democratic party vs. republican party

Democratic PartyVs.

Republican Party On the issues…In Their own

words!

AbortionCampaign FinanceMinimum WageUnionsDeath PenaltyGays in the MilitaryEducationStudent Loans

EnergyEnvironmentClimate ChangeGay MarriageGun ControlHealthcareImmigrationTaxes

ABORTION

Democratic Party Position

Republican Party Position

HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformAbortion

The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to make

decisions regarding her pregnancy, including a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay. We oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right.

[p.18]

HOME PAGE TOPIC PAGE

2012 Republican Party PlatformAbortion

We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth

Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children. We oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion or fund

organizations which perform or advocate it and will not fund or subsidize health care which includes abortion coverage. We

oppose the FDA approval of Mifeprex, formerly known as RU-486, and similar drugs....[p.34]


CAMPAIGN FINANCE



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformCAMPAIGN FINANCE

Our opponents have applauded the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United.... In stark contrast, we

believe we must take immediate action to curb the influence of lobbyists and special interests on our

political institutions. [p.12]


2012 Republican Party PlatformCAMPAIGN FINANCE

[W]e support repeal of the remaining sections of McCain-Feingold, support either raising or repealing contribution limits,

and oppose passage of the DISCLOSE Act or any similar legislation designed to vitiate the Supreme Court’s recent

decisions protecting political speech in Wisconsin Right to Life v. Federal Election Commission and Citizens United v. Federal

Election Commission. [p.19]


Minimum Wage



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformMinimum Wage

We will raise the minimum wage, and index it to inflation. [p.10]


2012 Republican Party PlatformMinimum Wage

No official platform listed in the 2012 Publication on this issue.


Unions



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformUnions

Democrats believe that the right to organize and collectively bargain is a fundamental American value.

[p.9]We will continue to vigorously oppose “Right to Work” and “paycheck protection” efforts, and so-called “Save

our Secret Ballot” measures whenever they are proposed. [p.10]


2012 Republican Party PlatformUnions

We demand an end to the Project Labor Agreements; and we call for repeal of the Davis-Bacon Act.... [p.8]

We support the right of States to enact Right-to-Work laws.... [p.8]


Death Penalty



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformDeath Penalty

We believe that the death penalty must not be arbitrary. DNA testing should be used in all appropriate circumstances, [and] defendants should have effective

assistance of counsel.... [p.20]


2012 Republican Party PlatformDeath Penalty

Courts should have the option of imposing the death penalty in capital murder cases. [p.37]


Gays in the Military



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformGays in the Military

The President’s record, from ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in full cooperation with our military leadership... reflects Democrats’ belief that all Americans deserve

the same chance to... serve their country.... [p.17]


2012 Republican Party PlatformGays in the Military

We will enforce and defend in court the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in the Armed Forces.... [p.43]


Education



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformEducation

We are committed to ensuring that every child in America has access to a world-class public education

so we can out-educate the world and make sure America has the world’s highest proportion of college

graduates by 2020. [p.5]


2012 Republican Party PlatformEducation

We support... block grants and the repeal of numerous federal regulations which interfere with State and local control of public

schools. [p.36]

[W]e support the English First approach... [p.36]


Student Loans



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformStudent Loans

[W]e doubled our investment in Pell Grant scholarships and created the American Opportunity

Tax Credit worth up to $10,000 over four years of college, and we’re creating avenues for students to

manage their federal student loans so that their payments can be only 10 percent of what they make

each month. [p.5]


2012 Republican Party PlatformStudent Loans

The federal government should not be in the business of originating student loans; however, it should serve as an

insurance guarantor for the private sector as they offer loans to students. [p.37]


Energy



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformEnergy

[support]…innovation to reach [the] goal of generating 80 percent of our electricity from clean energy sources

by 2035. Democrats support making America the world’s leader in building a clean energy economy by

extending clean energy incentives.... [p.7]Democrats will fight to cut tax subsidies for Big Oil

while promoting job growth in the clean energy sector.... [p.7]


2012 Republican Party PlatformEnergy

We will end the EPA’s war on coal.... Further, we oppose any and all cap and trade legislation. [p.16]

