Key ideas of Republicans and Democrats Flashcards
1
Q
What is the party system in the US ?
A
- 2 party system (Republicans and the Democrats)
2
Q
Why have national party structures become stronger at the expense of state and local parties in the last 3 decades ?
A
- New Campaign finance laws meant money flowed more to national parties + Presidential candidates than raised locally
- TV provided a medium where candidates could appeal directly to voters
- Parties are more ideologically cohesive and politics is partisan meaning there’s is centralised control of the message
- National parties have systems to recruit and train state and local party candidates especially during election cycles
3
Q
State and local organisation
A
- Everything else is to do with political parties is at state level where a considerable amount of power is vested in state governors and big city mayors
4
Q
National organisation
A
- Democratic national committee and the Republican National committee : both have offices in Washington and a chair
- They are responsible for raising money, hiring staff and coordinating election strategy
- DNC is made up of the chair and vice chair of the 50 stare democratic parties and 200 elected members from the state parties proportionally
5
Q
What is an ideology ?
A
Collectively held set of ideas and beliefs
6
Q
How have US parties become polarised ?
A
- During the Presidency of Reagan and this political polarisation has continued since
7
Q
1972 v 2012 ‘do you think there are important differences in what the Republicans and the Democrats stand for ?
A
1972 : 46% of people said yes
2012 : 81% of people said yes
8
Q
How are the Republicans influenced by conservative ideas ?
A
- Socially conservative eg same-sex marriage, a woman’s right to choose + ‘traditional families’
- Fiscal conservatives eg cutting taxes, laissez faire economics and 2010 rejected the Consumer protection act which regulated Wall Street finance
- Oppose abortion on moral and religious grounds eg Trump 2020 became the first sitting president to attained an anti-abortion rally
- Second Amendment rights eg during 2020 BLM protests the McCloskey’s held guns on their porches
- Sceptical around environmental issues eg 2017 Trump withdrew from the Paris agreement and in 2020 there were plans to open an oil development in Alaska
- FP favours protectionism eg Trump introduced a tariff on Chinese goods
9
Q
How are Democrats influenced by Liberal ideas ?
A
- Broadly liberal eg favour LGBTQ+ rights (2012 First Gay senator elected), interventionist policies and a progressive approach
- Instigated the CRA 1964 + 1965 Voting rights act
- Favours punishment and rehabilitation eg Following the murder of George Floyd, they called for justice in the policing act
- Support pro-choice and in 2016 campaigned for “every woman should have a choice”
- Economy : supported the Consumer protection act 2010, buffet rule and the 2009 recovery and investment act
- support gun control and 2010 affordable care act
10
Q
What are the Democratic factions ?
A
- Liberals/progressives
- Moderates/centrists
- conservatives
11
Q
Key values of the Liberal Democrat faction ?
A
- Key values : social justice, oppose the death sentence, LGBTQ+ rights, free college education, environmental issues and Medicare for all
- Key names : AOC + Sanders
- Associated with the Congressional progressive caucus (just under 100 members in 116th Congress)
12
Q
Key values of the centrist Democratic faction
A
- Key values : public option for healthcare, minority rights but more cautious about wholesale reform of the police, make college more affordable, fair and humane immigration
- Key names : Biden and the Clintons
- Associated with the New Democrat coalition caucus which in the 116th Congress had 100 members
13
Q
Key values of the Conservative Democrat faction
A
- Key values : socially conservative, fiscally Neo-conservative, less supportive of LGBTQ+ and gun control, keen to reach bipartisan agreements with moderate republicans and voted against Obamacare
- Key names : Jim Cooper and Joe Manchin
- Associated with the Blue dog coalition in congress (the smallest Democrat grouping)
14
Q
What are the 3 Republican factions
A
- Moderates
- Fiscal conservatives
- Social conservatives
15
Q
Key values of moderate Republican faction ?
A
- Key values : less socially conservative, bigger role of the state in society and the economy, unwilling to repeal Obamacare entirely, more sympathetic to immigration and higher spending on public education
- Key names : Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski
- Associated with the Tuesday groups with roughly 15-20 members
16
Q
Key values of fiscal conservatives
A
- Key values : reduce government spending, advocate small government, tax cuts, support the balanced budget and key to appeal Obama care / health spending
- Key names : Rand Paul and Andy Briggs
- Associated with the freedom Caucus which claimed to face around 35 members bur official membership lists aren’t published
