Modern Political Parties: The Two Party System Class Lecture

Republicans vs. Democrats

Economic Policies Republicans 1. Free Market Policies (Laissez Faire: The Free Hand) 2. Capitalism and the importance of economic competition 3. Limit government regulation of business 4. “Trickle Down” Economics 5. Tax Cuts 6. Welfare Reform 7. Limit federal government funding of social programs 8. Oppose the International Kyoto Treaty (designed to limit air pollution) because it limits economic growth Democrats Consistent government funding of social programs (universal health care, medicare, medicaid, social security, welfare, etc.) Minimum wage Progressive income taxes to pay for increased social services Support labor unions Oppose unregulated business Generally are environmentalists Support government subsidies for farmers

“Trickle Down Economics” Republican Economic Policy “Trickle Down Economics”

Democrat Economic Policy

Conservative vs. Liberal One who favors traditional American Judeo-Christian views and values Republicans tend to be more conservative Liberal One who supports the freedom of individuals to act or express themselves as they choose Democrats tend to be more liberal

Social Policies Republicans Socially Conservative Personal Responsibility Oppose abortion Oppose same sex marriage Support faith based initiatives (prayer in schools) Oppose racial quotas (affirmative action) Support gun ownership rights Support school choice, charter schools, & education vouchers Support teaching of creationism and intelligent design Oppose embryonic stem cell research Enforcement to reduce illegal immigration Democrats Socially Liberal Social Responsibility Support reproductive rights for women (including abortion) Favor civil unions for same sex couples Support civil liberties, social freedoms, equal opportunity Support affirmative action and racial quotas Support stem cell research Support public school system Advocate the total separation of church and state (government) Support gun control

Role of Government Republicans More “states rights” oriented of the two Believe in limiting the role of the federal government in people’s lives The Supreme Court should not interpret the Constitution to make law through “precedents”. Safety over privacy Democrats Stress the importance of federalism and strength of the Federal government. Believe the Federal government should use its’ strength to alleviate poverty and social injustice Believe in the importance of judicial review Privacy over safety

International Relations Republicans Believe in unilateral military action when necessary Believe in free trade agreements such as NAFTA Democrats Support the idea of building military coalitions (especially with European nations)

Political Party Identification Worksheet For each of the ideas listed below, indicate with D or an R which party hold the belief. ___1)They favor tax cuts for all levels of society in the hope that increased consumer spending will lead to growth of America’s treasury. ___2) This party is willing to open up the Alaskan National Wildlife Research (ANWR) to oil exploration and drilling to reduce US dependence on foreign oil. ___3) They rejected the 1994 Health Care Plan, which would have placed a large federal agency in charge of insuring the 50 million Americans who lack any sort of health insurance. ___4) They believe in supporting the middle class and poor of American society by redistributing wealth through collecting taxes and creating social programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. ___5) This party opposed the lifting of gun control laws such as the Assault Weapons ban, and they want to place a 30-day waiting period on the purchase of handguns. ___6) This party opposed large increases in defense spending because they say it hurts domestic spending on programs like public schools, child care, and assistance for America’s cities. ___7) This party supports the use of taxpayer funds in the form of vouchers to allow students who want to transfer to private schools in order to get a better education. ___8) This party is suspicious of businesses and feels that the government must make rules on issues like labor relations, pollution, and corporate greed. ___9) This party is more willing to use American forces overseas. In order to make the military stronger, the party supports increased spending on troops and weapons. ___10) This party wants to reduce America’s need for Middle East oil by investing in research for alternative energy sources such as wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal sources.