Introduction
Politics plays a crucial role in the growth and development of the U.S. The political inclination of individuals in the U.S. is segmented according to the various regions, with voting blocks meant to support either party being present. The main political groups in the U.S. comprise the Democrats and the Republicans.
Each party has its own procedure for implementing its political ideologies and enacting policies. People who support these political groups tend to share ideas and policies with the party’s leaders. This paper will analyze the differences and similarities between contemporary Democrats and Republicans.
Political Typology and Personal Reflection
Individuals in society share different political views and ideologies depending on their needs and wants. The political typology test results define me as a stressed sideliner. Stressed sideliners stand in the middle between the left and the right of the political typology. They hold both conservative and liberal views, with only a little engagement in politics. From the quizzes, most of the sideliners come from lower-income households and lean liberal on economic issues.
I tend to disagree with the results of these quizzes as they do not entirely define my personality. Despite not being inclined to either side, I am motivated and tend incline to the side that holds most of my views. Political choices are pegged on the policies developed by each party to solve the current issues affecting the economy. Each political party has implemented a party manifesto on how the party will operate once elected to office. In making an ideological leaning decision, the history and performance of the political party play a major role.
Overview of the U.S. Political Landscape
U.S. politics is dominated by two major parties: the Democratic and Republican parties. Each party has segmented strongholds, with some states fully supporting either party. There is a political divide between the supporters of the Democratic and Republican parties, with each party holding different policies on leading the nation. The two parties have some significant differences and similarities in their political philosophies and policy platforms.
Firstly, the two parties differ in their economic policy implementation. While the Republicans favor a hands-off approach to address societal issues such as income inequality, the Democrats support government intervention in the economy to address such issues. This is clearly evident in the Democrats’ support for a more aggressive taxation policy as opposed to the push for tax cuts for high-income individuals and businesses by the Republicans. The difference in their preferred economic policy models shows a unique approach by each party in handling societal issues.
Secondly, the handling and management of social issues are different for each political party. Most Democrats show liberalism in the way they handle social issues such as same-sex marriage, which is a huge issue in the U.S. currently (Jeong & Lee, 2019). The government, led by the democrats, has implemented a policy allowing same-sex marriage that has seen the formation of corporations to ensure transgender people are treated equally and fairly in society. On the other hand, the Republicans show a more conservative approach to such social issues. Since 1976, the Democrats have supported abortion rights while the Republicans have consistently opposed these rights.
Thirdly, each political party has a different take on its environmental policy. Most Democrats in the U.S. advocate for environmental protection and actions against climate change. This is clearly visible through Democrat presidents who have pushed for the Paris Climate Change Agreement and the Clean Power Plan for a while as future solutions to climate change. On the other hand, the Republicans are heavily opposed to these measures, urging for better, well-researched, and organized plans to combat climate change in the U.S.
Additionally, each political party has its view on foreign policy and treatment of non-locals in the U.S. Democrats believe more in diplomacy and multilateralism in defining their foreign policy. A general example is the support of the Iran nuclear deal by the Republicans. Most of the support to international organizations in war-torn areas, such as the United Nations, comes from the Democrats. On the other hand, the Republicans are well known for their prioritization of increasing military strength and unilateral action (Butters & Hare, 2020). Trump, a Republican, was mostly focused on training and recruiting new military personnel and equipment to make the U. S. a superpower.
Lastly, the Democratic and Republican parties differ in their take on healthcare. The Democrats vouch for the government’s full funding of healthcare bills. During the Obama administration, the Medicaid program was implemented for people in the U.S. to assist in settling healthcare bills for patients. Medicaid was pegged on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) meant to reduce the cost of healthcare in the U.S. While the Democrats support ACA, the Republicans have made several attempts to repeal the act, proposing a support market-based solution to healthcare bills.
Similarities and Differences Between the Two Parties
In light of these differences between the Democratic and the Republican parties, some similarities also exist. Firstly, both parties believe in democracy for all and ensure democracy in governance. The parties also show huge concern for the economy, with both using different ideas to improve the American economy.
Both parties have suggested major policy amendments in their quest to improve the economy and make the country great. Additionally, both parties believe in promoting American interests and national security and maintaining strong relationships with other foreign nations as part of their foreign policy. The parties also show great concern in ensuring greater affordability and accessibility to healthcare and education for all people living in the U.S.
The differences between the Democrats and the Republicans have major consequences on the voters, election outcomes, and policy outcomes. The political affiliation of the voter dictates their political candidate and, thus, who they support in the election. The Democratic and Republican parties have distinct positions on the issues facing the people. For the voters with a high priority on these social issues, the differences between the parties can be a major determinant of their preferred party.
These differences also hugely affect election outcomes and voter turnout. Voters strongly identifying with one political party are more motivated to turn out to vote, unlike the less attached voters who are likely to be swayed in their decisions for the preferred election candidates. Differences existing in party agendas and manifestos also have a huge impact on the legislative agenda and the lawmaker’s ability to pass certain laws.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are differences and similarities between the Democrats and the Republicans. Despite these differences, both parties are focused on making the country great again by implementing policies meant for the better good of the country. These differences and similarities also affect voter political inclination, voter election turnout, and the political policies in the country. Stressed sideliners are swayed to the political side with policies likely to better their current life situation.
References
Butters, R., & Hare, C. (2020). Polarized Networks? New Evidence on American Voters’ Political Discussion Networks. Political Behavior. Web.
Jeong, J., & Lee, H. (2019). Public attitudes toward the minimum wage debate: Effects of partisanship, ideology, beliefs. The Social Science Journal. Web.