“The Republicans tend to choose the candidate who came in second place in the last election, and Democrats tend to move on. Ask President Ed Muskie how it worked out to be the front-runner. Ask President Howard Dean how it worked out.” LastsMovingAsksPoliticsPresidentLeadershipComedyFrontsRepublicanElectionStrategyDemocratIdeologyCandidatesRunnersDeanPartisanshipSecond Place Author:Brian Schweitzer
“I view the United States, today, much like East Berlin. And I'm off the grid. I've tried for 20 years to warn the country about the Democrats and Republicans, and nobody's listening.” YearsCountryStatesTodayPoliticalPoliticsCommunityUnitedViewsPartyTechnologyUnited StatesDemocracyGenerationsPolicyListeningRepublicanEthicsDemocratHuman RightsIndividualityTerrorismEastIdeologyFree SpeechPolitical PartiesDisobedienceBerlinCivil DisobedienceGridsEast Berlin Author:Jesse Ventura
“Imagine if, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Gulf Coast residents had to wait on Democrats and Republicans to agree on cuts before receiving clean water or loans to rebuild. Congress’ negotiations often come slow or not at all.” IfsWaitingWaterCuttingImagineRepublicanAgreeCleanDemocratCongressReceivingCoastNegotiationLoanHurricanesResidentsAftermathKatrinaClean WaterHurricane Katrina Author:Cedric Richmond
“I ask you ... to recognize that AIDS virus is not a political creature. It does not care whether you are Democrat or Republican; it does not ask whether you are black or white, male or female, gay or straight, young or old.” DoeCareYoungPoliticalAsksBlackWhiteHealthRepublicanGayCreaturesFemaleDemocratMalesAidsVirusesBlack Or White Author:Mary Fisher
“Two-thirds of the Iranian people would like to be reconciled with the West. They don't like the fanaticism of the governing religious council. It's the only place in the world where the last six elections have been won by the more progressive candidate, two for president, two for the mayors, two for the parliament. So most people there are sympathetic to the world we Americans want to build, whether we're Republicans or Democrats. On the other hand, almost everybody there wants them to have nuclear power. They see it as a status symbol, and a sense of their own security.” PeopleWorldWantHas BeensTwoHandsLastsPresidentReligiousSecurityRepublicanSixThirdsElectionWestDemocratNuclearSymbolsCandidatesProgressiveParliamentCouncilGoverningFanaticismSympatheticMayorsPlaces In The WorldIranianNuclear PowerStatus Symbol Author:William J. Clinton
“So we, Democrats, have a responsibility there, every one of us, both to try to treat the Republicans with respect and as human beings to try to work with them on every issue we can, and then if those cannons are fired at us, we've got to stand up and fight back. If you lay down and you look like a deer caught in the headlights, then you will confirm the assault. And so we have to fight back.” IfsTryingHumansLooksFightingHuman BeingsResponsibilityIssuesRepublicanTreatsDown AndLaysDemocratCaughtAssaultDeerCannonsHeadlights Author:William J. Clinton
“When I was in office I expressed admiration and respect and even affection for Republicans that I knew and liked and cared about, and I tried to find ways to work with them. I think the Democrats should do that, and just keep trying to lower the temperature.” ThinkingWayShouldTryingRepublicanOfficeDemocratAffectionAdmirationTemperatureKeep TryingAdmiration And Respect Author:William J. Clinton
“According to today's Los Angeles Times, Gray Davis now gets negative job ratings from white people, black people, Latinos, Republicans, Independents and even Democrats. Say what you want about the guy but he's a uniter!” PeopleWantTodayJobsGuyBlackWhiteRepublicanNegativeDemocratWhat You WantLos AngelesGrayBlack PeopleLatinoRating Author:Jay Leno
“Republicans are obsessed with abortion...if they really wanted to protect the weakest, most helpless people, wouldn't they protect the Democrats?” PeopleIfsWantedRepublicanProtectDemocratObsessedAbortionHelpless Author:Bill Maher
“This is my favorite story of the week. The Republican National Committee is in trouble after spending nearly $2,000 at a bondage club in Hollywood. You know what I call a Republican who spends a lot of money in a strip club? A Democrat.” KnowsStoriesTroubleWeekRepublicanHollywoodDemocratMy FavoriteClubsSpendingLots Of MoneyCommitteesBondage Author:Jay Leno
“When it comes to standing up for veterans, we cannot be the Republicans and Democrats, we have to be the red, white, and blue party.” WhitePartyRepublicanRedStandingBlueDemocratVeteranRed White And Blue Author:Barbara Mikulski
“Republicans are now saying that Dan Rather should lose his job because he misled the country with bogus information. Which is odd because the Democrats are saying the exact same thing about President Bush.” ShouldCountryJobsPresidentLosesInformationRepublicanDemocratOddPresident BushMisled Author:Jay Leno
