by A.T. Meininger

Created on: November 03, 2009

There are no 'core values' of a political party. Both parties cover such a large percentage of the population that in order to pander to the popular desires, it must compromise what would be considered a 'core value'. If the Democrats and Republicans did have core values, they would both die off by the year 1900. It is because they have the ability to mutate that they have survived so long in this country. I will not compliment either party by noting what perceived differences there are, but rather mock both parties and point out differences that are much more real than what anyone would like to admit.

1. The party person caricature: Both parties have reinforced an idea of what type of people should be in their party. The Democrats want a gay, female, black, Hispanic person as their candidate whereas Republicans want a WASP. Yes, there's deviations of this: Republicans have Micheal Steele and Democrats have Bill Clinton. Still, the identification with the minority status (or lack thereof) is good grounds to encourage a demographic.

2. How to appeal to the middle class. Everyone is middle class. Whether you are $100,000 in debt, or make $1,000,000 per year, you're middle class. The Republicans will talk tax breaks and the Democrats will talk tax breaks. Sound confusing? It shouldn't be. The Democrat's middle class tax break will stick it to the top 1% of the rich while the Republicans won't. Because of this the Republicans hate the poor.

3. Pushing Jesus vs Acting Jesus: The Republicans will support Jesus first and foremost as their Lord and savior and the Democrats fall short in that category. However, the Democrats have an ace up their sleeves, they can act like Jesus. The can help the poor and needy and stand against the Iraq war since that would go against "Thou shall not kill". Still, they don't go to church like the Republicans do, so they really can't fully live up to total Jesus-ness

4.Using third party words when it's convenient: The two minor parties in America are the Libertarians and the Greens. Both will claim to be the largest third party in America (when given the size of the other two parties doesn't really say much). Still, the use of the words that originated from the third parties will be adopted by the Republicans and Democrats. Republicans will talk about how we need to "take back the constitution, lower taxes, less government, government is not the answer" and phraseology the libertarians have been using for years. Democrats will speak

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