How many people here call the Democratic party, the Democrat party?

[TeacherCreature]

If you do, why? Do you think other democrats call our party the democrat party and if so, do you think it is okay?

I am suspicious of people who use the term because I think it is something thought up in a right wing think tank and preached by assholes like Rush and Hannity. So I would like to know if other democrats and independents/greens disagree with me and why.

[MikeG]

1. The Chimp said it the other day to the National Urban League.

Now I hate him.

[EstimatedProphet]

2. I do not

and I tend to agree; somehow it sounds negative to me.

[wyldwolf]

3. one of the ways we spot trolls is their use of "democrat party."

They might come is and say "Bill Clinton is a god" but if they say "Bill Clinton is a god of the democrat party" we know they're faking.

[TeacherCreature]

7. that is what I think too

Maybe we shouldn't be tipping them off. But I would be happy never to hear it or see it in print again.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. IMHO

"Democrat Party" doesn't sound right, as if one has made a mistake in grammar. It makes as much sense as calling the other side the "Republic Party".

[CaTeacher]

5. I don't use it myself, (because it is not the proper word)

but I have heard it in very common usage. Prior to the discussion the other day (which opened my eyes) I assumed that people were just getting lazy in their use of the language.

From now on, I am going to point the mistake out to people (although I have noticed that newscasters used the term--and even our pResident, so it is going to be an uphill battle).

[CO Liberal]

6. Those That Do, Aren't Here For Long

"Democrat Party" is a phrase invented by Rush Limbaugh. Anyone who uses it instantly identified themselves as a mindless dittohead who only parrots what Limbaugh tells them to say.

[Toucano]

12. That's only partly true.

Some life-long Democrats have used Democrat Party well before Rush.

It's just confusion over the part of speech in some cases, although Rush's quest to use it as an insult is catching hold.

For example, after a storm I might say, "The electricity went out because of the weather." My neighbor would say, "The electric went out because of the weather." I'd be thinking, "The electic what? Can opener...electric oven??"

I would use "electric" only as the adjective and "electricity" as the noun.

My neighbor uses "electic" in all instances and never says "electricity".

He also says "Democrat candidate" and "Democrat party" and uses "democratic" only to describe things related to democracy.

You and I know that "Democratic" is the adjective that modifies "party", "candidate", "platform", etc. and "Democrat" is the noun for a person who is a member of the Democratic Party.

Long story short, some people who say Democrat party don't intend it to have the same effect that Rush and the freeps do; they just a regional or colloquial thing.

[TeacherCreature]

15. okay, but I have never heard it before the last few years

[Toucano]

20. I understand

Most people wouldn't have any way of knowing about quirky regionalisms. Some of them frustrate me a little.

[GCP]

8. It's shorthand - for the democRAT party

It started after the 2000 (s)election on the public message boards like MSNBC. We were even called "demoncRATS".

It's a complete giveaway of a lurker - maybe I shouldn't have said that!

[NightOwwl]

9. We can return the favor

"Party of the Republic". That brings up some interesting connotations.

[TeacherCreature]

10. hey that is a good idea

I was searching for just that thing, thank you!

[amber dog democrat]

11. never

That's a Republican thing. I don't have a clue how it started or the connotations, but the ones who use that term, don't mean us well.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

13. This Is Easy....

Some Repugs call the Democratic party the Democrat party because they want to emphasize the Democratic party is not democratic....

[TeacherCreature]

16. yes exactly

I have a good friend who died several months ago. When we were talking about his obit, his republican sister wanted to put "he was an active member of the democrat party" in the paper. When I told her that the proper name was Democratic Party, she ARGUED WITH ME. I think she knew it would be offensive to her brother and because of so many years of Rush brain washing she ARGUED WITH ME ANYWAY. I couldn't believe it. I was very upset and I was hurt for my friend. I love her dearly but on the topic of politics she and her husband are complete freeper types.

[KC21304]

14. I remember reading somewhere that Newt started it.

But I have no idea if that is true.

[TeacherCreature]

17. Interesting

I want to make sure I am not being unfair to people who use the term, but I don't think I am.

[Pepperbelly]

18. the assholes started doing it in the mid-90s. nt

[Kurt Remarque]

19. tried and true underhanded regug insult for many years

demean a name by mispronouncing it

[Taylor Mason Powell]

21. Here's an interesting thing...

If you pay attention, you'll notice that the BBC is often guilty of saying/printing "Democrat" as an adjective, as in "democrat party." Very very irritating. Someone needs to make them stop.

[snippy]

22. GOPAC started this.

The word "democratic" has positive connotations while the word "democrat" has more neutral connotations. Republicans are trained and conditioned by groups such as GOPAC to use only words which have negative connotations when speaking about the democratic party.

For example: http://web.utk.edu/%7Eglenn/GopacMemo.html

[salin]

23. funny thing

I never heard it done before I came to DU (perhaps just didn't notice it) - nor had I heard correcting it when it comes up as a big rallying cry of democrats.

Not sure and haven't decided if it is an intentional subtle move from the right for discrediting democrats (if so - am still not sure what the point or "win" is in it for the right)... OR if it is a rather idiosyncratic nitpicky thing from to correct from the left used as an in group vs out group identifier.

There - I have thought this for years - but have never said anything about it - I just don't get the big deal or see the big "Dis". Am open to being enlightened - but don't know that I will ever be moved to take "action" to correct it when I hear it, or to get offended when I hear it, or in truth to even "hear" the difference when I hear it.

[SammyWinstonJack]

24. That grates on my last nerve!

[cmd]

25. Very common in our region

In fact the democratic headquarters has a sign over the door that says Democrat Headquarters.

[mellowinman]

26. "Democrat Party" is what Bush calls us.

It is incorrect.

[Moderator]

27. Locking......

If you feel that someone is a disruptor, please
use the alert button so that the moderators can
evaluate the situation. Judging members to be
disruptors publicly based on certain words or
phrases they use is a DU rule violation.


DU Moderator