Gosh, back 30 years ago I thought that too. But that was 30 years ago. Then I learned that there is no such thing as a conservative Democrat. There are only degrees of liberalism. And as you just did, they misrepresent what Republicans stand for.
Name one Democrat who supports a fair tax system. You can't because they all support a progressive tax system, where many pay little if any (some get "refunds" that they never paid to begin with) while a small percentage are forced to pay the bulk of the federal tax burden.
Then name one Republican who doesn't support a safety net.
Visit these pages.
http://www.ontheissues.org/House/Dan_Boren.htm
This guy has been good in the past and is a probable gubernatorial candidate: http://www.ontheissues.org/Joe_Dorman.htm
And I don’t like this guy as well but he still would have been more moderate than the dragon lady we now have: http://www.ontheissues.org/Brad_Henry.htm
And this doesn’t even show the likes of Kenneth Corn or Neil Brannon who were very fine, upstanding individuals who take a more moderate stance on things. But for whatever reasons only the candidates who align on the far ends of the political spectrum can get elected...in Oklahoma our political leaders are as far right as the coastal candidates are (normally) left. Neither is good.