Key Principles of Parties

• Democrats (Social and Moral issues)

  - More supportive of abortion e.g. wanted to uphold Roe v Wade

  - Supports same sex marriage and LGBT+ rights e.g. Don't ask don't tell repealed by Obama

  - Climate change poses large threat e.g. Biden wanted to spend $60 billion for environmental justice
• Democrats (Economy)


  - Believe in progressive taxation and tax cuts to help lower and middle class e.g. House Democrats proposed increasing corporation tax to 26.5% for businesses earning $5mil and lowered to 18% for those earning up to $400,000

  - Accept government regulation is needed

  - Call for federal minimum wage e.g. House and Senate reintroduce bill to raise minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025
• Democrats (Welfare)


  - Support healthcare as a right for everyone e.g. ACA, gave more than 20 million healthcare coverage

  - Believe every family should have access to high quality education e.g. AA

  - Pensions to protect and preserve the rights of retirees e.g. democrats allocated $80billion of $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan to preserve 1.5million retirees pensions
• Republican (Social and Moral Issues)

  - Oppose abortion e.g. over 1/3 of republican electorate prefer a nominee who supports abortion ban

  - Against LBGT+, e.g. Trump's ban on transgenders in military

  - Focus on economic factors when considering environment e.g. Trump called climate change a hoax
• Republican (Economy)


  - Want tax cuts for everyone including businesses and the wealthy e.g. 2017, Trump Tax Law lowered statutory tax rates at all income levels and doubled the size of standard deduction from $13,000 to $24,000 for married couples

  - Favour minimal government intervention with exception of protecting US jobs and trade

  - Believe wage should be based on skill and high minimum wage could lead to job losses e.g. Senators Romney and Cotton unveiled proposal for $10 minimum wage to be implemented over 4 years
• Republican (Welfare)


  - Healthcare should reflect the complexity of the issue within ranks e.g. Trump signed executive order which meant drug companies and hospitals are asked to reveal costs of drugs and medical services

  - Believe in restructuring higher education and limited the federal government by getting rid of federal student loans e.g. 2012 Republican Party platform states republicans support "Getting back to the basics" of education
• Republican (Welfare) cont


  - Retirement finances rest largely with the individual but will intervene when needed e.g. 2019 republican senate passed Bipartisan American Miners Act to keep pensions for 92,000 coal miners becoming insolvent
• Parties are in decline

  • Primaries and caucuses give parties little control over candidate e.g. Trump was not preferred candidate
  • Factions within parties mean they are not united behind one ideological view e.g. Green new deal and medicare for all
  • Issue voting has grown e.g. NRA contribute $700,000 to electoral campaigns in 2018
  • Presidential and vp candidates are largely chosen without national party
• Arguments for parties not being in decline

  • Nationalised election campaigns mean main parties are only ones financially capable of fighting in election. E.g. 2024 campaign republicans raised $225 million and spent $191m, democrats raised $103m and spent $48m
  • Increasing political polarisation e.g. recent pew research centre analysis found democrats and republicans are further apart than they have bene in 50 years
  • Increasing partisanship evident in congressional voting patterns
  • National parties still hold nomination role e.g. democrats and 'super delegates'