Democrat In Name Only (DINO) is a disparaging term for a member of the United States Democratic Party. A DINO is considered to be more conservative (fiscally and/or socially) than fellow Democrats.
The term was created as an analogous opposite to RINO (Republican In Name Only), which refers to more liberal members of the US Republican Party.
"DINO" is used by more ideological (politically speaking) members of the Democrats to counter fellow party members for their heterodox, or relatively moderate or conservative positions. Likewise, the term RINO is typically given to Republican members who espouse more "middle of the road" positions or who espouse more liberal positions.
Dixiecrats were conservative Democrats in the South during the segregation years. Some Dixiecrats switched to the Republican Party, became independents or retired from politics. Others remained Democrats, but positioned themselves to the "right" of other party members.
Read more about Democrat In Name Only: Regional Differences and Issues
Famous quotes containing the word democrat:
“There is something to be said for government by a great aristocracy which has furnished leaders to the nation in peace and war for generations; even a Democrat like myself must admit this. But there is absolutely nothing to be said for government by a plutocracy, for government by men very powerful in certain lines and gifted with the “money touch,” but with ideals which in their essence are merely those of so many glorified pawnbrokers.”
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919)