Manuel Said:

More Republican Members being elected even though our President is a democrat?

We Answered:

It isn't really a surprising outcome, the same thing happened to Bill Clinton in '94 and to George Bush (democratic majority though ^_^) in '06. People often become dissatisfied with whatever party is in control and try to shake things up...

Joy Said:

What exactly is a liberal Republican and a conservative Democrat?

We Answered:

No, those are descriptions of moderates.
A liberal Republican tends to be liberal on both economics and social issues (but almost always is less liberal than a Ted Kennedy, Barney Frank, Nancy Pelosi, etc.) and likewise a conservative Democrat is conservative on both types of issues (but almost always is less conservative than James Inhofe, and so on).

Timothy Said:

Should we try to elect a Democrat president and Republican congresspersons?

We Answered:

The nation always seem to function best when the branches are split. We had 6 years of Republican rule and we seriously over spent. Previous to that we had a Republican Congress and Democratic President the nation did pretty well and recovered from a recession. There are other patterns you could point to, but generally speaking we just do not do well when one party controls everything.

Anne Said:

What is the difference between a Republican and a Democrat?

We Answered:

Republican: Less government programs, public business to control economy, Less Taxation, conservative on issues such as abortion, immigration.

Democrat: More government programs to assist the poor and lower middle class, private business to control economy, more taxation, liberal on issues such as abortion, immigration and especially minorities or people in disadvantage.

Anita Said:

How does Liberal and Conservative relate to Republican and Democrat?

We Answered:

The Democratic party views liberalism as it's ticket to power. They are convinced that this country would be better if were more like Europe.
Rather than bring Europe up to our standard, they see bringing the US down to the Eurpean standard as the easiest and most painless approach toward a CHANGE to a one world, one government order.

Republicans, on the other hand, are not nearly as conservative as everyone thought. Use the primary candidates as your example.
Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo, Tommy Thompson, Fred Thompson, Brownback, Romney, Ron Paul, Gilmore, Huckabee, Giuliani. The more conservative they were, the faster they got knocked out of the primary. John McCain was the least conservative of them all, he is the nominee and gaining momentum in the polls.
The country is going to have to re-think the premise of what a Republican is because it certainly is NOT a dyed in the wool conservative.

Clarence Said:

How do you explain to a young adult the difference between a Democrat and a Republican?

We Answered:

You don't, you let them read up on the issues and make their own decisions. Thats what free will is all about. I am all for EDUCATED voters.

Carrie Said:

How many Democrat and how many Republican presidents have there been since the beginning.?

We Answered:

Republican, at least by most counts.

There have been 18 Republican presidents. Most would count the "Democratic" presidents at 13, or at most 15. (I think 15 is correct, because that was where Tyler & Andrew Johnson's true loyalties lay. Tyler had had a falling out with the Jacksonians; Andrew Johnson was a Democrat, but ran with Lincoln in 1864 on a "Union" party that sought to unite those supporting the Union war effort.)

There are those who argue that the modern Democratic party goes back directly to Thomas Jefferson and includes his three immediate successors. In that case the Democrats would have the largest number elected, if you add in Tyler & A.Johnson. But Jefferson & his successors never called themselves "Democrats". There also was only ONE real party during this period (the early "Federalists" fell apart), out of which BOTH major parties developed. The "Democratic" party started under Jackson. It was opposed by the "Whigs", and then (when the Whigs fell apart over the Kansas disputes of the 1850s) the Republicans (a combination of NORTHERN Whigs and "free soil" Democrats along with a couple of other minor parties).

Below is a list of the presidents, by the PARTY under whose banner they reached office. (Technically there were no parties when Washington first took office, but before his first term ended he was associated with the Federalists.)

Federalist (2)
Washington, John Adams

(Democratic-)Republican (4):
Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, John Q Adams

Whig (3, 4 if we count Tyler)
W.H.Harrison, [Tyler], Taylor, Fillmore

"Union": A.Johnson (actually a Democrat)

Democrat (13 or 15 with Tyler & A.Johnson):
Jackson, VanBuren, (Tyler)
Polk, Pierce, Buchanan,(A.Johnson)
Cleveland, Wilson, F.D.Roosevelt
Truman, Kennedy, L.B.Johnson, Carter, Clinton

Republican (18):
Lincoln, Grant, Hayes, Garfied, Arthur
B.Harrison, McKinley, T.Roosevelt, Taft
Harding, Coolidge, Hoover
Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Reagan
G.H.W. Bush, G. Bush