I hate it when people refer to the Democratic Party as the Democrat Party. It is a childish, petty thing to do.
From these boards:
emphasis added.
Hendrik Hertzberg on the “Ic” factor:
I’m glad you’re not letting the fact that Sam didn’t actually use the phrase “Democrat Party” slow you down any. Good for you!
It is the same principle. A person does not vote Democrat. A person votes Democratic.
Just to avoid confusion whenever I mention local politics here, the name of the ruling party in Thailand, and the country’s oldest, is the Democrat Party, not Democratic. It’s the official English version and always rendered that way. Maybe I’m just used to it, but it does not sound ugly to me. It did sound funny at first, being used to Democratic back home, but now I don’t give it a second thought.
So a person votes for Democrats, but they vote Democratic? That’s awfully fine hair-splitting, albeit strictly speaking the correct usage.
I could understand this had he been intentionally insulting Democrats by referring to the party as the Democrat Party, but he wasn’t and so this is somewhat ill-considered.
Let’s not get off track here. I believe Sam’s use of the term was without malice. The OP’s point is that there are quite a few people who use the term “Democrat Party” in a manner intended to be demeaning or insulting in some way.
To me, it’s simply a sign that a person is childish, boorish and very possibly a moron. The fact that I’ve seen Michele Bachmann doing it is pretty strong evidence, I think.
I am pretty sure that’s using proper English. You might find it overly precise, but it is the technically correct thing to say because, IIRC, the proper name is the Democrat Party. People who vote for Democrats are voting Democrat, for people in the Democrat Party.
In any case there are right and wrong ways to say Democratic and Democrat even the most commonplace parlance. Sam Stone was not, in any case, even remotely in error in using it the way he did, and it’s pretty pathetic that some people actually complain about it.
now, the Republicans can’t (well, shouldn’t) be properly referred to, because it properly is the Republican Party. Thus, you can vote Democrat or Republican, but not Democratic or Repubic.
Huh.
A.) I’m not sure I’d notice and b.) I’m not really seeing it. Mr. Hertzeberg’s take seems a kind of a stretch to me. While Democratic Party sounds better to me in context, I can certainly just see it as a linguistic laziness.
“Who’d you vote for?” “The Democrat.”
“What party do you usually vote for?” “Democrat.”
Yeah, just not waving any red flags for me. But then I’m a registered independent/decline to state sort of guy ( who usually votes for Democrats ), so what do I know?
You recall incorrectly. The proper name is the Democratic Party.
That’s one of the reasons I mentioned the Democrat Party over here. If I ever call the one in US the Democrat Party, please know it is just a slip and that nothing is meant by it.
Pubes rule!
Do you really think Michele Bachmann and people of her ilk are making an honest and determined attempt to use precise language? Or that they have done rigorous research to find out the true name of the opposition party out of courtesy?
Or are they just being dickish?
Until your side stops calling them “teabaggers”, you’ve got nothing.
Besides, “democratic” is an adjective. Sam Stone’s usage calls for an adverb. At best, it should be “…vote democratically.” If not that, then the second best is “…vote [for the] democrat.” Sorry, but “vote Democratic” just sounds dumb.
What? Their great insult is using grammar in a way which somehow offends? How does this even manage to get udner your skin unless you are looking for something to complain about?
After some research, it seems this is correct. I was misled because they keep calling themselves Democrats instead of, well… Democratics. Yes, it sounds silly that way. But they’ve got Democrat and Democrats plastered everywhere, not Democratic.
Oh, I’m not really bothered by it. Actually I find it useful for moron identification purposes. It’s sort of like the guy who insists on calling people by nicknames that he made up for them. You understand, don’t you Smiley?
Sam Stone was describing what–not how–the people will vote.
The Fringes of either side are beyond anyone’s control. What can be measured is the leadership of either party. The elected officials are the chosen leaders of both sides.
Can you point to a single elected member of the Democratic Party that publicly refers to members of the Tea Party as teabaggers? One or two? anywhere? Even one instance?
Do you think it’s going to be harder to find elected officials that call people ‘Teabaggers’ or elected officials that call people ‘Democrat’.
Compare the leadership and come back with your conclusion. Your side has the majority if not all the sinners in the comparison. You’ve got nothing.
In text I don’t find ‘Democrat’ all that offensive but understand it is a directed insult to dissociate the Democratic Party from the universally respected term Democracy.
It’s the verbal ‘Democrat’ you occasionally hear out of people that gets on my nerves. It’s so childish.
Meh. As someone who’s largely supported Democratic candidates in recent years, I can’t say this bothers me much. Yes, many of the people who go out of their way to use the term Democrat Party are douches.
But at the same time most people who adhere to the principles of the Democratic Party refer to themselves as Democrats not Democratics. As someone mentioned above, to get worked over this is hairsplitting, and if anything is just undeservedly validating these linguistic tricks.
“STOPS”? STOPS? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH The use of the slur predates the term teabagger by decades if not centuries.