Why do we have political parties? What distinguishes the two major parties in our country today? And why should we care?
Most of us know that government exists for very good reasons. Our Constitution was created to “form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity….”
While some prominent politicians like Marjorie Taylor Greene endorse a “national divorce,” most Americans today support striving toward a more perfect union, promoting the general welfare, providing for the common defense, and so on.
Within that broad consensus, Democrats and Republicans differ considerably with regard to who they are and what they think government ought to do, and what it ought not do, at a national level, and at a local level.
These differences are often profound, but there are larger areas upon which most of us agree. In these areas of agreement, we can make progress, if we talk with each other—rather than past each other. Our common humanity and our shared fate on this planet demand no less.
This column serves to illuminate areas of agreement and dispute, and to serve as an outline for further columns. It is my hope that this leads to discussions that are civil and productive, and that we might achieve consensus on issues that are critical to the survival of our republic.
Before I note some characteristics (as I see them, at least) of our major parties, I must stress that these are my perceptions, at this moment in history. If, for example, I indicate that “Democrats are more likely to wish to preserve the Union,” or, “Democrats are more likely to support science and a strong Federal Government,” well, I have to recognize that Democrats and Republicans have largely switched places since the mid-and late 19th Century. Republicans used to be the progressives, and Democrats used to be—well, not that, not at all. And never is there an all-or-nothing case: Republicans are seldom universally aligned on any given issue, and certainly Democrats never are.
But what about non-affiliated voters and non-voters? These make up the majority of Americans. There is a tragic truism: “If you don’t have a seat at the table, you are probably on the menu.” If you choose not to vote and not involve yourself in the political process, you are letting other people decide what sort of world will exist tomorrow and in a hundred years. I hope that this series of columns (from both sides of the aisle!) will stimulate more political commitment from our community, and commentary from people who are not active Democrats or Republicans. I know that the editors want to hear from you, too!
So, here goes:
Democrats tend to be younger, better educated, more urban or suburban, female and minority. But there is huge overlap: no demographic fully predicts political affiliation.
Democrats and Republicans alike prioritize family, children, friends, and careers as giving meaning to their lives. It seems to me that recognizing these common values provides a basis for agreements on policy: we must support families, communities, education, and jobs.
Republicans tend to emphasize individual rights, and Democrats tend to emphasize responsibility to the community. But these values get quickly muddied when Democrats assert a woman’s dominion over her own body, and Republicans seek to limit her individual rights.
Democrats are more likely to want our country to be more actively engaged in the world, to support Ukraine against Russia, to support democracies, and oppose authoritarian governments. Many Republicans (like Mitt Romney and Marco Rubio) also lean this way, but other Republicans actively support Russia, visit Russia to work with allies there, and label Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a mere “territorial dispute.”
Republicans tend to emphasize “law and order” but object to providing for enforcement of tax laws or prosecuting violent members of the Jan. 6, 2021, mob.
Democrats are more likely to accept the gravity of the climate crisis and to support efforts to reduce carbon emissions through science and technology.
Democrats tend to support national efforts to build infrastructure and national industrial policies. Republicans often oppose these efforts, but some voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and so on. And Republicans have pretty generally always shown up at ribbon-cuttings for the new projects funded by these bills, and have celebrated the jobs created. It should be noted that a disproportionately high share of these monies is being directed toward states that did not vote for Biden in 2020.
Republicans —it seems to me— tend to concern themselves with matters that are of imagined consequence or of little consequence: the gender of a plastic toy potato, the sexual “hotness” of a green M&M. Or whether a president wears a tan suit. But if these things matter to them, so be it.
Democrats —it seems to me— concern themselves with moral responsibility and the welfare of other human beings. Democrats voted overwhelmingly in favor of the PACT Act that provides care for veterans harmed by toxic burn pits. (U.S. Representative Cliff Bentz voted against this bill.)
Democrats want to regulate banks and railroads. Republicans want to regulate books, drag shows and uteruses. Or so it seems to me. Let’s talk.
This article was published in the News-Review on Apr 2 2023.
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