Democrats_and_Republicans_Compare_and_Contrast_Essay_198_200_Points!!

Democrats and Republicans: A House Divided Many years ago during a school trip to the Lincoln monument I asked a friend of mine, “What is the difference between Democrats and Republicans, and why don’t they get along”' To my surprise he was unable to give me an answer, so I decided to ask the other kids from our class the same question and discovered a disconcerting fact, most people don’t know what types of political parties exist and are even more at a loss as to which one they want to support. In this paper the two major contemporary political parties in the United States – Democratic Party and Republican Party – will be discussed. They are similar in that they are both political parties with the well being of the country at heart. Democratic and Republican differences will be discussed in detail in this paper because it is the differences that impact the laws and/or legislation will mean depending on what party proposes them. Although both Democrats and Republicans are members of congress, they differ in their political views, the economy, and what they stand for as a group; hence, influencing or impacting the lives of the American people. This will be the running theme of this paper. The modern Democratic Party was once referred to as the Democratic-Republican Party during the time of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. The Democratic-Republican Party began as an anti federalist group, opposed to strong, centralized government. The party was officially established at a national nominating convention in 1832. It dropped the Republican portion of its name in 1840 (Farlex, Inc., 2012). The party has the longest record of continuous service in the United States, and is one of the oldest political parties in the world. Throughout its history, the party has favored farmers, laborers, labor unions, as well as religious and ethnic minorities; it has opposed unregulated business and finance, and been in favor of progressive income taxes. The party currently holds a minority of seats in The House Of Representatives, but a majority of seats in the Senate. The Republican Party was founded by anti- slavery expansion activist in 1854, and it is often referred to as the GOP (Grand Old Party). They generally reflect American conservatism, a stance which is largely based on their support of classic liberal principles (Farmer, 2006). The party includes fiscal conservatives, social conservatives, neoconservatives, moderates, and libertarians. Prior to the mid 1960’s they advocated classical liberalism, paleoconservatism, and progressivism. Most republicans agree there should be a “safety net” for aiding the less fortunate; however, they believe the private sector is more effective in helping the poor than the government is. Because of this, they are in favor of giving government grants to faith-based organizations and other private charitable organizations as a means to supplant welfare spending. They have a mixed record of supporting Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare programs through the party’s history. They hold the majority of seats in the House of Representatives, while holding a minority of seats in the Senate. Democrats see government as the final word, a powerful tool that can and should solve all our problems. They see the constitution as a living document, and its meaning is based on the interpretation of the persons in power at the time. They have their own idea of marriage and believe moral conduct can be guided by means of taxation. Society is larger than the individual. Republicans see government as a limited power. Government should be limited within the rules of the constitution, leaving anything outside the constitution up to the people and their states. They believe in the use of government to uphold traditional aspects of marriage, and that moral conduct should be enforced trough law. They are strong believers in individuality within society. Democrats have strong political views on several key issues. They prefer to lower military spending and are reluctant to use military force against countries like Syria, Iran, and Libya. They are in favor of more gun control laws such as prohibiting the carrying of concealed weapons in public places, and support legislation that will ensure that felons and the mentally ill will not be allowed to purchase weapons. They believe abortion is legal because it is a woman’s right to decide. They support equal rights for gay and lesbian couples, and are opposed to the death penalty. They believe in progressive taxing and want high income individuals to pay a higher rate in taxes, using this increase in taxes on the rich to support public programs. They also favor an increase in minimum wage to help workers. Republicans are on the other end of the spectrum in regards to their political views on these same key issues. They advocate increasing military spending, and have a more hard line stance against the countries mentioned earlier. They fight gun control laws and are strong supporters of the Second Amendment of the Constitution, and also support the right to carry concealed firearms. They do not condone abortion being legal and are not supporters of stem cell research. Marriage should be observed in the traditional form of man and woman according to them, and therefore oppose gay marriage or the adoption of children by gay couples. They support the death penalty and see it as a much needed deterrent for crime. Republicans support tax cuts for all and view higher tax rates on rich people as a form of class warfare. They also firmly oppose raising minimum wage because it hurts businesses. There are many current political issues that have become a hot topic with Americans of all ages, races and political affiliations. Among them are National Security, Healthcare, Taxes, Education, Immigration and the Economy. The views of both parties on these issues have directly influenced or impacted the lives of the American people, with policies to address these issues shifting from leader to leader depending on party affiliation. Democrat’s views on these issues are clear, they believe national security goes beyond just protecting our borders, and have made modernizing the military a top priority while at the same time removing outdated programs and unnecessary spending. They believe in investing heavily in intelligence and information sharing and the promotion of those networks among our allies. In regards to healthcare, they believe every American should have some basic security when it comes to this. The Affordable care Act is one of many health reforms they believe are needed to strengthen Medicare by reducing fraud, improving quality of care, and covering the “donut hole” gap in senior’s prescription drug coverage. They believe in taxing people according to what they make, and are trying to end tax loopholes that let corporations hide profits overseas, while providing tax cuts to small businesses. Many Democrats have a long term goal of having affordable, publicly funded college education with low tuition fees and increasing state funding for student financial aid programs. Democrats believe immigration reform should reflect America’s tradition as nation of laws, but also a nation of fairness and responsibility, compassion, and prosperity. Democrats believe in the values of hard work and responsibility, and that as a country we are most effective when we invest in middle-class families and small business owners, who can grow our economy from the ground up. They support more government