Unit 1 - Political Parties - American✅ Flashcards
(28 cards)
DEMOCRATIC Taxes and Economy
The party is committed to helping all Americans deal with economic issues
- the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment provided an $831 billion stimulus to an economy is recession
Taxes :
- Extended Bush Tax Cuts for all except those earning over $400,000 per year
- increased tax on highest income earners by 4% in 2013
DEMOCRATIC Government Size and regulation
Economic stimulus package of $787 bn to encourage growth after 2008 financial crash
- $50 billion bailout of GM and Chrysler
- President Obama signed the Dodds Frank Financial Regulation Act into law and it aimed to regulate the bank and prevent excesses which initially lead to the banking crisis
DEMOCRATIC Health Care and Welfare
Party is committed to turning around struggling schools and to expanding public school options including teacher led schools and career advice
- families making less than $125,000 will get free tuition for in state students at public colleges
Healthcare : they are against privatisation and marketisation in health care and social security
- Obamacare was passed to extend healthcare to roughly 40 million Americans who did not have health insurance
(All democrats in Congress voted against the repeal of Obamacare proposed by the GOP’s in 2017
DEMOCRATIC Social Issues
Abortion : they have strong support for Roe vs Wade
(He was described as supportive as he repealed the Mexico City Ban that stopped money from going to foreign groups that promote abortion
Civil Rights : defend civil rights repealed a law called the DONT ask don’t tell (2010)
In 2012 Obama and Joe Biden came out in favour of gay marriage.
Drugs policy: Obama used the power of pardon to grant clemency to many low lying non violent drug offenders.
DEMOCRATS The environment
They are committed to affective environmental policy.
In 2014 he agreed to a deal with China to cap carbon emissions and increase the use of renewable energy.
He opposed the building of the Keystone XL pipeline.
In 2015 he signed the clear power plan which promised a 32% reduction in power plant carbon dioxide emissions.
DEMOCRAT Others
Gun control: they recognise the right to bear arms but it should be subject to reasonable regulation.
In 2016 Obama announced executive actions including expansion of background checks before guns could be purchased.
Foreign policy: Obama restored diplomatic relations with Cuba and he helped bring the Iraq war to an end and killed Osama bin laden.
Immigration :
Support immigration reform
- 2012 Executive Order halted the deportation of illegal immigration under 30 (DREAM)
- 2014 EO have deportation relief to 5 million undocumented immigrants
- SC appointments
Democratic Scale
Liberal
- support a strong role of the government in the economy for regulating business
- believe that the state should provide for those in need through social security and Medicare
- support the rights of trade unions and oppose from free trade deals - NAFTA
- believe in progressive taxation and the wealthy should support the poor
- support civil rights for gays and support women’s right to choose
- oppose the unilateral use of American force and largely anti war
- favour gun control legislation
- support illegal immigrants in granting a pathway to citizenship
Blue dog
- fiscally conservative - believe in balanced budgets and low taxes
- government should help those in need but should be as small as possible
- against trade union rights
- the well of should help those poorer than themselves but government should not encourage dependency culture
- against same sex marriage
- largely anti abortion
- believe in promoting free trade and deregulation of the economy
- pro gun rights
- more willing to use military force
- some opposition to blanket amnesty for illegal immigrants
Who votes for the democrats and why ?
Gender
Female : 54% Democrat and 41% Republican
Race
66% of Latino and Hispanic voted Democrat
LGBTQ+
77% of LGBTQ who voted were Democrat
Income
Lower income voters were Democrat and of those who earned under $50,000- 53% were democratic and 41% were Republican
- $100,000 or more were relatively equal in %
Age 30-44
41% Democratic
Age 18-29
55% Democratic
Race
89% of black people voted democratic and 9% voted Republican
REPUBLICAN Taxes
They largely voted against tax increases on higher earners which was passed by Obama and they
- wanted to reduce corporate tax to 15% and repeal all tax breaks for companies
REPUBLICAN Government Size and Regulation
They believe in free market and that the government shouldn’t limit what business can do
- they want to reduce the size of the government
- get rid of bank and financial regulation
REPUBLICAN Health Care an Welfare
Trump claimed that he was going to repeal Obamacare and replace it with a plan that would give states more control over Medicaid health plan for the poor and allows insurers to sell plans nationally
REPUBLICAN The environment
They commonly place business concerns over those of environmental concerns
- they supported and passed the building of the Keystone XL pipeline
- oppose caps on omissions given off by power plants which was introduced by China
REPUBLICAN Social Issues
They believed that states should have the right to manage their own policies with regard to medical and recreational marijuana (after the election he reversed his opinion)
Trump also expressed the support of limits on legal immigration and a pause of green careful - meaning he would deport millions of undocumented immigrants
REPUBLICAN Foreign Policy
Trump withdrew from the TPP and wanted to renegotiate the terms of NAFTA .
