whereas the Democrats lean toward multilateral diplomacy. In the end, there is bipartisan consensus, though the Republicans have proved more trigger happy in recent decades than the Democrats. It is true that Republicans tend to be more open to the idea of military adventures and military solutions instead of opting for political solutions. However, it is also true that many Democrats agree with that position, because they see it as part of their sense of patriotism, which they equate with militarism. Why vote Republican if you are anti-war? Because Democrats are not likely to be much different, though more contained in their reckless use of force and more worried about the broader consequences of war than Republicans who see war as a stimulant to the economy.
Given that the voting process is not based on reason, but largely on emotion, it makes sense that voters who believe it is wrong to discriminate against gays, women, and minorities may still vote for Republican Party because it best expresses their sense of self not as who they are, but who they would like to be.Having said all of this about why Americans would tend to vote Republican vs. Democrat, it is important to note that in the early 21st century mainstream political parties represent the same socioeconomic interests, similar fiscal and monetary policies, similar trade and investment policies and similar welfare and trade union policies. In short, in the last few decades, we have seen policy convergence among political parties of the right and center, to the degree that the voter who honestly wants change is left disillusioned.