What's the difference between a conservative and a republican?

A friend of mine says that they aren't the same thing.

About 30 IQ points.

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"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer."

--President-elect Barack Obama
November 5, 2008

lolol

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Don't confuse me with the facts.

Republican = party
conservative = ideology

Republicans have not always been conservatives. At times the GOP has been more liberal than the Democratic Party.
Then again conservatism is a pretty broad, nonspecific, and ever-changing word itself.

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That information is classified and to be given only on a need-to-know basis...

And I do not need to know.

Well...a "Republican" refers to a member of the Republican political party. There are liberal, conservative, statist, centrist, fascist, ugly, pretty, smart, dumb, upstanding, downstanding, fundamentalist Christian, and atheist Republicans. Saying a conservative and a Republican are the same thing is like saying that every type of feline in the world is a Bengal tiger.

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Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under. – H.L. Mencken

I refuse to trade humanity for patriotism.

okay, thanks. i guess that i've noticed many republicans who have some liberal perspectives and many democrats who have some conservative perspectives.

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Don't confuse me with the facts.

wow, that's a very wide spectrum.

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Don't confuse me with the facts.

They don't call 'em umbrella parties for nothin'. Of course, a very narrowly interested group could be in control of the party at any given time.

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Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under. – H.L. Mencken

I refuse to trade humanity for patriotism.

To clarify a bit conservatives represent a set of beliefs. They may or may not be part of the Republican party. But frequently are. (They wouldn't be democrats though they'd either be independents or belong or one of a number of third parties)

Their general positions are:
-fiscal conservatism (lower government spending)
-supply-side economics (make things good for businesses and everyone benifits)
-socially conservative (drugs should stay illegal)
-religiously conservative (no abortion)

That seems pretty Republican and it's why most are. But there are discrepencies. Often related to having to have positions with enough broad appeal to win elections.


For example Bush is a Republican but hasn't been slashing government spending. Granted Democrats wanted to spend even more, but many conservatives still don't like how much the Republicans do.

Also indavidual Republicans often diverge on specific issues. For example McCain is for allowing stem cell research and Romney was (at least for a while) supportive of abortions.

the bush group seems a bit narrow.

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Don't confuse me with the facts.