| US Domestic Policy, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS in the American political system |
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| Wpisał: mgr Marzanna Gromotowicz | |
| 13.06.2008. | |
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Party organizations are less important in the United States than in other countries. That is because due to the "separation of powers between the government branches", a political party is not so closely identified with government.
Members of US Congress (THE BICAMERAL CONGRESS, makes the law. The 435 members of the House of Representatives represent a district and serve a two-year term. „House” seats are apportioned among the states by population. The 100 Senators serve staggered six-year terms. Each state has two senators, regardless of population. Every two years, approximately one-third of the Senate is elected.) are allowed more independence from their parties than in other countries. The true is that both Representatives and Senators are elected personally to serve the interests of the people and the areas they represent - their "constituences." They have wishes of their constituences in mind, even if this goes against what their own parties might want as national policy.
Both parties are close to the political centre. But the Republicans are to the right and the Democrats are to the left of the centre. Democrats are thought of as associated with labor, and the Republicans with business and industry. Democrats support government spending on social welfare programs (so they are for strong government), while the Republicans are against this. The Republicans have had a strong belief in individualism, limited government, and business. The Republicans tend to oppose the greater involvement of the federal government in some areas of public life which they consider to be the responsibility of the states and communities. In his first Inaugural Address , Republican President Ronald Reagan summed up his belief in limited government when he said: "Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." Since 1980 a "gender gap" has made the Republicans stronger among men, and the Democrats stronger among women. The Republicans have strong support from business at all levels, including "Main Street" (locally owned business) and "Wall Street" (national corporations). People with more money and jobs, and those who live in the central parts of the US, have tended to vote for them. Some specific issues and party tendencies: 1. Abortion: Democrats tend to be pro-choice. Republicans tend to be pro-life. 2. Affirmative action: Democrats tend to favor affirmative action. Republicans tend to oppose it. 3. Crime: Democrats tend to be more concerned with the root causes of crime. Many Democrats oppose the death penalty. Republicans tend to be harder on crime. They are for longer sentences, capital punishment, and restrictions on parole. 4. Environment: Democrats prefer strict laws to limit environmental pollution and forcing companies to obey the rules. They tend to be very pro-environment. Republicans, on the other hand, take more of a business point of view. 5. Labor vs. Business: Democrats are for worker's rights, while Republicans tend to agree more with business interests than with labor. They would favor restrictions on the rights of some unions to strike. 6. Religious issues: Republicans are closer to what we call the RELIGIOUS RIGHTS. Decocrats prefer to limit the role of religion in public life. They are for separation of church and state. 7. Taxes: Republicans are for lower taxes and Democrats for higher taxes. In short: Democrats are for limiting the role of religion, they favor stronger separation of church and state, they are for stronng government, they are pro-abortion, favor affirmative action, they oppose death penalty, they are very pro-environment, favor worker's rights, are for higher taxes. Republicans are close to Religious Rights, they are against abortion and for limited government (they say the government is a problem), they are for strict law, long sentences. they are pro-life and oppose affirmative actions. A jak się ma sprawa POLSKA w polu zainteresowań obu kandydatów na 44 prezydenta Stanów Zjednoczonych? Rzec można: "NIE MA SPRAWY." Oboje kandydaci są za zniesieniem wiz, ale nie idzie za tym projekt ustawodawczy, dlatego te idee są bez pokrycia. A Polonia amerykańska? Czyżby nie była zainteresowana? mgr Marzanna Gromotowicz
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| Zmieniony ( 10.10.2008. ) |
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