He claimed that climate change ‘was a hoax’ and withdrew from the Paris Climate Deal 2015 and also reduced the funding for the EPA
He cut down on on the planned parenthood programme
- wanted to ban trans people from serving in the military
- had opposition to any gun restrictions
- support public displays of religious symbols
- favour increased military spending and more inclined to use force abroad
GOP scale
Moderate (RINO)
They are commonly quite conservative on tax and spend issues but they are more free on social issues …
- more likely to support abortion
- tend not to speak as much about their faith
- more likely to support a path to citizenship for illegal immigrant s
- may support some recognition for gay marriage
Also believe that the government should play some role in regulating businesses and the environment
Tea Party
- they oppose all forms of gay marriage and tend to speak a lot about their faith
- they are very conservative on tax and spend Issues
- in favour of no control over the sale of guns
- very strict in their attitude to illegal immigrants
Also believe rhat the government should play no role in regulating business and the environment
Different types of GOP
Establishment Conservatives
Evangelical Conservative They have the conservative Christian Political factions that are characterised by their strong support of socially conservative policies - school prayer - embryonic stem cell research - homosexuality - contraception - pornography
Tea Party : economic capitalisation / hostility towards government and immigration
The movement began following Obama’s first presidential inauguration- when administration announced that plans to give fundamental aid to bankrupt owners
- reducing government spending and lowering taxes
- movement also opposes universal healthcare and they want a smaller state
Moderate (RINO)
They share the same economic views with GOP’s - balanced budget , lower tax, free trade , deregulation and welfare reform
- some moderates may be less interventionist than neoconservatives
- legal access and funding for abortion , gun control laws, environmental regulation , fewer restrictions on legal immigration and relaxed enforcement on illegal immigration
Libertarians (classic liberal platform)
It is more culturally liberal than Democrats but more fiscally conservative than the GOP’s
- they promote civil liberties , non interventionism in capitalism and economy and abolition of welfare state - no religion
- supporting same sex marriage, supporting gun ownership rights
- they are non interventionist in foreign policy
THEY ARE THE THIRD LARGEST PARTY IN THE UNITED STATES
Who votes for Republicans ?
11% more men voted for Republican than Democrat
- 52% Republican
White , non- college graduates voted 66% Republican (immigration is reducing their job opportunities)
60% people who have served in US military overwhelmingly voted Republicans
56% of Protestant , Catholic, Christian voted Republic
80% of Evangelical voted Republican
57% of white voted Republican and demographically , the white communities are wealthier
65+ , 52% voted Republican
45-64 , 52% voted Republican
Rural voters - 61% Republican
Social issues - S & D
S
- Blue dogs more likely to agree with GOP
- 2013 Gun Control Bill had bi- partisan support
- Some moderate Senate Republicans support Obama’s plan for immigration reform
D
Differences on gun control, abortion and gay marriage
The Environment S & D
S
- Blue Dogs are more likely to agree with Republican positions
D
- DEMOCRATS: believe the threat of climate change and aim to improve it
- REPUBLICANS : said that climate change is far from the nations most pressing issue
- oppose all forms of international accord including Paris Climate Agreement
Republicans favour widespread oil and gas exploration - reflected by the Keystone XL pipeline
Other S & D
S
- both agree on continuing Medicare and Medicaid ; both agree on spending to ensure a strong military
D
- REPUBLICANS : believe that the government is the problem and it shouldn’t be as involved with the people
- DEMOCRATS : They believe that the government is a force of good
Taxes S & D
S
- they are both against raising taxes on the middle class
- some moderate republicans voted in favour of Obama Tax increase in those earning over $400,000
D
DEMOCRATS : favour of higher corporate tax
DEMOCRATS : wanted to increase tax on the wealthiest
REPUBLICANS : propose an across - the - board cut in all income tax raises
Government spending and social welfare programmes S & D
S
Both parties propose to continue government funding of Medicare, Medicaid and social security
- both parties share the goal of reducing the federal government deficit
D
REPUBLICANS : opposed Obama’s $800 billion stimulus package
REPUBLICANS : opposed Obamacare
REPUBLICANS : favour more privatisation and market competition of healthcare and social security
Defence and foreign affairs S & D
S
Both parties showed support in war with Afghanistan and they full showed full support in going to war with the Islamic State
D
DEMOCRATS : support nuclear agreement between Iran and 6 world powers ( the country should not hesitate to take military action if Iran violates the agreement
DEMOCRATS : they call for congressional authorisation of military
- they can use military action to fight international terrorism
- HOWEVER - they rejected the vilification of Muslims
REPUBLICANS : staunchly oppose accord and rejected Iran Nuclear Deal
REPUBLICANS : support continued partnership with Iraqis to eradicate terrorist Groups from the region
Evidence for third party politics
- Green Party and libertarian party are examples of permanent third parties
- Green Party is issue based
- libertarian party is ideological
- two independents in the US senate could in theory hold balance of power (52-48-2)
- Ross Perot has 19% of the vote in 1992 and also had a big impact on issues discussed during campaign such as greater focus on balanced budget
- on three occasions , 1968, 1992, 2000 argued fhat a third party decided the outcome ; 2000 Nadars 2.7% for the Green Party cost Al Gore his presidency
