Key ideas and principles of Rs and Ds Flashcards
Why were the parties not very national phenemona for much of the 19th and 20th centuries?
They were much more evident on the state and local stage. With little ideological cohesion between the different state organisations of the same party, being an R or a D meant little outside of the presidential election cycle
What has been the traditional view on the ideological difference between them?
That there was very little different
What phrase did Prof Denis Brogan use to characterise this in 1954?
Said that they are like ‘two bottles with different labels, both empty’
When did polarisation begin?
With the presidency of Reagan and this has continued since
Describe the state of partisanship
Very little ideological middle ground and it takes major crises for them to cooperate, and such detentes do not last long
What two philosophies will R principles be a combination of?
Neo liberalism and neo conservativism
How do they see the role of the state
While acknowledging the need for some state intervention in society and the economy, they invisage a smaller role for the state than the Ds
How does its attitude to social and moral problems compare to the D party?
It is more traditional and less liberal
What philosophy will their attitudes to social and moral problems be influence by?
Neo conservativism
What is neo conservativism in simple terms?
A more modern version of traditional conservativism
Rs wished to preserve an organic society from social fragmentation. What is an organic society?
View associated with UK and US conservatives. Sees society as a living organism that emerges and evolves over time. Emphasis on gradual change and what works in society
Why were they uneasy with societal changes in the 1960s?
Uneasy with the social and sexual revolution which they feel has ushered an era of moral relativism and has led to a fragmented society
How does Christianity influence the moral viewpoint of many Rs?
They are absolutists
Rs are against ‘permissiveness’. What kind of things does this mean they will be opposed to?
Abortion, gay marriage and recreational drug use
By what means do Rs want to uphold traditional values?
Through a tough stance on law and order and supporting institutions such as the nuclear family
On what two grounds do they oppose abortion?
Moral and religious
How did Trump contribute to this debate?
He was the first sitting president to attend an anti abortion rally in Jan 2020
What did he say to justify his anti abortion stance?
Every life brings love into the world. Every child brings joy to a family. Every person is worth protecting
What does Senator Rand Paul argue?
That full personhood should be given to all embryos and feautuses. This would effectively make all abortions illegal
What did the party officially state in 2016 to affirm its position on abortion?
We assert the sanctity of life and affirm that the unborn child has a right to life which cannot be infringed upon
What anti abortion executive order did Reagan pass in 1984 that was then reinstated by Bush and Trump?
The Mexico City Policy
What did the Mexico City Policy do?
Mandated that non governmental organisations receiving US global assistance cannot provide abortion services, discuss abortion options with patients or advocate for a liberalisation of abortion laws
What ideology makes Rs strong supporters of the 2nd amendment and rigorous law and order
Neo conservativism
What did the 2016 R Platform state in 2016 to affirm its tough stance on law and order?
We support mandatory prison sentences for gng crimes, violence or sexual offences against children, repeat drug dealers, rape, robbery and murder
What did Trump tweet in support of the 2nd amendment during the 2020 BLM protests?
When the looting starts, the shooting starts
Describe how Missouri couple Mark and Patricia McClosekey made use of the 2nd amendment during these protests
They stood outside their million dollar home on a private street brandishing their legal guns and telling protestors to go away. For many Rs this epitomised the right of Americans to protect home and family. They featured as speakers at the R national convention that summer
What have Rs at the state and federal level supported strong punishment for?
Use and distribution of illegal drugs and violent gang activity
Why are Rs so focused on family values?
Because this is associated with the more traditional strands of Christianity and the nuclear family, both of which they support. The religious right is an important part of R ideology
Explain the term ‘religious right’
A term applied to mainly white, protestant, evangelical Christians. Tend to be the strongest supporters of traditional values. Strongly allied themselves with the Rs in recent decades
How did Dec 2010 legislation aid gay people?
It allowed them to serve openly in the military
How did a 2017 executive order inhibit trans people?
Prevented them from serving
How did the 2016 R platform make this commitment to traditional values clear?
Laws and gov regulations should recognise marriage as a union between man and woman and actively promote family life as the basis for stability and prosperity
What are R attitudes into gov intervention based upon?
A contradictory mixture of neo conservativism and neo liberalism
Ds prefer positive freedom, what does this mean?
The idea that freedom is the ability to actively do something. Anti discrimination laws, public healthcare and good state schools allow individuals to flourish and achieve. Usually associated with liberals and progressives, invasiges a larger and more interventionist role for the state as necessary
Explain the neo liberal idea of negative freedom that Rs believe in
Minimal state intervention into people’s lives
How does the 2nd amendment uphold freedom according to them?
By preventing private individuals and gov itself from infringing
The ideas of rugged individualism and self help stem from which philosophies?
Both neo and classical liberalism
What kind of policies will these ideas lead Rs to reject
Public healthcare, as critics will call it socialist and therefore unamerican
What type of economics does the neo liberal principles of the R party make them favour?
Laissez faire economics with limited gov intervention
What Obama administration doid these beliefs see them reject?