“Have you noticed how the Republicans and Democrats try to copy each other at their conventions. Like at the Democratic convention John Kerry's daughter told a story about how he once gave CPR to her hamster. At the Republican convention the Bush girls are going to tell a story about how when their hamster was bad, their dad built them a little electric chair.” TryingLittlesStoriesGirlDadRepublicanDaughterBuiltDemocraticDemocratChairsCopiesConventionsElectricJohn KerryHamstersElectric ChairCpr Author:Jay Leno
“In the US, voters cast ballots for individual candidates who are not bound to any party program except rhetorically, and not always then. Some Republicans are more liberal than some Democrats, some libertarians are more radical than some socialists, and many local candidates run without any party identification. No American citizen can vote intelligently without knowledge of the ideas, political background, and commitments of each individual candidate.” IdeasRunningPoliticalIndividualPartyCitizensRepublicanCommitmentProgramVoteDemocratBoundsCastsLibertarianBackgroundsLocalsRadicalCandidatesVotersBallotsIdentificationAmerican Citizens Author:Ben Bagdikian
“Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work, and then they get elected and prove it.” GovernmentPartyRepublicanProveDemocratProve It Author:P. J. O'Rourke
“So what if I don't agree with the Democrats? What's to disagree with? They believe everything. And what they don't believe, the Republicans do. Neither of them stands for anything they believe in, anyway.” IfsBelievePoliticalPartyRepublicanAgreeDemocratDon't BelieveWhat IfDisagreePolitical Parties Author:P. J. O'Rourke
“Republicans define freedom as an absence of restraints imposed by government. Democrats define freedom as an absence of necessity, which government exists to reduce. America has not moved as far as it thinks it has beyond the argument about the New Deal, when FDR insisted, "Necessitous men are not free men."” ThinkingMenGovernmentAmericaPoliticalDealsPartyRepublicanArgumentMovedDemocratAbsenceRestraintPolitical PartiesFree ManNew Deal Author:George Will
“In Sumter and other counties [in South Carolina] the whites are resorting to intimidation and violence to prevent the colored people from organizing for the elections. The division there is still on the color line. Substantially all the whites are Democrats and all the colored people are Republicans. There is no political principle in dispute between them. The whites have the intelligence, the property, and the courage which make power. The negroes are for the most part ignorant, poor, and timid. My view is that the whites must be divided there before a better state of things will prevail.” PeopleStillsStatesPoliticalPoliticsLinesPoorViewsPrinciplesViolenceColorRepublicanRelationElectionPropertyDemocratSouthIgnorantAfrican AmericanDivisionDividedDisputesRace RelationsCountyCarolinaIntimidationSouth Carolina Author:Rutherford B. Hayes
“The men and women of America's homeland security apparatus do important work to protect us, and Republicans and Democrats in Congress should not be playing politics with that.” MenShouldImportantAmericaPoliticsSecurityHe ManRepublicanProtectMen And WomenDemocratCongressHomelandHomeland SecurityImportant Work Author:Barack Obama
“Over the last few years a lot of people have become aware of the inequities in the criminal justice system, right now, with our overall crime rate and incarceration rate both falling, we're at a moment when some good people in both parties, Republicans and Democrats and folks all across the country, are coming up with ideas to make the system work smarter and better.” PeopleYearsIdeasCountryMomentsLastsFallJusticePartyCrimeRepublicanRight NowDemocratRateFolksCriminalsGood PeopleSmarterJustice SystemCriminal JusticeIncarcerationCriminal Justice SystemCrime Rates Author:Barack Obama
“In my view, Democrats and Republicans work together too little, and I would try to change that if I got to be president. And when it came to radical Islam, I would go after them before they come back here again.” IfsTryingLittlesTogetherPresidentChangeViewsRepublicanDemocratIslamRadicalWorking TogetherRadical Islam Author:Lindsey Graham
“If you're white and wealthy, Texas is a great place, however, no Texas governor Republican or Democrat is eager to raise taxes and without that you can't expand access to health care or decrease the cost of higher education.” IfsCareWhiteEducationHealthHigherRepublicanCostTaxesRaisesDemocratAccessHealth CareWealthyTexasGovernorsDecreaseHigher Education Author:Calvin Jillson
