CH 5 Democrats vs. Republicans

POLITICAL SPECTRUM

REPUBLICANDEMOCRAT

Taxes•Democrats

believe in higher taxes in order to pay for programs.

•Republicans believe in lower taxes so that the people can decide what to do with their own money.

Welfare• Democrats think that

welfare is necessary to distribute wealth more evenly. Taxes should be raised to pay for social programs.

• Republicans believe that some welfare is necessary, but that it is overused and people need to be more responsible for their own well being.

Illegal Immigrants•Democrats believe

that immigrants should be given rights even if they are illegal.

•Republicans believe that illegal immigrants should be deported because they have broken the law.

Gun Control

•Democrats want more gun laws. They believe that there would be fewer violent crimes with stricter gun laws.

•Republicans want fewer gun laws or to just enforce the ones we already have. They believe that people kill people not guns.

War/Military

•Democrats want to solve foreign issues with diplomacy (talking things out – making agreements). They want less spending on the military.*

•Republicans want to solve foreign issues militarily. They want more spending on the militarty.*

Abortion•Democrats are pro-choice.

They believe that abortion should be legal and that it is not the governments place to tell you what you can or can’t do with your own body.

•Republicans are pro-life. They believe abortion should be illegal because it is murdering a baby.

Environment

•Democrats support environmental causes even if it means sacrificing American jobs.

•Republicans support creating more jobs even if it means affecting the environment.

Government Involvement in Business

•Democrats want more government involvement in business; minimum wage laws, safety regulations, control of monopolies, government aid.

•Republicans want less government involvement in business; no minimum wage, less government aid.

Size of Government• Democrats want bigger

government in order to provide more social programs, more regulation, and more oversight.

• Republicans want smaller government in order to give more power to the people and businesses.

Crime

•Democrats believe that prisoners should have some rights and privileges; and that the purpose of a prison is to rehabilitate prisoners.

•Republicans believe that prisoners should have few rights; and that the purpose of a prison is to punish and to be a deterent.

Majority Rule

•Democrats support the rights of the minority groups.

•Republicans support the rights of the majority.