It's easier than you think!

Question: I am confused over the differences between the Democratic and Republican political parties. I am not a stupid woman. I have graduated from college and work as a professional. I voted in my first two presidential elections in 2000 and 2004. In both cases, I voted for George Bush. My parents would be horrified to know this. They are life long democrats. But I could not bring myself to vote for Al Gore or John Kerry. They both seem like such shallow men. I admit it had nothing to do with political parties; rather, it was simply that I had a hunch that Gore and Kerry were not up to the job. We have an election for U.S. Senate in my state. The democratic candidate comes from a political family of crooks in Memphis. I cannot vote for him. Again, by elimination, I will be voting republican. My parents would have a fit. Can you please explain the differences between the two parties? Can you do it in a way that is easy to understand? Lori M., Jackson, Tennessee.
Answer: Lori, there are several things to address from your question. First of all, you should know, and your parents should know, that the democratic party of today is not the democratic party of forty years ago. I have heard it said that if John Kennedy were coming along today, he most likely would be a republican. Your parents need to reevaluate why they vote democratic. Lori, perhaps you have heard the saying "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Simply put, this describes the difference between the democratic party and the republican party. The democratic party gives a man a fish. The republican party teaches the man how to fish. Also, look at how the democratic party has positioned itself. When someone good happens to America, it is bad for the democrats. When something bad happens to America, it is good for the democrats. For me, that is simply a terrible position for a political party to place itself. Like you, I felt I had no choice but to vote for Bush in the last two elections. Does that make me a republican? Since then, I have voted for a democrat for Governor of my state. Does that make me a democrat? Like you, Lori, I try to vote for the best person for the position. I think your woman's intuition (your hunch) has done you well. I am familiar with the Senate race in your state and think that you have come to a wise decision. In the last 25 years, I think that history will prove that the republicans, on a national level, have been far superior at handling the welfare of our nation than the democrats. The democratic party has been taken over by extreme liberal leftists and special interest groups. This has not been a positive either for the party or our nation. The reason, Lori, that it may seem confusing to you at times is because the three traditional television networks and nearly all of the large newspaper operations are also liberal leftists. They report the news with a liberal slant. They have a perspective that is the same as the democratic party. But the truth is out there. And it always works its way to the surface. It may takes years sometimes but the truth has a way of making itself known. An example of what I am referring to is Bill Clinton. He had always been the media's guy. But I am convinced that history will record his presidency as most likely the worst one of the 20th century. In some cases, we simply have to rely on our "hunches" and hope for the best.