Republicans also strongly support the right of self-defense andĭemocrats are in favor of an increase in arm control but recognize that the Second Amendment is an important part of the American tradition and that the right to use firearms should be preserved. Republicans oppose gun control laws and believe that one should be able to obtain ammunitions with no registration. Republicans also oppose raising minimum wages as such increase could hurt small businesses andĭemocrats believe in raising taxes for the upper class and lowering taxes for the lower and middle class to allow the government to boost spending for social programs for lower class Even if large tax cuts may lead to a decrease in the revenue collected by the government, Republicans believe that, after tax reductions, rich people and entrepreneurs would be more likely to invest and create jobs – thus initiating a trickledown effect that would eventually benefit the entire society. Republicans believe that both rich and poor should pay the same share of taxes (and possibly receive tax cuts). Given their different origins and opposing political orientations, the two parties clash on a number of fundamental issues 4 : Taxes The Republican Party, instead, is right-leaning, traditional and associated with equity and economic freedom and with the ideal of “survival of the fittest”. The Democratic Party is left-leaning, liberal and usually associated with progressiveness and equality. The main difference between the two parties is, indeed, their political orientation. The GOP started in 1854 – few years later than its Democratic counterpart – to stop slavery, which was viewed as unconstitutional. In 1874, Thomas Nast introduced the elephant in one of his cartoons and, with time, the strong and dignified animal became the symbol of the Republican Party 2. The Republican Party – also known as GOP, Grand Old Party – is associated to the Republican elephant. The Democratic Party started in 1828 as anti-Federal faction and grew to become one of the leading political forces of the United States. The symbol became famous when the cartoonist Thomas Nast used the donkey in newspaper cartoons 1. After his opponent called him a donkey, Jackson decided to use the image of the animal – which he believed to be smart, brave and strong-willed – on his campaign posters. The Democratic Party is associated to the famous Democratic donkey, which first appeared during Democrat Andrew Jackson’s 1828 presidential campaign. Democrats and Republicans have opposing views and positions on several key issues, including economic, political, military and social matters. While recently moderate and alternative parties have become more prominent, Democrats and Republicans remain the two historically largest parties, which hold the majority of the seats in the Senate and in the House of Representatives. Citizens registered as an Independent, Democrat or Republican.ĭemocrats and Republicans are the two main parties in the United States.

Buzzbundle authentication failed