What is the deal with the "democrat" or "democratic" party thing?

[Smith_3]

I know democrats get pissed of when republicans say "democrat party". This whole subject appears to me to be of elementary school level. Is this really the immature name-calling thing that it looks like or is there more to it?

[mmonk]

1. Because Democrat party was used in the past as a slur when Republicans

lost their minds in the past such as with McCarthy.

[tavalon]

2. It's as juvemile as it seems.

[polichick]

3. The Republican intention is to disrespect - that's the real issue.

[PretzelWarrior]

4. HERE'S THE deal on that.

You got a bunch of Republicans around a table saying, "Hey, we got nothing but loads of shit. How are we supposed to get the public to buy it?"

In walk GOP strategists like Frank Luntz who say you gotta finesse the language. Whatever you want that is bad...label in a way that doesn't sound so offputting. Estate tax becomes "death tax". Clear cutting trees becomes "Healthy FOrests", etc. ALso demonize the others who have better ideas even in how you refer to them.

So....they say Democrat party because they think it leaves in people's minds the notion of "Rat" instead of DEMOCRATIC which sounds like a pretty nice thing.

So, after all that.....yeah. it's pretty grade school, and their dipshit followers love parroting it like they were just given a shiny toy to play with.

[Smith_3]

5. Ah, it sounds like "rat". Now I get it.

Thanks. Pretty dumb.

[knixphan]

43. Exactly

Was just reading about that technique in 'Cracking the Code'

[Ikonoklast]

6. Never let your opponent define who you are, or what you call yourself.

It's the Democratic Party, period. Anything else is just childish attempts at name-calling by grown-ups that make themselves look foolish and petty every time they say 'Democrat' Party. It is simply a way they use to demean Democrats.

I would call them on it every single time, as they have no real explanation as to why they do it except as an insult and a bullying tactic. They backpedal every time they get called on it.


It is a right-wing meme used by the true believers. Cantor, Limbaugh, Delay, the radio shouters, all the usual lock-step idealogue assholes use it.

[elizfeelinggreat]

12. Yes! Calling them on it

is an excellent way of pointing out they're being ignorant or malevolent.

If they are called on it every time people will understand what they're all about.

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. the immature name-calling thing that it looks like - pure and simple - should be a non-issue

.
.
.

Someone wants to call me Canuk, whitey, honkey and so on

doesn't bother me!

Cuz I'm a white Canuk!,

and if some want to try to aggravate me with name-calling -

I do not return in kind - no need

the name calling doesn't really bother me

BECAUSE I KNOW WHO I AM

I do not need pleasantries from others to be secure

Call me what you want - even the 4 letter words don't bother me much

They reflect on the issuer more than on the recipient methinks

SO

go for it

[mwb970]

8. Let's just call them the "Republic Party" and call it even.

It makes no sense, I know. But if our members in Congress and Dem pundits on TV just routinely spoke of the "Republic Party" every single time, what would happen?

[Lex]

27. They evolved from the "Know Nothing" Party, so maybe we should call them

by that?

[elocs]

9. I am certainly not going to place myself in the position of judging everyone's intentions.

I know I wouldn't want that done with me. Some may deliberately mean something by it, some may not just because of grammatical ignorance. After all they know they are Republicans and belong to the Republican Party, so why wouldn't Democrats belong to the Democrat Party? I realize there are some who feel the need to demonize everything and anything said or done by a Republican, but a lot of that ends up being hyperbole (reading comprehension time: I said "a lot" not "all", but ultimately, who knows?). Besides, with such petty stuff how is it ever a good idea to wave a flag and let them know, "Hey, this pisses me off!" That never works well.

[DeepBlueC]

10. but they can't defend it

and they know what they are doing.

[elocs]

16. The ones who know what they are doing know they are doing it. I don't for certain.

I think it is stupid to make a big deal out of it and simply let them know it bugs or pisses people off. Knowing that, they'll do it more (the ones who know they are doing it) and how can you stop them? Kids are exactly the same.

[DeepBlueC]

17. because they also want to make it a standard for news readers

Never let your opponent define you. Poltical battles are fought on a lot of fronts simultaneously.

[elocs]

32. This all sounds so noble, but there are way more important things to our undies in a bind over.

I didn't realize this was such an important battle front. Actually I didn't realize it was a battle front at all.

[DeepBlueC]

35. we can walk and chew gum at the sme time

If it's not your thing, ignore it, walk away, but don't stand around and hurl insults at those who do care. You've got to get out there and take care of those economics ... don't waste your precious time putting people down over this.

[elocs]

37. I'll pass, but I think you've found your calling.

I still consider this to be way, way down the list of things that are of concern.

[bdamomma]

11. it has always been referred to the Democratic Party.

not Democrat Party, that is plain offensive and rude, but then again, the Republicans do not know any better.

