5.2 Key ideas and principles of the Democratic and Republican Parties Flashcards
How do Democrats and Republicans differ on social and moral issues
- Democrats = progressive - support greater protection of individual liberty and prevention of discrimination - stronger rights for racial minorities and LGBT community
- Republicans = conservative - have often resisted such changes - promote more traditional values - arguing for religious choice or states’ rights to be prioritised
How did the 2 parties clash over the civil rights movement?
- Especially during the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 - continued conflict over racial issues, such as state voting regulations and the Voting Rights Act
What is an example of Republicans taking a more traditional stance on social issues and Democrats taking a more progressive one, in terms of voting?
- The congressional vote to ban partial-birth abortion in 2003 was supported almost unanimously by Republicans, with a clear majority of Democrats opposing the bill
How have the 2 parties clashed over LGBT rights?
- Democrats have been very supportive of them, including the right to be allowed to use the bathroom (toilet) of their chosen gender; Republicans have typically opposed this - Obama cut federal funding to North Carolina (a Republican-dominated state) for its rejection of this right
What amendment to legislation was proposed by Democrat Congressman Sean Maloney in 2016?
- If a company didn’t comply with President Obama’s executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT workers, it would not receive federal funds - 43 Republicans voted for the Maloney legislation, while the vast majority of them voted against it.
What is the Democratic Party’s attitude to economic policy?
- Democrats tend to call for greater governmental intervention in the national economy - to provide social justice and bring social and economic benefits for those on lower incomes - generally see capitalism and free-market economics as positive, but emphasise the need for protection for those who need it.
- Typically support an increase in the federal minimum wage
What is the Republican Party’s attitude to economic policy?
- Have a much more restricted view of governmental intervention - emphasise the idea of personal responsibility and personal freedom from government control
- On tax, they have tended to favour tax cuts - focus on tax cuts on wealthier groups
How do the Democrats approach the provision of social welfare?
- Have long favoured it - argue that the economic system provides a structure that doesn’t promote the interests of everyone
- Involves higher levels of benefits and funding for social programmes
How do the Republicans approach the provision of social welfare?
- Likely to restrict its use as they see it as an infringement on individual freedom
- The ACA was particularly aimed at the 46 million Americans, typically on lower incomes, who didn’t have health insurance - eventually passed through a Democrat Congress in 2010
- Accept the need for some food stamps for those in financial difficulty - generally pushed for cuts in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
What are the factions in the Democratic Party?
- Moderates
- Liberals
- Conservatives
What are the factions in the Republican Party?
- Social conservatives
- Fiscal conservatives
- Moderates
What do moderate democrats identify with?
- Centrism and compromise - it is typically the areas of the economy and welfare in which they take a middle-ground approach
- More willing than others to end or reduce government-sponsored initiatives, as indicated by their support for welfare reform and tax cuts
Where do moderate democrats stand on moral issues?
There are areas where they might accept limitations to civil liberties to an extent that Liberal Democrats would not - this might include greater restrictions on abortion or the acceptance of anti-terror laws.
What are the origins of the moderate Democrats?
- The faction was organised around the Democratic Leadership Council, created in 1985 as a reaction to a second defeat in presidential elections to Ronald Reagan
- Argued a more moderate approach needed to gain electoral success
- More important in 90s
What happened to the moderate democrats in 2011?
- The group dissolved
Why are moderate democrats important in the party?
- Represent the dominant force in the Democratic Party - many members of Congress hold their views
- Recent democratic presidential candidates - reflect moderate wing
Was Obama a moderate democrat?
- Didn’t fit easily into either wing of the party - a lot of evidence of his moderate approach - willingness to compromise on health care reform and the federal budget
What do liberal Democrats identify with?
- Liberals (or progressives, represent the more radical, left-wing elements of the party
- More determined in using federal govt to achieve social justice
How do Liberal Democrats seek to achieve social justice?
Use of federal govt to:
- provide welfare, health and education for disadvantaged - by increasing taxes on the wealthy
- Support more govt intervention in economy + less military intervention
How did Liberal Democrats feel about Obama?
