What is the difference between conservatives and republicans...

[butterfly77]

and neocons. What is the difference between Democrats, liberals and progressives.

[andino]

1. They are more organized...

[butterfly77]

3. Who?

[Tab]

2. Well...

Republicans belong to the Republican political party.

Conservatism is a point on the political spectrum on one or more certain issues. Liberal is usually the other end of the spectrum.

Many people are a mix. Personally I'm fiscally conservative, but socially progressive.

The ones we call 'conservatives' usually take conservative positions all down the line, including social conservatism (keep things the way they were - strong positions on church and god, anti-gay, anti-welfare, America first and the hell with everyone else).

The neocons (neoconservatives) are a group mainly driven by PNAC (Project for the New American Century) which want to take a very proactive position to - shall I say it? - dominate the world, I guess. Many in the current administration are of the PNAC philosophy (and were/are members). Neocons are to the far right of even regular conservatives.

Liberal as a term has been given an ugly stigma - associated with extreme left - totally anti-business, anti-corporate, tree-hugging, commune-loving hippie bastards, hate America. This is not true of the liberals, of course, but many are finding the term "progressive" better describes their political position. We're progressive (evolving) in how we view rights for gays, for women, minorities, how we should act socially and see that everyone has a good education and health care, and so forth.

It's interesting that the heavy-right conservatives (probably the neocons) aren't particularly fiscally conservative. Democrats used to be labeled as "tax and spend", but at least that was the right order of things. The current administration is not only reducing its income (tax cuts) but also increasing spending (racking up the credit cards). That's so fiscally unconservative and just irresponsible that many of the true fiscal conservatives are distancing themselves from the neocon group.

Anyway, hope that helps.

[Zambero]

4. Difference between conservatives and Republicans? Not much.

Conservative is a relative term supporting the status-quo , and there are many varieties of this genetic anomaly. Yes, there is evidence to support the existence of a conservative gene, which is manifest primarily as self-centeredness and a high susceptibility to the types of propaganda that makes the conservative feel like a "victim" to such phenomena as social engineering, affirmative action, marauding baby killers, progressive taxation, political correctness, war on Christmas, etc.

The Republican party is the "big tent" where all the various conservative elements gather. This includes social and religious conservatives, corporate conservatives, anti-tax conservatives, anti-liberal reactionary conservatives (general oppose the concept of civil rights and anything that doesn't confer a direct advantage to themselves). And there are also a few moderates left in the GOP, perhaps 5% or less. Virtually all conservatives end up voting for Republican candidates, since most GOP politicians have discovered that delivering requisite lip service to all the various conservative groups helps get them elected, especially in marginally "red" areas. So you'll often see a candidate with a big business agenda advocate a regressive flat tax that works against the best interests of most wage earners, while claiming to be a "devout pro-family Christian". "Pro-family" doesn't necessarily imply any economic benefit to families, but is a catch-all term that covers a lot of wedge issues such as anti-abortion, anti-gay, pro-school vouchers, and now even anti-evolution ("My family didn't originate from no gorilla", blah blah). This "pro-family" stance is a veritable goldmine for Republican politicians, since advocating this social agenda doesn't cost anyone a dime, but it does confer a self-righteous posture that mines votes from those that are too gullible to detect the fakery.

Just a few thoughts, that could certainly be added to or elaborated on. Perhaps someone else can offer up a distiction between "progressive" and "conservative".

[no_hypocrisy]

5. The status of the republican party exists as of this date as you describe

it. The terms republican, conservative, and neoconservative are like scrambled eggs, all meshed together, indivisible. No individuality.

Yet, I remember in the 70s that republicans were as varied and sectarian as democrats are today. There were progressives like Nelson Rockefeller, Millicent Fenwick (the role model for Lacey Davenport in "Doonesbury", even Gerald Ford to a certain extent. These figures would not have a chance of surviving a republican primary were they to run today. They contrasted to conservatives like Ronald Reagan, Barry Goldwater, William F. Buckley, etc. Sometime during RR's tenure, the sands shifted in the party, making progressives and moderates the minority voice, and relegating them to backing up the neoconservatives or leave the party. That simple.

[Tab]

6. Very interesting

I always liked Lacey, but never knew that she was modeled after someone specific... I thought she was just a composite figure. Actually I've always thought pretty much all of them, with the obvious exception of Duke (Hunter S. Thompson) were composite figures.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. Let the words of Millicent Fenwick demonstrate my point.

http://www.creativequotations.com/one/1129.htm

[Tab]

8. Oh I believe you

I just didn't know she was modeled after someone specific.