- The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
- The 2010 Dodd Frank Wall Street Consumer Protection Act
On what grounds was the 2010 Dodd Frank Wall Street Consumer Protection Act rejected in the 2016 R platform
They said that such excessive banking regulations was an excuse to establish unprecedented government control in the nation’s financial markets
How is the R approach to environmental issues an example of their commitment to free market economics?
Restrictions and regulations aimed at curbing damage and fossil fuel usage have been rolled back to further the interests of industry and big business
Give an example of Trump doing this in 2020
Opened up part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil and gas development, overturning 6 decades and protections for the largest stretch of wilderness remaining in the US
What did the Paris Agreement that Trump pulled out of in 2017 seek to do?
Reduce global warming by reducing carbon emissions and producing more green energy sources
What commonly accepted idea have some Rs expressed scepticism about?
Climate change, disputing the science behind it
Why can Rs not be described as entirely neo liberal?
Because they do favour some gov intervention into the economy
Give some examples of this
- Accept the state has a responsibility for social welfare and to finance this they support taxation
- While it is true that they support lower levels of taxation than the Ds, they still believe in the state taxing the individual to a significant extent
How can neo conservativism be seen in R foreign policy?
Because they will sometimes favour protectionism to protect US interests
Give an example of this
Many Rs supported Trump’s America first policies that saw him place a variety of tariffs on Chinese goods. An example of how they use protectionism to blunt globalisation and protect US jobs. Trump made this an important part of his election pledge which illustrates how important a strong state is to Rs in this area. This shows that classifying them as a party of limited gov is too simplistic
Why do Rs not completely support laissez faire economics?
They sometimes show a certain pragmatism associated with conservativism. Recent history suggests that is especially the case when an R president is in office at the time of crisis
Give an example of this
Bush supported the 2009 Emergency Economic Stabilisation Act which created a $700 billion troubled asset relief programme to purchase toxic assets from banks, which helped stabilise a banking industry on the verge of collapse
Give an example of this occuring in 2020
They supported the Keynesian CARES Act
What does the term Keynesian mean?
Used to describe economic policy influenced by John Maynard Keynes. Part of his economic ideas involved high levels of public spending in a time of economic crisis to kick start the capitalist economy by creating demand
What are the two main reasons why Rs have come to favour Keynesian over laissez faire economics during times of crisis?
- Laissez faire economics exascerbated the GD
- Rs demonstrate that their first priority will always be preserving society, which is why we can conclude that neo conservativism has a bigger influence on R ideas than neo liberalism
What influence R ideas on social welfare?
Neo conservativism
Explain the R concept of social welfare
Argue that the state should provide a social safety net for those genuinely struggling, but no handouts that erode individual responsibility
Give some examples of welfare programmes they accept
- Medicare (health insurance programmes for low income, disabled and elderly
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Programme (SNAP) better known as foodstamps
- However Rs have often and most recently under Trump called for cuts to these programmes
Why do they disagree with LBJ’s Great Society Reforms?
Because they think they have created a dependency culture
Why do they think that the corrupt moral nature of humans makes these programmes counterproductive?
Because they think humans are not naturally moral or hardworking
Why do they think a small state, low taxation model helps the individual?
It allows them to enjoy the benefits of their hard work
How does neo liberalism inform their attitudes to healthcare?
Because they believe that it should be based on private competition rather than state monopoly. They have opposed universal healthcare on the grounds of cost, an increased role for the state and because it would have to be funded by tax
What did their 2016 platform say about healthcare
That it must be based on genuine competition and patient choice
When was Trump a registered D?
2001-9
List three new policy ideas he brought into the party
- America first. Argued that NATO countries, especially in Europe should spend more on defence
- Willingness to start a tariff war with other nations, especially China
- Prioritisation of a border wall to curb illegal migration
List some of the continuities
Strong defence and gun rights and tax cuts
Why did few Rs criticise Trump during his time as president
Due to the enthusiasm for him from the party faithful
Give an example of how Rs were unwilling to challenge him
- Faced virtually no opposition in the 2020 primaries
- Few Rs urged him to concede gracefully after the 2020 election
- Only 10 house Rs voted to impeach Trump
What is the party still divided between now?
Pro and anti Trump factions
Give some examples of senators who support
Ted Cruz and Josh Jawley
Give some examples of senators who oppose
Mit Romney and Ben Sasse
What could this internal battle effect that party’s ability to do?
Control congress
What modern cultural trends have the Ds been far more willing to embrace?
- Environmentalism
- Women’s reproductive rights
- LGBTQ+ rights
Give some examples of areas where they favour more interventionist gov policies
Healthcare and reducing poverty
What two ideas inform the party?
Modern liberalism and equality of opportunity for all
What does the term progressive mean
Advocating change and reform
They were the instigators of the 1964 CRA and the 1965 VRA. What effect did these acts have?
Ended legal segregation and gave blacks full civil and political rights
How do they deal with crime
Mixture of punishment and rehabilitation
What did they call for in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd?
A Juctice in Policing Act to rectify institutional racism that they argue exists across many US police departments