The difference between the Democrats and the Republicans does not lie on the running candidates. Democrats and Republicans represent principles which each candidate of each party upholds. The difference, then, lies mainly on the beliefs of each and the policies they support. Democrats and Republicans vary greatly with what they stand for in the social and economic policies that they want to take place in the country. With the everyday news and current affairs seen on the television today, it becomes clearer how these two major opposing parties differ when it comes to specific acts, amendments and bills.
First, Democrats put forward common good before individual rights. Democrats like Obama and Clinton acknowledge the role of the state especially when it comes to social services like health and education. In this case, the Democrats highly support government-run hospitals and schools. In short, gun control is what this party prefers. On the other hand, Republicans like John McCain and Ron Paul consider the rights of every individual paramount. Choices, when it comes to health and education, should be governed by each individual’s preference.
The role of the state comes in for poor people who can’t afford education and medication. Hospitals and schools must be run privately. Gun control, then, is a big no-no for Republicans (Democrats 4). Among the parties involved in the elections, it is the Democrats who are considered social liberals for their stand on social issues. The abolition of death penalty is what they highly support. Other social issues they believe should be given consideration are right to abortion and gay rights (Democrats 6). Republicans, on the other hand, are social conservatives.
Death penalty, right to abortion and gay rights are what they object. Creationism is supported by the said party. Republican are religious people, too, as opposed to Democrats who want to abolish the display of religious symbols in courts, schools and other places (Democrats 6). Democrats prioritize the interest of the United States even when they are internationalists who work with other countries. When working in cooperation with foreign countries is needed, the interest of the country is always the top priority.
Republicans, on the other hand, is all for the militarist role of the nation when it comes to world policies (Democrats 9). Each candidate’s stand on social issues can be seen with the support of both for the current policies and bills forwarded for the government to evaluate. Hillary Clinton, a Democrat, vows to overturn the “global gag rule. ” This rule aims to prohibit NGOs from participating, particularly talking, about abortion in line with unwanted pregnancy. Her Democratic beliefs can be, in fact, seen with her performance in the past years, when she voted against a bill passed in 2003 called Prohibit Partial Abortion.
Even an amendment in 2007 which called for the prohibition of the funding of groups who perform abortion was something she did not cast vote on. The same is true with Barack Obama, another Democrat, who signed for the same things and voted against the same policies and bills, all for the same reasons a real Democrat would believe. John McCain, a Republican, expectedly supported the Prohibiting Funds for Groups that Perform Abortions amendment – an action very natural for a social conservative like the said candidate (Primaries 5).
Currently, there is an ongoing issue about Clinton and Obama, Clinton being white and Obama being black. Clinton is said to have a lot of advantages over Obama since Clinton is white, and the majority of voters are white people. In fact, a former pastor of Obama’s church commented about this saying that Obama is simply not fit to run the country because first, he is not white and second, he is not rich. Obama should not run in a country run by white and rich people.
Obama reacted to this last March 15, 2008 in CNN, saying that he is a member of this church for 20 years. He used to be one of the people sitting on the pews with a wonderful ministry and what he always heard inside the church was everything about Jesus and not at all about politics. Obama also said that if he was there sitting on the pews that moment, he would’ve told the pastor that he was wrong and he may have stepped out of the church in no time. While Obama was reacting, it can be seen how calm and graceful he was in reacting to such an unexpected circumstance.
Because of the discriminating comments of the pastor, Obama pointed out that what the country needs is a transition especially when it comes to everything that is going on inside an African-American community. The pastor’s life is different from the life experiences of Obama. As seen in KDKA, March 14, 2008 at 10:07 PM, Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, is dealing with her own campaign activities. Senator Clinton currently campaigned in Pittsburgh, believing that she can’t get to the “White House without winning Pennsylvania. ” She is also willing to work really hard to win the state.
Because she is endorsed by Ed Rendell who happens to be Pennsylvania’s governor, she believes that this is a validation and a vote of confidence which is why it matters to her that an opinion or stand of another politician is there to support her as a candidate. Republican Senator John McCain, on the other hand, commented on the Senate ignoring the determination of the people when it refused to what he sponsored – a one-year moratorium on earmarks. Seventy one members of the Senate voted against such proposal and he knows that pork barrel is something that Americans wants to be stopped.
Because of the result of the one-year moratorium he co-sponsored, he believes that it simply shows how the Senate and the Congress as a whole are disconnected from the people of the United States. He explained his sentiments last March 14, 2008 in CNN. As of today, Clinton is preferred by 46% and Obama by 49% in the Democratic party, while McCain gets 62% and Paul 5% when it comes to the Republican nominees. In Generally, McCain gets 44%, Obama gets 39% and Clinton gets 39% according to polls conducted by an online source called Polling Report.
Works Cited:
“Democrats vs Republicans. ” Friendly Neighborhood. My Career Wizard. Advice Center. 26 January 2008. 16 March 2008 <http://mycareerwizard. wordpress. com/2008/01/26/democrats-vs-republicans/>. “Primaries and Caucuses”. Election Center 2008. CNN Politics. 15 March 2008. 16 March 2008 <http://edition. cnn. com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues. abortion. html>. “White House 2008: General Elections. ” Polling Report. 15 March 2008. 16 March 2008 <http://www. pollingreport. com/wh08gen. htm>.