independent."Within each party, there are conservatives and liberals. Pro-life and pro-choice people. Pro and anti-war believers. Religious and secular people. The specific issues are not what align them with either party. It is their view of the necessary role of Government to assure the ongoing well being of the majority of our people over time. The specific issues, though compelling in rhetoric, are red herrings" (Smith 2008)