Are Republicans more divided than united? Flashcards
(17 cards)
Stance? Areas of Discussion?
More united than divided.
Social, Economic, Foreign Policy.
Social Policy: Respect for Marriage Act (2022)
DIVISION
Respect for Marriage Act (2022): 12 Republicans in the Senate voted for it.
–> Divisions in government intervention to protect rights v religious liberty/ general conservative stances.
Social Policy: Safer Communties Act (2022)
DIVISION → 15 Republicans voted for it after house amendments.
–> Members willing to part from Republican consensus favour individual right to gun ownership.
Social Policy: Counters.
RFMA: Anomolous: Unity in opposition such as to ‘woke policies and abortion.
SCA: Disagreement over a specific amendment on ‘protecting hunting and heritage.’ Unanimous consent in 2021 initially. –> More agreement on gun control such as near party lines against “universal background checks.”
Social Policy: Bill on banning transgender student athletes (2025)
UNITY
Bill on banning transgender student athletes from women’s sports. (2025) → Was approved largely along party lines in 218-206 house vote, and no Republicans voting against the measure.
–> Unity in ‘gender politics’, exemplified and catalysed with return of Trump.
Social Policy: Laken Riley Act (2025)
UNITY:
Laken Riley Act (2025) → All Republicans voted for criminalising undocumented immigrants.
–> Agreement on priorities towards immigration/ law and order.
Economic Policy: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021)
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021): Authorised $1.2T spending, focusing on transportation, broadband access, clean water. → 13 House Republicans voting for the Democrat legislation.
–> Find more consensus with Democrat party.
Economic Policy: 2023: GOP divided over making cuts to Medicare and Social Security.
DIVISIONS:
2023: GOP divided over making cuts to Medicare and Social Security. → In particular, divisions between hardline fiscal conservatives who strongly emphasise on the need to favour reducing any government spending vs other Republicans in favour of making cuts in other areas.
–> Conflict so bad not privately contained. Trump publicly criticising others like DeSantis for supporting a budget that would alter Medicare.
Economic Policy: Counter
IIJA: Anomolous, bill gaining so much support known as Bipartisan Infrastructure Law –> Rare due to polarised nature of Congress.
Medicare: DeSantis and Pence, are a minority. Will unlikely have any real impact with majority Republicans united and avoiding calling for outright cuts instead due to opposition from Trump and Republican voters moderate means such as raising retirement age (electoral backlash).
Economic Policy: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (2017)
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: Only 1 Republican in the Senate voted against it (Corker).
–> Unity in low taxation, including for the wealthy.
American Rescue Plan (2021):Voted against by all Senate Republicans.
–> Unity even in the aftermath of crisis to try to avoid high levels of government investment/ intervention.
Economic Policy: American Rescue Plan (2021)
UNITY
American Rescue Plan (2021):Voted against by all Senate Republicans.
–> Unity even in the aftermath of crisis to try to avoid high levels of government investment/ intervention.
Foreign Policy: Haley
DIVISIONS
Haley: Hawkish stance –> Pro-NATO, need to demonstrate US strength. VS Trump, threatening to withdraw from NATO, internal affairs.
–> Interventionist v Isolationist approach.
Foreign Policy: Rubio
DIVISIONS:
Rubio: Interventionist, calls Putin a “killer”. Co-sponsered legislation to make more difficult for Trump to withdraw from NATO.
–> Active efforts in GOP against one another.
Foreign Policy: Counter
Haley: Trump wants to withdraw more so due to not spending enough? Haley defeated.
Rubio: Has moderated stance, such as war needs to come to an end now though supports funding (More in line with Trump who has a desire to make deal, claimed to stop war in 24 hours). Shares position with Trump, hawkish view towards Iran and China.
Foreign Policy: Unity
UNITY
China: Tough line approach. Trump trying to impose tarrifs. DeSantis sees as a “threat to the free world”, the next-cold war.
–> Differing groups/ factions still find more common ground.
Foreign Policy: Israel
UNITY
Israel: Support for. Trump excluding Israel from freeze on foreign aid spending. Rubio, critiisisng Iran who sees as wanting to make Israel “unliveable.”
–> Near unanimous support, strong commitemnt to supporting allies.
Conclusion:
Some may argue support is superficial and under Trump.
BUT stronger is more broad support, regardless of party leader who has exemplified greater unity simply.
