ETVT the two major parties share ideas and policies Flashcards
They share economic policy
It is clear that despite the republicans being generally associated with Laissez fair economics, they are able to demonstrate a pragmatic view of conservatism and this results in a similar approach to the democrats.
George W Bush for example supported the Emergency economic stabilisation act 2008 which created a $700 billion asset relief program. Furthermore, the CARES act 2020 was a bipartisan bill that resulted in a $2.2 billion economic stimulus in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, passing in the senate 96-0, with support from both parties.
They dont share economic policy
Whilst democrats favour positive freedoms the republican attitude towards the economy is related to their neo-liberal views of negative freedoms, laissez faire economics and limited government, democrats prefer the enabling state, so higher government spending in the economy.
President Obama and the Democrat party passed the American Recovery and reinvestment act 2009, they were inspired by the idea of Keynesian deficit spending, a $787 billion stimulus package in the aftermath of the 08-09 financial crisis.
The Dodd-Frank act 2010 brought in significant regulatory control after the financial crisis, they argued that the republican stance to regulation resulted in excessive risk taking. This passed in the senate with only 3 republican votes and only 1 democrat Ross Feingold voting against.
The republican party rejected both these pieces of legislation, a clear contradiction of their neo-liberal beliefs, again in 2009 3 republicans voted for the bull and not a single democrat voted against.
Trump reduced taxation in the Tax and Jobs act 2017, furthermore in the 2020 election, there was $4.4 trillion worth of spending cuts.
Tax increase prevention and reconciliation act 2005 was approved by the Senate 54-44 down party lines.
They share policy over rights
There have been several time where the two parties have arguably shared in a similar view in terms of rights. Some differences with abortion views, Dan Lipinski lost his primary race in 2020 but was pro-choice.
Stupak Pitts amendment was a proposed amendment to the ACA 2010, it was submitted by Bart Stupak a democrat from Michigan and Joseph Pitts a republican from Pennsylvania, this prohibited the use of federal funds to pay for abortion. Showing agreement between the two parties on the right to have a abortion.
The Blue Dog coalition are more conservative democrats that are more socially conservative, therefore they are less supportive of LGBTQ rights, meaning they are more in agreement with the republican parties ideas and policies.
Collin Peterson for example received a A grade by the NRA before the 2020 presidential election, a member of the blue dog democrat group that supported the 2nd amendment right to bear arms.
Joe Manchin also a Blue Dog democrat voted against repealing the ‘Don’t ask don’t tell’ policy and in 2015 he opposed gay marriage.
They dont share policy over rights
I would argue that whilst the Republican party takes a more conservative attitude on social issues and rights, the democrat party take a significantly more progressive view on social issues and rights.
The republican party are heavily influenced by neo-conservatism and they wish to preserve the USAs organic society, and are therefore uneasy with the social and sexual revolution that began in the country. This means they prefer strong Christian values and oppose abortion, gay marriage and recreational drug taking.
The democrats on the other hand is informed by modern liberalism and the idea of equality of opportunity for all individuals in society, therefore they advocate for progressive social change and reform.
Republican party strongly opposes abortion, Donald Trump in 2020 became the first US president to attend an anti-abortion rally, which he argued ‘Every life brings love to this world’, the 2016 republican platform specifically said they unborn children have a ‘right to life that cannot be infringed’.
Partial-Birth Abortion Act 2003 prohibited a form of late termination of pregnancy called ‘partial-birth abortion’, the law was enacted in 2003 and the constitutionality of the act was upheld in Gonzales v Carhart 2007.
The Democrat party support pro-choice however, in their 2016 platform it was written they committed to the importance of ‘safe and legal abortion’.
In 2017 Donald Trump signed a executive order that essentially banned transgender individuals from serving in the military, this went directly against Obama repealing ‘Don’t ask don’t tell’ in 2010 which allowed openly gay people to serve in the military
Hate crime prevention act 2010, very progressive legislation supported by Obama and the democrat party, giving the justice department power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivate violence, motivated by gender, sexual orientation, race etc.
Finally the democrats led the Civil Rights Act 1964 and the Voting Rights act 1965, it was signed into law by democrat president Lyndon B Johnson, this prohibited discrimination based on race, colour, religion and sex, furthermore outlawing discriminatory voting practises that were adopted by the southern states.
They share healthcare/immigration and other social policy
In terms of health care and immigration policy there is also a lot to unite the two parties in their beliefs.
The most conservative democrats for example did not support the public option of the affordable care act, the opposition from blue dog democrats meant Obama was forced to drop the provision, blue dog democrats agreed with republicans arguing that the fiscal cost of public health insurance is too expensive.
For example, Mike Ross, a member of the blue dog coalition voted against the Affordable care act in both House votes. 34 other house members did.
Furthermore, the Republican party were unable to repeal the ACA, The American Health care Act was not voted on as Republican leader didn’t think they would win, moderates such as Susan Collins said it went to far, there was not enough support in the republican party to oppose the democrat health policy, meaning that there is some degree of agreement.
Furthermore, in terms of immigration policy some conservative democrats have shown significant agreement with republican party policies and ideas.
There was significant conservative opposition to Obama when he attempted to pass the DREAM act, which would give illegal immigrants a path to citizenship. DREAM Act, 5 democrats voted against, therefore they couldn’t end the filibuster. Furthermore, Moderates and conservatives of the democrats are more in favour of the Trump wall as they represent more southern states and face more illegal immigration.
They dont share healthcare/immigration and other social policy
The democrats have been influenced by modern liberalism and the enabling state, this leads on to their view that the state should have responsibility and increase spending in healthcare, whereas republicans are weary of a dependency culture, universal health care sees too large role of the state and would have to be funded through taxation, instead they prefer private competition.
In 2010 Obama passed his health reforms labelled as ‘Obamacare’ or the Affordable Care Act 2010, it passed in the senate with not one senator breaking party lines, republicans believe the individual mandate is unfair to tax payers.
Donald trump opposed the ACA and committed to the American health care act 2017 would have partially repealed the Affordable care act 2010, reducing the expansion of Medicaid, removing government subsidies and completely repeal the individual mandate.
Republicans also place particular importance on border security and deportations of illegal immigrants, whilst the democrats place much greater importance on paths to legal status for those who entered the country illegally.
The most recent Republican president Donald Trump prioritised curbing illegal immigration into the USA via a Mexico border wall, 2,000 miles along the USA and Mexico border, this included around $18 billion to finance his project.
However, in 2014 President Obama issues a executive order DAPA, allowing certain illegal immigrants to be granted ‘deferred action status’ and a path to citizenship and DACA giving a two year period of deferred action from deportation and the opportunity to get a work permit.
We saw the stark difference when Trump in 2017 attempted to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals put forward by the trump administration, plus trumps ‘Muslim ban’ in 2017 that limited immigration from a number of countries such as Iran, Libya and Sudan.
RAISE, although did not pass was introduced by two republican senators in 2017, the bill would impose a cap of 50,000 refugees per year.
