1. The U.S. Political Spectrum
Where do YOU stand?
DEMOCRAT REPUBLICAN
LIBERAL (“Left”) CONSERVATIVE (“Right)

2. Origins of the 2 Parties
The Democratic Party traces its origins & heritage back to Thomas Jefferson & James Madison's Democratic-Republican Party.
The modern-day Democratic Party was founded around 1828 by supporters of Andrew Jackson, making it the world's oldest political party.
The Republican Party is the younger of the two parties. Founded in 1854 by anti-slavery expansion activists and modernizers, the Republican Party rose to prominence with the election of Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president.

3. History of the Parties YEARS PARTY 1792 – 1824 Federalist Party
(Alexander Hamilton)
Democratic-Republican Party
(Madison & Jefferson)
1824 – 1854
Whig Party
(Henry Clay)
Democratic Party
(Andrew Jackson)
1854 – 1890s
Republican Party (“GOP”)
(Abraham Lincoln)
1896 – Present
Republican Party

4. History of the Parties - President35
Kennedy, John F.
Democratic 36
Johnson, Lyndon B. 37
Nixon, Richard M.
Republican 38
Ford, Gerald R. 39
Carter, James Earl Jr. 40
Reagan, Ronald W. 41
Bush, George H. W. 42
Clinton, William J. 43
Bush, George Walker 44
Obama, Barack Hussein 45
Trump, Donald 25
McKinley, William
Republican 26
Roosevelt, Theodore 27
Taft, William H. 28
Wilson, Woodrow
Democratic 29
Harding, Warren G. 30
Coolidge, Calvin 31
Hoover, Herbert C. 32
Roosevelt, Franklin D. 33
Truman, Harry S. 34
Eisenhower, Dwight D.

5. Comparisons of Ideologiesor
the Issues
Where do YOU stand?
DEMOCRAT REPUBLICAN
LIBERAL (“Left”) CONSERVATIVE (“Right)

6. Differences in Philosophy
While there may be several differences in opinion between individual Democrats & Republicans on certain issues, what follows is a generalization of their stand on several of these issues.
REPUBLICAN:
Republican philosophy is based on a limited influence of government & a dominant foreign policy.
The far right generally is pro-religion, anti-bureaucracy, pro-military, pro-business and pro-personal responsibility.
Conservative (fiscally as well as socially), pro-business and against regulations and bureaucracy.
Republicans, see "big government" as wasteful & an obstacle to getting things done.
Their approach is Darwinian capitalism in that strong business should survive in a free market rather than the government influencing—through regulation—who wins or loses in business.

7. Differences in Philosophy
DEMOCRAT:
A Democrat is typically known as a supporter of a broader range of social services, typically provided by government.
They tend to favor an active role for government in society & believe that such involvement can improve the quality of people’s lives and help achieve the larger goals of opportunity and equality. Whereas, Republicans tend to favor a limited role for government in society.
Democrats favor environmental regulations & anti-discrimination laws for employment.
Historically, the party has represented farmers, laborers, labor unions, & religious and ethnic minorities; it has opposed unregulated business & finance, & favored progressive income taxes.

8. Democrat (Liberal/Left) Republican (Conservative/Right)
Economic Ideas
Democrat (Liberal/Left)
Republican (Conservative/Right)
Minimum wages and progressive taxation, i.e., higher tax rates for higher income brackets.
They support higher taxes on the wealthy to pay for public programs.
Democrats favor increase in the minimum wage to help workers. 
Government can product jobs.
Believe taxes shouldn't be increased for anyone (including the wealthy) and that wages should be set by the free market.
They consider higher tax rates on the rich a form of class warfare.
Republicans oppose raising the minimum wage because it hurts businesses.
Business’s produce jobs.
Social & Human Ideas
Democrat (Liberal/Left)
Republican (Conservative/Right)
Based on community & social responsibility.
In contrast, Democrats attach greater importance to equality and social/community responsibility.
Based on individual rights & justice. Republican philosophy leans more towards individual freedoms, rights and responsibilities.

