How to Decide if You're a Republican

The Republican Party platform states that it's seeking to restore prosperity and moral clarity. These values - along with the desire to provide tax relief for economic growth - are reflected in various issues listed below. By considering them, you may be able to better determine your own political affiliation.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Radios
• Radios
• Televisions
• Newspaper Subscriptions

1. Decide how you feel about taxes. Republicans generally support lower taxes across the board, which means they tend to favor lower spending on most government programs.

2. Judge your dedication to individual rights. The Republican Party honors individual property rights and promotes the shifting of power to local communities and away from centralized government.

3. Assess your feelings about gun control. The Republican Party opposes strong gun control legislation and supports the individual's right to bear arms.

4. Decide your position on crime. Republicans generally push for strong enforcement and tough laws against drug traffic and juvenile crime.

5. Take a stand on defense. The Republican Party promotes a strong national defense.

6. Consider your feelings about abortion. The Republican platform is pro-life, while Democrats tend to support a pro-choice position.

7. Get on the Republican Web sites and read the platform. If you find that you agree with the party's stand on most issues, you are probably a Republican.

8. Listen to the candidates during an election year, or follow the voting record on a state or national level. If you agree with the Republican votes, you are most likely a Republican.

Tips & Warnings

• Opposing political parties may actually agree on certain principles and issues, while there is some disagreement within parties on issues such as abortion.
• Watch political TV programs on C-SPAN, Fox News and CNN to get an idea of how the two parties differ, or read the political sections of "The New York Times," "The Wall Street Journal" or other national newspapers. Most are available online.
• Being affiliated with one party does not disqualify you from voting for a candidate from the opposing party, except in some states' primary elections.
• If you register for one political party and find you are not happy, you can change your affiliation later.
• Voters should familiarize themselves with several party platforms before voting or registering with a party.

[yprnyhow]

on 3/6/2009 I am a "DINO", (Democrat in name only)and conservative like hell, but I don't believe that drugs ought to be illegal, nor should suiside be for that matter. Surprise, I do not smoke anything. I don't even have a single asperin in my medicin cabinet. If we can't muster up the fortitude to de-criminalize drugs for the sake of liberty, then we ought to do it for the sake of effectiveness. I am not ignoring reasonable exceptions to the rule.It is ineffective to try to stamp out the drug trade by punishment. Here is why: it is a fool who believes that even the most brutal government would match the punishment that drug traders exact on each other, withouth even putting a dent on the trade. Tell me fools; would the government exicute an entire family including infants, as punishment for trading drugs? The drug lords do this all the time.So then fools, if we can't even imagine a punishment

on 9/8/2008 If you believe that government should be accountable to the people, not the people to the government...then you are a Republican! If you believe a person should be treated as an individual, not as a member of an interest group...then you are a Republican! If you believe your family knows how to spend your money better than the government does...then you are a Republican! If you believe our educational system should be held accountable for the progress of our children...then you are a Republican! If you believe this country, not the United Nations, is the best hope of democracy in the world...then you are a Republican! And, ladies and gentlemen, if you believe we must be fierce and relentless and terminate terrorism...then you are a Republican!

There is another way you can tell you're a Republican. You have faith in free enterprise, faith in the resourcefulness of the American people, and faith in the U.S. economy.

on 9/8/2008 Of course, we support an individual's right to vote. What we DON'T support is cheating by changing the rules after the fact.

on 9/8/2008 Apparently Republicans don't support individual rights in Florida. What about the right to vote? I would think that would be pretty basic.
(This was in answer to tip number two on how to be a Republican.)

on 9/8/2008 Share your views with others on the issues, but don't be judgmental of others if they don't hold views similar to your own. A wise man once said, "I may not agree with what you say, but I would fight to the death for your right to say it."