The oldest political party in the United States is the Democratic Party. In the late 1700s the Democratic Party was founded and their ideology reflected the belief that monarchs and aristocrats were corrupt. One of the aristocrats they had in mind was Alexander Hamilton. The Democrats viewed Hamilton’s fiscal policies as elitist and thought Hamilton was corrupt (Gerring 1998). Democrats believed in protecting the agrarian nature of the United States. To that end, they held up the nation's farmers as being examples of good men who represented virtue, freedom, and individuality. Democrats believed in states’ rights above the rights of the federal government and were against the federal government having a standing military (Hofstadter 2013). The Republican Party formed in the mid-1800s as a response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Slavery was the main issue of the party’s ideology as was preventing slavery from expanding in the United Sates (Gerring 1998). Like the Democrats of the period, the Republicans were against elitist polices that benefitted monarchial and aristocratic tendencies. An aspect of early Republican ideology addressed issues of banking, education, and industry. They had a free market labor philosophy that was in opposition to slavery. Free market labor was the basis for what they considered virtuous (Hofstadter 2013). In today’s political world the Republican’s still embrace some of their original ideology. They are committed to nationalism, industry, free market economics, and moral virtue. Along the way, the Republicans have adopted other ideologies and have adopted sticking points such as their commitment to every citizen’s right to bear arms (Rockman 2000). A position that has made them popular with the NRA and gun enthusiasts. The Republican Party is in favor of the death penalty but against abortion, a position that puts them on the outs with the Catholic Church and many people who do not think that political parties or the government should dictate their medical decisions. The Republican Party was a huge advocate for freeing black slaves but now they are now against social welfare programs that benefit people trying to throw off more than a century of racism and slavery in the United States. The Republican Party states that they believe in the separation of church and state, but they want pray in schools and every aspect of their platform is supported by references to God (2012 Republican Platform). Unlike the Republicans, the Democrats are committed to an ideology that supports welfare and many social programs, it is part of their belief that the government should care for the well-being of its citizens (The Democratic Party Platform 2012). This is a good thought, but the abuses in the welfare system and the expansion of the social security system are legion. Social security is a system that working people pay into so that they can have retirement benefits when they are old, but has been expanded to pay out to millions of people who never paid into it. The Democrats are in favor of regulating industry and therefore pass laws designed to defend the worker against the corporation. The Democrats are more isolationist in their ideology than the Republicans are and do not promote interference abroad (The Democratic Party Platform 2012). That said, they still do not hesitate to take actions in the Middle East, threaten China and other countries with sanctions, and they have not worked to regulate American businesses and American industry abroad. Also, despite their stated commitment to minimal involvement overseas, the Democratic platform has policy statements that address issues in Africa and Asia as well as Latin America (The Democratic Party Platform 2012). The Democrats are more consistent than the Republicans in their views about personal issues, life, and death. Democrats are in favor of gun control, against the death penalty, and are pro-choice on the abortion issue (The Democratic Party Platform 2012). The Democrats are the restraining influence in the schools and elsewhere that maintain the separation of church and state. Even though the Republican Party claims to be in favor of a separation of church and state there is amble evidence to the contrary, including their platform. So maintaining that separation becomes the job of the Democrats. The Republican platform issued in 2012 has sixty-plus pages in six chapters that explain the Party’s beliefs and vision. They seek to restore the “American Dream” through aeconomic build up and job creation. This is to be achieved via economic freedom and allowing peple to use their “God-given talents” (2012 Republican Platform). They claim to be the “Party of the Constitution” and again want to restore constitutional government. To this end they state that they will support “God-given individual right” (2012 Republican Platform). They seek internet freedom but complain against terrorist threats that arrive via the internet. They want to take notions “American Exceptionalism” to other countries and continents (2012 Republican Platform). They belive this will help people in Africa, Asian, Europe, and Russia specifically (2012 Republican Platform). The 32-page single-spaced 2012 Democratic National Platform explains the position of the Party on many issues. It differs on several points taken up in the Republican platform. The Democrats advocate for more federal jobs even though the abuses and chaos of federal workers makes the news every week. The Democrats support same-sex couples. As far as industry is concerned, the Democrats pledge to make Auto manufacturers pay back the money they borrowed in the big and failed bail-out (The Democratic Party Platform 2012). The Democrats have long been opponents of the Death Penalty but their platform has an ambiguous clause whereby they state that the “Death penalty must not be arbitrary” (The Democratic Party Platform 2012). They advocate for environmentalists and in their platform state that they support “Restore wilderness & watersheds for generations to come” (The Democratic Party Platform 2012). However, even though they support alternatives to fossil fuel and are in favor of green energy their platform states that they want to “explore for oil responsibly elsewhere” (The Democratic Party Platform 2012). The Democrats are supposed to be the watchdog for separation of church and state, however in their platform they repeated reference “faith-based groups” as their allies (The Democratic Party Platform 2012). Faith-based groups in the United States are mostly Christian- God-based church groups and organizations. While it is well-known that there is voter-fraud in the United States, the Democrats do not think it is necessary to show ID when voting (The Democratic Party Platform 2012). The Democratic Party states quite plainly that they are opposed to US military in Iraq and that all military should be removed from Afghanistan by 2014 (The Democratic Party Platform 2012). That has not happened even though the US currently has a Democrat as President. Personal Positions I agree with the Republicans that the federal government needs to be trimmed and I am definitely opposed to the expansion of jobs in that sector because the amount of corruption and waste is there is well known. In addition, I do not believe that the workforce at the federal level should be increased simply for the sake of creating jobs. I agree with the Democrats that same-sex couples should have equal rights. It is not anyone’s business who I marry or if I do not choose to marry. Likewise, it is a private matter between same sex couples if they want to marry or not. In addition, gay people do not want to marry people of the opposite sex and they should not be forced into considering a same-sex union in order to get equal rights. I would vote Democrat for several reasons. I agree with the Democrats that same-sex couples should have equal rights. I do not agree with the Republican stand against homosexual marriages. The Republican idea of American Exceptionalism is offensive and to assume that Americans need to go to other countries such as China and Africa to demonstrate the proper culture is disrespectful. I do not see any reason why the Republicans should be advocating for Puerto Rico to become a state. I do not like the constant use of “God” in the Republican platform; it is alienating to all but those who are deeply committed to a Protestant God.
Works Cited
Gerring, John. Party Ideologies in America, 1828-1996. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Print.Hofstadter, Richard. The American Political Tradition: And the Men Who Made It. New York: Vintage Books, 2013. Internet resource.Rockman, Bert A. "Review Party Ideologies in America, 1828-1996. by John Gerring ( New York , Cambridge University Press , 1998 )." Journal of Interdisciplinary History. 30.4 (2000): 709-711. Print.The Democratic Party Platform. 2012. <http://assets.dstatic.org/dnc-platform/2012-National- Platform.pdf>2012 Republican Platform – GOP. <http://www.gop.com/2012-republican-platform_home>