spending on social services, favor a higher minimum wage, and support a more progressive tax structure. Republicans are equally adamant in their stances on these same issues: They believe in peace through strength regarding national Security, and are believers in unilateralism; which is the ability and right of the United States to act without external help with regards to its national defense. They strongly believe in increased spending on military training and intelligence. They support common – sense health care reforms that would lower costs, preserve quality and end lawsuit abuse. Many Republicans consider the income tax system to be innately unproductive and oppose progressive tax rates, which they believe are unfairly aimed at those who create jobs and wealth. They are also against the estate tax. Most Republicans support school choice through charter schools and school vouchers for private schools; many have denounced the performance of the public school system and the teachers' unions. The party has insisted on a system of greater accountability for public schools, most notably in recent years with the No Child left behind Act of 2001. Republicans are divided on how to confront illegal immigration issues between a platform that allows for migrant workers and easing citizenship guidelines, and border enforcement-first approach. Republicans stress the role of free markets and individual achievement as the chief factors behind economic prosperity. To this end, they favor laissez- faire economics, fiscal conservatism, and the encouragement of personal responsibility over welfare programs. “Say the words "budget deficit," and Republicans and Democrats begin screaming at each other about who's to blame. Republicans howl that the deficit is President Obama's fault, because he has exploded government spending and failed to fix the economy. Democrats roar that President Obama inherited a catastrophic economic mess, that this mess will take time to clean up, and that our massive deficit is therefore President Bush's fault. So, who's right' Let's start by looking at the deficits under Presidents Bush and Obama. Then we'll figure out what has caused them. President Bush, you will recall, inherited a budget surplus (the first in decades). Then, hit with a recession, he took the budget into deficit. Then he cut taxes, growing the deficit to $400 billion a year. Then, the economy boomed between 2005 and 2008, reducing the deficit to $200 billion a year. Then, the financial crisis hit, and the Bush deficit ballooned to $400 billion again” (Blodget, 2011). It is important to understand how the current state of the economy is affecting the American people. One of the problems faced includes high unemployment. Another problem is the falling value of the dollar both domestically and internationally. Businesses have also become reluctant to partake in long term investing. Many companies have begun to leave the country to seek better financial climates. Individuals are also leaving the country in search of better financial environments. The country is reeling to recover from Giant debt and deficits, as well as the cost of fighting multiple wars. Blame game aside, both parties acknowledge that the economy is in disarray; and have contrasting views on how to bring us out of what many business analysts refer to as another depression. Democrats believe in investing in middle – class families and small businesses to build the economy from the ground up. They want to invest in a clean – energy economy, and tax cuts to companies that produce the tools to do so. They want to stop corporations from hiding profits overseas, and investing those dollars in American businesses. They want to unsure that American taxpayers will never again be forced to bail out big banks. Republicans believe in the power and opportunity of America’s free – market economy. They believe in the importance of sensible government regulations that promote confidence in our economy among consumers, entrepreneurs and businesses alike. They oppose interventionist policies that put the federal government in control of industry and allow it to pick winners and losers in the marketplace. Democrats and Republicans are both members of congress, but they both have different ideals and theologies that separate them in what they stand for as individual groups. Democrats believe the government should be responsible for the care of all individuals. They believe this to be true even if it means giving up several of our individual rights and possibly subordinating enterprise initiative. They have pushed for central power in Washington D.C., with the rights of both individuals and communities considered in the process. They have also been in favor of interventions at a federal level in place of community – oriented solutions to pressing problems. A majority favor universal health care, with many supporting a single - payer system. They deem immigration and cultural diversity as positive, and many favor diplomacy over military action. Republicans believe each individual is responsible for their place in society. They believe the government should act as an enabler granting each individual the means to secure society’s benefits for themselves, their own families, and those who unable to take care of themselves. Their philosophy is centered on limiting government intervention as a mechanism for individual affluence. Government should only be required to step in when society cannot act efficiently at the individual stage. At their core they believe that a person’s destiny should be in that person’s hands, and that the power of government and its resources as well, should be kept close to the American people trough their state and community leaders. They do not believe it should be centralized in a distant and remote agency of the federal government. Despite their views in philosophy and ideology both parties ultimately have a mission they set out to accomplish, and goals they have set in mind for America as a country. Democrats see the government as a powerful instrument whose responsibility it is to guide the nation forward, at the same time making sure individuals do not become a priority over the community. They believe in equality among the classes, fight for education, and advocate strong gun control laws. They have an open definition of marriage and believe in taxing people according to what they make. They are considered the more liberal of the two parties. Republicans believe government should be a background entity, and intervene only when local leaders are unable to solve a problem. They believe free markets and individual success are the main factors behind economic prosperity. They believe private spending is more efficient than government spending and that tax breaks for big companies leads to economic growth. They are in favor of an employer or personal based system of insurance. They oppose raises in minimum wage, claiming that the cost for the company to regain profits is too great. They are considered the more conservative of the two parties. In essence, the Democrats and Republicans make up the major political parties in the United States. Although they are both political parties, they are quite different. First, their roles are different. Their opinions on current political views and those in general are quite different. Both parties have a lot to say in regards to the country’s current state of economy. They both stand for different things. Democratic and Republican missions and goals differ as well. All these factors influence and/or impact the lives of the American people.