We will respect the States’ proven ability to regulate the use of hydraulic fracturing, continue development of oil and gas

resources in places like the Bakken formation and Marcellus Shale, and review the environmental laws that often thwart

new energy exploration and production


Environment



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformEnvironment

Democrats are committed to balancing environmental protection with development, and that means

preserving sensitive public lands from exploration, like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Pacific West Coast,

Gulf of Maine, and other irreplaceable national landscapes. [p.7]


2012 Republican Party PlatformEnvironment

We support opening the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for energy exploration and development and ending the current

Administration’s moratorium on permitting; opening the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for

exploration and production of oil and natural gas; and allowing for more oil and natural gas exploration on federally owned and

controlled land. [p.16]


Climate Change



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformClimate Change

We affirm the science of climate change, commit to significantly reducing the pollution that causes climate

change.... [p.20]Democrats pledge to continue showing international

leadership on climate change, working toward an agreement to set emission limits in unison with other

emerging powers. [p.21]


2012 Republican Party PlatformClimate Change

We also call on Congress to take quick action to prohibit the EPA from moving forward with new greenhouse gas regulations....

[p.19]


Gay Marriage



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformGay Marriage

We support marriage equality and support the movement to secure equal treatment under law for same-sex couples. We also support the freedom of

churches and religious entities to decide how to administer marriage as a religious sacrament without

government interference.[p.18]


2012 Republican Party PlatformGay Marriage

We reaffirm our support for a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

[p.10]


Gun Control



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformGun Control

[W]e will preserve Americans’ Second Amendment right to own and use firearms. We believe that the

right to own firearms is subject to reasonable regulation. [p.18]


2012 Republican Party PlatformGun Control

We condemn frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers and oppose federal licensing or registration of law-abiding gun

owners. We oppose legislation that is intended to restrict our Second Amendment rights by limiting the capacity of clips or

magazines or otherwise restoring the ill considered Clinton gun ban. [p.13]


Healthcare



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformHealthcare

We believe accessible, affordable, high quality health care is part of the American promise, that Americans should have the security that comes with good health care, and that no one should go broke because they

get sick. [p.3]


2012 Republican Party PlatformHealthcare

Congressional Republicans are committed to its [the Affordable Care Act's] repeal. [p.32]

No healthcare professional or organization should ever be required to perform, provide for, withhold, or refer for a

medical service against their conscience. [p.34]


Immigration



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party PlatformImmigration

[T]he country urgently needs comprehensive immigration reform that brings undocumented

immigrants out of the shadows and requires them to get right with the law, learn English, and pay taxes in

order to get on a path to earn citizenship. [p.13]


2012 Republican Party PlatformImmigration

[W]e oppose any form of amnesty.... [p.25]The pending Department of Justice lawsuits against Arizona,

Alabama, South Carolina, and Utah must be dismissed immediately. The double-layered fencing on the border that was enacted by Congress in 2006, but never completed, must finally

be built. [p.26][F]ederal funding should be denied to sanctuary cities that

violate federal law... and federal funding should be denied to universities that provide instate tuition rates to illegal aliens....

[p.26]


Taxes



HOME PAGE

2012 Democratic Party Platform Taxes

We want to cut tax breaks for companies that are shipping jobs overseas and for special interests, and

instead offer tax breaks to companies that are investing right here in the United States of America....

[p.8]We Democrats support lowering the corporate tax rate

while closing unnecessary loopholes, and lowering rates even further for manufacturers who create good

jobs at home. [p.8]


2012 Republican Party Platform Taxes

[W]e call for a reduction of the corporate rate to keep U.S. corporations competitive internationally, with a permanent

research and development tax credit, and a repeal of the corporate alternative minimum tax. We also support the recommendation of the National Commission on Fiscal

Responsibility and Reform, as well as the current President’s Export Council, to switch to a territorial system of corporate

taxation, so that profits earned and taxed abroad may be repatriated for job-creating investment here at home without

additional penalty. [p.2]


democratic party vs. republican party

Documents