9. Democrat (Liberal/Left) Republican (Conservative/Right)
Military Issues
Democrat (Liberal/Left)
Republican (Conservative/Right)
Decrease spending.
Prefer lower increases in military spending & are comparatively more reluctant to using military force against countries like Iran, Syria and Libya.
Supporting gaining “worldly support” instead of acting alone.
Increase spending.
Prefer increasing military spending & have a more hard line stance against countries like Iran, with a higher tendency to deploy the military option.
Supporting acting “alone” when necessary.
Gay Marriage (LBGT) Issues
Democrat (Liberal/Left)
Republican (Conservative/Right)
Support (some disagree).
Democrats tend to favor equal rights for gay & lesbian couples e.g. the right to get married & adopt children.
Democrats are also more supportive of rights for transgender people.
Oppose (some disagree).
Republicans believe that marriage should be defined as between a man & a woman so they do not support gay marriage, nor allowing gay couples to adopt children. Conservatives typically follow Christian-right beliefs.

10. Democrat (Liberal/Left) Republican (Conservative/Right)
Abortion
Democrat (Liberal/Left)
Republican (Conservative/Right)
Should remain LEGAL; support Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision.
Democrats support abortion rights and keeping elective abortions legal.
Should NOT be legal (with some exceptions); oppose Roe v. Wade.
Some Republicans go so far as to oppose the contraception mandate i.e. requiring employer-paid health insurance plans to cover contraception.
Death Penalty
Democrat (Liberal/Left)
Republican (Conservative/Right)
While support for the death penalty is strong among Democrats, opponents of the death penalty are a substantial fraction of the Democratic base.
A large majority of Republicans support the death penalty.
Opponents of the death penalty form a much higher fraction of the Democratic Party when compared to the GOP.

11. Democrat (Liberal/Left) Republican (Conservative/Right)
Taxes/Taxation
Democrat (Liberal/Left)
Republican (Conservative/Right)
Progressive (high income earners should be taxed at a higher rate). Generally not opposed to raising taxes to fund government.
Democrats support progressive taxes i.e. they want high-income individuals to pay taxes at a higher rate. They support higher taxes on the wealthy to pay for public programs
Tend to favor a "flat tax" (same tax rate regardless of income). Generally opposed to raising taxes.
Republicans support tax cuts for everyone (rich & poor alike).
They consider higher tax rates on the rich a form of class warfare.
Government Regulation
Democrat (Liberal/Left)
Republican (Conservative/Right)
Government regulations are needed to protect consumers.
Democrats want to expand governmental programs. They argue that with unemployment rate high in the economy, many families need assistance.
Government regulations hinder free market capitalism and job growth.
Republicans favor a small government — both in terms of the number of people employed by the government and in terms of the roles and responsibilities of government in society.

12. Democrat (Liberal/Left) Republican (Conservative/Right)
Healthcare
Democrat (Liberal/Left)
Republican (Conservative/Right)
Support universal healthcare; strong support of government involvement in healthcare, including Medicare & Medicaid.
Generally support Obamacare.
Healthcare is a “right” & should be provided by the government.
Private companies can provide healthcare services more efficiently than government-run programs. Oppose Obamacare provisions like (1) requirement for individuals to buy health insurance or pay a fine, (2) required coverage of contraceptives.
Immigration
Democrat (Liberal/Left)
Republican (Conservative/Right)
There is greater overall support in the Democratic party for a moratorium on deporting - or offering a pathway to citizenship to - certain undocumented immigrants. e.g. those with no criminal record, who have lived in the U.S. for 5+ years.
Immigration laws should be changed.
Generally against amnesty for any undocumented immigrants. They also oppose President Obama's executive order that put a moratorium on deporting certain workers. Republicans also fund stronger enforcement actions at the border.
Illegal immigrants are breaking U.S. laws.

