US Elections are just around the corner. Once again the two big parties of the country go head to head for securing the ultimate power. This article will devlve into the beliefs, prominent leaders and history of the two major parties of the United States of America- the Democrats and the Republicans.
General Distinction
Primarily, it is believed that Democrats are seen as the liberals and the Republicans are seen as the conservatives. Democrats believe in the larger government involvement in shaping economic policies, backing regulations and social welfare programs. On the contrary, Republicans, believe that little government intervention is needed for the economic welfare. This contrary view is determined by their stance on the tax policies. Democrats vouch for the progressive tax to finance government’s expanded role. Meanwhile, Republicans support lower taxes for all.
Republicans believe in having maximum budgets allocated to the military. They aggressively purusue National security interests, even to the extent that they are ready to be the unilateral actor, Democrats again contradict here by believing in the multi-lateralism. On Social issues, Democrats seek more freedom than Republicans who believe in walking on traditional path, supporting government intervention in such situations.
In terms of Geographical domination, Democrats rule the big cities, Meanwhile, the Republicans are popular in the rural regions.
Beliefs of the Political Parties
Democrats
Democrats are known as the liberals who belive in the progressive policies. It believes in social and economic equality, favoring the greater intervention of the Government in the economy, but opposing involvement of private non-economic activities of the citizens. Democrats fight for the civil and basic rights of minorities vouching for the safety of individuals. Social welfare progras are backed by the Democrats backing social welfare programs including Medicaid and food stamps. To finance such welfare programs, Democrats advocate progressive tax. In addition, Democrats believe in the Environmental Protection, opposing the gun violence, liberal immigrant laws and worker rights.
Republicans
Although the Republican Party’s founders rejected the right of states and territories to allow slavery, the modern party generally advocates for states’ rights over federal authority in most cases, and opposes federal involvement in areas traditionally governed by states and localities, such as policing and education. Like the Democratic Party, the Republican Party is highly decentralized, resulting in diverse viewpoints on certain issues. However, it tends to be more ideologically unified at the national level compared to the Democratic Party.
Republicans advocate reduced taxes as a means of increasing the economy with individual economic liberty. They oppose extensive regulation of the economy by the government, government funded social programs and policies aimed at strengthening the right of workers. Many Republicans, though not all, support greater government regulation of citizens’ private, non-economic lives in certain areas, such as abortion. However, most Republicans also firmly oppose gun-control legislation. Republicans are generally more inclined than Democrats to support organized prayer in public schools and to oppose legal recognition of equal rights for gays and lesbians.
Color Codes of the Party
Traditionally, in the Great Britain, blue color is used for Conservatives and the red color is used for the Republicans. The practice of using colors to represent political parties gained popularity through TV news broadcasts that employed color-coded maps during presidential elections. However, there was no standardization, as different media outlets used various color schemes.
During the 2000 U.S. presidential election, and the prolonged process to determine the winner, major news outlets assigned red to Republicans and blue to Democrats. These color associations have since become enduring. The color coding we recognize today became established during the 2000 election, particularly after The New York Times and USA Today released their first full-color election maps. According to senior graphics editor Archie Tse, the Times chose red for Republicans because “red begins with ‘r,’ and Republican begins with ‘r’,” making it feel like a more natural fit. The election, which dragged on until mid-December, solidified the association of Democrats with blue and Republicans with red—markings that are likely to stick for the foreseeable future.
Prominent Figures
Democrats
Prominent Democratic presidents include Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Barack Obama. Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) is notable not only as a Democratic figure but also as the longest-serving president in U.S. history, holding office for four terms from March 4, 1933, to April 12, 1945, a total of 12 years. His leadership during the Great Depression and World War II had a lasting impact on the country, and his extended tenure led to the adoption of the 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms.
In 2016, Hillary Clinton made history as the first woman to secure a major U.S. party’s presidential nomination, though she lost the election. Shirley Chisholm became the first African American woman elected to Congress in 1968, and in 2007, Nancy Pelosi became the first female speaker of the House.
- Total Democratic Presidents: 16
- Longest-Serving: Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) served as president for 12 years, from March 4, 1933, to April 12, 1945. He is the only U.S. president to have served more than two terms, and he led the country through the Great Depression and World War II.
Republicans
Prominent Republican presidents include Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush. While many Republican presidents have completed two terms, none have exceeded the eight-year limit set by George Washington’s precedent and later formalized by the 22nd Amendment. Eisenhower, a World War II hero, served from 1953 to 1961, leading the nation through a time of post-war prosperity and heightened Cold War tensions.
- Total Republican Presidents: 19
- Longest-Serving: Dwight D. Eisenhower served two full terms from January 20, 1953, to January 20, 1961. However, no Republican president has served longer than the standard two terms of 8 years.
Longest Serving US President Ever
The longest-serving U.S. president in history is Franklin D. Roosevelt, who held office for 12 years, an unmatched tenure in the nation’s history. Although the Democratic and Republican parties have primarily dominated the presidency, early American history featured leaders from various now-defunct parties.
The U.S. elections will be held on 5th of November and the results will be declared on 6th of November. This year Kamala Harris has been contesting from the Democrats and Donald Trump will be contesting representing the Republicans.
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