# Liberals, Progressives, or Democrats, can we get over 'The Democrat Party?' **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 24, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186 "2014-05-24T16:00:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/1 "2014-05-24T16:00:49Z")
It’s not offensive. Really. Even if Ann Coulter spits it out like Rush Limbaugh’s jism, It’s just a word that some benighted souls use because they, like me, cannot see how it can be offensive, and a few use to get our goats because there is _always_ somebody who gets offended by it and derails a thread. Quit feeding the trolls and let the ignorant stay ignorant until they pick up the correct spelling by continued exposure. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/2 "2014-05-24T16:05:46Z")
Why should they roll over _yet again_ to their enemies? The Democrats already let the Right frame the debate far too much. ---
**Author:** ![TheSeaOtter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed655f/32.png) [@TheSeaOtter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheSeaOtter)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/3 "2014-05-24T16:11:28Z")
The sort of people who say ‘Democrat Party’ are frequently wrong. I generally call them on it when they’re wrong about matters of opinion. Why refrain when they’re wrong about a matter of fact, like the name of a political party? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/4 "2014-05-24T16:14:48Z")
I’m genuinely unsure why I should care if some says Democrat versus Democratic. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/5 "2014-05-24T16:16:24Z")
I’m not a Democrat, so I guess I can’t be personally offended. But I think of it as similar to when a jerk decides to always address a person by a nickname that he made up, and the recipient didn’t ask for. It’s effing rude. People have a right to be addressed how they want. It’s just common courtesy. I think organizations to some degree have the same right. If they prefer the Democratic Party, that’s what they should be called. If they begin demanding we refer to them as The Supreme Omnipotent Commanders of All Space and Time, then it would perhaps be different. All that said, I’m actually glad that idiots like Michelle Bachmann who, thinking they’re being clever and witty, say “Democrat Party”. It’s like a reverse dog whistle. It alerts everyone else that she’s not a person to be taken seriously. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/6 "2014-05-24T16:17:36Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I’m genuinely unsure why I should care if some says Democrat versus Democratic. [Because.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democrat_Party_(epithet)) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/7 "2014-05-24T16:32:51Z")
I have a hard time seeing how it is an insult. If the people who use it think it is an insult let them enjoy their idiocy. It manages to make spelling Microsoft with the dollar sign look mature and clever by comparison. Personally I never saw it as an insult until that was pointed out to me. I otherwise assumed it was a typo or laziness. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/8 "2014-05-24T16:43:23Z")
It’s used as a slur, and I feel fine calling out those who use it as a slur. It’s not a huge deal, but those who use it deserve to be challenged and mocked (or corrected, if it’s an honest mistake). ---
**Author:** ![tonyfop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/85f322/32.png) [@tonyfop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tonyfop)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/9 "2014-05-24T16:47:12Z")
Wow, just finished reading the Wiki link from **BG** , and I didn’t realize it went back that far. The first time I remember hearing it was from W. As a person who leans conservative, but who has voted for Democrats, I just find the term “Democrat Party” jarring, but I can also see why some Republicans may not even realize that it is derogatory. In the Wiki link, it says that the Democrats were up in arms about W changing a line in a State of the Union address from “Democratic majority” to “Democrat majority”. The thing is, if you switch it around, the construction “A majority of Democrats” is perfectly correct, so W may not have even been attempting a slur. If all you listen to is Fox News, and all they say is “Democrat Party”, then people may honestly believe that this is the correct term. Fox may be doing it to get the Democrats’ goat, but the average Joe Republican probably isn’t. Why is there a distinction, anyway? A member of the Republican Party is a Republican. A member of the Libertarian Party is a Libertarian. The same with Green, Socialist, and Communist Parties. I don’t know what to call a Member of “The Rent is Too Damn High” Party. Counter to all of this, a member of the Democratic Party is a Democrat. Maybe the average unwashed Republican really doesn’t realize that, and thinks “A Republican belongs to the Republican Party, so a Democrat belongs to the Democrat Party.”, and with Fox News feeding the ignorance, that isn’t going to change anytime soon. Maybe Democrats should make a point to mention thsat hey are members of the Democratic Party every time they speak. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/10 "2014-05-24T16:54:15Z")
It does not offend me when I hear it. It generally tells me a good deal about the person that used it. Besides, I must admit that I amused myself immensely by using variants of the term Tea Bag. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/11 "2014-05-24T16:59:01Z")
As if the drama queens are ever going to give up a chance at a fit of the vapors. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/12 "2014-05-24T17:02:22Z")
> [@tonyfop](#): > > I don’t know what to call a Member of “The Rent is Too Damn High” Party. “Mr. McMillan”, pretty much 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/13 "2014-05-24T17:05:16Z")
It’s utterly unimportant and utterly childish, which of course is why certain conservatives keep doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/14 "2014-05-24T17:08:33Z")
I’ve never taken it as offensive, but when used out of ignorance, it does sound like nails on a chalkboard, and John Podesta said as quoted in the wikipedia article linked to above. As it would if someone used phrases like “The Europe Union”, “Brazil Waxes”, or “China Checkers.” It’s not a hard-and-fast rule in English, as we do have “Canada Geese”, “The Iraq War”, and “Jordan Almonds”, but Democrat Party sounds like the former group, not the latter. When used intentionally by the likes of Rush Limbaugh, it’s just childish taunting. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/15 "2014-05-24T17:12:45Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > When used intentionally by the likes of Rush Limbaugh, it’s just childish taunting. It’s intended to be derogatory, so it should be interpreted as such. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/16 "2014-05-24T17:13:05Z")
I like to know who I’m talking with. If someone says “Democrat Party” and I correct them and they insist, I know I’m dealing with someone who intends to offend and get in a little dig. It doesn’t bother me terribly, but it is important to me to know I’m in a conversation with a name caller. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/17 "2014-05-24T17:14:29Z")
I know this seems to really upset some people, but the funny this is I’ve never used it as an insult at all. I have used it because you’re trying to fight grammar. I.e., people belonging to said party are Democrats, not Democrat_ic_s (whereas Republicans do indeed belong to the Republic Party). And for some reason the name “Democratic” just seems odd to me. I’ve also always found it amusing when Democrats angrily declare they will refer to us as belonging to the Republic party. I might find that odd, but I wouldn’t be _offended_. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/18 "2014-05-24T17:20:43Z")
> [@TheSeaOtter](#): > > The sort of people who say ‘Democrat Party’ are frequently wrong. I generally call them on it when they’re wrong about matters of opinion. Why refrain when they’re wrong about a matter of fact, like the name of a political party? That’s why you should get over it. DNFTT. The more you call them on it, the more they will enjoy doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/19 "2014-05-24T17:27:35Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > It’s intended to be derogatory, so it should be interpreted as such. Yes, childish taunting is intended to be derogatory. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/20 "2014-05-24T17:32:25Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > When used intentionally by the likes of Rush Limbaugh, it’s just childish taunting. Killer username/post combo. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186.md?page=2)