The Difference between Republic and Democratic Party - Essay Example

For instance, people - or both parties and political ideologies - in the American South tend to be more conservative, while their neighbors in the Northeast and West Coast are typically more liberal. Also, not everyone adheres to the principles of the two major parties and there are several minor or "third parties" in the United States, although they rarely get their candidates elected (Remini 35-43). Below are some issues that are frequently discussed by the news media and politicians. Every four years during a presidential election, both major parties convene at a national convention and draft a platform, which is an agenda for the next four years and spells out their positions on the issues of the day.

The current party platforms reveal the parties' positions on the following controversial issues: 2. Democrats' opinion is that flag burning is political speech and is protected by the Constitution; Republicans oppose them and claim that the flag is protected from burning by a constitutional amendment 4. According to the Democrats' platform they are in favor of strong regulations to protect the environment. Republicans look at this problem from economic point of view: "strong environmental laws harm the economy", they say. 9. 5.

Democrats: "strong anti-discrimination laws are needed". Republicans: "People and businesses can be trusted not to discriminate".6. Democrats debate that it is important to increase the minimum wage to help workers; Republicans' response is as follows "first of all, to raise the minimum wage means to hurt businesses".7. Democrats stand for the Government which should require universal access to healthcare, while Republicans state that private insurers are preferable to government mandates.8. According to Democrats, the Government should increase taxes on the wealthy to pay for public programs, Republicans: "cutting taxes for everyone helps the economy".9. Democrats write that military spending is to be cut; veteran's benefits are to be expanded; the US is to act in concert with other nations and/or with support from NATO and the UN.

Republicans declare that military spending is to be increased; veteran's benefits are to be cut; the US is not to be constrained by other nations or by NATO and the UN10. Democrats strongly oppose the death penalty: "it is not a deterrent and innocent people are in jeopardy". Republicans are less sentimental in this issue: "the death penalty is necessary and effective" - that is their message.11. Democrats announce that gays' rights and marriage are civil rights; Republicans view is traditionalistic, they say that marriage is a sacred trust between a man and woman only.12. Democrats oppose the practice of the prayer in school, they believe it is the violation of the separation between church and state.

Republicans, again, follow the tradition arguing that the prayer in school is a religious right and our Judeo-Christian heritage (Shafer & Badger 22-70; Gould 14-97).Thus as the above mentioned facts show, Democratic and Republican Parties are different in some very