1. Democrat or Republican?

2. Or Somewhere in Between?
• List of political parties in the United States
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

3. Emergence of the Tea Party
• Emerged in 2009 after the bailout of the US’s
financial institutions(President Bush-2008), the
economic stimulus package(President Obama-
2009) and the new health care law(President
Obama-2010).
• The name is taken from the Boston Tea Party as
they protested against the British King at the
time
• Tends to be very conservative and libertarian in
nature

6. Core Beliefs of Tea Party
• Illegal Aliens Are Here illegally.
• Pro-Domestic Employment Is Indispensable.
• Stronger Military Is Essential.
• Special Interests Eliminated.
• Gun Ownership Is Sacred.
• Government Must Be Downsized.
• National Budget Must Be Balanced.

7. • Deficit Spending Will End.
• Bail-out And Stimulus Plans Are Illegal.
• Reduce Personal Income Taxes A Must.
• Reduce Business Income Taxes Is Mandatory.
• Political Offices Available To Average Citizens.
• Intrusive Government Stopped.
• English As Core Language Is Required.
• Traditional Family Values Are Encouraged.
• Common Sense Constitutional
• Conservative Self-Governance
• http://www.teaparty.org/about.php#beliefs

8. • Not all Democrats or Republicans agree on all
issues within their party
• Discuss media bias—Fox News vs CNN
• Where you live can effect what party you belong
to

9. 2000 Election Map
Red-Republican—Blue-Democrat

10. 2004 Election Map

11. 2008 Election Map

12. • Republicans are conservative
– favor traditional institutions and the status
quo
– favor laissez-faire system
• define
– favor a limited role for government in
society and believe that people should
help themselves, not rely on the
government
– favor lower taxes
– believe in the trickle-down theory
– Believe in rugged individualism

13. • Democrats are liberal
– favor change in society
– oppose government intervention into one’s private and
social life
– support regulations on economic activity and
businesses
– favor an active role for government in society
– believe that involvement – be it environmental
regulations against polluting or anti-discrimination
laws- can improve the quality of our lives
– willing to increase taxes to support programs

14. Abortion
• Democrat:
– Abortion is a woman’s right and should be
legal
• Republican:
– Abortion should be illegal and restricted by
government
– http://law.findlaw.com/state-laws/abortion/

15. Abortion Laws prior to 1973 Roe V. Wade Case
Red--Illegal.
Purple--Legal in cases of rape.
Blue-Legal in cases of danger to woman's health.
Green-Legal in cases of danger to woman's health, rape or incest, or likely damaged fetus.
Yellow-Legal upon request.

19. Pregnancy, Birth, Abortion, and Fetal Loss Rates Per
1,000 Women Aged 15--19 Years, by Race and Hispanic
Ethnicity

21. Parental Consent and
Notification Laws
• http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-
topics/abortion/parental-consent-
notification-laws-25268.htm

23. Flag Burning
• Democrat:
– Flag burning is political
speech and is
protected by the
Constitution
• Republican:
– Protect the flag from
burning by a
constitutional
amendment

24. Gun Control
• Democrats:
– Favor/Gun control is needed
• Republicans:
– Oppose/Gun control is unconstitutional
• NRA-ILA :: Gun Laws

25. Natural Environment
• Democrats:
– Strong regulations are needed to protect the
environment
• Republicans:
– Strong environmental laws harm the economy

26. Race Relations
• Democrats:
– Strong anti-discrimination laws are needed
– favor affirmative action
• Republicans:
– People and businesses can be trusted not to
discriminate
– Many oppose affirmative action
• Affirmative Action Timeline

27. Minimum Wage
• Democrats:
– Favor/Increase the minimum wage to help
workers
• Republicans:
– Oppose/Do not raise the minimum wage
because it hurts businesses
– http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0774473.html

28. Healthcare
• Democrats:
– Government should require universal access to
healthcare
• Republicans:
– Private insurers are preferable to government
controlled system
The Affordable Care Act-March 2010
http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform/healthcare-
overview#healthcare-menu

29. Taxes
• Democrats:
– Increase taxes on the wealthy to pay for
public programs
• Republicans:
– Cutting taxes for everyone helps the economy

30. 2012 Tax Brackets
Married filing jointly or
Tax Married filing
Single filers qualifying Head of household
rate separately
widow/widower
10% Up to $8,700 Up to $17,400 Up to $8,700 Up to $12,400
15% $8,701 - $35,350 $17,401 - $70,700 $8,701- $35,350 $12,401 - $47,350
25% $35,351 - $85,650 $70,701 - $142,700 $35,351 - $71,350 $47,351 - $122,300
28% $85,651 - $178,650 $142,701 - $217,450 $71,351 - $108,725 $122,301 - $198,050
33% $178,651 - $388,350 $217,451 - $388,350 $108,726 - $194,175 $198,051 - $388,350
35% $388,351 or more $388,351 or more $194,176 or more $388,351 or more

32. Military
• Democrats:
– Cut military spending; expand veteran’s
benefits; act in concert with other nations
and/or with support from NATO and the UN
• Republicans:
– Increase military spending; cut veteran’s
benefits; don’t be constrained by other nations
or by NATO and the UN

33. Death Penalty
• Democrats:
– Oppose/It is not a deterrent and innocent
people are in jeopardy
• Republicans:
– Favor/The death penalty is necessary and
effective

34. History
• Furman v. Georgia, (1972)
• In this case, the court found the death
penalty to be unconstitutional on the
grounds of cruel and unusual punishment
in violation of the 8th to the United States
Constitution.
• http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/
dpusa.htm

37. Gay Marriage
• Democrats:
– Favor-Gays rights and marriage are civil
rights
• Republicans:
– Oppose-Marriage is a sacred trust between a
man and woman

38. 2012 Election
• Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and
Washington all have gay marriage on the
ballot for voters to decide upon

40. Civil Unions
• Civil Unions provide some legal
protections and responsibilities to gay and
lesbian couples at the state level.
• Gay marriage supporters say civil unions
have since proven to be ineffective, a
separate but unequal status
• The protections and responsibilities do not
extend beyond the border of the states in
which the civil union was entered.

41. Domestic Partnerships
• Domestic partnerships are a form of union
under which gay (and sometimes non-
gay) couples in some states or regions
can formalize their partnerships.
• Gay marriage supporters say that, as with
civil unions, the status remains a separate
and unequal compromise which does not
apply when a couple travels out of state,
and offers no federal protections.

42. Prayer in School
• Democrats:
– Oppose/Violation of the separation between
church and state
• Republicans:
– Favor/It is a religious right and our Christian
heritage

43. War in Iraq/Afghanistan
• Democrats:
– Favored at first but criticized President Bush for messing it up.
– Wanted a defined exit strategy during the Bush years.
– President Obama withdrew all combat troops from Iraq in August
2010
– All US forces will be out of Iraq by the end of 2011
– President Obama wanted to focus on Afghanistan-Sent 30,000
more troops 12-09.
– Started US withdrawl from Afganistan in July 2011.
– Hopes to be out by late next year(2012)
• Republicans:
– President Bush stated 8-21-06 that US would not leave Iraq until
the job is done.
– Admitted to mistakes in Iraq and says it will be a tough fight.
– Hoped Iraq’s new gov’t and people would eventually be stable
enough for US withdrawl.
– President Bush pulled 8,000 troops out in late 2008/early 2009.
– Afghanistan was not focused on as much after the Iraq invasion.
– Allowed Taliban and al-Qaeda to gain in power.