“It would be naïve to suggest the Iranian regime will not continue to use its nuclear program, and any economic relief, to further destabilize the region, in the weeks ahead, Republicans and Democrats in Congress will continue to press the Obama administration on the details of these parameters and the tough questions that remain unanswered. We will stand strong on behalf of the American people and everyone in the Middle East who values freedom, security, and peace.” PeopleUseWould BeValuesStrongPeaceFreedomWeekEconomicMiddleSecurityRepublicanToughProgramPressesDemocratCongressDetailsEastNuclearAdministrationReliefRegionsRegimesMiddle EastBehalfIranianParametersUnansweredStand StrongTough Questions Author:John Boehner
“American Action Network should be spending their money to try and get those Democrats to change the votes, not beating up on Republicans in the House.” ShouldTryingActionHouseChangeRepublicanVoteDemocratSpending Author:Mick Mulvaney
“I would rather keep all the levels lower and stick to the sequester, but there are people in leadership who live outside of reality and want to increase things that Republicans like and pretend Democrats don't exist.” PeopleWantRealityLeadershipLevelsRepublicanIncreaseSticksDemocrat Author:Justin Amash
“One of the great joys this year and the year before has been how all of the people in this body, men and women, Republicans and Democrats, have worked together so well with our chairman and the chairman of the full committee to address the issues of housing for our soldiers.” PeopleMenYearsWellsHas BeensBodyTogetherJoyIssuesRepublicanMen And WomenDemocratSoldierAddressesCommitteesHousingChairmanGreat Joy Author:Robin Hayes
“Democrats and Republicans alike support our military personnel.” SupportMilitaryRepublicanDemocratPersonnelMilitary Personnel Author:John Spratt
“A lot of the Republican rhetoric better than the Democrats'. But when they're in office, it's pretty much the same thing. It's serving their supporters, it's corporate welfare, it's cronyism which is so destructive, particularly to the disadvantaged.” RepublicanOfficeDemocratCorporateWelfareDestructiveServingRhetoricSupporterDisadvantagedCronyism Author:Charles Koch
“I'm able to be very effective because I'm not a Democrat, I'm not a Republican. So, I'm not tied, and I'd never want to be tied to anything, to some constituency that I would have to answer to.” WantAbleAnswersRepublicanDemocratTied Author:Angelina Jolie
“I think God has blessed us. He has blessed the Republican Party with some very good candidates. The Democrats can't even find one.” ThinkingPartyRepublicanBlessedDemocratVery GoodCandidatesRepublican Party Author:Marco Rubio
“It doesn't actually make any difference whether the President is Republican or Democrat. The genius of the American ruling class is that it has been able to make the people think that they have had something to do with the electing of presidents for 200 years when they've had absolutely nothing to say about the candidates or the policies or the way the country is run.” PeopleThinkingWayYearsHas BeensCountryRunningAblePresidentDifferencesClassPolicyGeniusRepublicanDemocratCandidatesRulingAbsolutely Nothing Author:Gore Vidal
“Heaven's sakes, there's only one party which I call the Property Party. It's got two wings. One is called the "Republican" and one is called "Democratic." It is the same party so it makes no difference whether a Democrat's elected or a Republican's elected. The ownership remains the same.” TwoHeavenDifferencesPartyRepublicanRemainsWingsPropertyDemocraticDemocratSakeOwnership Author:Gore Vidal
“I was a middle-of-the-road Democrat more than anything else. I know I voted for Carter. Watergate taught me how bad the Republicans were.” KnowsMiddleTaughtRepublicanDemocratCarterWatergateMiddle Of The Road Author:Dave Barry
“What's insulting to the American people, the Senate, to this whole process is that the Republicans, with all other nominees, have said Democrats are being obstructionist for wanting to see documents, for wanting to see a paper trail, for wanting to get questions answered in the judiciary committee hearings, and now all of a sudden, the Republicans want those things for this.” PeopleWantSaidWholeProcessRepublicanPaperDemocratHearingSenateDocumentsCommitteesTrailsInsultingJudiciary Author:Rachel Maddow
“We do need brothers and sisters to go into elected offices and political offices and do that, but my spirit is telling me something different. Because you are a Democrat or Republican you have to do this but you can't do that and so it's somewhat limiting in what you can actually do and I've done that.” NeedsDifferentDonePoliticalSpiritBrotherRepublicanOfficeDemocratBrothers And Sisters Author:Kwame Kilpatrick