13. Democrat (Liberal/Left) Republican (Conservative/Right)
Gun Control
Democrat (Liberal/Left)
Republican (Conservative/Right)
Democrats favor more gun control laws e.g. oppose the right to carry concealed weapons in public places.
Republicans oppose gun control laws & are strong supporters of the 2nd Amendment (the right to bear arms) as well as the right to carry concealed weapons.
Civil Rights
Democrat (Liberal/Left)
Republican (Conservative/Right)
Are committed to protecting voting rights, freedom of religion, women’s right to make their own health care decisions, & equal federal rights for LGBT couples. 
The present dynamic is that minorities like African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to vote Democratic than Republican.
Historically, Abraham Lincoln belonged to the Republican Party, so the roots of the party are in individual freedom & the abolition of slavery. Indeed, 82% of the Republicans in the U.S. Senate voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 while only 69% of Democrats did.

14. Democrat (Liberal/Left) Republican (Conservative/Right)
Other Facts
Democrat (Liberal/Left)
Republican (Conservative/Right)
Traditionally strong in states
California, Massachusetts, New York
Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas
Symbol
Donkey
Elephant
Color
Blue
Red
Founded in
1824
1854
Website
Senate Leader
Harry Reid
Mitch McConnell
Chairperson
Tom Perez
Ronna Romney McDaniel
Famous Presidents
Franklin Roosevelt (FDR), John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, Barack Obama
Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Richard Nixon
Membership
43.1 million (as of 2012)
30.7 million (as of 2012)

16. Libertarian Party
The Libertarian Party (LP) is the 3rd largest political party in the United States, but it currently has no members in Congress or governorships.
The party promotes civil liberties, non-interventionism, laissez-faire capitalism and the abolition of the welfare state.
It was conceived at meetings in the home of David F. Nolan in Westminster, Colorado in 1971 & was officially formed on December 11, 1971, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The founding of the party was prompted in part due to concerns about the Nixon administration, the Vietnam War, conscription, and the end of the gold standard.
The party generally promotes a classical liberal platform, in contrast to the Democrats’ modern liberalism & progressivism and the Republicans' conservatism. 
Gary Johnson, the party's presidential nominee in 2012 & 2016, states that the LP is more culturally liberal than Democrats, but more fiscally conservative than Republicans.
Current fiscal policy positions include lowering taxes, abolishing the IRS, decreasing the national debt, allowing people to opt out of Social Security, & eliminating the welfare state, in part by utilizing private charities.
Current cultural policy positions include ending the prohibition of illegal drugs, supporting same-sex marriage, ending capital punishment, & supporting gun ownership rights.
Many libertarians believe in lowering the drinking age to 18.
There are 511,277 voters registered as Libertarian in the 27 states that report Libertarian registration statistics and Washington, D.C.

17. Green Party
The Green Party of the United States (GPUS or Greens) is the 4th largest political party in the United States.
The party, promotes environmentalism, nonviolence, social justice, participatory grassroots democracy, gender equality, LGBT rights, anti-war & anti-racism.
On the political spectrum the party is generally seen as left-wing.
The GPUS was founded in 2001 as the evolution of the Association of State Green Parties (ASGP), which was formed in After its founding, the GPUS soon became the primary national green organization in the country, eclipsing the Greens/Green Party USA (G/GPUSA), which formed in 1991 out of the Green Committees of Correspondence (CoC), a collection of local green groups active since 1984.
The Greens gained widespread public attention during the 2000 presidential election, when the ticket composed of Ralph Nader and Winona LaDuke won 2.7% of the popular vote. Nader was vilified by many Democrats & even some Greens, who accused him of spoiling the election for Al Gore, the Democratic candidate.  The degree of Nader's impact on the 2000 election remains controversial.
The GPUS has had several members elected into state legislatures, including in California, Maine & Arkansas.
In September 2017, independent Ralph Chapman, member of the Maine House of Representatives, switched his affiliation to the Green Party.  
A number of Greens around the United States hold positions on the municipal level, including on school boards, city councils and as mayors.

18. The U.S. Political Spectrum
Where do YOU stand?
DEMOCRAT REPUBLICAN
LIBERAL (“Left”) CONSERVATIVE (“Right)