Parties Flashcards
(54 cards)
How do Americans self-
identify when asked
about their ideology?
on a scale between liberal and conservative
How is the term ‘liberal’
used differently in
America and Europe?
liberalism stresses the importance of individual rights and freedoms
this means that in the USA the govt must intervene to ensure a free and just society
this is a mixed economy
What policies do
American liberals tend
to support?
big government
higher taxes
welfare state
civil rights
gay marrige
gun control
abortion rights
What policies do
American conservatives
tend to support?
small government
low tax
limited education
limited welfare state
traditional values
anti abortion
anti gay marriage
anti immigration
Why have America’s
parties been described
as ‘big tent’ parties?
a broad ideology attracting ideologies in many ways
in recent years bipartisanship has increased
Why have some
suggested that America
is a 100 party system?
each state branch of the party has its own autonomy hence 2x50=100
What factors help
explain why Americans
used to feel that there
was substantial overlap
between the two main
parties?
differnt ideologies in states
time period
Was President Bush
fiscally conservative?
lowered income tax brackets
reduced taxes on property and investment
increased medicare (biggest ever increase)
increased fiscal policy
increased size of the state through financial crisis
Was President Bush
socially conservative?
blocked stem cell research act
Was President Bush a
libertarian?
cut taxes and welfare
limited foreign investments
BUT
free speech and action
privacy and protection
supported gay marriage
Was President Bush a
neoconservative?
afganastan war and war on terror was the USA exerting its global influence.
also lots of internal focus
What are congressional
members organisations
(CMOs)?
groups which only members of congress can join to pressure common legislative goals
Why do other
conservatives often call
members of the Main
Street Partnership
‘RINOs’?
RINO- republicans in name only
republicans only because they would always win and that democrats always loose
left wing democrats- Tuesday group
those are centrist groups which are pragmatic and often socially moderate
How did Olympia
Snowe’s voting record
often overlap with the
Democrats? Why did she
retire
- very liberal on social issues
- often more democrat than some democrats
- retired after frustrated by the partisanship in congress
How is the Republican
Study Committee
different to the Main
Street Partnership? Why
has it grown so much?
‘tea party’ movement
alarmed at increasing deficit
wanted lower spending
electing new establishment
What is the debt ceiling?
How have Republicans
attitudes towards it
hardened?
maximium amount a country can borrow
Why did the government
shutdown in 2013? What
does this show about the
influence of Tea Party
conservatives?
strongly opposed to big government populist conservation and grassroots anti establishment
tea party- AKA house freedom caucus
REPUBLICAN STUDY COMMITTEE
fiscally and socially conservative
focus on deregulation tax cuts and pro life policies
What influences the
Progressive Caucus?
fiscally and socially progressive members
wanting energy independence and environmental security and pace
Why was the Patient
Protection and
Affordable Care Act
(2010) a mixed-success
for progressives?
they wanted a single power system
Why did progressive
Democrats support the
Dodd-Frank Act (2010)?
because it reigned in Wall Street and reduced financial risk
major steps towards economic justice and corporate accountability
What led to the creation
of the New Democrats
caucus? What is the
‘third way’?
aim to create moderate arm of the republicans
most 3rd way was bill Clinton
What is workfare? How
did New Democrats
change welfare?
hand up not hand out
Why did New Democrats
split with Progressives
over free trade?
fearned that it would increase competition
progressives wanted
