Democratic Party

Question 1

what are the issues that parties support mainly based on

Answer 1

Views on fiscal issues (‘liberal on fiscal issues’ or ‘conservative on fiscal issues’): Taxation, spending, social security (benefits), the economy, the ‘size of the government’
Views on social issues (‘liberal on social issues’ or ‘conservative on social issues’):
Cultural, ethical, religious, and similar issues

Question 2

dominant views within the party

Answer 2

New Deal Democrats 1930s-1980s
Clear left-wing policies
Government can solve social problems
Comparable to Labour pre-New Labour
New Democrats 1990s
‘Third Way’, following election defeats in 80s
Socially liberal, fiscally centrist/conservative
Combine right-wing belief in free market and
lessgovernment interference, with some protection of public services

Question 3

features of New Democratics

Answer 3

Fiscal conservatism
“The era of big government is over” (Bill Clinton)
$255 billion in budget cuts in Clinton’s first term
Social liberalism
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy

Question 4

what econmic policy do democrats largely follow

Answer 4

Keynsian -
Important role for government in managing the
economy. Government should spend more in times of recession to help the country to recover

Question 5

Key Policies Obama

Answer 5

Affordable Care Act 2010
Ending Dont Ask Dont Tell
Ending Mexico City Policy
Attempts to pass the dream act - passed DACA instead

Question 6

Key Policies - Biden

Answer 6

End the national emergenc declared by Truimp to finance the building of a Sourthern Border Wall
End Trumps Muslim Travel Ban
Cancel the building of the Keystone XL oil pipeline
Protect DACA
End Mexico city policy
$1.9T Stimulus Package
Inflation Reduction Act - climate change, tax the super tax higher
For the people bill
Build back better - clean energy
Executive order on abortion rights

Question 7

democrat party base

Answer 7

Attracted by fiscal policies (social security, job creation): Working class (particularly in the North)
Attracted by social policies (and to some degree fiscal policy): Women, African Americans, Latinos (and other recent immigrant groups), Catholics, Jews

Question 8

what is a big tent party

Answer 8

A party which a collective of widely diverse views called Catch - all parties in the UK

Question 9

democrat factions

Answer 9

Progressive new deal democrats
New or Moderate Democrats
Blue Dog Democrats

Question 10

progressives

Answer 10

Left-wing Democrats. Clear left-wing ideas on
social welfare programmes, immigration, gun
control, support for ethnic minorities
Argue: government should help the disadvantaged eg Affordable Care Act - Elizabeth Warren, Nancy Pelosi

Question 11

New dems

Answer 11

‘moderate’ Democrats. Third Way, believe in
free market (like the right). But also a progressive view on society on social issues
Argue: need to appeal to the centre (moderate
voters) to win elections
‘The era of big government is over’ Joe Biden - Hiliary Clinton

Question 12

blue dog democrats

Answer 12

‘conservative’ Democrats. Southern Democrats.
Conservative views on abortion, guns, climate change (coal) and state rights. Opposed Obamacare and gun control. Argue: to win seats in the South we need to combine standing up for the poor with conservative ideas. Joe Manchin

Question 13

democratic socialists

Answer 13

AOC, Bernie Sander, Ilhan Omar