Political Parties in the USA

Question 1

How have party stances changed over time? What continuity is there? - Parties

Answer 1

Party stances have become increasingly polarised over time, with greater differences between them. Both parties remain more right-wing than left on economic matters, yet socially there is a large difference between the liberally-minded Democrats and more conservative Republicans. Key issues now divide parties.

Question 2

What has happened to the number of swing states in the US over time? Why? - Parties

Answer 2

As party positions have become more polarised in their views, the number of swing states that switch between parties has reduced as voters are now more solidly Democrat or Republican.

Question 3

How many states switched political allegiance between the presidency of LBJ and the election of Nixon? How many states switched political allegiance between the presidency of Bush and the election of Obama? - Parties

Answer 3

36 states switched their allegiance between LBJ and Nixon, whereas only 9 switched party allegiances between Bush and Obama.

Question 4

What has happened the ideological gap between parties? What trend does this link to? - Parties

Answer 4

The ideological gap between parties has widened to a point at which there is little-no crossover at all between party views, where there was once a moderate consensus at the centre wings of the parties. This links to the increased trend of party polarisation.

Question 5

What change has been observed in the way people vote both in terms of split-ticket voting and party allegiances? - Parties

Answer 5

Split ticket: split ticket voting has declined as voters become more distinctly partisan.
Party allegiances: conservative Democrats have migrated into the Republican Party, while more moderate Republicans have moved to the Democrats. REALIGNMENT OF PARTIES.

Question 6

What are typical and untypical Republican economic policies? - Parties

Answer 6

Typical: rugged individualism/self-help, reduced state interference, neoliberalism ideas on tax and regulation, limited government intervention.
Untypical: isolationist policies supported through ‘America First’, initiatives to combat globalisation, stimulus packages during economic downturns.

Question 7

What are typical and untypical social Republican policies? - Parties

Answer 7

Typical: strongly oppose abortion, mandatory prison sentences for gang crimes/drug dealers/murderers, focuses on traditional values of Christianity.
Untypical: Bush aimed to reform education, Trump’s CARES package, Susan Collins a moderate Republican supporting same-sex marriage.

Question 8

What are typical and untypical Republican foreign policies? - Parties

Answer 8

Typical: Iraq war 2003, NATO Commitment, strong investment in military, withdrawal from Paris Climate Agreement, HAWKISH.
Untypical: Trump criticised NATO for excessive expense to the US, Trump’s trade wars with China.

Question 9

What are typical and untypical Democrat economic policies? - Parties

Answer 9

Typical: favour an enabling state (New Deal, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act), some regulation of the Free Market, progressive taxation.
Untypical: favour balanced budgets, some fiscally conservative representatives in Mid-West areas.

Question 10

What are typical and untypical Democratic social policies? - Parties

Answer 10

Typical: support pro-abortion stances, favour LGBTQ rights, provision of welfare (Affordable Care Act), mixture of punishment and reform when dealing with offenders.
Untypical: Southern Democrats support abortion controls, also less supportive of LGBTQ rights and gun controls. Some opposed Obamacare.

Question 11

What are typical and untypical Democrat foreign policies? - Parties

Answer 11

Typical: lower levels of defence spending, environmental protections, typically doveish.
Untypical: support of 9/11 retribution and ‘War on Terror’.

Question 12

What is the religious right? - Parties

Answer 12

The religious right are a collection of conservative Christian groups that favour evangelical ideas. They believe in family values, pro-life policies, parental rights, prayer in public schools, etc.

Question 13

In 11 elections from 1980-2020, at least what % of black Americans supported Democratic candidates? - Parties

Answer 13

At least 83% of black Americans supported Democratic candidates from 1980-2020.

Question 14

What % of black Americans supported Obama in 2008? - Parties

Answer 14

95% of black Americans supported Obama in 2008.

Question 15

Why have Hispanic voters previously been attracted to supporting Bush and Trump? - Parties

Answer 15

Bush: fluent Spanish speaking and brother married to a Hispanic woman, took 43% of vote in 2004.
Trump: machismo attitude appealed to Hispanic voters, Puerto Rican groups fearful of left-wing policy.

Question 16

What Christian group tends to support the Democrats? What was the % lead for Democrats with this group in 2020? - Parties

Answer 16

Catholics tend to support the Democrats. The Democrats had a 5% lead with this group in 2020.

Question 17

What % of evangelical Christians supported Republicans in 2020? - Parties

Answer 17

76% of evangelical Christians supported the Republicans in 2020.

Question 18

In 9/10 elections from 1964-2000, women supported which political party? - Parties

Answer 18

In 9/10 elections from 1964-2000, women supported the Democrats.