“What does it mean when Republicans and Democrats alike warn us about the 'pain' involved in cutting government spending - in their spending less of our money? For the average citizen, what pain is there in his keeping more of his money to invest it the way he wants? Taxes cost people. Tax cuts do not cost government.” PeopleWayWantMeanDoeGovernmentPainPoliticalPoliticsCuttingCitizensInvolvedRepublicanCostTaxesDemocratAverageSpendingTax CutsGovernment SpendingSpending Less Author:Theodore J. Forstmann
“This is not the time for partisan bickering. This is not the time for politics as usual. Some of us are Democrats. Some of us are Republicans. Some of us are Independents. Above all, we must be Oklahomans first.” FirstsRepublicanDemocratUsualPartisansBickeringOklahomans Author:Brad Henry
“Republicans are horrible with civil liberties, and not so good with dollars and cents. Democrats are horrible with dollars and cents, and not so good with civil liberties.” LibertyRepublicanDollarsDemocratHorribleCentsCivil Liberties Author:Gary Johnson
“So is there a difference between Democrats and Republicans? Sure. The Democrats say one thing ("Save the planet!") and then do another--quietly holding hands behind the scenes with the bastards who make this world a dirtier, meaner place. The Republicans just come right out and give the bastards a corner office in the West Wing. That's the difference.” WorldGivingHandsDifferencesBehindsOne ThingThis WorldPlanetsRepublicanSceneOfficeWingsWestDemocratCornersBehind The ScenesHolding HandsSave The Planet Author:Michael Moore
“There is no alternative. A Democrat is a Republican is a big businessman, and we're all consumers instead of citizens. It just manifests in the culture, in the music, in the art. I feel a little panicky about it.” FeelsLittlesArtBigsCultureCitizensRepublicanDemocratAlternativesConsumersBusinessmanBig Business Author:Ani DiFranco
“We're Catholics before we're Democrats. We're Catholics before we're Republicans. We're even Catholics before we're Americans, because we know that God has a demand on us prior to any government demand on us. And this has been the story of the martyrs through the centuries.” KnowsHas BeensStoriesGovernmentCenturyRepublicanDemandCatholicDemocratMartyr Author:Charles J. Chaput
“One of the problems with evangelicalism is that it has allowed itself to be married to the Republican party... Jesus is not a Republican. Nor is he a Democrat.” ProblemJesusPartyRepublicanMarriedDemocratRepublican PartyBeing Married Author:Tony Campolo
“...the best definition that I heard of that is that a bureaucrat is a Democrat who has a job that a Republican wants.” WantJobsHeardRepublicanDemocratDefinitionsBureaucrats Author:Alben W. Barkley
“It's an old story; it's as old as our history. The difference between Democrats and Republicans has always been measured in courage and confidence. The Republicans believe that the wagon train will not make it to the frontier unless some of the old, some of the young, some of the weak, are left behind by the side of the trail. The strong, the strong they tell us, will inherit the land. We Democrats believe in something else. We Democrats believe that we can make it all the way with the whole family intact, and we have more than once.” WayBelieveWholeStoriesYoungLeftStrongSidesDifferencesBehindsLandRepublicanWeakTrainDemocratTrailsLeft BehindFrontiersWhole FamilyWagons Author:Mario Cuomo
“There may not be much difference between Democrats and Republicans anymore.” MayDifferencesRepublicanDemocrat Author:Tom Daschle
“The military taught me that teamwork is important, which is why I work with both Republicans and Democrats in Congress to get things done. It also taught me that everyone brings a different perspective, whether I agree with it or not, which helps me bridge the divide in Congress.” ImportantDifferentDoneHelpingMilitaryTaughtPerspectiveRepublicanAgreeDemocratCongressBridgesHelp MeTeamworkDividesThings DoneDifferent Perspective Author:Steve Stivers
“You're more likely to vote Democratic if you hate Republicans than if you love Democrats, and vice versa.” IfsHateRepublicanVoteDemocraticDemocratVicesVice Versa Author:Kevin Drum
“Republican voters already hated Democrats so much that [Bill] Clinton and [Barack] Obama didn't really have much impact.” RepublicanImpactBillsClintonDemocratBarackHatedVoters Author:Kevin Drum
“Apparently the Republican base got radicalized first, and Democrats picked up the ball later. Or something.” FirstsRepublicanBallsDemocrat Author:Kevin Drum
“With all our differences, whenever we are confronted with a threat to our security we are not then Republicans or Democrats but Americans; we are not then the fifty states but the United States.” StatesDifferencesUnitedUnited StatesSecurityRepublicanThreatDemocratFifty Author:Richard M. Nixon