[baldguy]

13. Its as if your name was "John" and the guy you're negotiating with keeps calling you "Jim".

[Ikonoklast]

21. Believe it or not, that *is* a tactic used in adversarial negotiations.

Deliberately using the wrong name of an adversary is a way to game the person across the table. It grates on his nerves, gets him upset and angry, and takes his head out of the game.

I knew a guy that did that in contract negotiations on a regular basis. He was unfailingly apologetic when corrected, but not one hour later he would do it again. You could almost see the vein on the other guy's forehead start to throb whenever he did it.

[baldguy]

31. When was the last time you saw a GOPer apologize?

For anything?

[Ikonoklast]

34. Oh, he wasn't a Puke.

He was the union guy.

He made Ivy League lawyers question why they got into Labor Law in the first place.

[tangent90]

14. It is the single most terrifying and consequential issue confronting the planet.

Nothing else matters.

[baldguy]

15. It means the Republicans aren't ready to handle serious problems that face this country.

They act like six yr olds, but they have the power to destroy the planet.

Pretty terrifying, if you ask me.

[tangent90]

28. It's just a juvenile affectation that does us no harm. I laugh for a millisecond then ignore it.

Whining over the small shit isn't my style. (It's all small shit anyway :D)

[DeepBlueC]

36. and why do people make such a big deal about the "n" word...?

Words are so trivial :sarcasm:

[DeepBlueC]

18. so we can only deal with one issue...?

Which one do you pick?

[tangent90]

22. Economy in the toilet comes to mind.

:shrug:

[DeepBlueC]

30. I'd like to ge a few more things done while we are at it

And I think one of President Obama's stated intentions was to restore a climate of mutual respect and I don't think it is prohibitively exhausting of our energies to ask that they set this thing right. It's like saying "you got your civil rights...what's all the big deal about the word 'nigger' ... is that so important?" I think we know that it is.

[Lex]

23. Best strawman ever.

nt

[tangent90]

26. Er, I don't think that word means what you think it means.

:D

[Lex]

29. "Presenting a misrepresentation of the opponent's position and then refuting it . . . "

The OP's position never was "It is the single most terrifying and consequential issue confronting the planet."

To say that it is constructs a strawman, which is easy to refute.

Look it up.

[tangent90]

41. Sarcasm. Not the same thing at all.

Bye.

[Lex]

42. Nice save

:thumbsup:

[knixphan]

46. it does fit the definition of strawman...

Even if maybe not intended that way

[Nye Bevan]

39. LOL

I'm always astounded by how many people here get their panties into such a bunch over the letters "i" and "c". Words of wisdom from my late mother: if you let it bother you, they'll keep doing it.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. It arises from the "Nyaah, Nyaah" school of political discourse.

[WI_DEM]

20. I liked it in the 19th and early 20th century when Democrats referred to themselves as

"The Democracy". I cringe when republicans call us the democrat party because I know they mean it with disrespect.

[upi402]

24. childish semantics from the propagandists

It does work cuz we are cattle, many of us anyway.

[demokatgurrl]

25. It started in the Gingrich/DICK Armey era

As a slur, they started calling it the Democrat party. And foolishly, a lot of Democrats adopted it. I have even been sent bumper stickers by DemocratIC organizations that use the term (and I return them with a nice note).

[MrPerson]

33. Actually earlier - McCarthy in the 50's

[Donald Ian Rankin]

38. It's purely a signalling game.

Democrats get annoyed at Republicans referring to the Democrat party rather than the Democratic party because it's a deliberate insult, and Republicans refer to the Democrat party rather than the Democratic party as a way of insulting and annoying Democrats.

[LostInAnomie]

40. It separates the people in the party from the label "Democratic".

The word "democratic" conjures ideas of equal representation, a level playing field, and a chance for even the poorest man to be seen as an equal to the richest. Essentially, all the things that are right with our type of government.

The word "democrat" doesn't conjure up those visions though. For half the country a "democrat" is an evil thing or a politician looking to do some harm.

When they throw the word "democrat" out to describe our party, they are effectively trying to separate the grand ideals that come with the word "democratic" and replace them with a word describing individuals that at least 50% of the country has been trained to hate.

[iamthebandfanman]

44. exactly

its totally because Democratic is a positively thought of wording...

[knixphan]

47. Perfect. Spot on!

[Shakespeare]

45. 1. It's grammatically incorrect

2. It's a deliberate attempt by the right to diminish and belittle the party.

Some background for you:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200608160005

[Vinca]

48. Here's a good article that describes "Democrat" party -

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/08/07/060807ta_talk_hertzberg

[noamnety]

49. It's like calling people "illegals" instead of illegal immigrants. (nt)