Part II and III of our VIII Part Series

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Part II and III of our VIII Part Series

• Democrats and Republicans

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Democratic Party

• Founded By Thomas Jefferson
• in 1790
• Oldest Political Party in the World
• Currently the Minority Party in the United States

3
Basic Values

• Large Federal Deficits impede economic growth
• Believe in Protecting person and civil liberties
• Split on the issue on same sex marriages

4
Democrats on Abortion

• Called for unlimited abortion rights in the
  1980s, but has since moved to the center of the
  issue.
• Their 2000 and 2004 platform called for abortion
  to be safe, legal, and rare.
• They seek to reduce abortions through promoting
  contraception, knowledge of reproduction, and
  incentives for adoptions

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Democrats on Crime

• Focus on methods to prevent crime rather than
  promoting harsher penalties.
• Favor gun control, however they disagree on the
  strictness.
• They are currently attempting to shift the focus
  away from gun control issues.

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Democrats on Discrimination

• Favor Affirmative Action as a means to redress
  past discrimination and ensure equitable
  employment.
• Pushed for the Americans with Disabilities Act
  to prevent discrimination based on physical or
  mental disability.

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Democrats on the Environment

• Actively promote environmental protections
• Pro-environment over Pro-business

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Democrats on Health Care

• Call for the government to fund affordable and
  quality health care.

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Republicans

• Established in 1854 by a coalition of former
  Whigs, Northern Democrats, and Free-Soilers who
  opposed the expansion of slavery.
• Socially conservative and economically
  neoliberal.
• Have won 18 of the 27 presidential elections
  since 1861
• Nicknamed the G.O.P

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Ideological Base

• Since the 1960s they have been increasingly
  conservative
• Believe that societal health is rooted in
  personal responsibilities rather than
  governmental action
• Limited Government. At his 1981 Inaugural
  Address Ronald Reagan stated government is not
  the solution to our problems government is the
  problem.

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Ideologies Continued

• Both the Democrats and the Republicans agree that
  there should be a safety net for the less
  fortunate, but they argue on how large the net
  should be.

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Domestic Policy

• Tax cuts in order to shrink government.
• Sought to deregulate business and increase
  free-enterprise zones.
• Generally pro-business
• Support gun ownership rights

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Social Platform

• Favor the death penalty
• Stronger state control on abortion access
• Oppose legalization of same-sex marriages.
• Favor Faith-based initiatives
• Support school choice and home schooling
• Oppose racial quotas
• Favor stronger accountability for public schools.

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Republicans Summarized

• Strong belief in Individualism
• Desire a limited and smaller government
• Favor and promote business entrepreneurship.

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Last Election Data

• Red, GOP states. Blue, Democrat.

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Madison County Voting

• http//bbs.vcsnet.com/State.php4?NY