disparities between political positions and policies of the Democrats and Republicans

disparities between political positions and policies of the Democrats and Republicans

The Democratic Party is among the oldest political party in the world and also the oldest political party in the United States. The Democratic Party is rooted back in 1972 when Thomas Jefferson followers adopted the name Republican in the emphasis of their anti-monarchal opinions. The Republican Party which is also referred to as Jeffersonian Republicans advocated for a decentralized system of government based on limited power. The faction of Jeffersonconstitutes individual of Anti-Federalists who agitated in favour of Bill of Rights within the United States’ constitution. The Federalists named the faction of Jefferson the Democratic-Republican Party following the attempt of identifying it with the disorder that was spawned by the ‘radical democrats’ of the 1789 French Revolution. After the election of John Adams as the president in 1796, the Republican Party served as the opposition party. Later in 1798, The Republicans embraced derisive Democratic-Republican label as their formal name. In 800, Jefferson defeated Adams, and the victory was ushered in a period characterized by sustained Democratic-Republican supremacy. By 1920, Federalist Party witnessed complete fading from the national politics, hence leaving the Democratic-Republicans as the dominant party, thereby enabling Monroe to turn unopposed in the presidential election. This paper, therefore, examines the disparities between political positions and policies of the Democrats and Republicans on the significant issues like the role of government, taxes, entitlements, gun control, immigration, and environmental policies and regulations as discussed below.

Similarities

Most of the United States’ citizens share the same values as people due to the heat loss of partisan. Both Democrats and Republicans share fundamental philosophical views that are traceable to the American and European thinkers of the illumination period like Adam Smith, Thomas Jefferson, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Alexander Hamilton. John Locke, the English Philosopher, is perhaps the philosopher who had a significant influence on the American political based on his case concerning the right to life, property, and liberty. Besides, cherished ideals enabled Locke to believe in the legitimate government, which relies on the consent of citizenship through the rule of the majority. Fascinatingly, Republicans and Democrats are united based on the radical view that the existence of the government is for the well-being of the people.

Difference

Self-Interest vs Common Good

Many of the dispute are stemmed from decisions based on the role played by the government in serving good. The Republicans usually tend to take more conservative approaches and accepting Adam Smith’s Philosophy, the author of The Wealth of Nation. The perception of Smith, commonly referred to laissez-faire capitalism, inspires people to perform based on self-interest in a competitive and free market that best serves the good of all. Moreover, the view of the Republican based on the government roles is best accredited to the American Philosopher, Henry David Thoreau, that ‘government is best, which governs least’. Smith also spoke of the market’s invisible hand as a metaphor describing the self-regulating behaviour within the market places.

Even though Democrats advocated for capitalism, the Great Depression and the New deal led to the shaping of the current philosophy of the Democratic Party. The Democrats believed that economic disaster was triggered by enabling the invisible hand of the marketplace to act with little regulation or restraint. Therefore, Democrats tend to favour having a state to play a protuberant role in economic management. Role in financial management enables the State to serve the good of the people through checking of the excess self-interest based on the favour of the public good. Republicans contend scrutiny of excess may harm common good through chocking of the economy. Therefore, Republicans favour less influence of the State over the economy.

Consequently, Democrats have exemplified in the New deal, generally taking the view concerning the State as an active, significant, and decisive role in securing the good of the people. Precisely, the Democrats believe on the State as generous in support of various programs such as welfare, healthcare, and federal student aid. Whereas, the Republicans also held on idea of the State playing an active role in the public good and taking care of its citizens in times of need, thus embracing the concept of the State to be more limited and preferable for the citizens to rely on individual success rather than private charity.

Taxes

Democrats support progressive taxes, whereas Republicans support a tax cut for everyone. According to the Democrats policy of progressive tax, this is a tax system where individuals with high-income levels are subjected to the high tax rate. Therefore, federals use the approach in setting up income tax brackets. For instance, the first $10,000 in revenue is taxed at 10%, but marginal revenue of over $420,000 is taxed at about 39.6%.

Consequently, Republicans believe that smaller governments may need less revenue from taxes in sustaining them. Some members of the Republicans are proponents of flat tax whereby all individuals are subjected to the same percentage of their tax income regardless of their levels of income. Republicans, therefore, consider higher taxes imposed on the rich as a form of class warfare.

Immigration

The politicians for both political divides are often heard uttering that the system of immigration in the United States is broken. Nevertheless, the partisan divide seems to be too broad in letting any bipartisan legislation to pass and fix the system based on the comprehensive immigration reforms. The Democrats are considered to be more sympathetic to the undocumented immigrants. There is existence widespread of the Democrats for the Dream Act which permits conditional citizenship to undocumented immigrants within the United States. In terms of deportation, both the administration of the Republicans and Democrats have favoured and used deportation. Many undocumented immigrants were deported during the reign of President Barack Obama than before. Consequently, Republicans act in favour of legal immigrants based on merit or rather point-based. Such systems are employed in countries like Australia and Canada to enable valid entry visas, persons, with in-demand skills that can contribute to the economy.

In conclusion, Democrats are concerned with the policy while Republicans are concerned with philosophy. The Republicans are dominated by a commitment to the small-government philosophies that aid in uniting their base. Therefore, the two political divides have their ways of approaching economic development based on the good of the people. There are differences based on the policies such as taxes, immigration, self-interests vs common good, and government practices. However, there are still some differences that are not discussed above but are witnessed in policies regarding abortion, race, gender, and civil rights, among other.