- Generally supported him - at times felt frustrated by him
- Pushed Obama to reject the Trans-Pacific Partnership and reject certain Republican budget agreements - to protect welfare expenditure
How did Elizabeth Warren criticise Obama?
Issues including:
- Trans-Pacific Partnership - attacked for strengthening a system rigged to favour corporations over workers
What are Liberal Democrats’ attitude to military intervention?
- Have often opposed intervention - pleased to have Obama as president, given his anti-Iraq views
- But opposed Obama on a number of defence issues - 85 House Democrats opposed plans for US to arm Syrian rebels
What are Conservative or ‘Blue Dog’ Democrats?
- Dems once very conservative - influential Southern wing dating back to end of slavery
- Blue Dogs - conservative on moral issues, such as religion and guns - while disagreeing with Republican’s conservative views on trade and tax
- 2015 - 47 House Dems voted for Republican-led measures to have more screening of Iraqi and Syrian refugees - Obama opposed
Are ‘Blue Dog’ democrats still prominent?
- Are a dying breed in the party
- But despite demise of conservative Dems - some progressives view Hillary Clinton as one
What do social conservative Republican believe in?
- Support traditional norms and values - as part of the religious right
- Focus on morality according to religion
- Generally have negative view of illegal immigration - oppose gay rights and abortion rights
- Tend to support official conservative Republican platform on foreign affairs and economy
What is the ‘religious right’?
- An ultraconservative religious response to the sexual revolution - promoting family values
- Opposing abortion and the 1973 Roe v Wade judgement, same-sex marriage, civil partnerships and non-discrimination laws
How can the rise of social conservatism be seen in Congress?
In 2003:
- overwhelming majority of Republicans supported ban on partial-birth) late-term abortion
- in 2016 only a few Republicans voted for the gay-rights legislative amendment
- failure of immigration reform bill in 2013
What are fiscal conservative Republicans?
- Drive a conservative economic agenda - advocate smaller govt - especially one following laissez-faire economic policy
- Most support abolition of estate tax (inheritance tax) - reductions in other tax rates, and a cut in federal expenditure
When did fiscal conservatives become a dominant group?
In 1990s:
- When Speaker Newt Gingrich led the Contract with America - manifesto focusing on economic responsibility and a balanced budget
When can influence of fiscal conservatism be seen rising in the Republican Party?
Rising influence of the Republicans’ Freedom Caucus:
- Defeat of moderate conservatives by Tea Party candidates in primaries in 2010, 2012 and 2014 - helped push party to the right
- Sparked development of the Freedom Caucus - contains 40 members of the House - pushed conservative fiscal and social agenda - ‘no compromise’ attitude
- Refused to support Obama’s economic packages - prevented moderate and even conservative Republican plans to compromise on legislation
How did the Republicans’ Freedom Caucus attempt to exert influence over the Trump presidency in 2017?
- By sending him a list of 228 regulations that it wants removed, including environmental regulations, nutrition rules for school meals and corporate regulations
- Has largely replaced the Tea Party as the main right-wing faction of the Republican Party
What do moderate Republicans support?
- Traditional conservative economic policies - such as low taxation and small government - will accept higher taxes or more govt programmes in order to support greater social harmony
- But more socially liberal than social conservatives
How are moderate Republicans more socially liberal?
- Support civil-rights issues including gay rights and abortion
Why could George W. Bush be viewed as a moderate?
- He horrified conservatives with major increases in govt expenditure and his push for more liberal immigration reform
Give examples of moderate Republicans.
- John Boehner
- Paul Ryan
What are moderate Republicans sometimes referred to as?
Evidence?
RINOs (Republican in Name Only)
- Only Senator Susan Collins of Maine was one of only 3 Republicans to support Obama’s 2009 stimulus package budget
- Supports gay rights - tried to broker a compromise deal over Obama’s plans to raise federal minimum wage
RINO faction more willing to compromise w/ Democrats to allow policy to pass
How are moderate Republicans organised?
Into the Main Street Partnership - caucus created in 1994 - reaction to rise of conservative Republicans
- Following 2016 election - moderates made up larger group of congressional politicians than the Freedom caucus
How can the Democrats and republicans usually rely on core voting groups for support in elections?