[serryjw]

9. Lets get this all straight

Republicans and conservatives are basically the same. One is the political party the other an ideology....NOW
Neocons are a different animal....NEVER to be confused. I look forward to the day we can have 2 party and get the damn neo-cons out of this country.
quote.......
For example, it is certainly true that the neocons’ foreign policy fits well with a plausible version of Jewish interests, but is arguably only tenuously related to the interests of the U.S. Also, neocons oppose the isolationism of important sections of traditional American conservatism. And neocon attitudes on issues like race and immigration differ profoundly from those of traditional mainstream conservatives — but resemble closely the common attitudes of the wider American Jewish community
snip
By the 1970s, the neocons were taking an aggressive stance against the Soviet Union, which they saw as a bastion of anti-Semitism and opposition to Israel. Richard Perle was the prime organizer of Congressional support for the 1974 Jackson-Vanik Amendment which angered the Soviet Union by linking bilateral trade issues to freedom of emigration, primarily of Jews from the Soviet Union to Israel and the United States.

Current key leaders include an astonishing number of individuals well placed to influence the Bush Administration: (Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, Douglas Feith, I. Lewis Libby, Elliott Abrams, David Wurmser, Abram Shulsky), interlocking media and thinktankdom (Bill Kristol, Michael Ledeen, Stephen Bryen, John Podhoretz, Daniel Pipes), and the academic world (Richard Pipes, Donald Kagan).

end quote......
http://www.vdare.com/misc/macdonald_neoconservatism.htm
Good reading....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism_(United_States)

Grandfather of the NeoCons


Faces every Dem should recognize..They are the enemy of democracy..Have no doubt about that
http://www.csmonitor.com/specials/neocon/index.html

[H2O Man]

10. Good answer.

Knowing the history of the neoconservatives is essential, especially at a time when even Fox News is reporting that there is a belief that some sources of power in Washington are advocating an aggressive policy against Iran.

For a current understanding of the risks involved, it is important to study the neocon spy/AIPAC scandal, which involves plans for aggressive military actions in Iran.

[mdmc]

11. hope this is helpful

conservative = small government, restrictive social morals (can be democrat or republican party members).

republicans = the grand old party. Basically the democratic party, with tax cuts for the rich.

neocons = a sect within the GOP. I think of them as war profiteers and fear mongers. They have empire on their mind. Policy is faith based. Evil.

democrats = pretty much the same as the GOP, but unquestionably pro choice.

liberal = big government (as opposed to conservatives), tolerant social morals.

progressive = tolerant social values, want intelligent government policy, as opposed to faith based policy. Tries to avoid looking "big government or liberal", but advocates solutions that are inherently big government.

Hope this helps...

[B Calm]

12. Republicans = Corporate Freedom and Individual Responsiblity

Democrats = Corporate Responsiblity and Individual Freedom

It's that simple! Next time a republican asks you this question, you now have a very simple to understand reply for their simple little minds!

[mdmc]

13. I like it

peace

[B Calm]

14. It's simple and right to the point..

[SomewhereOutThere424]

15. The difference?

Nothing really. I mean, if you give into stereotypes you'd basically lost your own battle. My best friend is republican, and I hate the republican party (since bush took office so does he). I'm a democrat, but because of the poor way of handling what could easily be the greatest sense of victory over the republicans and giving them time to cover up their scandals, they're missing their window.

There are quick witted senators at either side, and then the pitch voiced psychopathic idiots for either side. In predominance, the republicans feel like they've become god. The democrats act like they need to pay penance to god, while even though fighting him.

When you have democrats, liberals, who support higher taxes on the poor and lower taxes on the rich, animal abuse, the right to torture and pro war, I really don't know the difference. I came here thinking it would be a retreat from that. Am I taken in by a facade of quick-posting freepers? I dunno...people are people. We're all capable of being convoluted or simple, stupid or smart, kind or mean...I've taken some pretty nasty blows siding with people simply due to their political affiliations.

When you realize liberal and conservative mean nothing, I think you can find enough allies through individual basics to support a good party. It's just more conveniant in the end to pretend that because someone is of a party, they stand for ______. I used to think that democrats more or less stood up for the environment. HAH. They stand up when it's conveniant, and republicans never sit down. Plain and simple.

[B Calm]

16. Well I guess we just stay home and quit voting...