Question 19

What was Trump’s male/Biden’s female gender gap in 2020? - Parties

Answer 19

Trump’s male gender gap - 11%

Biden’s female gender gap - 12%

Question 20

What % of white, non-college educated voters supported Trump? - Parties

Answer 20

67% of white, non-college educated voters supported Trump.

Question 21

What % of post-graduates supported Biden? - Parties

Answer 21

62% of post-graduates supported Biden.

Question 22

Why do minority voters favour the Democrats? - Parties

Answer 22

Minority voters favour the Democrats due to their emphasis on social liberalism and multiculturalism, economic support and welfare and their more sympathetic attitudes to immigration.

Question 23

Who are key figures in the Republican fiscal conservative faction? What is the relative significance of this faction currently? - Parties

Answer 23

Key fiscal conservatives include Rand Paul and the former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. This faction is heavily influential on spending policies, resisting bipartisan cooperation with the Democrats.

Question 24

What are key policies of the Republican fiscal conservative faction? - Parties

Answer 24

The fiscal conservative faction heavily influenced the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2017, called for a reduction in US spending (including on defence), a limited government and a small state, wish to slash economic regulation.

Question 25

Who are key figures in the Republican social conservative faction? What is the relative significance of this faction? - Parties

Answer 25

Marco Rubio, Mike Pence, Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum are key figures in the social conservative faction. They are the largest ideological caucus in Congress and have major influence over Republican social policy and attitudes.

Question 26

What are key views and policies of the Republican social conservative faction? - Parties

Answer 26

Social conservatives oppose abortion and recreational drug use, yet favour gun rights, traditional family values and heterosexual marriage, the death penalty and tough sentencing.

Question 27

Who are key figures in the Republican moderate faction? What is the relative significance of this faction? - Parties

Answer 27

Key figures in the moderate faction include Mitt Romney, John McCain and Susan Collins. This is a very small faction in the Republican Party and has minimal influence on policy.

Question 28

What are the key policies and ideas of the moderate Republican faction? - Parties

Answer 28

Moderate Republicans favour gay marriage and, in some cases, abortion. They value higher public spending on education and healthcare (Obamacare) and believe that the state should have a greater economic role. It is still, however, pro-business and favours low tax.

Question 29

Who are key figures in the liberal/progressive Democrat faction? What is the relative significance of this faction? - Parties

Answer 29

Key liberal figures include Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. This faction is not as significant as the moderate faction, yet still has great importance within the Democratic Party and has been growing in recent years.

Question 30

What are key policies and ideas of the liberal/progressive Democratic faction? - Parties

Answer 30

Liberals/progressives favour social and racial justice, LGTBQ rights, free college education for all. They oppose expansion of nuclear power stations and wish to reach net zero. They also believe in a more lenient approach to criminal sentencing and punishment

Question 31

Who are key figures in the moderate/centrist Democrat faction? What is the relative significance of this faction? - Parties

Answer 31

Key figures in the moderate/centrist Democrat faction include Joe Biden and the Clintons. This is the largest congressional grouping of Democrats, particularly so after 1992 and the election of Clinton, selling itself as a middle way between the 2 extreme wings of American politics.

Question 32

What are key policies of the moderate/centrist factions of the Democrat Party? - Parties

Answer 32

Moderates/centrists believe in a ‘public option’ for healthcare to compete with private providers, they want to raise the minimum wage to $15/hour, favour minority rights and social liberalism. Redistributive taxation should be used to create an enabling state which should increase equality of opportunity. College fees should be made more affordable and climate concerns should be responded to.

Question 33

Who are key individuals associated with the conservative Democrat faction? What is the relative importance of this faction? - Parties

Answer 33

Jim Cooper and Joe Manchin are key figures associated with the conservative Democrat faction, with most of these individuals representing Mid-Western or Southern locations. This is the smallest Democrat grouping, and while it has little direct influence on shaping policy, it has proved to be a major disruptive influence on the ideas of the mainstream party.

Question 34

What are key policies of the conservative Democrat faction? - Parties

Answer 34

Conservative Democrats favour balanced budgets, oppose Obamacare, are unsupportive of gun control measures and less likely to wish to advance LGBTQ rights. They are fiscally neo-conservative and socially conservative, using this to reach bipartisan agreement with moderate Republicans.

Question 35

Why is female support of the Republican Party (particularly recently) lower than male support? - Parties

Answer 35

Under the Trump presidency and during his campaigning, Trump showed disdain for and very derogatory attitudes towards women, which caused aversion among many female voters. Furthermore, the party traditionally opposes abortion and other measures that many women are supportive of.

Question 36

What arguments are there in favour of party decline? - Parties

Answer 36

Parties have little-no control over candidate selection (due to primaries), party rallies are no longer as significant for communication with voters, political movements (Occupy/BLM/Tea Party) have replaced the importance of traditional political parties.