- Long term factors based on ideological heart of political parties - their policies have created long-term trends in voting patterns
- However - short-term factors - such as economic or world crisis, or the race or gender of the candidate - may lead to fluctuations in these patterns
In the 2016 presidential election, how did gender vote?
Trump:
- Male - 53%
- Female - 42%
Clinton:
- Male - 41%
- Female - 54%
In the 2016 presidential election, how did race vote?
Trump:
- White - 58%
- Black - 8%
- Hispanic - 29%
Clinton:
- White - 37%
- Black - 88%
- Hispanic - 65%
In the 2016 presidential election, how did religion vote?
Trump:
- Protestant - 58%
- Catholic - 52%
- White Evangelical - 80%
- Jewish - 24%
Clinton:
- Protestant - 39%
- Catholic - 45%
- White Evangelical - 16%
- Jewish - 71%
In the 2016 presidential election, how did people vote, based on their education?
Trump:
- Post-graduate study - 37%
- College graduate - 45%
- High school or less - 51%
Clinton:
- Post graduate study - 58%
- College graduate - 49%
- High school or less - 45%
Why is black voting the most consistent pattern in voting?
- Black voter strongly supporting the Democrats
- Emerged in 1960s - LBJ - Civil Rights
- Dems have since championed racial-minority causes - supporting measures to end discrimination and give greater opportunities
- For many - Republicans = toxic brand that slowed down fight for equality
- Also - ‘Obama effect’ - record black turnouts in 2008 and 2012
How is the hispanic vote more volatile?
- 2004 - Bush - 44% of Hispanic vote - generally, though, most support Dems - stronger stance for equality and against discrimination
- Recent focus of illegal immigration - Dems been far more supportive of liberal immigration reform - many Hispanics angered by Trump
- But - many Hispanics are social conservative - also some Hispanics who fled Castro’s communist government - appreciate party’s hardline approach to relations with Cuba
How do white voters tend to vote?
- More evenly split - although most always select Republican Party
- Even when Democratic candidate takes White House - don’t get a majority of white vote
What are the more general socio-economic policies for voters to consider?
Racial minorities likely to be poorer than white people in US - so will vote Dems.
How do Jews tend to vote?
- Strongly support Dems - American Jews usually strongly liberal, sympathising w/ less fortunate and w/ minorities + support greater govt assistance for those w/ low socio-economic status
- Despite issues w/ Israel and Palestine - Jews far more likely to say Muslims in America are discriminated against
But only make up around 2% of pop.
How do Christian Protestants tend to vote?
- Stronger support for Republicans - particularly among white Evangelicals
- Many Republican politicians - such as Ted Cruz - strongly oppose gay rights and attack immigration reform
- Several Republicans take Evangelical approach - saying that God is guiding them - they have religious duty to influence political process
How do men and women tend to vote?
- Long-standing pattern in which most men support the Republicans and most Women the Dems
- Partly for broad ideological reasons - men have more conservative outlook
- Women may marginally prefer Dems - done more to fight for women’s rights - Dems supported the failed Equal Rights amendment - greatest opposition coming from Republicans
- Bipartisan support for Violence Against Women Act - created and passed under Dem control of presidency and Congress in 1994
Dems have more congressional female politicians
What is the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act?
Introduced by Obama, attempting to secure equal pay for women - opposed by
What is the clear trend in educational voting patterns?
- Less educated voter more likely to vote Republican - counterintuitive, given that lower income groups tend to vote Dems
- But - many people w/ relatively high incomes don’t have a college degree
How did Trump manage to win a majority of the below college-level in 2016?
His populist anti-elitist attracts those who may view those w/ higher education as part of a liberal elite protecting their own agenda.
Why do some argue that education tends to produce more socially liberal views?
E.g.:
- Greater acceptance of different racial groups and religion
- Support for civil liberties
More educated voters more likely to reject the socially conservative elements of Republicans
- Some argue that there is a tendency for liberals or Dems to value education more - so stay there longer
